Best alternative to quarantine?

[Mark Gray]

I recommend you reed Paul B's thread on the other was to run a reef tank. It's a good read. I have been in the hobby since the 70s I do not OT.

 

[Tamberav]

I am buying a couple fish from live aquaria and want to condition/treat them

You can use saftey stop which was a popular flavor for awhile... just know that there is no one dip and done...

If the fish have parasites, then they will have it.

If there was a dip that worked that way... we wouldn't have QT tanks

 

[cancun]

I recommend you reed Paul B's thread on the other was to run a reef tank. It's a good read. I have been in the hobby since the 70s I do not OT.

I agree, pick up Paul B's book too, very good.....years ago I tried QT briefly and I lost more fish in my brief stint with QT. It's your tank, do what you think is best for you imo.

 

[cancun]

Never understood how someone can say they can't quarantine. You can quarantine in a 5 gallon bucket. Heck, a 5 gallon tank doesn't take up much more space than a toaster oven. I quarantine small fish in 2 1/2 gallons of water in a 3 gallon plastic tote from Lowes. I do TTM ever night for 14 days, with a couple rounds of Prazi and h202. Two weeks, takes up less than two square feet, and done.

Or you can pay big bucks and buy pre quarantined fish. There are a handful of places.

I think the OP and others that say they "can't" QT, are actually saying they don't want to QT. That's my 2 cents, and my own opinion.

 

[vabben]

But you gotta wait like 2 weeks to get the fish u want in the mail

You should still QT pre-QT’d fish for observation.

What fish are you buying? Not aware of any fish that you couldn’t be qt’d in a 20 gallon from Petco. If you’re buying a “large” Naso, I understand the difficulty to QT, but the cost of large fish would be insignificant to the cost of all your livestock in tank that size.

 

[Zekireef]

I think the OP and others that say they "can't" QT, are actually saying they don't want to QT. That's my 2 cents, and my own opinion.

This……….
QT is simple, can be space efficient and low maintenance, with my most recent tank, I’ve only cut QT shorter than my usual 30 days once, when I TTMd a sunburst anthias, it died from a localised bacterial infection which luckily hasn’t spread, I’m glad I did QT it because a bacterial infection is easy to deal with, velvet isn’t..

 

[FSP]

Opinions concerning QT are one thing, but do remember some folks are lucky to have one/an/a single aquarium at all

If you decide to try a method without prophylactic medication like Paul B's method, do read as much about it as you can. It's not "do nothing and hope it turns out okay."

 

[leon.1980]

I purchase for a very reputable lfs. Then I run a 2 week observational period and if nothing seems off I start a 6 week hypo treatment of 1.008

 

[Lionfish hunter]

What should I use to condition and treat fish BESIDES formalin and methalyne blue? What are the best options out there? I can not quarantine, dips and baths accepted as well.

buy quarantined fish from drreef, problem solved.

 

[Lionfish hunter]

Opinions concerning QT are one thing, but do remember some folks are lucky to have one/an/a single aquarium at all

If you decide to try a method without prophylactic medication like Paul B's method, do read as much about it as you can. It's not "do nothing and hope it turns out okay."

paul b is a bad source of information. Horrible source actually.

 

[Lionfish hunter]

What should I use to condition and treat fish BESIDES formalin and methalyne blue? What are the best options out there? I can not quarantine, dips and baths accepted as well.

Home - Quarantined Fish

About Us WELCOME TO DR. REEF We specialize in quarantined fish. All orders are by request. We may have a

drreefsquarantinedfish.com

 

[Zekireef]

Opinions concerning QT are one thing, but do remember some folks are lucky to have one/an/a single aquarium at all

If you decide to try a method without prophylactic medication like Paul B's method, do read as much about it as you can. It's not "do nothing and hope it turns out okay."

That may be true, but there are now options to buy quarantined fish. Sure they cost more, but do you want to do this cheap, or do this right? We’re dealing with living animals here, not nba cards.

I get this hobby isn’t cheap and people are doing it tough, but many of those same people that can’t afford/fit a QT tank/to QT go and buy a tank that is way too large for them to manage, and then start cutting costs and corners.

I’m not assuming that this is the case in this instance, but OP asked if you can manage the risks associated with not QTing a fish, and got an answer (which was no, which isn’t completely accurate either), but also was given the option of paying extra for qt’d fish.

we get upset at people who don’t look after their kids, dogs or cats properly so why shouldn’t this be any different?

For OP, any fish that isn’t QT’d is a gamble, QT helps stack the deck in your favour.

But if you’re willing to make the gamble (I wouldn’t), then sticking to healthy fish species with characteristics that reduce the risk of disease (large scales, thick slime coat) helps you feel more comfortable gambling. Notice I didn’t say reduce risks…

given the fish are 4 inches, I’m guessing they’re tangs, so none of what I mentioned before applies, good luck and hope it isn’t velvet if that’s the case!

 

[ninjamyst]

Life is a game of statistics. There are pros and cons to QT. At the end of the day, it's your tank so do what you want. I do not QT with medication.

