quarantining chaeto

Mydoghasfleas · Apr 7, 2017

I don't see too many topics on this, but wanted to know how many people do quarantine their chaeto before adding to their fuge. I know bad stuff can come in on it, and be quite hard to see.

Would putting it in my coral QT for the 76 days be overkill? Better safe then sorry?

malira · Apr 7, 2017

Mydoghasfleas said:
I don't see too many topics on this, but wanted to know how many people do quarantine their chaeto before adding to their fuge. I know bad stuff can come in on it, and be quite hard to see.

Would putting it in my coral QT for the 76 days be overkill? Better safe then sorry?

I've often thought about this. I know some very experienced reefers who put in cheato and don't even think about it.

Mydoghasfleas · Apr 7, 2017

malira said:
I've often thought about this. I know some very experienced reefers who put in cheato and don't even think about it.

I don't see anyone talk about it, so I assume most don't. But also read people talking about aptasia, flatworms, etc.

Mydoghasfleas · Apr 9, 2017

It does seem absurd, but no one does this? At least set it aside for observation during a small time?

anthonys51 · Apr 9, 2017

The reason most of just puts it into our tanks is while its possible cheato can intruding something into your tank, the likelihood of it doing so is very slim.

wkscott · Apr 9, 2017

I don't use chaeto any longer (not because of pest issues. ) When I did it seems that each batch had Aiptasia in it. Additionally, regardless of how slim, or likely it is, if the chaeto came from a tank with fish in it, it could very easily bring in ich and other fish parasites, not to mention other pest alga.
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/quarantine-chaeto-algae.187881/

anthonys51 · Apr 9, 2017

So can snails , crabs and corals.

wkscott · Apr 9, 2017

anthonys51 said:
So can snails , crabs and corals.

That's why I dip and quarantine them also. I learned the hard way more than 20 years ago, and I no longer take that chance. Of course, I dont dip the snails or crabs, just make them wait 76 days in quarantine.

anthonys51 · Apr 9, 2017

You qt your corals for 72 - 78 days ?

Also some diseases and pest can lay dormant for more than 72 days

Also dips don't kill all pest
Pest can survive dips I normally just keep a nice collection of wrasses and they will handle pest.

cmcoker · Apr 9, 2017

Sustainable aquatics was putting out DT's Cheato that was supposed to be pathogen free, raised away from fish systems.

May contact them and see if/when more will be available.

wkscott · Apr 9, 2017

anthonys51 said:
You qt your corals for 72 - 78 days ?

Also some diseases and pest can lay dormant for more than 72 days

Also dips don't kill all pest
Pest can survive dips I normally just keep a nice collection of wrasses and they will handle pest.

Yes, I quarantine coral for 76 days, not so much for coral pests, but for fish pests.
I know that dips won't kill all coral pests, especially the eggs. I dip them to remove a large percentage of them. During the 76 days I observe them carefully and may redip a few times if I see trouble. I always dip one last time before going into the DT.
Every reefer has their own risk tolerance level of comfort and what works for some, may seem unnecessary to others.

anthonys51 · Apr 9, 2017

wkscott said:
Yes, I quarantine coral for 76 days, not so much for coral pests, but for fish pests.
I know that dips wont kill all coral pests, especially the eggs. I dip them to remove a large percentage of them. During the 76 days I observe them carefully and may redip a few times if I see trouble. I alwys dip one last time before going into the DT.
Every reefer hss their own risk tolerance level of comfort and what works for some, may seem unnecessary to others.

Very true. I agree

O'l Salty · Apr 9, 2017

Some do, most don't. I've never had a problem.

Ebone · Apr 9, 2017

Some just put in fridge overnight...

Dapperjman · Apr 9, 2017

I used my coral QT for chaeto and watch it a few weeks. Mainly to watch for bristle worms, aiptasia, and flatworms. I did find flatworms one time so I trashed it and restarted my QT haha

BHHOWARD · May 2, 2017

Anyone fresh-water dip their cheato with success?

BHHOWARD · May 6, 2017

K. Steven · May 6, 2017

I've had Aiptasia and cotton candy algae come from chaeto on two separate occasions. Though I was able to eradicate each, it was not worth the trouble, so I got chaeto from a better maintained tank and did a close inspection before adding it to the sump. I know AlgaeBarn is advertising clean chaeto and it may be worth it to pay for guaranteed pest-free macroalgae.

anthonys51 · May 6, 2017

K. Steven said:
I've had Aiptasia and cotton candy algae come from chaeto on two separate occasions. Though I was able to eradicate each, it was not worth the trouble, so I got chaeto from a better maintained tank and did a close inspection before adding it to the sump. I know AlgaeBarn is advertising clean chaeto and it may be worth it to pay for guaranteed pest-free macroalgae.

I have a bad case of cotton candy algae How did you get rid of it. I haven't found any fish of crabs or snails to eat it