Do you QT aquacultured fish?

[Pufferlover95]

Let me preface this by saying typically for all new fish I do a full QT that includes copper and meds such as metroplex in my separate QT.

I’ve never purchased a fish before that has been aquacultured, especially by a big name brand and not just my LFS. However, I just purchased a baby Yellow Tang from Biota and it will be arriving soon. My question is do you guys think a full QT is necessary given it’s an aquacultured fish? I’ve never heard of people buying from Biota and then claiming the fish brought a disease in.

I still plan to give the fish a quick dip when they first arrive and observe them right away but I’m just wondering if people would still recommend a quarantine for an aquacultured fish.

Thoughts?

 

[MnFish1]

This is the potential problem with tank raised fish - when they are added to a no QT tank all the sudden they are susceptible to whatever is in the tank. So - to answer you - I would say - follow the recommendations for biota - as to QT - but expect potential problems if the fish in your tank are not/have not been QT'd

 

[vetteguy53081]

Assume all fish has something foreign and offer even a mini quarantine if 14-21 days which includes quarantined fish that have gone through shipping
Wild caught are often more susceptible to issues versus tank raised

 

[Pufferlover95]

This is the potential problem with tank raised fish - when they are added to a no QT tank all the sudden they are susceptible to whatever is in the tank. So - to answer you - I would say - follow the recommendations for biota - as to QT - but expect potential problems if the fish in your tank are not/have not been QT'd

I would be adding this new fish to a tank with fish that have all been fully quarantined with medication and there is no active disease in the tank.

 

[blaxsun]

I would be adding this new fish to a tank with fish that have all been fully quarantined with medication and there is no active disease in the tank.

I would probably still quarantine the new fish if you're quarantining everything.

 

[MnFish1]

I would probably still quarantine the new fish if you're quarantining everything.

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure

 

[littlefoxx]

Let me preface this by saying typically for all new fish I do a full QT that includes copper and meds such as metroplex in my separate QT.

I’ve never purchased a fish before that has been aquacultured, especially by a big name brand and not just my LFS. However, I just purchased a baby Yellow Tang from Biota and it will be arriving soon. My question is do you guys think a full QT is necessary given it’s an aquacultured fish? I’ve never heard of people buying from Biota and then claiming the fish brought a disease in.

I still plan to give the fish a quick dip when they first arrive and observe them right away but I’m just wondering if people would still recommend a quarantine for an aquacultured fish.

Thoughts?

Ive heard the biota tangs come super small as babies and some people put them in QT until they get a little bigger and color up. Im not sure if my yellow was biota or not as he was rehomed to me by his previous owner. But it being a tang and ich being common with tangs I would QT if I were you to be safe

 

[Pufferlover95]

I figured doing quarantine was going to be the answer, but I was not sure if aquacultured fish were an exception.

 

[blecki]

Biota yellow tangs are probably the cleanest fish in the world. If you're going to gamble, there isn't a safer bet, but they come so small you'll need to let it grow out anyway so might as well QT it.

 

[Tcook]

I would observe them (not treat) in a separate tank for 4-6 weeks.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Let me preface this by saying typically for all new fish I do a full QT that includes copper and meds such as metroplex in my separate QT.

I’ve never purchased a fish before that has been aquacultured, especially by a big name brand and not just my LFS. However, I just purchased a baby Yellow Tang from Biota and it will be arriving soon. My question is do you guys think a full QT is necessary given it’s an aquacultured fish? I’ve never heard of people buying from Biota and then claiming the fish brought a disease in.

I still plan to give the fish a quick dip when they first arrive and observe them right away but I’m just wondering if people would still recommend a quarantine for an aquacultured fish.

Thoughts?

As the others have said, from a disease standpoint, tank raised fish rarely bring infections into your main tank. The big exception to that is when tank raised fish were first tanked with wild caught fish at the LFS, then they are almost as risky as the wild caught fish.

Not to put words in their mouth, but my understanding is that Biota suggests holding their fish in isolation first, to allow them to get over any shipping lag, adapt to your conditions and grow a bit before moving them to your DT. However, they mean holding the fish in a stable isolation tank, not a brand new, uncycled one....

Jay

 

[Pufferlover95]

As the others have said, from a disease standpoint, tank raised fish rarely bring infections into your main tank. The big exception to that is when tank raised fish were first tanked with wild caught fish at the LFS, then they are almost as risky as the wild caught fish.

Not to put words in their mouth, but my understanding is that Biota suggests holding their fish in isolation first, to allow them to get over any shipping lag, adapt to your conditions and grow a bit before moving them to your DT. However, they mean holding the fish in a stable isolation tank, not a brand new, uncycled one....

Jay

I have an observation tank that I move fish into after I’ve completed their medicated quarantine. The observation tank is fully cycled, has live rock, and has two transitioned black mollies to help aid in disease detection. Would you recommend having the Tang go there for a bit and just observe him in lieu of treating separately in copper? I assume that if after say 2 weeks I don’t see signs of disease I can assume he’s clean?

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

I have an observation tank that I move fish into after I’ve completed their medicated quarantine. The observation tank is fully cycled, has live rock, and has two transitioned black mollies to help aid in disease detection. Would you recommend having the Tang go there for a bit and just observe him in lieu of treating separately in copper? I assume that if after say 2 weeks I don’t see signs of disease I can assume he’s clean?

Yes - that would work, but I would allow it to live there 30 days to settle in better and get a bit of size on it.

Jay

 

[Pufferlover95]

they arrived! Look at the little baby!

 

[apb03]

I think a close evaluation of your LFS will help you make a decision. If they drop their Biota fish in with wild-caught fish, I'd treat them the same way.

My LFS has a dedicated tank for Biota fish, and they never share the same water as the other livestock, so I'm less concerned with diseases in that scenario.

 

[Pufferlover95]

I think a close evaluation of your LFS will help you make a decision. If they drop their Biota fish in with wild-caught fish, I'd treat them the same way.

My LFS has a dedicated tank for Biota fish, and they never share the same water as the other livestock, so I'm less concerned with diseases in that scenario.

Oh, now I get what you and @Jay Hemdal are saying.

Let me clarify: I ordered this fish directly from Biota, so as far as I know, they should not be mixing with any fish that aren’t tank raised.

 

[blecki]

Yes - that would work, but I would allow it to live there 30 days to settle in better and get a bit of size on it.

Jay

Hey Jay, do you think a 20 gallon tank is enough for these guys when they're fresh from biota? And how big do you think it should be before it can handle being in a bigger tank with other zebrasomas?

 

[SaltyTwigs]

Yes 20 gallon is fine when you first get them from biota. They are tiny. I would get them eating your food and adjusted to it for a bit before throwing to the wolves. I find flakes crushed up a bit, TDO Chroma Boost Small and the Hikari Seaweed Extreme sinking seem to work best for these guys. Then depending on what you are throwing them in with and the size of the fish you are introducing too they might not even give him the time of day as will not be seen as a threat cause pretty small. Has been my experience anyway. Could also throw up a mirror or introduce them in a acclimation box to help them out a bit.

 

[blecki]

Right now I've got a 4 inch sailfin, 3 inch scopas, and 3 inch coral beauty who are the ones I would worry about the most; though adding the last two has actually calmed the sailfin down a lot and he's far less aggressive now. It will be a while at any rate, I'm just itching to replace the wild caught Hawaiian yellow I lost to (maybe) velvet in January.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Hey Jay, do you think a 20 gallon tank is enough for these guys when they're fresh from biota? And how big do you think it should be before it can handle being in a bigger tank with other zebrasomas?

20 gallon is fine as long as it is well established.

Jay