Do you actually QT or treat without symptoms?

[Dburr1014]

My QT process is situational.
Mostly because I trust my LFS where I but 90% of my stock.

When I buy a fish I ask how long the store has had it. I normally don't buy anything that has not been at the store for a month.
My last two additions they were at the store for 2 months and 4 months. I figure it they survived the store that long they should be good. (not where I normally buy)
I observe and look for any diseases and make sure they are eating. I will do a prazipro treatment and a second treatment. If nothing pops up I put them in.
I once got fish mailed and they also went through copper.

 

[Malum Argenteum]

My method seems to be foolproof, even for Brooklynella, for at least half a century, but it could crash tomorrow. Maybe because I was born in Brooklyn.

This has only worked in my tank for about 47 or so years so maybe I am just lucky and foolish

I'm willing to bet that a large part of your success is knowing how to choose healthy fish in the first place, and how to choose a quality vendor. You may well be foolish , but knowledge and experience looks a lot like luck sometimes and works a lot better.

Those skills also could help make shotgun (and therapeutic) medications less necessary in the hobby, and might be worth focusing more attention on (talking to the whole group here, not you on this specific point, Paul).

 

[GARRIGA]

Something worth mentioning is every CUC, pebble and frag introduced. Doubt most QT everything which is another vector for introduction of that not wanted.

 

[fishkat]

I ALWAYS treat prophylactically for the most common parasites; Ich, Velvet and flukes. Ich and flukes, in particular, can easily evade notice as a chronic infection, later taking that into your DT, with disastrous results.

Jay,
I live in a condo. My DT is about 50gal. What would be the min size tank for the HTTMP?
fishkat

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Jay,
I live in a condo. My DT is about 50gal. What would be the min size tank for the HTTMP?
fishkat

That mostly depends on the size of the fish you'll be acquiring, and then how many fish you'll be getting at one time (people who order their fish online tend to buy multiple fish to save on shipping).

Minimum size would be a 10 gallon, but a 20 long would be better.

 

[dochoot]

Lots of diverse thoughts with out anyone melting down. Nice!

 

[fishkat]

Second guessing? Pre quarantined fish are a good compromise. Even the strict quarantine process we advocate for here is not foolproof - it doesn't treat for Brooklynella for example.

Jay,
I live in a condo. My DT is about 50gal. Would a 5gal tank be ok for QT and treat?
fishkat

 

[Paul B]

I'm willing to bet that a large part of your success is knowing how to choose healthy fish in the first place,

I don't know about that. Of course I won't buy a fish that isn't eating even though the store owner may say "the fish just ate or is fasting for religious reasons".

I also won't put a quarantined or medicated fish in my tank.

But if it has a few spots on it, if I like the fish that wouldn't matter to me as my fish are 100% immune and it does take a little work to only give them the food I feel is necessary and the correct living conditions that I feel is sorely lacking in many tanks.

My "quality" vender is a filthy place that has been in business for 50 years, and that is how long I have been going there.

 

[fishkat]

That mostly depends on the size of the fish you'll be acquiring, and then how many fish you'll be getting at one time (people who order their fish online tend to buy multiple fish to save on shipping).

Minimum size would be a 10 gallon, but a 20 long would be better.

Usually one fish at a time medium sized - less than 3 inches as my DT is about 50 gal.
fishkat

 

[GARRIGA]

... and it does take a little work to only give them the food I feel is necessary and the correct living conditions that I feel is sorely lacking in many tanks.

Absent of those white worms you culture. Would earthworms or tubifex help build that gut fauna you provide?

 

[Paul B]

Yes, I do also feed earthworms or shellfish. Tubifex are kind of filthy and I don't think I would feed those.

 

[miyags]

I allways pre treat fish sick or not..Ever since I added a fish that looked fine for 4 days at the fish store, to my tank..Then had an outbreak of velvet. Killing fish I had for 15 years..only a few survived.

 

[dochoot]

Something worth mentioning is every CUC, pebble and frag introduced. Doubt most QT everything which is another vector for introduction of that not wanted.

Makes you consider the situation of getting true live rock. Contains so much macroscopic critters let alone microscopic. I started my tank with it.

 

[GARRIGA]

Makes you consider the situation of getting true live rock. Contains so much macroscopic critters let alone microscopic. I started my tank with it.

Option is go FOLLOW with that live rock. Set the tank up and add no fish for 90 days. Including corals as I would think any coral pests would have starved to death but could be wrong.

 

[BillFish Coral Lover]

The link I posted earlier details the best method of setting up a quarantine. Other helpful information can be found in both of these links contained in the stickies at the top.

Fish Disease Treatment and Diagnosis

A forum for discussing treatment and diagnosing saltwater reef fish.

www.reef2reef.com

New to Saltwater & Reef Aquariums? Post Here

If you're new to the Saltwater Hobby and have questions please post them here. So you finally decided to take the plunge. The only dumb question is the one you don't ask!

www.reef2reef.com

I’ve seen this before…. What’sa sticky?

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Yes, I do also feed earthworms or shellfish. Tubifex are kind of filthy and I don't think I would feed those.

We’ve documented acute Mycobacteria infections in fish fed live black worms (what people call tubifex).

 

[Jekyl]

I’ve seen this before…. What’sa sticky?

Anything at the top of the subforums that remain constant. Like this for example:

Current Quarantine Protocol

2024 Quarantine Procedures Jay Hemdal David Scarborough Protozoans (Cryptocaryon/ich, Amyloodinium/velvet) and Metazoan trematodes/flukes are by far the most common parasites found on newly acquired fish. A carefully managed, proactive quarantine process can effectively eliminate these...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[GARRIGA]

We’ve documented acute Mycobacteria infections in fish fed live black worms (what people call tubifex).

Does freeze dried maintain all the good qualities without the risk?

 

[old salt reefer]

marsaqua

I have followed this for 4 decades.
I don’t treat with anything unless I have good reason to. Plus, in Canada, we are very limited to access the good meds anyways so not much choice.

In all that time I’ve had to treat ick twice.

My QT is glass, saltwater, heater, light, homes.
In 30 days, if there is no sign of anything and eat very well, in they go.

This is what I do.

 

[Paul B]

We’ve documented acute Mycobacteria infections in fish fed live black worms (what people call tubifex).

Jay I know people feel the blackworms offered for sale in the hobby are the same as tubifex but Blackworms are much fatter and a different color and have different "mannerisms" and grow in different places. Tubifex are typically found in drainage ditches and horse feeding troughs while blackworms in the hobby are grown in California commercially in pools.

I don't know if the scientific name is the same but if it is, the people who name such things need to call the school they went to and see if they can get their money back as blackworms in this hobby and tubifex are not the same at all. Just my opinion of course as always.

I can't get blackworms here so I grow whiteworms which live in damp soil and live for 5 days in saltwater. I actually tried it.

If Mycobacteria is found in blackworms it doesn't seem to affect my fish which have been fed with them for upwards of 60 years. No problems yet but maybe because my fish seem to be immune to just about everything they are also immune to blackworm diseases.