I get my fish from LFS. I dip them with hydroplex, put them in my 20g nano reef for observation and make sure they are eating. One week later, dip with hydroplex and into my 200g main display.

I tried qt before. I must suck at it cuz I ended up killing more fish. Even in my observation nano tank with corals and live rock, new fish are skittish and hide. As soon as the one week observation is over and I added them to my 200g display, they are out and about and exploring and swimming up to me for food. I don't know what it is about the display vs the 20g. Maybe because it's bigger and there are already 20 other fish in there to show the new guys around? But they are just so much happier once in the main display.

 

[blaxsun]

paul b is a bad source of information. Horrible source actually.

I wouldn't necessarily agree with this statement.
..........

Quarantining fish doesn't always work (99% or 99.9% still isn't 100%). And then when your tank is faced with a disease, everything suffers horribly because they have no natural immunity. You don't need more of an example than the real-world mass flu spree.

I don't quarantine my fish. I run a UV 24/7 at a "kill" (not sterilize) threshold, am very picky about what fish I introduce (reputable suppliers) and feed my fish well and often - with a variety of immune-boosting supplements.

This is what I do. It works for me (outbreak free in over a year despite the addition of 30+ wild-caught fish). This isn't something I necessarily recommend as there are inherent risks the same as you take with quarantine. YMMV.

 

[FSP]

It has nothing to do with being cheap. It is a methodology with its own risks and rewards just like prophylactically medicating.

I don't like comparing fish with critters that aren't fish. The dog example comes up a lot, but it can be spun so many ways. Putting a new dog that appears to be in good health in a kennel and loading it with medication because something might be wrong with it sounds terrible. Folks wouldn't give a dog riddled with fleas good food and a nice yard and expect it to recover either. Fish are fish, and that does not diminish their value as a living animal at all.

 

[Lionfish hunter]

I wouldn't necessarily agree with this statement.
..........

Quarantining fish doesn't always work (99% or 99.9% still isn't 100%). And then when your tank is faced with a disease, everything suffers horribly because they have no natural immunity. You don't need more of an example than the real-world mass flu spree.

I don't quarantine my fish. I run a UV 24/7 at a "kill" (not sterilize) threshold, am very picky about what fish I introduce (reputable suppliers) and feed my fish well and often - with a variety of immune-boosting supplements.

This is what I do. It works for me (outbreak free in over a year despite the addition of 30+ wild-caught fish). This isn't something I necessarily recommend as there are inherent risks the same as you take with quarantine. YMMV.

You may not agree but you’re doing the complete opposite from what Paul preaches. UV sterilizers are the ultimate no no in his world.

 

[Lionfish hunter]

There is a big difference from immunity from a virus, and immunity from a multicelled parasitic organism. A virus infects a cell by replicating a receptor to gain access. The body has multiple ways to make immunity to that. VERY different from a parasite attaching to and feeding off an animal. And that is why there are no vaccines for parasites, it is nowhere near the same thing and should not be compared. Misinformation spread by Paul B.

I wouldn't necessarily agree with this statement.
..........

Quarantining fish doesn't always work (99% or 99.9% still isn't 100%). And then when your tank is faced with a disease, everything suffers horribly because they have no natural immunity. You don't need more of an example than the real-world mass flu spree.

I don't quarantine my fish. I run a UV 24/7 at a "kill" (not sterilize) threshold, am very picky about what fish I introduce (reputable suppliers) and feed my fish well and often - with a variety of immune-boosting supplements.

This is what I do. It works for me (outbreak free in over a year despite the addition of 30+ wild-caught fish). This isn't something I necessarily recommend as there are inherent risks the same as you take with quarantine. YMMV.

 

[Spare time]

But you gotta wait like 2 weeks to get the fish u want in the mail

Is waiting 2 weeks not worth it for the lives of all the fish in the tank? Just wait the two weeks and let the fish live a healthy life.

 

[blaxsun]

You may not agree but you’re doing the complete opposite from what Paul preaches. UV sterilizers are the ultimate no no in his world. Few people have spread more misinformation than him.

I haven't read everything he's posted in-depth about his specific techniques (simply too many threads to delve into). You're probably correct in your assertion that he's closer to the extreme end of the "no quarantine" spectrum. I don't necessarily consider myself in no man's land - merely slightly off the beaten path.

 

[Mark Gray]

It has nothing to do with being cheap. It is a methodology with its own risks and rewards just like prophylactically medicating.

I don't like comparing fish with critters that aren't fish. The dog example comes up a lot, but it can be spun so many ways. Putting a new dog that appears to be in good health in a kennel and loading it with medication because something might be wrong with it sounds terrible. Folks wouldn't give a dog riddled with fleas good food and a nice yard and expect it to recover either. Fish are fish, and that does not diminish their value as a living animal at all.

Do you believe the ocean id pathogen free? Fish have immunity . I have always introduced ick into every tank I have ever owned, the only fish I worry about is the new one coming in until; I can get them eating well and used to my high current flow.