Done with fallow...how do I buy new fish?

[Miami Reef]

Hello guys!

After losing over 10 fish to marine velvet, the fallow is done and I’m down to 7 small fish in a 300 gallon tank. I can barely see anything. It’s basically empty.

Anyway, I’m terrified of buying new fish because this velvet happened when I added 5 tangs at once without quarantining any of them. Only 1 tang survived out of 8+ in total.

I had the fish in a 45 gallon tub, but doing water changes to it was such a pain that I don’t want to quarantine. I have a 10 gallon tank that would be much easier to manage, but can I quarantine any fish in there? I really want a naso and a blue tang. That’s it with tangs, but I don’t know anymore after them. I usually mass buy my fish in one shot and that’s it. My tank is big and adding 1 or 2 fish once a month with medicating, water-changing etc is extremely daunting and depressing for me.

I don’t even do water changes for my DT. I have a company do it for me once a month. That’s how low maintenance I keep things around here, and it’s worked well for many many years. I just got unlucky with these tangs.

What do you suggest me do? Please, and thank you very much.

 

[Miami Reef]

Also FYI: I’m not planning on buying any fish for at least a few weeks to make sure my current fish are truly velvet free. I’m watching them for now, but it’s good for me to have a game plan in mind for when I do drop the bullet and buy new fish.

 

[ngoodermuth]

Unfortunately... with the state of the supply chain, QT is the best way to avoid a repeat :/ Unless you have someone else you trust to QT fish for you, I’m not sure if the service you use for water changes offers help with fish QT?

 

[Miami Reef]

They don’t.

Can I use a 10 gallon tank for tangs? I would only treat them for 2 weeks w copper.

 

[cracker]

Hey Miami, A 10 I think is too small for a tang unless the fish is very small. Maybe a 20 long? Not to big for water changes , etc. let's see what others say about tangs & 20 longs .
I have 2 ,20 longs I use for Qt's . I passed a small blue hippo with no problems. But just don't know about a larger fish .

 

[mattzang]

are you wanting to qt just the tangs, but not qt anything else? not sure that will prove effective..

maybe at least set up a smaller tank to use as an observation only qt?

beyond that, pay a premium to online places that somewhat qt. or hit up humblefish and get fish through him

edit: also, did you let your DT go fallow or did you dose copper into the DT?

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/started-copper-another-fish-died.563022/#post-5771033

because if you went fallow in the DT, i don't believe 1 month is enough time

 

[BigRedReefer MT]

I passed a yellow Tang bought from Petco through qt in a 20. It is young though and was by itself. A 40 breeder would be better for tangs and still keep water changes small and manageable.