Is a "quarantine tank" really that essential?

[KJoFan]

I wasn't suggesting an actual compilation of data occurred. Just thinking that were such a thing to exist, with charts, data, etc would be an interesting read.

At the end of the day though, regardless of personal experience, anecdotal information, or hard facts, people will choose to do whatever suits them.

We all strive to maintain the healthiest system we know how with the information and resources available to us. Results may vary.

 

[edosan]

I know at least a dozen (maybe more) reefers, with complete fishes wipeout due velvet or an agresive ich strain or bacteria, losing hundreds and/or thousands of dollars, how about that as data ? [emoji6]

We all want to do (and listen) what Paul B and others say, and I do belive that after several years, a tank has his own inmunity (or balance or whatever), but in the mean time, please DO QT! if not, is russian rulette. Specially if you buy from diferent stores.

 

[2Wheelsonly]

Iv'e noticed the inability to understand the difference between ich and velvet as a driver for determining if a QT is needed. While I feel a QT tank is far more beneficial for corals due to pest eggs I would still QT fish.

I'll admit, I don't look at ich as a nightmare like some because I have never ever had a problem with ich killing my fish. When people say ich wiped out their tank I'm at positive they had velvet and thought it was ich.

I'm sad to say that I don't even treat fish that have Ich. I find that I have killed more fish with overly complicated copper / hypo treatments and if not performed properly will still bring ich into the tank. The levels of copper that are needed to kill the parasite versus the amount that would kill a fish are very close; it's a dangerous game in my opinion.

I agree with the above poster that is important to quarantine fish not to treat but to make sure they are not bringing more dangerous diseases like velvet.

 

[edosan]

I'll admit, I don't look at ich as a nightmare like some because I have never ever had a problem with ich killing my fish. When people say ich wiped out their tank I'm at positive they had velvet and thought it was ich.

Is hard to tell, velvet kills fast tho. With experience is easy to identify, but when you start, is very confusing
Ich on the other hand, is variable, I do not now if is strain dependant or inmune system dependant or both, but some strains of ich, are very soft and they are just like mosquitos, and others are very velvet like in killing, but not as fast. IME.

 

[saltyhog]

Isn't that also anecdotal to some extent? My experience and that of a number of others is somewhat different when it comes to not quarantining our fish. Perhaps people can explain to me as I can't fathom why I and some of my reefkeeping friends who never quarantine our fish don't seem to suffer the loses and disease issues that many other's do OK so that's tongue firmly in cheek there. QUOTE]

Of course it's anecdotal. That was the point....there is far more anecdotal evidence to suggest QT is very important than to the contrary.

As far as your experience with white spot (I assume you are referring to C. irritans) there are a number of different strains. If one was fortunate enough to have one of the less virulent strains infect their tank your experience makes perfect sense. It's much how vaccines work. A less virulent strain can give protective immunity against a more virulent one. In the case of C. irritans I suspect the less virulent strains are more common. In that scenario it would be quite possible to have indefinite success with the disease in the tank but not virulent enough to cause problems.

I hope you're not taking this personally. We would love to hear what you do to achieve this success that others aren't doing. We're just trying to approach this as objectively and scientifically as possible

 

[lou dog420]

Im with you, no quarantine and no dipping.

 

[Rick.45cal]

Yay for Quarantine Tanks! Here's mine...

 

[atoll]

Of course it's anecdotal. That was the point....there is far more anecdotal evidence to suggest QT is very important than to the contrary.

As far as your experience with white spot (I assume you are referring to C. irritans) there are a number of different strains. If one was fortunate enough to have one of the less virulent strains infect their tank your experience makes perfect sense. It's much how vaccines work. A less virulent strain can give protective immunity against a more virulent one. In the case of C. irritans I suspect the less virulent strains are more common. In that scenario it would be quite possible to have indefinite success with the disease in the tank but not virulent enough to cause problems.

I hope you're not taking this personally. We would love to hear what you do to achieve this success that others aren't doing. We're just trying to approach this as objectively and scientifically as possible

Although I am fully aware that it is believed there are different strains of white spot (not sure if that has ever been confirmed scientifically or not) as I said I have very little experience of it and what experience I do have goes back many years but it appears treatment has hardly progressed with copper based remedies still very prevalent. I m sure I have written before on here of how I run my tank. I will have to see if I can find my posts on it and post back here if not I have a copy to post. BTW of course I take it personal after all it is personal to me but maybe similar to others. I believe Paul B has also written on his methods and success.

"EDIT*
Here is are the titles to the said posts I have just found posted last year. I am constantly reevaluating my methods so I may have changed the odd thing to some extent.
More on my Reefkeeping Philosophy.
and
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/my-reefkeeping-philosophy.247095/

I seem to be encountering issues posting the links correctly.

 

[Elleuckyreefs]

I lost all of my fish to a velvet outbreak in 72 hours and it wasn't from a fish introduction but some macroalgae from an infected tank...with that being said, quarantine new livestock, dip corals. You want to be preventative and not reactionary in this hobby.

