QT questions regarding snails/inverts

Robink · Sep 6, 2016

Question for @Humblefish or anyone that can help.
I know I've read that you quarantine everything that goes in your tank.
I have a new tank set up and just put in the first fish. 2 Clowns.
I'd like to get a clean up crew started, mostly snails. If I put these in the qt (there's no sand) do I then feed them? Frozen, nori ? I'd like to get some nassarius and trochus and some other good cleaners.
There is also no algae in the qt tank.
Will they survive with no sand for the 72 days?

melypr1985 · Sep 6, 2016

did the clowns go through QT as well? If not then you might as well put the CUC directly in the tank and let it go fallow for 76 days. During this, you would QT the clowns.

If you did QT the clowns, then I would suggest using a sepperate QT for the CUC. You can have sand and rock in this QT along with an appropriate light for corals. This tank would be the one that you put your corals in for QT as well. I feed my CUC little strips of nori tied to a frag square on the sand. I also periodically drop in a little bit of fish food. Keeps them fed and happy.

Robink · Sep 6, 2016

Yes I did qt the clowns. Thanks, gotta get some sand then. was trying to get around that. Better safe than sorry though...

melypr1985 · Sep 6, 2016

Robink said:
Yes I did qt the clowns. Thanks, gotta get some sand then. was trying to get around that. Better safe than sorry though...

With the nassarius snails, it's best to give them some sand. If you want you can just put a little bowl of sand in there for them to burrow in.

Humblefish · Sep 6, 2016

For CUC, you can just throw together a little 10 gal QT: some sand, a heater, a small pump for circulation and maybe one or two small pieces of LR.

Feed nori or algae wafers 2-3x weekly for the snails; turn off all the pumps and drop some mysis in 1-2x weekly for any strict carnivores (like nassarius snails).