Tank Transfer Method

[1stMarineTankDude]

I don’t recommend TTM at all for active infections - you need a clean tank to then hold the fish through the fallow period.
For new fish, it has some benefit against marine ich, but falls short for flukes. Moving the fish that often is also stressful. You also want to avoid TTM if all you have is top down viewing - you can’t monitor the fish well enough.
I stopped using TTM back in 1987, there are always better options.
Jay

I have no active infection. I'm asking as I want to buy fish in the next couple of days. This will be my initial QT. Tank is new setup, completely cycled with no additions yet. My plan was to run them through the TTM, then treat for flukes, then put in observation tank which is also flesh and fishless for a few weeks before going into the new tank setup. My concern is making a mistake with the chems when it seems that the chems and this method take the same amount of time. What are your thoughts? I am looking to perform the safest and easiest method. This is my first marine tank. I've had fresh way back in the past and never did anything but put fish in a tank. Never had issues and if I did, i could treat tank. in this case, i plan coral and a full cleaning crew. My first thought is, how much of this really helps when I'm going to get inversts which could carry this stuff as well. I'm feeling more and more it is all about where you roll your dice! haha

 

[mrpontiac80]

I have no active infection. I'm asking as I want to buy fish in the next couple of days. This will be my initial QT. Tank is new setup, completely cycled with no additions yet. My plan was to run them through the TTM, then treat for flukes, then put in observation tank which is also flesh and fishless for a few weeks before going into the new tank setup. My concern is making a mistake with the chems when it seems that the chems and this method take the same amount of time. What are your thoughts? I am looking to perform the safest and easiest method. This is my first marine tank. I've had fresh way back in the past and never did anything but put fish in a tank. Never had issues and if I did, i could treat tank. in this case, i plan coral and a full cleaning crew. My first thought is, how much of this really helps when I'm going to get inversts which could carry this stuff as well. I'm feeling more and more it is all about where you roll your dice! haha

I do the httm. 100% successfully so far for nearly 3 years. My set up is two of each item. 10 gallon tanks, screen tops, heaters, pvc for hiding, thermometers, and using new air line tubing and air stones.

Between each transfer I sanitize with vinegar and everything air drys till next use in 72 hrs.

I use a big plastic colander to gently scoop the fish and move them…. No nets and no hands. It’s big enough I’m not chasing them around. I’m sure transfers are stressful for them but it doesn’t last more than a min or two at max and I’ve never seen them act differently afterwards.

I chose httm because I did not want to deal with copper and some other stuff that goes along with other methods.

I may be right or wrong but I follow it to a T. That means I start my process at a time I can work with every day. If a transfer is needed, I have to do it in 72 hrs. I can do a transfer earlier, but not later. If I miss it and get it done at 73 hrs that means I have to start over.

Quarantine is definitely a choice and many people dont do it. But when I started I followed that idea too of it being like rolling the dice. Then I lost 75% of all my fish and had to go fallow for 3 months. That blows.

Again I may be right or wrong but I follow the advice of the qt guy I’ve chosen to follow. So starfish, and one or two other inverts need no qt…. Snails and such do. So yes you could qt snails for 30 days or something in a fishless tank. I personally do not. I just want to insure the best I can that I do not introduce a fish into my display that could hurt the others.

Good luck!

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

I have no active infection. I'm asking as I want to buy fish in the next couple of days. This will be my initial QT. Tank is new setup, completely cycled with no additions yet. My plan was to run them through the TTM, then treat for flukes, then put in observation tank which is also flesh and fishless for a few weeks before going into the new tank setup. My concern is making a mistake with the chems when it seems that the chems and this method take the same amount of time. What are your thoughts? I am looking to perform the safest and easiest method. This is my first marine tank. I've had fresh way back in the past and never did anything but put fish in a tank. Never had issues and if I did, i could treat tank. in this case, i plan coral and a full cleaning crew. My first thought is, how much of this really helps when I'm going to get inversts which could carry this stuff as well. I'm feeling more and more it is all about where you roll your dice! haha

I just find TTM is very rough on fish, right at the point where they are most vulnerable to stress.

I stopped using it in the 1980’s because the results were just not that good. The main benefit of TTM back in the day was to be able to avoid using ionic copper. With the safer, chelated copper products, that just isn’t the issue it once was.

