How to Quarantine

[TC3]

@melypr1985 thank you so much for answering my questions.

I do like the TTM method over the copper treatment as I prefer not to expose the fish to any harsh chemical but if this will prolong the life of the fish, I'm all for it. Question about Marine Velvet: if the dinospores can live up to 15 days without a host (I could be wrong about this), what actually eradicate them by doing the TTM method?

One of the reasons why I'm so concern is that I want a Powder Blue (or a Gold Rim) like @VJV (but smaller) and we all know that they're ich magnet. That's why I want to eradicate every single ich (and possibly anything else that could be a potential threat) before the fish enter the DT. I dip my corals but I still have bristle worms in both my tanks. They were living inside a died hammer coral branch that the Zoas that I had purchased was on.

@VJV very nice and healthy looking Power Blue btw.

 

[TC3]

Please disregards my question about marine velvet. Not sure what I was thinking or wasn't thinking. They're like marine ich and only stay on the fish for 2-3 days.

 

[melypr1985]

Please disregards my question about marine velvet. Not sure what I was thinking or wasn't thinking. They're like marine ich and only stay on the fish for 2-3 days.

Velvet moves faster than ick does. It could be on the fish for only hours.... that's why it's so dangerous. TTM will NOT treat velvet at all. Take great care to look for the symptoms- especially behavioral symptoms.

 

[VJV]

@melypr1985 thank you so much for answering my questions.

I do like the TTM method over the copper treatment as I prefer not to expose the fish to any harsh chemical but if this will prolong the life of the fish, I'm all for it. Question about Marine Velvet: if the dinospores can live up to 15 days without a host (I could be wrong about this), what actually eradicate them by doing the TTM method?

One of the reasons why I'm so concern is that I want a Powder Blue (or a Gold Rim) like @VJV (but smaller) and we all know that they're ich magnet. That's why I want to eradicate every single ich (and possibly anything else that could be a potential threat) before the fish enter the DT. I dip my corals but I still have bristle worms in both my tanks. They were living inside a died hammer coral branch that the Zoas that I had purchased was on.

@VJV very nice and healthy looking Power Blue btw.

Thanks TC3! Sorry if this was already addressed but dipping the corals will not prevent Ich cysts from getting into your system, potentially attached to the plug/rock. The only way to be sure is to quarantine the corals for a full 11 weeks. I believe 6 weeks already gives you above 98% probability of having eradicated potential hitchhikers. It is a pain though, and for SPS tougher to keep them alive in QT given the smaller water volume and higher likelihood of parameter swings.

 

[VJV]

Here is a video of Mobby from above. It is at least 2 inches in girth, if not more! Only problem is he has not eaten since I got him two days ago... will be doing 2 rounds of prazi in the next week but if he still does not eat and continues to show no signs of ich or velvet after that I will take the risk and put him in the display tank. He is stressed so I guess if he had the parasites they would have manifested by now. Also, a 120 liter tank (100cm long) is clearly not ideal for this size PBT and I am co cernes about ammonia spikes given I am only at home Friday to Sunday and not able to do more frequent water changes.

Here is a video of the fat bugger!

 

[VJV]

He is at least 7 inch long, if not 8.

 

[melypr1985]

Here is a video of Mobby from above. It is at least 2 inches in girth, if not more! Only problem is he has not eaten since I got him two days ago... will be doing 2 rounds of prazi in the next week but if he still does not eat and continues to show no signs of ich or velvet after that I will take the risk and put him in the display tank. He is stressed so I guess if he had the parasites they would have manifested by now. Also, a 120 liter tank (100cm long) is clearly not ideal for this size PBT and I am co cernes about ammonia spikes given I am only at home Friday to Sunday and not able to do more frequent water changes.

Here is a video of the fat bugger!

I'd say he could live off his fat reserves for a couple weeks before looking even a little skinny. He's a big boy! Oh and it truly would be a risk to put him in the DT without at least performing TTM on him. Your call of course. good luck!

 

[AmatuerAuer]

I've watched this thread for a while and decided to tack on rather than start a new one.

Question: Should I finish the drill or am I good to go?

Scenario: 2 clowns, kole Tang, hippo Tang, powder blue, fox face & royal gamma in a 50g QT running Cupramine and Prazipro.

All but the powder blue have been in for almost 5 weeks. Tank is running fallow for the same duration. No signs of disease, all eat well!

I was going to leave the tank fallow for a full 11-12 weeks and run Cupramine & prazi the entire time in the qt. Thinking this would guarantee 100% ich/velvet free environment.

But...

The idea of putting every snail and every coral in a 1-2 month QT is daunting. I don't have the set up to run an SPS QT tank... fish I can handle but 1-2 months for a new snail?? You can't dose copper so you would have to leave them fallow for 2 months to be certain.

Tell me I'm a dummy and I should QT everything. I've read mixed anecdotal cases and just can't decide..

 

[melypr1985]

I've watched this thread for a while and decided to tack on rather than start a new one.

Question: Should I finish the drill or am I good to go?

Scenario: 2 clowns, kole Tang, hippo Tang, powder blue, fox face & royal gamma in a 50g QT running Cupramine and Prazipro.

All but the powder blue have been in for almost 5 weeks. Tank is running fallow for the same duration. No signs of disease, all eat well!

