To quarantine or not to quarantine

[NowGlazeIT]

I'm just so torn on the whole subject of quarantining. I've heard so many people talk about fish dieing in quarantine that it almost seems like it would be less stressful to put them straight in the display.
I dont wanna spend the money to set one up if it isn't necessary..

I think quarantining is still fairly new for a lot of hobbyist and the medications are sensitive and not clear enough in directions because there’s so many variants. This is a big reason why QTs fail but with reef2reef We got a better chance learning how to QT like the pros so really it comes down to a level of dedication or how much risk your wallet can handle

 

[Bthomas]

I think quarantining is still fairly new for a lot of hobbyist and the medications are sensitive and not clear enough in directions because there’s so many variants. This is a big reason why QTs fail but with reef2reef We got a better chance learning how to QT like the pros so really it comes down to a level of dedication or how much risk your wallet can handle

I definately dont want or have the money to risk having something wipe out my tank but i think im just nervous because i dont have a good grasp on the quarantine procedure or how to use one. I've done so much reading but it seems like everyone does it differently..

 

[Big G]

Here's some help. If there is one thing I've learned in this hobby is to research. Here's Humblefish's How to Quarantine: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/how-to-quarantine.189815/#post-2177961

 

[coweyes298]

I definately dont want or have the money to risk having something wipe out my tank but i think im just nervous because i dont have a good grasp on the quarantine procedure or how to use one. I've done so much reading but it seems like everyone does it differently..

There is a guidelines that humblefish puts together. Besides disease and treatment forum will have your back.

 

[Mini Coop]

There are a million ways to do things. But please, take it from me . . . I started my first tank last July. I knew nothing about QT, didn't even know it was a "thing". I had 12 fish. I lost 10 of them to ich. In my opinion and experience, it is NOT worth the risk to the entire tank to not QT. QT can also be frustrating. It takes time, a little bit of $ in salt for water changes, but is totally worth it. Especially after having to watch my beautiful tank run for 86 days without any fish, it was heart wrenching.

Now, QT is a skill. I have lost several fish in QT - HOWEVER - some of them have been SICK, and I saved the rest of the fish in my tank from whatever they would have been in danger of catching. I would not keep it near mixing station. and a 10-20 gallon would be fine. Yes can be airborne. Mine will be at least 10 feet from my main tank. Let me know if you have any questions, we are all happy to help. I learn more and more every time I do it. @Humblefish and @melypr1985 have been lifesavers and amazing supports.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

I think quarantining is still fairly new for a lot of hobbyist and the medications are sensitive and not clear enough in directions because there’s so many variants. This is a big reason why QTs fail but with reef2reef We got a better chance learning how to QT like the pros so really it comes down to a level of dedication or how much risk your wallet can handle

Yup.
And many fish are kept in copper at non therapeutic levels at a lfs and weakes the immune system.

Is all really basically the same.
https://reefbuilders.com/2017/10/24/set-simple-effective-quarantine-tank/

https://reefbuilders.com/2016/08/25/important-quarantine-fish-coral/

 

[Daltrey]

Here is my qt setup.

 

[Bthomas]

Ok I will take your advice and go ahead and plan on using a quarantine. I have a spare 10 gallon tank that i could use but it was used for reptiles would that hurt anything?
What would be the best plan of action as far as timeline for setting everything up and buying fish/cuc?
The tank hasnt started cycling yet so is there anyway I can have a quarantine set up and fish being quarantined before tank finishes cycling?
I dont want it to sit fishless for months after cycle is finished while I wait for fish to be out of quarantine
Can i quarantine fish and initial cuc together?

Sorry for all the questions, I know they've probably been answered time and time again and i will read through all the guidelines that have been posted tomorrow when im not at work

 

[NowGlazeIT]

Ok I will take your advice and go ahead and plan on using a quarantine. I have a spare 10 gallon tank that i could use but it was used for reptiles would that hurt anything?
What would be the best plan of action as far as timeline for setting everything up and buying fish/cuc?
The tank hasnt started cycling yet so is there anyway I can have a quarantine set up and fish being quarantined before tank finishes cycling?
I dont want it to sit fishless for months after cycle is finished while I wait for fish to be out of quarantine
Can i quarantine fish and initial cuc together?

Sorry for all the questions, I know they've probably been answered time and time again and i will read through all the guidelines that have been posted tomorrow when im not at work

Please ask as many questions as you need I’m here to help and learn whenever I can too. Clean everything you use for your quarenteen I just bought a used ten gallon in super rough shape old fresh water algea and decay but glass is very forgiving. I did see a video here just recently on some sterilization 101
https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/video-how-to-sterilize-a-quarantine-tank.201/

 

[Big G]

Ok I will take your advice and go ahead and plan on using a quarantine. I have a spare 10 gallon tank that i could use but it was used for reptiles would that hurt anything?
What would be the best plan of action as far as timeline for setting everything up and buying fish/cuc?
The tank hasnt started cycling yet so is there anyway I can have a quarantine set up and fish being quarantined before tank finishes cycling?
I dont want it to sit fishless for months after cycle is finished while I wait for fish to be out of quarantine
Can i quarantine fish and initial cuc together?

