Time to move and add fish!

revhtree · Jan 17, 2017

It's going to be sooooo hard not to QT new fish because I want to fill my new 400 basement build quick! But I want to do it right! So a few questions.

1. I have about 6 or so fish in the 120g now that were not quarantined but have been in the tank for well over a year and never showed signs of illness. Should I QT them before adding them to the new tank?

2. How many new fish could I QT in (2) 20g tanks? I know size is a factor.

3. What QT process should I put the fish through?

Thanks!

Jason mack · Jan 17, 2017

Question ?? If you know Your fish are healthy and have been in Your tank for a Year .. why would you have too qt them .. ??
Just curious as i will be doing something similar .. iam following this thread !!

AllSignsPointToFish · Jan 17, 2017

Why would you quarantine a healthy, established fish? If they are showing signs of disease or stress, that would be a different situation. However, if you have aggressive fish, you may want to segregate them until the more peaceful fish are introduced and established first.

Also, putting your healthy fish in quarantine with recently acquired fish sounds like an easy way to get them sick!

AllSignsPointToFish · Jan 17, 2017

For the quarantine process itself, obviously @Humblefish can help out. However, unless the new fish you purchase are sensitive to copper, I'd say put them through copper first since ick and velvet seem to be common in LFS tanks these days.

RamsReef · Jan 17, 2017

QT them.

Grab another 20G, and equipment, tanks are cheap. You can use this tank after for coral QT, Refug, whatever.

I'm doing chloroquine phosphate and API General Cure. I'm pretty sure that eliminates 90% of parasites.

revhtree · Jan 17, 2017

Well they were never originally quarantined.

RamsReef · Jan 17, 2017

You only get one shot at this Rev, you've seen the posts of what happens, you know the cost vs benefit. The choice is yours.

Jason mack · Jan 17, 2017

revhtree said:
Well they were never originally quarantined.

So your afraid they might feel left out or discriminated against

AllSignsPointToFish · Jan 17, 2017

What kind of fish are they?

revhtree · Jan 17, 2017

Yellow belly Blue Tang
Pair of Picasso Clowns
Ruby Red Dragonet
Couple Wrasse
Anthias
Helfrichi Goby

Brew12 · Jan 17, 2017

revhtree said:
It's going to be sooooo hard not to QT new fish because I want to fill my new 400 basement build quick! But I want to do it right! So a few questions.

1. I have about 6 or so fish in the 120g now that were not quarantined but have been in the tank for well over a year and never showed signs of illness. Should I QT them before adding them to the new tank?

2. How many new fish could I QT in (2) 20g tanks? I know size is a factor.

3. What QT process should I put the fish through?

Thanks!

1) I would QT them. If I were going to be stocking the new tank with as many fish as I think you will, there is no way I would take a risk by not treating them with either CP or copper. The only way I would think of not putting them through prophylactic treatment is if they had lived through a stress inducing event like a major salinity spike or heater failure without showing signs of disease. Since that would break down any built up natural resistance they would have fairly quickly, you would be pretty safe thinking the system was clean.

2) You could QT quite a few as long as aggression wasn't an issue.

3) Since you have already had these fish for a long period of time I would treat in copper (if appropriate for these fish) for 14 days and then move into the new DT. I wouldn't consider an extended observation on the back end necessary unless the copper causes issues. I want to stress that I would only go this route for the fish you currently have, not for any new additions.

@melypr1985 did a fantastic job putting this together so you can check if copper is appropriate for any fish you want to treat.
https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/fish-and-treatment-guidelines-with-chart.191/

stevo01 · Jan 17, 2017

Im with @Ramasul. Im QT'ing my fish before moving them into the 525xl. While in QT im going to treat them with Prazipro and Rally.

I never QT'd these fish but all were/are healthy and my LFS is amazing in their practices. thing is ive added so many inverts, and 60 ish pieces of coral. The firefish did develope some illness not long ago. With all the featherdusters I didnt want to kill them with prazi so I am justifying a QT procedure based on my situation.

stevo01 · Jan 17, 2017

Brew12 said:
1) I would QT them. If I were going to be stocking the new tank with as many fish as I think you will, there is no way I would take a risk by not treating them with either CP or copper. The only way I would think of not putting them through prophylactic treatment is if they had lived through a stress inducing event like a major salinity spike or heater failure without showing signs of disease. Since that would break down any built up natural resistance they would have fairly quickly, you would be pretty safe thinking the system was clean.

2) You could QT quite a few as long as aggression wasn't an issue.

3) Since you have already had these fish for a long period of time I would treat in copper (if appropriate for these fish) for 14 days and then move into the new DT. I wouldn't consider an extended observation on the back end necessary unless the copper causes issues. I want to stress that I would only go this route for the fish you currently have, not for any new additions.

@melypr1985 did a fantastic job putting this together so you can check if copper is appropriate for any fish you want to treat.
https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/fish-and-treatment-guidelines-with-chart.191/

Awesome post!

melypr1985 · Jan 17, 2017

revhtree said:
Yellow belly Blue Tang
Pair of Picasso Clowns
Ruby Red Dragonet
Couple Wrasse
Anthias
Helfrichi Goby

Definitely QT these guys before putting them in the new build. You may run into a problem with the Dragonet if you plan to run copper. You could potentially run TTM with the two 20's. This would cover ick and you can run prazi during this time to cover flukes. These would be the two you have to worry about since you've had these fish for so long already. 30 total days and you are done

4FordFamily · Jan 17, 2017

melypr1985 said:
Definitely QT these guys before putting them in the new build. You may run into a problem with the Dragonet if you plan to run copper. You could potentially run TTM with the two 20's. This would cover ick and you can run prazi during this time to cover flukes. These would be the two you have to worry about since you've had these fish for so long already. 30 total days and you are done

I agree-- those fish are all capable of harboring ich and showing no symptoms at all. It's just not worth the risk! (To the casual reader, we aren't worried about the risk to these fish necessarily but more likely the risk to future fish and the stability of the tank)

I also disagree with Brew for once and would treat at full therapeutic levels of whatever med you choose for a full 30 days, I would even observe them.

For my tanks I use a 55 gal qt it seems the perfect size for large batches of fish and still eligible for the $1/gallon sale without being too much water volume to afford medications.

The Mandy would benefit from CP or Hypo of Mel's chart is helpful

revhtree · Jan 17, 2017

Thanks guys. I guess I need to get some medication! Can you let me know what medicines I will need please?

Sorry never been much of QT guy but I want to do it right this time!

Thanks.

dragon99 · Jan 17, 2017

Can your remove coral/rock from the tank they are in and use that as the HT? Gives them more swimming room.

melypr1985 · Jan 17, 2017

revhtree said:
Thanks guys. I guess I need to get some medication! Can you let me know what medicines I will need please?

Sorry never been much of QT guy but I want to do it right this time!

Thanks.

Do you want to run TTM (Tank transfer method) or Copper?

If TTM, then you'll need Air pump, tubing, Air stones, two heaters, lots of pvc elbows, Possibly two small power heads, two Ammonia alert badges. Prazipro and Prime (just in case)

If copper, then you'll need everything mentioned above except for the prime and adding in Coppersafe (my fav) and the API test kit.

Humblefish · Jan 17, 2017

I agree with running your current stock of fish thru TTM: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/tank-transfer-method.192655/

Dose Prazipro at the tail end (i.e. 24 hours to go) of transfers 2 & 4, and in 13 days you'll have ich/worm free fish you can safely transfer into your 400 gal.

Moving forward, here is my list of "must have" medications: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/medications-to-keep-on-hand.213574/#post-2445601