QT with out meds?

[Kershaw]

so I have been in negation a with wife about setting up a qt. so I'm thinking of setting up a frag tank. Is using a frag tank for a qt effective enough? Basically to watch fish, get them eating. If effective how long should fish stay in frag tank? 6 weeks? I know that TTM or a medicated QT would be best. But I don't think wife will go for a frag tank and QT. I am aware if fish has velvet or Ich that coral will have to stay in frag tank for 76 days after fish removed. Thanks

 

[Lionfish Lair]

That is a totally acceptable tank for QT. Most people do not prophylactically treat with medications.

 

[maroun.c]

That would classify as an introduction tank. I have an established small tank where I place new fish of they look reasonably healthy and will not require medicating. I can run prazi pro in the tank for flukes and internal parasites as well...
It works well as a less stressful environment to get the fish eating and fatten up before transfer to DT.
If fish shows signs of disease it's transferred to a Quarantine tank for treatment. I run an oversized UV and run the tank at higher temp to speed up lifecycle in between fish introductions to avoid transmitting disease from one fish to another. If it's velvet then the tank gets a restart before a new fish is introduced or at least runs for 6 weeks without any fish.
One inconvenience in running a frag tang for same purpose is netting the fish out will be more difficult with frag racks and frags in. Also moving frags to DT or sharing with others won't be possible for extended times which can be annoying.

 

[Kershaw]

Thanks. As of right now I believe my tank to be healthy. Tank is just over a year old and last thing was added 3 months ago. I have been lucky so far. And want to quit gambling while I am ahead.

 

[melypr1985]

You can do this with a frag tank, but if you run into a fish with ick or velvet you wont be able to treat them in that tank. Just throwing this out there... in your negotiations over the QT have you told your wife that the QT doesn't need to be set up all the time? Mine are usually disinfected, dried and stored in the garage until they are needed again. My husband isn't happy about all the tanks I have sitting around, but it's better that he doesn't have to see them all the time or all at the same time.

 

[Naiad]

If you do this just be sure to be honest when selling or trading frags. Even if it has been 3 plus months since the last fish was introduced.

 

[Humblefish]

Passive observation is fine IF you have the time & patience to sit in front of the QT every single day to observe for symptoms of disease. You are not just looking for obvious physical symptoms of disease, but behavioral ones such as scratching/rubbing, flashing, head twitching, heavy breathing, swimming into the flow of a powerhead, purposely staying out of the light, etc.

And as @melypr1985 pointed out, be sure to have a "treatment tank" on standby whenever a disease rears it's ugly head. You will also then need to go fallow in the frag tank so as to not infect the next fish with the same disease.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

That is a totally acceptable tank for QT. Most people do not prophylactically treat with medications.

+10

Passive observation is fine IF you have the time & patience to sit in front of the QT every single day to observe for symptoms of disease.

I am aware if fish has velvet or Ich that coral will have to stay in frag tank for 76 days after fish removed.

Sounds like you are aware that there is the possibility you will have to nuke the QT at some point. Be aware that at some point you should have a Hospital tank in the basement too for some medications or you'll have to totally nuke the frag tank.
The most frustrating thing about QT is the mixed messages and mixed terms. QT, hospital and now intro?
Read up as much as possible in articles and books from the experts on common meds and what can be used for fish and coral QT too. Youll find the same QT hospital term confusion there too.
Im setting up a similar style system for the same reason with the full knowledge that I cant get comfortable let it be a mini DT or frag tank. It will have fish it will have coral but, Its a "14gal gonna get Nuked tank".

FWIW I doing this style of QT to set up a "clean system" to introduce fish to and slowly acclimate them to the bacterial load of my DT. The majority of the fish I have lost have been from the "copper wall" in LFS's not from any outward disease and have a stripped immune system. Thats the other secret of a QT Imo. Recuperation from rough and/or improper handling. I will be treating for internal parasites at the end of the qt period.
IMO/IME my .02

 

[Kershaw]

Yes I am aware of the differences of the typ of tanks. I plan on QT all coral in the frag tank for 76 days. So if I have coral for 30 days then buy a fish unfortunately it will stay there for 76 days after fish. The part where if they have Ich or velvet is still undecided. I have an old 20gal sump I could use as a treatment tank.

 

[Duke4Life]

Plastic storage tubs

 

[Kershaw]

i have been thinkin of buying marine pure blocks and braking them and use them for filtration. Then through away the peice after medication.