Jay

 

[1stMarineTankDude]

I just find TTM is very rough on fish, right at the point where they are most vulnerable to stress.

I stopped using it in the 1980’s because the results were just not that good. The main benefit of TTM back in the day was to be able to avoid using ionic copper. With the safer, chelated copper products, that just isn’t the issue it once was.

Jay

do you do anything for your inverts?

 

[1stMarineTankDude]

I do the httm. 100% successfully so far for nearly 3 years. My set up is two of each item. 10 gallon tanks, screen tops, heaters, pvc for hiding, thermometers, and using new air line tubing and air stones.

Between each transfer I sanitize with vinegar and everything air drys till next use in 72 hrs.

I use a big plastic colander to gently scoop the fish and move them…. No nets and no hands. It’s big enough I’m not chasing them around. I’m sure transfers are stressful for them but it doesn’t last more than a min or two at max and I’ve never seen them act differently afterwards.

I chose httm because I did not want to deal with copper and some other stuff that goes along with other methods.

I may be right or wrong but I follow it to a T. That means I start my process at a time I can work with every day. If a transfer is needed, I have to do it in 72 hrs. I can do a transfer earlier, but not later. If I miss it and get it done at 73 hrs that means I have to start over.

Quarantine is definitely a choice and many people dont do it. But when I started I followed that idea too of it being like rolling the dice. Then I lost 75% of all my fish and had to go fallow for 3 months. That blows.

Again I may be right or wrong but I follow the advice of the qt guy I’ve chosen to follow. So starfish, and one or two other inverts need no qt…. Snails and such do. So yes you could qt snails for 30 days or something in a fishless tank. I personally do not. I just want to insure the best I can that I do not introduce a fish into my display that could hurt the others.

Good luck!

So if QT'ing inverts to get them past any spore life cycles in a fishless tank, are there any water changes and such? do you simply drop them in a clean tank and let them go adding some fish food or something to give them energy?

 

[mrpontiac80]

So if QT'ing inverts to get them past any spore life cycles in a fishless tank, are there any water changes and such? do you simply drop them in a clean tank and let them go adding some fish food or something to give them energy?

I’ve personally never qt any coral or inverts. Some places advertise inverts that have been held in fishless systems.

I know that if you don’t qt everything then there is the argument of why do fish only… but I’m just trying to give my fish the best chances possible at introduction knowing full well I can’t or won’t keep a 100% clean tank.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

do you do anything for your inverts?

I hold them in fishless systems for 30 days, unless they came from a fishless system. If they came from a system that had suspected fish disease in it, I'll hold the inverts in a fishless system for 45 days.

I wish more dealers would segregate their fish and invertebrates. That makes the process much faster/easier. I always tell about one dealer I saw that used their coral systems to "heal" sick fish - meaning that any corals they sold had the potential of carrying that disease into their customers tanks!


Jay

 

[1stMarineTankDude]

I hold them in fishless systems for 30 days, unless they came from a fishless system. If they came from a system that had suspected fish disease in it, I'll hold the inverts in a fishless system for 45 days.

I wish more dealers would segregate their fish and invertebrates. That makes the process much faster/easier. I always tell about one dealer I saw that used their coral systems to "heal" sick fish - meaning that any corals they sold had the potential of carrying that disease into their customers tanks!


Jay

That is crazy! I agree. Thanks to the feedback you all gave me, I'm acclimating fish right now! As stated, I'm running mine at ~35 ppt. I checked the salinity of the water the fish came in, and it was 28 ppt! So I've been slowly working them up. Have them at about 32.5 now. Is there a number that gets me close enough where i can release them into the observation tank?

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

That is crazy! I agree. Thanks to the feedback you all gave me, I'm acclimating fish right now! As stated, I'm running mine at ~35 ppt. I checked the salinity of the water the fish came in, and it was 28 ppt! So I've been slowly working them up. Have them at about 32.5 now. Is there a number that gets me close enough where i can release them into the observation tank?

