Am I Dumb, NO QT fish?

shrive81 · Dec 17, 2020

Hey guys,

so i have my new tank up and running with two clowns that i was able to get from a QT seller. It was more or less a luck thing but I also paid for it. I want to start adding more fish but I also cant afford to buy all my fish at QT prices and i can tell you right now if i try to tell my wife i need to setup another tank in the house as a QT i will be setting it up on my car where I will be living after she kicks me out HAHAHAHA.

With that said what is the best process for buying fish that are in a proper QT and does it pretty much mean i am going to introduce disease?

Marc2952 · Dec 17, 2020

Well since you cant have a QT tank in your house your best bet is to buy from places like TSM aquatics. Their prices are good and they do the whole QT for you

, i highly suggest you do not just buy fish that havent been Quarantined as trust me its not gonna be fun once they start getting sick and die. I went through all of that myself in my first year and learned the hard way lol

shrive81 · Dec 17, 2020

Marc2952 said:
Well since you cant have a QT tank in your house your best bet is to buy from places like TSM aquatics. Their prices are good and they do the whole QT for you , i highly suggest you do not just buy fish that havent been Quarantined as trust me its not gonna be fun once they start getting sick and die. I went through all of that myself in my first year and learned the hard way lol

ya it just so hard to look at an empty tank 100 gallons for two clowns is so sad hahahahaha

Speaker · Dec 17, 2020

shrive81 said:
ya it just so hard to look at an empty tank 100 gallons for two clowns is so sad hahahahaha

Its worth it to not get sick fish.

PicassoClown04 · Dec 17, 2020

Go through quarantinedfish.us Mike has unbeatable prices considering everything’s quarantined and he custom orders your fish so he always has what you want in stock! Really nice guy and easy to work with

gray808 · Dec 17, 2020

footgal said:
Go through quarantinedfish.us

What is the correct URL for them?

--Gray

daybreaksky · Dec 17, 2020

I just got 3 carpenters wrasses 2 had velvet and are dead. Third is doing great because I'm putting it through tank transfer qt. Almost finished, 2 more transfers. This is going to be the most expansive carpenters wrasse when I'm done but if I didn't then this guy and my other 4 fish would be dead sooooo... Def qt everything or buy from reputable places that do. Look up tank transfer method from humble fish, it needs at most 2 10-15g tanks and doesn't take much space/need cycling and only up for 3-4 weeks max.

josvanmeer · Dec 17, 2020

I wont be looking at a fully stocked 150gals either because I will be quarantining one or two fish at a time before I add them to the DT. Not as bare as two clowns in a 100 since I already have livestock from the previous tank but I am suggesting that you shouldnt take chances on not quarantining

Jet915 · Dec 17, 2020

Personally, Ive never QT'd a fish. I guess im in the ICH management camp. What I do do is have a large oversized UV that runs 24/7 and feed my fish a diet rich in nori and homemade fish food (clams, fish, mussels, shrimp with Selcon). Havent lost a fish to disease since I started, I added 5 more fish about 6 months ago and they are all doing great. Maybe Im just lucky....

Paulie069 · Dec 17, 2020

shrive81 said:
Hey guys,

so i have my new tank up and running with two clowns that i was able to get from a QT seller. It was more or less a luck thing but I also paid for it. I want to start adding more fish but I also cant afford to buy all my fish at QT prices and i can tell you right now if i try to tell my wife i need to setup another tank in the house as a QT i will be setting it up on my car where I will be living after she kicks me out HAHAHAHA.

With that said what is the best process for buying fish that are in a proper QT and does it pretty much mean i am going to introduce disease?

I have been doing this for only 11 months, so I’m still a reef virgin, but I’ve never QT any fish ever and in my tank at the moment I have
7 seahorses
2 green cronies
1 blue devil damsel
1 purple tail fire fish goby
1 yellow tang
1 scooter bleeny
And a large clean up crew
All I’m saying is no QT works for me

ReefRusty · Dec 17, 2020

shrive81 said:
Hey guys,

so i have my new tank up and running with two clowns that i was able to get from a QT seller. It was more or less a luck thing but I also paid for it. I want to start adding more fish but I also cant afford to buy all my fish at QT prices and i can tell you right now if i try to tell my wife i need to setup another tank in the house as a QT i will be setting it up on my car where I will be living after she kicks me out HAHAHAHA.

With that said what is the best process for buying fish that are in a proper QT and does it pretty much mean i am going to introduce disease?

Haha I had to show my wife this. Honestly that's me to a Tee. Lucky I have a nice car that I could live in. Shame I couldn't set up my DT in there.

