Quarantine Quandary

SirReefsALot · Jun 5, 2019

I think I've FINALLY read everything here on QT and it is excellent content, but I still have a question...

If I have all the time in the world to QT each fish, one at a time, is there a point where I can be certain the fish is safe for transfer without treating with copper or even other medications? What if I leave a fish in a comfortable QT for 3 months or 6 months and he/she is looking great?

I have a fully cycled and seeded 10g QT with sponge filter, air stone, pvc, a seachem indicator, and a small reef safe rock.

Thank you for any feedback.

Waters · Jun 5, 2019

The answer to your question is definitely yes, there is a point when livestock is safe to add without treatment......I don't believe in treating unless there is something to treat. Quarantine should, IMO, be used for observation. That being said, I don't know how long that time is so we will wait for somebody else with more knowledge on the life cycles of the various parasites (and other illnesses) to chime in.

Mjrenz · Jun 5, 2019

SirReefsALot said:
I think I've FINALLY read everything here on QT and it is excellent content, but I still have a question...

If I have all the time in the world to QT each fish, one at a time, is there a point where I can be certain the fish is safe for transfer without treating with copper or even other medications? What if I leave a fish in a comfortable QT for 3 months or 6 months and he/she is looking great?

I have a fully cycled and seeded 10g QT with sponge filter, air stone, pvc, a seachem indicator, and a small reef safe rock.

Thank you for any feedback.

The issue that you could run into is that some fish with thicker slime coats and a healthy immune system may not show any signs of disease even though they are carrying it

Marco S · Jun 5, 2019

If you do not want to use any medications then the tank transfer method would be the best thing. Leaving a fish in the same tank for any period of time really won't cure anything. Even if they look healthy, they could be carrying something you do not want to introduce to your DT.

SirReefsALot · Jun 5, 2019

Thanks for the input.
Based on everything I'm reading and hearing,
I'm going with a hybrid approach.
No copper treatment just a very long observation period like 7 weeks starting with...
A week of relaxation.
A round of Metroplex+focus.
A week off.
A round of GeneralCure+focus
A week off.
A round of Prazipro.
Then four weeks of observation.

Going to avoid Wrasse for a number of reasons but it will also keep out one of the secret squirrels of tank ailments.

I guess if I see ich, I can modify my plan.

Mjrenz · Jun 5, 2019

SirReefsALot said:
Thanks for the input.
Based on everything I'm reading and hearing,
I'm going with a hybrid approach.
No copper treatment just a very long observation period like 7 weeks starting with...
A week of relaxation.
A round of Metroplex+focus.
A week off.
A round of GeneralCure+focus
A week off.
A round of Prazipro.
Then four weeks of observation.

Going to avoid Wrasse for a number of reasons but it will also keep out one of the secret squirrels of tank ailments.

I guess if I see ich, I can modify my plan.

If you're going to go that route I'd recommend something a little different, general cure is a mixture of metro and prazi and will treat for internal parasites and worms when mixed with focus and food so you really don't need to feed metro separately. Also you should feed that for at least 10 to 14 days instead of just a week because treating for less than the time required is how drug resistant diseases come about. Also, if you're going to treat with Prazi then a second dose needs to be done after 5 to 7 days to kill any hatchlings of external parasites the first round didn't kill. You can also check into using fenbendazole instead of prazi, it's gentler on the fish and kills strains of flukes that are resistant to prazi. You should also consider keeping copper and chloroquine phosphate on hand incase you end up having to deal with ich or velvet

GoldeneyeRet · Jun 5, 2019

The answer to that question is different for everyone.

For me there is no amount of time that a fish can spend in isolation that would deem it parasite free.

I would love to never prophylactically treat. I hate having to do it. But, I have seen many cases where a fish shows no symptoms yet is able to carry parasites into a clean tank.

Thick slime coats, partial "immunity" and possibly other reasons can allow a parasite to live its life cycle undetected, creating a "carrier" that could infect my entire display.

I am not willing to subject my healthy display fish to be parasitized simply because I don't want to administer prophylactic treatment.

But thats just me, others feel differently.

SirReefsALot · Jun 5, 2019

Mjrenz said:
If you're going to go that route I'd recommend something a little different, general cure is a mixture of metro and prazi and will treat for internal parasites and worms when mixed with focus and food so you really don't need to feed metro separately. Also you should feed that for at least 10 to 14 days instead of just a week because treating for less than the time required is how drug resistant diseases come about. Also, if you're going to treat with Prazi then a second dose needs to be done after 5 to 7 days to kill any hatchlings of external parasites the first round didn't kill. You can also check into using fenbendazole instead of prazi, it's gentler on the fish and kills strains of flukes that are resistant to prazi. You should also consider keeping copper and chloroquine phosphate on hand incase you end up having to deal with ich or velvet

Thanks. So if I already have metro and prazi, the general cure is a combo and might be overkill. But I need to up the times and number of treatments. I just picked up metro and prazi today. I need to read the boxes I guess.

Mjrenz · Jun 5, 2019

SirReefsALot said:
Thanks. So if I already have metro and prazi, the general cure is a combo and might be overkill. But I need to up the times and number of treatments. I just picked up metro and prazi today. I need to read the boxes I guess.

This thread will be much more helpful than what's on the boxes
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/treatment-options-index.247573/

Mjrenz · Jun 5, 2019

And this has some more updated information
https://humble.fish/

Marco S · Jun 5, 2019

As stated before, you should have copper on hand in case you need to treat Ich or Marine Velvet. You may have some time to get copper if you spot Ich, but Marine Velvet will kill your fish fast. It is always better to have it on hand and ready to go then to have to buy it in an emergency.

SirReefsALot · Jun 9, 2019

Mjrenz said:
This thread will be much more helpful than what's on the boxes
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/treatment-options-index.247573/

Thanks! Good info.

SirReefsALot · Jun 9, 2019

Mjrenz said:
And this has some more updated information
https://humble.fish/

Thanks!

SirReefsALot · Jun 9, 2019

Marco S said:
As stated before, you should have copper on hand in case you need to treat Ich or Marine Velvet. You may have some time to get copper if you spot Ich, but Marine Velvet will kill your fish fast. It is always better to have it on hand and ready to go then to have to buy it in an emergency.

Got some today. Thanks!