Advice for CUC and QT

[Netotek]

I feel like I started butt backwards and I'm playing catch up.
-My tank (Fluval 13.5) cycled in 3 weeks and I added 1 fish (clownfish)
-It's been two and a half weeks since I added the clown. And since then I've convinced myself that I need to quarantine everything before it goes into my DT.
-I've set up a QT and started cycling about 10 days ago. As of last night I'm still waiting for ammonia and nitrites to drop to 0. I figure it's about a week away from being cycled.

My plan was to QT the CUC for 45days before adding them to the DT. By my math, I'll be able to add the CUC to the DT on August 12 +/-

Last night I saw my first signs of algae growth on the rock. I only have the lights on for 3 hours or so around feeding time so he can see the food better. Besides that it's ambient light from the room.

I'm scared to death about introducing something to the DT that'll kill my clownfish. But if I wait the QT period I think my tank will be overrun with algae by then. Buying QT'd CUC online has risks as well based on my reading. And not to mention that online stores send out preset amounts that is too much for my little tank. I was thinking of Nassarius snails but the minimum I could buy was 10. And based on the reviews, the snails they send are not small, which is fine but just not so many of them.

Based on my reading on Humblefish's invert QT. Urchins don't need a QT.
- is that true based on your experience?
- I was thinking of adding a tuxedo urchin, and If I can add him in sooner, then maybe the urchin can manage the algae until the CUC is out of QT?

Any and All advice is greatly appreciated

 

[PotatoPig]

If you don’t have corals in the main tank then just keep the lights off until the CUC is good to go. Assuming it’s not getting hit with direct sunlight there’s almost no PAR in regular room lighting so any algae growth will be absolutely minimal.

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

Based on my reading on Humblefish's invert QT. Urchins don't need a QT.

Anything wet - including urchins - can bring in disease.

Chances of inverts bringing in disease are low, but - unfortunately - not zero (see the quote in the link below), so I would personally QT them, but most people don't. The QT (as mentioned in the quote below) should last a minimum of 45 days if kept at 81F (longer is safer; 76 days is the usual suggestion here on R2R). If the temperature is lower than 81F, the QT needs to be longer.

The odds are astronomically low - but not zero. For most people, nothing bad will happen (at least disease wise; algae, hydroids, and the like are a different matter) if they don't quarantine their inverts at all. For a few people (like the OP in the thread below), however, they'll draw a short straw.

Whether the extremely low-probability of a highly negative outcome is worth quarantining for 45 days at 81F (the temp being 81F or more over the duration of the QT is important for maximum biosecurity here) over or not is up to you, but most people will say it's not. If you're particularly risk-averse (like I am with things like this), though, then you may believe it to be worthwhile.

Keeping CuC Alive in Quarantine.

So it’s coming time for me to restock the crew. While the exact composition and numbers are TBA, thinking it will be around 15 blue leg hermits, 5 nassarius, 1 mexican turbo and a skunk shrimp. Ultimately they’re going in my 260gal, which currently has a tuxedo urchin, 1 hermit crab, 1...

www.reef2reef.com

Biosecurity

A short introduction to aquarium biosecurity

www.reef2reef.com

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Edit: I see somebody else beat me to this.....

Well, as they say - it's complicated (grin).

The lowest common denominator here is the clownfish that wasn't quarantined itself. Fully quarantining everything after that point is a bit like closing the barn door after the horse has escaped, except from the standpoint of if the clownfish is totally disease free, quarantining from this point on is helpful.

If your CUC came from a fishless system, then you do not really need to quarantine them for fish diseases. However, many LFS put fish in their CUC systems, and then, yes, you do need to isolate the CUC for some time.

I've seen that Humblefish invert QT, where he says one species needs 14 days isolation, and another species needs 30, while still more just need to be rinsed - it has some serious flaws. It is based on some idea about how Cryptocaryon tomonts adhere to things. However, it does not take into consideration Neobenedenia eggs, bacteria, coccidia or viruses.

Better to assume that anything WET can transmit disease propagules - your hands, a fish net, a sea urchin, etc.

Here is a general article on biosecurity that I posted:

Biosecurity

A short introduction to aquarium biosecurity

www.reef2reef.com

Jay

 

[threebuoys]

I've had good luck with reefcleaners.org Shipping costs for low volume order may not be appealing, but they do have a good selection of CUC critters

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

I've had good luck with reefcleaners.org Shipping costs for low volume order may not be appealing, but they do have a good selection of CUC critters

+1 on Reef Cleaners - the owner told me that they hold all of their CUC in fishless systems. I've only ordered from them once, but it worked out great!

Jay

 

[Netotek]

If you don’t have corals in the main tank then just keep the lights off until the CUC is good to go. Assuming it’s not getting hit with direct sunlight there’s almost no PAR in regular room lighting so any algae growth will be absolutely minimal.

No corals, just the one clown right now.

Edit: I see somebody else beat me to this.....

Well, as they say - it's complicated (grin).

The lowest common denominator here is the clownfish that wasn't quarantined itself. Fully quarantining everything after that point is a bit like closing the barn door after the horse has escaped, except from the standpoint of if the clownfish is totally disease free, quarantining from this point on is helpful.

If your CUC came from a fishless system, then you do not really need to quarantine them for fish diseases. However, many LFS put fish in their CUC systems, and then, yes, you do need to isolate the CUC for some time.

I've seen that Humblefish invert QT, where he says one species needs 14 days isolation, and another species needs 30, while still more just need to be rinsed - it has some serious flaws. It is based on some idea about how Cryptocaryon tomonts adhere to things. However, it does not take into consideration Neobenedenia eggs, bacteria, coccidia or viruses.

Better to assume that anything WET can transmit disease propagules - your hands, a fish net, a sea urchin, etc.

Here is a general article on biosecurity that I posted:

Biosecurity

A short introduction to aquarium biosecurity

www.reef2reef.com

Jay

So my clownfish wasn't quarantined, and the inverts are coming out of the same water as where the clown came from. So far I haven't seen any signs of disease or pests. Do you think I should assume that the clown is disease free?

I checked with my LFS and they keep them in captive bred fish systems, so QT'ing is my best option I figure.

I'm currently reading the link, thank you for that!

I've had good luck with reefcleaners.org Shipping costs for low volume order may not be appealing, but they do have a good selection of CUC critters

I'll look them up. Thank you!

 

[Netotek]

One last thought. What about Copepods? would dosing the tank with them help reduce the algae until the CUC is done with their QT?