 

[tdunmore2]

I had this same question on frag as a QT. Saltyfilmfolks, I agree with the nomenclature expansion.
Running a frag tank has it's own set of issues and disease outbreaks to deal with. Mine is kept as a completely separate system as I've gotten bitten before with a pest that destroyed my in sump frag collection while I was away on vacation. Kershaw, I too have not ever used a QT and have had the extremely good fortune to have never had an outbreak. Looking to be better moving forward.
I already have 5 tanks running in the house with #6 on its way. I like the idea of having a dedicated frag tank (and more aptly, a separated water ecology) to keep from cross contaminating fish to coral and vice-versa. I also like the idea of being able to treat "on-the-fly" for any fish disease that may happen. I do not like the idea of having a 7th tak set up and full equipment storage.
Has anyone had any experience using a smaller (5 or < gallon) container setup with HOB and heater? I've got a 2.5 gallon plastic tank (beta tank) I could throw a small air driven filter on. I've also been playing with the idea of using that 2.5 gallon beta tank, a hang-on overflow box, and a 5 gallon bucket as a sump, as this would have an incredibly small footprint, the ability to switch out the sumps amount of water at any time, and disinfect and store easily.

Looking for any, and all thoughts and input.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Has anyone had any experience using a smaller (5 or < gallon) container setup with HOB and heater?

yup, look at the stickies in the illness and disease forum for fish for how to's.
But Id advise taking into consideration the size of the fish. I have an empty 5g and 10 gal to use. (i have small tanks and buy small fish)

 

[Humblefish]

Has anyone had any experience using a smaller (5 or < gallon) container setup with HOB and heater? I've got a 2.5 gallon plastic tank (beta tank) I could throw a small air driven filter on. I've also been playing with the idea of using that 2.5 gallon beta tank, a hang-on overflow box, and a 5 gallon bucket as a sump, as this would have an incredibly small footprint, the ability to switch out the sumps amount of water at any time, and disinfect and store easily.

As @saltyfilmfolks pointed out, small QTs are fine for small fish. You can even use a 5 gallon bucket in a pinch. But ammonia is enemy #1 in QT, so take into consideration not only size but how much waste that fish will produce. For example, tangs are pooping machines ;Vomit and thus require more water volume in QT.

 

[stevematt21]

I think as long as you keep up with the water changes you will be okay

 

[tdunmore2]

I'm generally dealing with small fish also. Anthias, clowns, etc. Want to take a plunge into tangs, and have read, several times, you're article on tang aggression Humblefish. I may introduce one in the new 120g tank when I get it here and running. A good point about Ammonia. I will keep thinking on the size. Thanks all!

 

[Mike&Terry]

I have used this approach with more sensitive fish a few times over the years, most recently with a Blonde Naso ("Barbie") from Petco (1st and only fish I've acquired from them) and with our Copperband butterfly ("Sunny").

I had no plans to purchase a fish when I walked into Petco - was there for cat food, but I usually end up taking a peek at the tanks on my way out. "Barbie" had just arrived less than an hour before, was about the size of a half dollar, very alert, grazing algae off a rock and clean. She stayed in my 30g nano (40g total volume w/sump, refugium and skimmer - no corals) for 5 or so months before she moved to our big reef. I did dose prazi as a preventative, but nothing else. She was moved to our big reef in August of last year and has never shown any signs of parasites whatsoever.



"Sunny" the CBB was a wysiwyg online purchase and I made a HUGE mistake in not checking his size first - had I paid attention, I would have passed on him. Needless to say, I was shocked when I opened the bag he was in and saw a Gi-Normous, adult Copperband staring back at me. I know it can be difficult to transition CBB's to aquarium life and even more so for adults. I felt his best chance at making the transition would be to place him in the same 30g nano system I used for the Blonde naso. It has live rock, sand, a well-stocked pod population and a plethora of fan worms. He stayed in that 24"Lx24"Wx12"H tank for 6 weeks. He would only eat small mysis for the first week... after that, he started eating PE Mysis and by the end of the 3rd week, he was eating clams as well. It's funny, he completely ignored the fan worms (part of their natural diet) until week 5, when he completely demolished them. Although "Sunny" never showed any signs of parasites, I did mix General Cure (bound w/focus) in his food and also dosed Prazipro as a precaution only. He was moved over to the big reef at the beginning of May and so far is doing quite well. ;Happy



We keep quite a few fish that have been with us for several years (14 for our Desjardini, 11 for our clowns, 9 for our Bristletooth and 6 for our Cleaner Wrasse to name a few) so they are family. As Meredith and Humblefish have pointed out, diligent observation of fish (physical signs of disease as well as behavior) is critical to ensure nothing slips by unnoticed, as well as a standby "treatment tank" if needed.

 

[Empress]

Barbie is ABSOLUTELY gorgeous! And you got her from Petco? All I can say is "WOW! Thumbs up!" [emoji106]

 

[Mike&Terry]

Barbie is ABSOLUTELY gorgeous! And you got her from Petco? All I can say is "WOW! Thumbs up!" [emoji106]

Thank You! And yes, Petco... She is the first and only fish I have ever purchased from them. And quite honestly, the healthiest fish I have ever seen in that store. All I could think of is if I left her there, she would not stay that way for long.