Salinity rises are tough on fish. They can also run out of air in the bag during the acclimation process. You should get to 34 ppt before releasing it. Here is my article on acclimation:

Acclimation Methods

Acclimating Animals to Aquariums Jay F. Hemdal c.2020 Introduction to acclimation techniques Most beginning aquarists hear that they must “acclimate” any new animals they add to their aquarium. Acclimation (sometimes termed...

www.reef2reef.com

Jay

 

[1stMarineTankDude]

Salinity rises are tough on fish. They can also run out of air in the bag during the acclimation process. You should get to 34 ppt before releasing it. Here is my article on acclimation:

Acclimation Methods

Acclimating Animals to Aquariums Jay F. Hemdal c.2020 Introduction to acclimation techniques Most beginning aquarists hear that they must “acclimate” any new animals they add to their aquarium. Acclimation (sometimes termed...

www.reef2reef.com

Jay

Thanks Jay! I didn't get this before i released, but it worked out as i pulled the trigger at 34. They seem to be doing great. I fed them about an hour in and they eat. I woke this morning and they must have heard my alarm as when i came into my office, they were already out and exploring!

 

[chicago]

i am
back
to doing copper. start at low
level and build up.

 

[1stMarineTankDude]

Salinity rises are tough on fish. They can also run out of air in the bag during the acclimation process. You should get to 34 ppt before releasing it. Here is my article on acclimation:

Acclimation Methods

Acclimating Animals to Aquariums Jay F. Hemdal c.2020 Introduction to acclimation techniques Most beginning aquarists hear that they must “acclimate” any new animals they add to their aquarium. Acclimation (sometimes termed...

www.reef2reef.com

Jay

Jay, I had another question. I ran into issue where after I finished my copper power QT process, I moved my 3 fish to the display tank. My intention was to run a QT cycle using Prazipro first, but decided that I'd dose the display and go from there. I've just completed the first cycle of Prazi and would like to do one more. The tank was fallow starting out. The prazi was just intended to catch anything that the fish may have had as far as worms or flukes. I moved the fish into the display which i dosed with prazi on Friday. On sunday, I added two Emerald crabs and few snails and a gladiator snail to work my sand. I have no coral yet, my fags are in my son's tank waiting to come home. Is there any risk of running another dose of prazi with those inverts I've added? i've seen mixed messages on boards.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Jay, I had another question. I ran into issue where after I finished my copper power QT process, I moved my 3 fish to the display tank. My intention was to run a QT cycle using Prazipro first, but decided that I'd dose the display and go from there. I've just completed the first cycle of Prazi and would like to do one more. The tank was fallow starting out. The prazi was just intended to catch anything that the fish may have had as far as worms or flukes. I moved the fish into the display which i dosed with prazi on Friday. On sunday, I added two Emerald crabs and few snails and a gladiator snail to work my sand. I have no coral yet, my fags are in my son's tank waiting to come home. Is there any risk of running another dose of prazi with those inverts I've added? i've seen mixed messages on boards.

Properly done, with good aeration and an accurate dose, Prazipro won’t harm invertebrates.

Jay

 

[1stMarineTankDude]

Properly done, with good aeration and an accurate dose, Prazipro won’t harm invertebrates.

Jay

Thanks. My total system volume is 46 gallons. to account for displacement by sand and rock I dosed for 40. I never ran Carbon after first dose. It was friday. Should I run carbon for a day before dosing again to ensure first does is pulled from tank? I did move wavemaker to the top of tank to provide more surface break and I also removed skimmer sock to cause break in the sump.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Thanks. My total system volume is 46 gallons. to account for displacement by sand and rock I dosed for 40. I never ran Carbon after first dose. It was friday. Should I run carbon for a day before dosing again to ensure first does is pulled from tank? I did move wavemaker to the top of tank to provide more surface break and I also removed skimmer sock to cause break in the sump.

Some people do a 25% water change prior to the second treatment to lower nutrient loading if they have corals in the tank.

 

[1stMarineTankDude]

Some people do a 25% water change prior to the second treatment to lower nutrient loading if they have corals in the tank.

If I'm coral free, can i move forward.

 

[nereefpat]

Best practices with Prazi are to dose a couple times about a week apart. The first dose will be gone by then. It is consumed in some way (bacterial?), as apposed to copper which will stay in the water column indefinitely.

 

[1stMarineTankDude]

If I'm coral free, can i move forward.

Some people do a 25% water change prior to the second treatment to lower nutrient loading if they have corals in the tank.

Jay, sorry, it appears I missed getting your original statement in. Was about how it impacts me being coral free. As you stated when coral is present.