How to Quarantine

Humblefish · Nov 15, 2015

@VJV Some nitrifying bacteria will inevitability die off, without the presence of fish & their poop.

However, you can mitigate this by continuing to feed your corals/inverts, and also dropping in a pinch of flake or pellets every 2-3 days. But it's still a good idea to space out reintroducing your fish into the DT and monitoring ammonia while you do this; maybe add 1-2 fish per week. I recommend adding the small sissy fish ahead of the larger, more aggressive ones.

mandylv23 · Nov 15, 2015

Humblefish can ich survive on fish in a QT tank without dosing it?

mandylv23 · Nov 15, 2015

A true QT tank, no sand or LR just a few PVC fittings

melypr1985 · Nov 15, 2015

mandylv23 said:
Humblefish can ich survive on fish in a QT tank without dosing it?

As long as a fish is present and no meds (ie: CP or copper) and no hyposalinity then ich will continue to populate and live. There are even some strains that will survive hypo.

Humblefish · Nov 15, 2015

melypr1985 said:
As long as a fish is present and no meds (ie: CP or copper) and no hyposalinity then ich will continue to populate and live. There are even some strains that will survive hypo.

+1 If a fish has ich, the disease's life cycle will continue until the free swimming (theront) stage is interrupted. This can be accomplished by treating with hyposalinity, a chemical (copper or chloroquine phosphate) or tank transfer method.

Even in a bare bottom, rockless QT, ich trophonts will fall off the fish and tomonts will encyst upon the glass, equipment, etc. These tomonts release theronts within 3-72 days (varies greatly by strain) and they seek out fish to reinfect.

It is possible that the "stress" of being in QT makes it more likely for visible physical symptoms (i.e. white dots) of ich to show on a fish.

mandylv23 · Nov 15, 2015

I'm in the middle of my fallow period on my DT, the fish that was affected died before I could catch them all and place in my QT. The rest of the fish are doing great in the QT but now I'm trying to decide how to treat them before going back into my DT once my 76 days are up. These are the fish I have to treat:
1 clown
1 diamond watchman goby
1 lawnmower blenny
2 yellow tangs
1 scopas tang
1 blue hippo tang
All tangs are still juveniles

Humblefish · Nov 15, 2015

I don't like hypo due to proven resistant strains, as Meredith pointed out.

You could do TTM on them, but it would take at least two 20 gal QTs, all with duplicate equipment.

So your best bet would be to treat with either CP or copper. However, the latter is much easier to obtain (Cupramine, Coppersafe & Copper Power are all available online & at LFS). All your fish are good candidates for copper and you would need to treat for 30 days.

VJV · Nov 16, 2015

Humblefish said:
@VJV Some nitrifying bacteria will inevitability die off, without the presence of fish & their poop. However, you can mitigate this by continuing to feed your corals/inverts, and also dropping in a pinch of flake or pellets every 2-3 days. But it's still a good idea to space out reintroducing your fish into the DT and monitoring ammonia while you do this; maybe add 1-2 fish per week. I recommend adding the small sissy fish ahead of the larger, more aggressive ones.

Thanks. That's what I thought. I'm not feeding the tank because I am also battling GHA and I want to starve it! If I see some coral suffering I will add some coral food though.

VJV · Nov 16, 2015

Humblefish said:
@VJV Some nitrifying bacteria will inevitability die off, without the presence of fish & their poop. However, you can mitigate this by continuing to feed your corals/inverts, and also dropping in a pinch of flake or pellets every 2-3 days. But it's still a good idea to space out reintroducing your fish into the DT and monitoring ammonia while you do this; maybe add 1-2 fish per week. I recommend adding the small sissy fish ahead of the larger, more aggressive ones.

Thanks. That's what I thought. I'm not feeding the tank because I am also battling GHA and I want to starve it! If I see some coral suffering I will add some coral food though.

mandylv23 · Nov 17, 2015

Ok so I picked up Kordon safe copper aid tonight, it's chelated copper sulfate.
I need an API copper test kit before starting this correct?
Also with my 25% daily water changes to keep ammonia at bay in my HT will it be hard to keep therapeutic levels?

Humblefish · Nov 17, 2015

mandylv23 said:
Ok so I picked up Kordon safe copper aid tonight, it's chelated copper sulfate.
I need an API copper test kit before starting this correct?

Yes; typically, therapeutic range for chelated copper is 1.5 - 2.0 ppm.

mandylv23 said:
Also with my 25% daily water changes to keep ammonia at bay in my HT will it be hard to keep therapeutic levels?

You will need to figure out how much Copper Aid to add back (to the bucket) to keep it at therapeutic levels at all times.

mandylv23 · Nov 17, 2015

5 LFS and none had the copper test kits.....I guess I will have to order online

huskerreefatl · Nov 18, 2015

When I have done it, I used the Seachem Cupramine and the Seachem Copper Test. It is important that you test accurately because an overdose will kill you fish so far me, getting both Seachem products is about as safe as you can get. Amazon has them and will deliver in 2 days if you are a prime member....Amazon is dangerous for a reef hobby...

drstratton · Nov 18, 2015

huskerreefatl said:
Amazon has them and will deliver in 2 days if you are a prime member....Amazon is dangerous for a reef hobby...

Yes it is! LOL

Greenstreet.1 · Nov 30, 2015

First I would like to say thank you to humblefish for getting me into QT'ing my fish never was one to qt in all my years of reefing started in 08. Great write up happy Rev made it a sticky.

Now for the ?
1. Can prime be overdosed ? Also how long it takes for it to start working ?
2. Can I take chaeto from my DT to seed my qt ?
There will be more ? Coming lol.

melypr1985 · Nov 30, 2015

Greenstreet.1 said:
First I would like to say thank you to humblefish for getting me into QT'ing my fish never was one to qt in all my years of reefing started in 08. Great write up happy Rev made it a sticky.

Now for the ?
1. Can prime be overdosed ? Also how long it takes for it to start working ?
2. Can I take chaeto from my DT to seed my qt ?
There will be more ? Coming lol.

In my experience Prime cannot be overdosed. HOWEVER, you cannot use copper and some other meds while prime is in the water so it's illadvised to use prime in a QT. Why not just use a bottled bacteria product to seed your QT?

Humblefish · Nov 30, 2015

^^ What the lady said. Using chaeto from the DT would only be acceptable if coming from a DT that was 100% disease-free.

Greenstreet.1 · Nov 30, 2015

melypr1985 said:
In my experience Prime cannot be overdosed. HOWEVER, you cannot use copper and some other meds while prime is in the water so it's illadvised to use prime in a QT. Why not just use a bottled bacteria product to seed your QT?

I had to setup a quick qt so did not have time to soak the sponge so I'm using prime to cut the ammonia

Greenstreet.1 · Nov 30, 2015

Ok guess I will put the sponge to soak in stability and add it before I leave for work I have prime in the water now will it cause a problem ?

melypr1985 · Nov 30, 2015

Greenstreet.1 said:
Ok guess I will put the sponge to soak in stability and add it before I leave for work I have prime in the water now will it cause a problem ?

If your planning on using copper then definitely. 100% water change before adding any chemical meds.