Unfortunately over in Australia there isnt to many places that QT for you. And when your LFS says dont trust anyone not even your LFS I think I will QT everything I buy. Hope she comes around soon mate. I know my wife is far from that.

sp1187 · Dec 17, 2020

no QT.
first fish added 09/2018
current fish list:
1 foxface lo
1 orchid dotty
1 bicolor dotty
1 kaudern's card
1 canary blenny
1 tailspot blenny
1 clown goby
1 bluestreak cleaner wrasse
2 pj cards
2 ocellaris clowns
3 lyretail damsels
4 lyretail anthias
4 blue green chromis

I've had 3 fish breakout with ich in my DT.
my lamark when I first bought it 2 years ago, I just rehomed because it had grown to big and got aggressive, and two newly added bannerfish which ended up dying.
I couldn't treat the tank, as it's coral and invert heavy. none of the other fish got sick.
feed heavy. diversify the diet. healthy non stressed fish don't get sick.
at least so far.

ReefRusty · Dec 17, 2020

sp1187 said:
no QT.
first fish added 09/2018
current fish list:
1 foxface lo
1 orchid dotty
1 bicolor dotty
1 kaudern's card
1 canary blenny
1 tailspot blenny
1 clown goby
1 bluestreak cleaner wrasse
2 pj cards
2 ocellaris clowns
3 lyretail damsels
4 lyretail anthias
4 blue green chromis

I've had 3 fish breakout with ich in my DT.
my lamark when I first bought it 2 years ago, I just rehomed because it had grown to big and got aggressive, and two newly added bannerfish which ended up dying.
I couldn't treat the tank, as it's coral and invert heavy. none of the other fish got sick.
feed heavy. diversify the diet. healthy non stressed fish don't get sick.
at least so far.

Been lucky or just good at maintaining and managing it.

PicassoClown04 · Dec 17, 2020

gray808 said:
What is the correct URL for them?

--Gray

Quarantined Fish | Quarantined Fish

Step by step Quarantine procedure: After receiving fish, they are visually checked by Dr.Reef for any visible issues. Temperature is matched by floating the bags for 30 min. Most wholesalers send us fish at Salinity 1.018 and temp of 80F, so we keep our QT tanks at Salinity 1.018 and temp at 80F ...

drreefsquarantinedfish.com

josvanmeer · Dec 17, 2020

No offense to the people who immediately rationalize ich management, quarantining is not just for ich. Its for a plethora of parasites/diseases. “my fish have been doing fine” is not a solid argument. Im not telling anyone what to do, but just accept the fact that you didnt even try to prevent any diseases in the first place. People always start quarantining after their entire DT has been wiped out or gotten seriously sick. Quarantining is to try to prevent that from happening. The time to start is now; not when all your livestock is struggling to stay alive in your tank.

You actually have a choice now, add one piece of livestock now that has not been quarantined and you can immediately go into ich etc management. Because you will have it in your tank.

sp1187 · Dec 17, 2020

josvanmeer said:
No offense to the people who immediately rationalize ich management, quarantining is not just for ich. Its for a plethora of parasites/diseases. “my fish have been doing fine” is not a solid argument. Im not telling anyone what to do, but just accept the fact that you didnt even try to prevent any diseases in the first place. People always start quarantining after their entire DT has been wiped out or gotten seriously sick. Quarantining is to try to prevent that from happening. The time to start is now; not when all your livestock is struggling to stay alive in your tank.

You actually have a choice now, add one piece of livestock now that has not been quarantined and you can immediately go into ich etc management. Because you will have it in your tank.

no offense taken. QT kills fish too.

CanuckReefer · Dec 17, 2020

shrive81 said:
Hey guys,

so i have my new tank up and running with two clowns that i was able to get from a QT seller. It was more or less a luck thing but I also paid for it. I want to start adding more fish but I also cant afford to buy all my fish at QT prices and i can tell you right now if i try to tell my wife i need to setup another tank in the house as a QT i will be setting it up on my car where I will be living after she kicks me out HAHAHAHA.

With that said what is the best process for buying fish that are in a proper QT and does it pretty much mean i am going to introduce disease?

Welp.... I don't and haven't for 25 years. In saying that, I do have a local trusted merchant whom others have mentioned similar protocol , he does it for me.... I put deposit, and have him QT 2 weeks and then pick up the fish. It has worked most part. I did have a massive ich outbreak about 15 years ago and lost all but 3. They are still here today. In saying that, I do not purchase many fish, my numbers are minimal. So be prepared, you are taking a significant risk if you are adding without any meaningful QT procedure. I purchase one about every year or two....I have an Eibli Angel on hold for the last week. Called him today and the fish is doing well....fingers crossed my Coral Beauty gets along with her more than anything...that is the big risk for me next week...fingers crossed....

CanuckReefer · Dec 17, 2020

Jet915 said:
Personally, Ive never QT'd a fish. I guess im in the ICH management camp. What I do do is have a large oversized UV that runs 24/7 and feed my fish a diet rich in nori and homemade fish food (clams, fish, mussels, shrimp with Selcon). Havent lost a fish to disease since I started, I added 5 more fish about 6 months ago and they are all doing great. Maybe Im just lucky....

My UV runs pretty steady too...also almost identical feed protocol...I think there is a bit of luck involved as well as you mention.