SPS Quarantine

[maroun.c]

Looking on some info and Pics of SPS Qtanks.
My plan is a couple of weeks quarantine with one dip on arrival and another dip before transfer to DT. My main concern is eggs that pass the 1st dip hatch and spread in quarantine before the second dip and then start to infect new corals. Would a 3 days dip regimen for 1 week be safer?
Please post any relevant tips or dipping schedule u have.

 

[Rob.D]

I don't QT my new acros, if the acro is on a plug I cut the frag and dry out the plug for use later on. I dip the frag in Bayer Advanced and then do a visual inspection using a 10x jewelers loupe, if there is any exposed skeleton, I will pay extra attention for eggs and I'll scrub the area with an old toothbrush, if eggs are positively ID'd the frag goes strait in the trash, if no eggs are observed, I cover the area of exposed skeleton with superglue gel covering 1-2 mm over live tissue.

 

[Graffiti Spot]

If you want to prevent aefw eggs getting through, you should be doing a dip every week in qt for at least 6 weeks to be sure. While dipping each week (I use 6 day weeks) you should be looking for eggs and removing them. Dipping once will not break the cycle.
I only add corals to my qt at the same time and transfer all at the same time, if they are are healthy and clean. There are many ways to qt acros and many ways that work, some are less risky than others but its all about what fits your needs. Good luck, and I would also like to see some pics of others qt setups.

 

[Reefnjunkie]

Looking on some info and Pics of SPS Qtanks.
My plan is a couple of weeks quarantine with one dip on arrival and another dip before transfer to DT. My main concern is eggs that pass the 1st dip hatch and spread in quarantine before the second dip and then start to infect new corals. Would a 3 days dip regimen for 1 week be safer?
Please post any relevant tips or dipping schedule u have.

The actual gestation period for eggs as I have read is not clearly defined or documented, if someone has any links they want to post that would be greatly helpful and appreciated

I've heard as low as 7 days to as high as 14 days which is why the majority of advise recommends dips weekly. It would be interested to see how many people who practice that routine actually have removed the acro from whatever it arrived on. To me Thats key and is usually where eggs will be most difficult to see.

Rob.D has sound advise IMO.

Eggs are like acid to the flesh of an acro and will kill it so you will have a white tissue area where the eggs are present, this very easy to spot especially using a 10x magnifying glass or jewlers loupe. That applies to eggs on the acro only plugs, rock etc that's a different story.

Again Rob.D hit it on the head- if you can't do weekly dips and if you are removing the acro from what ever it came in on, and after inspecting can see there are no eggs, a good dip with a baster will kill any AEFW (if done properly) and dipping for subsequent weeks is moot-IMO

I would suspect the 6 week dip might be good for those not removing frags, not looking for eggs, and can't be certain there are no eggs and and just want to be safe-absolutely nothing wrong with being safe. At weeks 3-6 I'd venture to guess (if no new acros were added to the system) if dipping is done properly no AEFW are being found-that's been the case with everyone I've spoke to and my experiance as well- AGAIN if the variables I describe are followed in that manner no deviation or changes.

Finding eggs on a 1-2" or even 3" frag with a 10x is pretty easy if you can clearly see ALL of the surface area of the acro-REPEAT, all of the surface area of the acro, look for dead tissue

Good luck with whichever route you go!

 

[maroun.c]

Thanks for all the replies. Will go on with a 5-6 weeks observation and weekly dipping as suggested. Will also try to add corals in batches which I guess is the tough part.

 

[gdemos]

No documented rationale perhaps gestation and minimal disruption plus observation time being my premise but I personally am in SPs grow/shake out and plan is to Go through 3 rounds of Bayer dip every 3 weeks; inspecting along the way and trying to keep all frags in their same spot in the rack after each dip. And like notes above this applies to a batch of frags all from the same source... So one batch/source at a time.