Sorry for all the questions, I know they've probably been answered time and time again and i will read through all the guidelines that have been posted tomorrow when im not at work

- Clean the 10 gal with bleach. Rinse throughly. Let dry completely.
- QT takes about 30 days to cycle if using Bio Spira & ammonia.
- Fish in QT are usually treated with copper (30 days) and then praziquantel (2 x 5-7 days) or vice versa.
- CUC cannot be treated with copper, it will kill them. So you put your CUC in their own QT and leave them there for 76 days to starve out ich and velvet parasites

 

[mcarroll]

Unless you're QT'ing tiny fish like the Neon Goby, a 10G is too small. If you plan to keep normal fish, get a 40 Breeder for your QT. Hopefully you have a PetCo near you that sells them at the $1/gal price....if not use the closest tank to that size that you can. I wouldn't go smaller than 15 gallons....that's still really small IMO.

Avoid the prison style QT's you see commonly where there's a heater, filter and PVC parts....beef it up with healthy, naturalistic background materials including some live rock and fake plants.

Don't think of QT as a magic bullet. It can be tempting, but plenty of folks QT "by the book" and go on to have tanks with sick fish. That's not what it's about. It's not a hospital tank either.

QT is an observation phase where you give them the most attention they're ever going to get from you. You get a chance to start getting your observational skill-set down pat and start getting your feeding routines in order. Figure out what live foods will work for you. Etc.

Yes, if the worst-case scenario strikes and you need to medicate, they're easy to catch and remove to a hospital tank...or if you don't have a separate tank for hospital you can usually still medicate the QT with out completely killing it.

Unless you're getting your fish sight-unseen, it should be very unlikely that you need to medicate fish at home that you've pre-observed and hand-selected (e.g. at the LFS).

 

[dede]

I would definitely quarantine at least all your fish starting from the very first one. As stated earlier there seems to be a lot of diseased fish in the LFS the last year or more. Better would be to quarantine everything going into your tank including corals and inverts as they can be carriers.

It doesn't have to be expensive, just a cheap 10 gallon tank from petco, air bubbler, and thermometer. Buy used equipment if you can off craigslist. Start with hardy, inexpensive fish to build confidence and get the routine down. As far as space I have put tanks on my kitchen counter tops and even on my dryer, a 10 gallon doesn't take up much room.

What method you use depends on your risk level. Copper covers a lot and is easy to obtain. Chloraquine phosphate also a good choice but hard to source. Tank transfer method is a lot more work and cost, requires 2 tanks and only covers ich. Observation is better then nothing but not all fish show symptoms and can also have built up an immunity and therefore are carriers.

Having the fish in quarantine also allows you to observe and treat for other conditions that they may come in with such as bacterial infections, flukes, black ich, popeye, etc. It is also a good opportunity to make sure they are eating well or get them eating.

One thing to be very careful about is ammonia build up which can kill fish quickly. You will want to have an ammonia alert badge or ammonia test kit. Have rodi water for top offs, and saltwater for water changes on standby.

Also keep in mind if you have bought live rock or added anything in your display tank that is wet from the LFS or local reefer your are going to want to leave that fishless for 76 days if you are planning on quarantining everything going into your tank.

Lastly, read Humblefish's post on quarantine. He has addressed anything you could possibly want to know about the subject.

 

[NefTunzReef]

A wise dentist once said to his patient, who asked him if it was really necessary to brush and floss his teeth: "Only brush and floss the teeth that you want to keep."

So yes, quarantine everything...

 

[NowGlazeIT]

Bio spira and dr Tim’s are both live active denitrifying bacteria in a bottle they seed your qt in a day

 

[NowGlazeIT]

The dormant denitrifying bacteria in a bottle like seachem’s stability takes 5 days

 

[NowGlazeIT]

Here’s a copper treatment compatibility list from a well respected member of R2R
https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/fish-and-treatment-guidelines-with-chart.191/

 

[NowGlazeIT]

Dede and big G are right start here!

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/how-to-quarantine.189815/

 

[NowGlazeIT]

;Bookworm

 

[don_chuwish]

My current QT fish love the fake tree stump and lantern. Bacteria in a bottle helped get things started. If I have to medicate I'll remove the sand.
On a whim last year I painted the bottom of the tank with a 'sandstone' textured spray paint. It looks cool but really I should have done just black - the 'sand' hides the detritus I want to vacuum out during water changes.

 

[NowGlazeIT]

My current QT fish love the fake tree stump and lantern. Bacteria in a bottle helped get things started. If I have to medicate I'll remove the sand.
On a whim last year I painted the bottom of the tank with a 'sandstone' textured spray paint. It looks cool but really I should have done just black - the 'sand' hides the detritus I want to vacuum out during water changes.

I Love the idea of painting the glass and having the easy removable decor