I was going to leave the tank fallow for a full 11-12 weeks and run Cupramine & prazi the entire time in the qt. Thinking this would guarantee 100% ich/velvet free environment.

But...

The idea of putting every snail and every coral in a 1-2 month QT is daunting. I don't have the set up to run an SPS QT tank... fish I can handle but 1-2 months for a new snail?? You can't dose copper so you would have to leave them fallow for 2 months to be certain.

Tell me I'm a dummy and I should QT everything. I've read mixed anecdotal cases and just can't decide..

The corals in your display don't need to be QT'd since they are going through the fallow period along with your tank. Any new coral and invert should go through QT however. I have an AI Prime over a JBJ 20 gallon frag tank that I use as a QT. It's great and the light will handle just about anything I want to QT. Remember, the corals won't be in there for a long time, it's just a couple months. T5's would even be sufficient in most cases.

 

[AmatuerAuer]

I suppose the 20g tall I have would work but then you have light, filtration, heat, dosing, ATO..

I'm assuming no skimmer would be ok, no real detritus with photosynthetic coral. Just HOB with carbon and spnge

 

[melypr1985]

I suppose the 20g tall I have would work but then you have light, filtration, heat, dosing, ATO..

I'm assuming no skimmer would be ok, no real detritus with photosynthetic coral. Just HOB with carbon and spnge

I don't see any reason to need dosing. An ATO is a good idea, and a decent light, heater of course. I can't imagine you would have enough corals in there, for long enough to need dosing. The corals aren't meant to stay in this tank longer than a few months. Once they go into the DT focus can be adjusted to growth and color instead of pest/parasite removal.

 

[AmatuerAuer]

I suppose that's right Mely. More testing but hey that's life.

 

[JMM744]

Appreciate this thread. Going to be getting a pair of snowflake clowns, yellow tang and a cleaner wrasse from an established reef tank. TTM is not an option right now due to being my busy season. I have a 40 breeder that is being prepared for these guys to quarantine in. Two hob filters , plenty of hiding places and water flow from both air stones and a power head. Bacteria will be both from a bottle and from sponges from an established sump. I will co-ordinate with the person who has the fish as to salinity so as to avoid a lengthy acclimation period. Once they have settled in I would like to start treatment for ich and such. Considering the wrasse especially what would be a recommendation as to meds to use. I have most common stuff here already but may need to acquire something depending on recommendations. Much thanks, Jim

 

[melypr1985]

Appreciate this thread. Going to be getting a pair of snowflake clowns, yellow tang and a cleaner wrasse from an established reef tank. TTM is not an option right now due to being my busy season. I have a 40 breeder that is being prepared for these guys to quarantine in. Two hob filters , plenty of hiding places and water flow from both air stones and a power head. Bacteria will be both from a bottle and from sponges from an established sump. I will co-ordinate with the person who has the fish as to salinity so as to avoid a lengthy acclimation period. Once they have settled in I would like to start treatment for ich and such. Considering the wrasse especially what would be a recommendation as to meds to use. I have most common stuff here already but may need to acquire something depending on recommendations. Much thanks, Jim

I've kept cleaner wrasses in a copper system (using Coppersafe) and run Prazipro with them with success. You still need to take care with them and raise the copper level slowly. Be sure not to overdose the Prazipro as well. You can underdose it and run it three times instead of the typical two. I've never run it that way, but I've read of others doing so and it working out just fine for them. Just some thoughts. Hope they help.

 

[JMM744]

I've kept cleaner wrasses in a copper system (using Coppersafe) and run Prazipro with them with success. You still need to take care with them and raise the copper level slowly. Be sure not to overdose the Prazipro as well. You can underdose it and run it three times instead of the typical two. I've never run it that way, but I've read of others doing so and it working out just fine for them. Just some thoughts. Hope they help.

Thank you for the suggestion. If you remember I killed my last batch of fish and so am trying to be diligent And cautious with this attempt.

 

[melypr1985]

Thank you for the suggestion. If you remember I killed my last batch of fish and so am trying to be diligent And cautious with this attempt.

I probably do remember, but it's buried under a mountain of other stuff lol. It's always smart to think things through and move slowly but with purpose in this hobby. You'll do great!

 

[VJV]

Quick question: how long would I need to QT a starfish? I assume they do not have a hard exoskeleton where cysts could attach too, in which case 3-4 days would be enough to make sure any floating parasites that might have come in the water have died for lack of a host or encysted in the QT aquarium. Am I right?

 

[melypr1985]

Quick question: how long would I need to QT a starfish? I assume they do not have a hard exoskeleton where cysts could attach too, in which case 3-4 days would be enough to make sure any floating parasites that might have come in the water have died for lack of a host or encysted in the QT aquarium. Am I right?

That might work, though a quick rinse with DT water would accomplish nearly the same thing and much quicker. Acclimate, Rinse, Place.

 

[JMM744]

That might work, though a quick rinse with DT water would accomplish nearly the same thing and much quicker. Acclimate, Rinse, Place.

Thank you for the suggestion. If you remember I killed my last batch of fish and so am trying to be diligent And cautious with this attempt.

Ok, I am trying to find coppersafe and it seems most places do not carry it. None locally. Is there an alternative? I have cuprimine. If needs be I will order it.
Thanks, Jim

 

[Neon Jungle]

Great info. Thanks