 

[KJoFan]

I know at least a dozen (maybe more) reefers, with complete fishes wipeout due velvet or an agresive ich strain or bacteria, losing hundreds and/or thousands of dollars, how about that as data ? [emoji6]

Is that to say then, that those who QT have never had an event like that? I'm not trying to be argumentative. Just think we shouldn't assume we'll never encounter things like ich, velvet, etc if we quarantine. We can only hope to reduce the risk.

 

[Bdog4u2]

I have quarantined very few fish. I do have a hospital tank set up just in case but I'm to impatient to watch my new fish anywhere but his or her new home. I've probably been lucky but in almost 20 years of having a marine set up my fish live long lives and I can hand feed most of them. I know I have ich in my tank most likely since my hippo tang got a few spots on it when I put it in a few years ago. like Paul B I feed my fish well with fresh and live food. I have several fish over 10 years old and one that's around 16 years old.
I rarely add new fish and I don't cram 40 fish in 150 gallon tank I cap it at 10 which also gives me some time if power goes out and I'm not home.
I would still recommend quarantining if someone asked my opinion but I'm good. I even have a beautiful flame angel I bought from the velvet kings (Petco) for $20 who thought that was a coral beauty and it was dull and faded and now it glows from its healthy diet

 

[atoll]

I have quarantined very few fish. I do have a hospital tank set up just in case but I'm to impatient to watch my new fish anywhere but his or her new home. I've probably been lucky but in almost 20 years of having a marine set up my fish live long lives and I can hand feed most of them. I know I have ich in my tank most likely since my hippo tang got a few spots on it when I put it in a few years ago. like Paul B I feed my fish well with fresh and live food. I have several fish over 10 years old and one that's around 16 years old.
I rarely add new fish and I don't cram 40 fish in 150 gallon tank I cap it at 10 which also gives me some time if power goes out and I'm not home.
I would still recommend quarantining if someone asked my opinion but I'm good. I even have a beautiful flame angel I bought from the velvet kings (Petco) for $20 who thought that was a coral beauty and it was dull and faded and now it glows from its healthy diet

Paul B and I are not the only ones on here then doing similar things , congratulations you are obviously doing something right to achieve such long term success.

 

[Bdog4u2]

Paul B and I are not the only ones on here then doing similar things , congratulations you are obviously doing something right to achieve such long term success.

All my pets live long lives, I currently have an 17 year old pitbull. she's half blind and can't hear crap unless it's pizza hitting the floor

 

[edosan]

Is that to say then, that those who QT have never had an event like that? I'm not trying to be argumentative. Just think we shouldn't assume we'll never encounter things like ich, velvet, etc if we quarantine. We can only hope to reduce the risk.

Jajaja ok got the point but No need to be so extreme! this hobby is not black or white in a lot of things, shades of gray!
Of course you are right.

If you cross a street on green for walkers are you 100% sure a car will not hit you?

 

[emvanburen]

So if one were to be starting fresh with a new larger tank (like I am) and were prepared to set up a QT (I am ) what would be your suggestions on the best genetic protocol for incoming fish?

 

[HB AL]

Good reading what others opinions are. Glad to know I'm not the only one that doesn't quarantine and have no issues.

 

[LDH]

yeah, a QT is absolutely necessary. The stories you hear about with disasters in QT are from people prophylactically dosing their QT with copper and prazipro and who knows what else, which are all toxic to fish. I keep my fish in QT and observe. If I see something that I think is a disease or pest, i treat it then. Otherwise, use your QT time to feed well, fatten up your fish and make them healthy with fresh frozen foods and get your fish in breeding condition, not to have babies, but just because breeding condition is the healthiest your fish will be. Then when you add them to the DT, they aren't skinny and unhealthy and can better defend themselves as well as knowing that you didn't just introduce velvet or some other awful disease that will wipe out your fish in a matter of 2 or 3 days. Please QT, it will save you and your fish from heartbreak and death.

Treating prophylactically scares me a little bit but I definitely want to have a qt setup... how long do you keep them in observation?

 

[KJoFan]

If you cross a street on green for walkers are you 100% sure a car will not hit you?

We should probably study that. Collect the data, make some charts and find the truth!

 

[themadman]

So are there any reputable vendors of fish and/or coral who take the necessary steps to ensure that their livestock is 100% disease or pest free before selling them? Seems like it would be a gold mine if a fish vendor guaranteed their fish had been quarantined before sale and were disease free and had a reputation to back that up. I'm still a newbie to saltwater for the most part. Only been at it one year. I know when I contacted Jason Fox when I bought my first corals he told me straight up his stuff didn't need to be dipped. I understand the thought process on doing so with all corals just to be safe but he was confident in his frags and system. Seems like a fish vendor could have the same confidence if they quarantined properly before selling. Curious if anyone has had 100% positive experience with disease free fish from a vendor?

 

[Frop]

I hardly quarantine anything. In the beginning I swear I'd get a hitchhiker every other time I added something or so it seemed... not so much now. I have a QT and everything to run it usually stashed somewhere. In case of emergency or sign of emergency I set it up. I actually have it cycling now because I may have ich in my DT.

Since my tank is a 10 gallon it's not a big deal. But when I start my next tank.