How do you qt dragon breath macro?

_DZ_r€€f · Jul 24, 2017

Hi guys, just pick up some dragon breath macro from friend and I know hi have parasite in his system and won't to know what is the procedure of quarantine. Do I have to go whole 76 days with it in qt or few days for free swimming phase of parasite to dye off?

Tracey · Jul 24, 2017

I would love an answer to this as well.

_DZ_r€€f · Jul 24, 2017

Maybe @Humblefish can help with this one

Humblefish · Jul 24, 2017

Tomonts cannot encyst to macroalgae, but free swimmers can inadvertently be in a droplet of water on the plant. However, rinsing it thoroughly with DT water (or clean saltwater) will "wash away" this threat.

Now if you wanted to be even more cautious, isolating it to a fishless frag tank will starve any free swimmers. 2 days for ich - but 15 days for velvet since dinospores can use photosynthesis to survive longer without fish flesh to feed upon.

Chaeto presents a special challenge because that often comes loaded with pods. Pods are crustaceans with exoskeletons that tomonts can encyst upon. So, I would use a coral dip (like Bayer) on chaeto, followed by a good rinsing with DT water.

_DZ_r€€f · Jul 25, 2017

Thank you much. Now I can finally get some algae to my fuge. Of course after qt.

ecam · Jul 25, 2017

Wouldn't the bayer kill the pods? So we should've never order pods and things like that from reef cleaners.... I never knew pods could transport ich.... SMH

Humblefish · Jul 25, 2017

ecam said:
Wouldn't the bayer kill the pods? So we should've never order pods and things like that from reef cleaners.... I never knew pods could transport ich.... SMH

Yes, Bayer will kill pods and that's the point.

Pods coming from someone else's tank may (or not may) come with parasite tomonts. There's just no way of knowing.

I don't know how Reef Cleaners cultures their pods; but I had a conversation about this with @AlgaeBarn one time, and I believe their pods are cultured with no fish present. So, no chance of picking up the encysted stage of a fish disease. Hopefully they will chime in to confirm if what I am saying is still accurate.