Who do you trust / when to skip quarantine

[RobB'z Reef]

Nice! I'm two hours east. Gonna be headed back that way in a few weeks. Is there an active club in the cities?

 

[Ratsinmyhead]

I have no idea how active because I have never really looked into it but the club is “twin cities marine aquarium society” or TCMAS.

 

[RobB'z Reef]

I have no idea how active because I have never really looked into it but the club is “twin cities marine aquarium society” or TCMAS.

I've heard of it, just didn't know if it was really viable. Thanks!

 

[SeeFu]

Just sharing....

https://quarantinedfish.us/

i buy all my livestock from Mike. i've never had an issue, but i do isolate his livestock for 2 weeks after i recieve them just as good practice. It serves not only to make sure nothing got through, but its also easier to feed them in a 20 gal qt than the 125 gal dt.

 

[radiata]

My last thirteen fish purchases from Salgado Aquatics (https://www.salgadoaquatics.com/) have resulted in no fish losses attributable to any fish diseases. I lost one fish through my own failure to identify the purchase as being somewhat timid and thus subject to bullying. (Shame on me!) Their fish are put through a medicated quarantine before being put up for sale. And, I'll be buying from them again and introducing them to my DT without quarantine.

 

[Halal Hotdog]

Best decision I made was to QT fish prophylactically with meds. In the 90s I did the plop and drop method trusting my eyes to pick the healthy fish. Worked for years until I clearly missed a fish with parasites and it killed half my tank. Lost interest and sold the setup. My current system has been up for 4 years and I QT + medicate fish before they go in my DT. Knowing my fish are healthy and can handle any stressful situation without succumbing to a parasite is a great feeling. If medicated QT didn’t exist then I would probably have corals and inverts only.

There are people who QT fish for a living. I wouldn’t trust one until I could see their process with my own eyes. Once verified I would enjoy outsourcing the QT process.

 

[Trever]

@Rob.bucek and @Ratsinmyhead I've been looking for local reefers if you're interested (wife and I are in the Twin Cities). I started this hobby just before covid, so haven't been going to TCMAS but AFAICT they are mostly fresh water?

I buy my all my stuff from Jen at New Wave. So far so good. Cost more but worth it. I figure she and her staff can QT just as well as I can, though if I had a larger system with more fish, not sure I'd trust. But New Wave is great. She's always spot on, including scoffing at me that my nitrates are way too high to turn on the lights, while the other stores are just saying "Oh, that's nothing to be concerned about at all, you're good to go", etc. Good people at the other stores but completely sloppy. Totally different ball of wax at New Wave. They do all the hot shots at Mayo Clinic, get the nod from BRS, etc.

I have the impression Jen at New Wave is also quite choosy about her suppliers and turn down fish if they arrive and don't look good. I don't claim to understand the supply chain well, wish I knew more.

 

[lakai]

Www.TSM aquatics.com

only place to buy livestock. No disease issues to worry about.

If you read Andrew Saddlers 17,000 gallon reef build thread you would know that this is not true. He got hundreds of fish through tsm and still got something.

 

[RobB'z Reef]

@Rob.bucek and @Ratsinmyhead I've been looking for local reefers if you're interested (wife and I are in the Twin Cities). I started this hobby just before covid, so haven't been going to TCMAS but AFAICT they are mostly fresh water?

I buy my all my stuff from Jen at New Wave. So far so good. Cost more but worth it. I figure she and her staff can QT just as well as I can, though if I had a larger system with more fish, not sure I'd trust. But New Wave is great. She's always spot on, including scoffing at me that my nitrates are way too high to turn on the lights, while the other stores are just saying "Oh, that's nothing to be concerned about at all, you're good to go", etc. Good people at the other stores but completely sloppy. Totally different ball of wax at New Wave. They do all the hot shots at Mayo Clinic, get the nod from BRS, etc.

I have the impression Jen at New Wave is also quite choosy about her suppliers and turn down fish if they arrive and don't look good. I don't claim to understand the supply chain well, wish I knew more.

Awesome! Yeah I'm definitely looking to hookup with local reefers (not like tinder hook up) lol but you know what I mean. Us mid westerners are spread out so distance is not our friend, however I value a solid mutual connection in reefing! I know a couple guys here in eau Claire. Maybe we can shake some things up? I love learning and all you guys bring so much to the table.

 

[BKLYN651]

90% of my purchased fish came from LiveAquaria in the past 10 years. I no longer quarantine any fish from them. Quarantine causes stress! Stress causes Ick. Make one move, not two.

 

[Highgrade]

I'm happy with my recent purchase from TSM, and their policy is 30 day quarantine in medicated water.

Why TSM?

TSM operates a large aquatic super store, with over 6,000 sq. ft of saltwater fish and coral. The facility was built to receive, quarantine, and house the highest quality marine life. Here at TSM we understand that the key to a successful aquarium begins with healthy livestock, and we pride...

tsmaquatics.com

+1 TSM is the only fish vendor I trust.

 

[cancun]

I live in an area with high quality specialty LFS for marine fish and coral. Some of them have a 2 week treatment QT prior to fish sale, a couple dont. I’m in most of them often and know the owners and employees. I observe, discuss what they have seen etc... then I wait. I watch the fish eat. Then I wait. If it’s gone, oh well. After a couple weeks in a tank with no issues and solid reports, I’ll buy it, float for 30 minutes, into the display tank. It’s definitely a gamble. I’ve been lucky but have taken calculated risks and been patient, and I buy no livestock online ever. I have to see the fish and see it again, and see it again. Quarantine is still the safest route, but if you develop a system and know what to look for and what questions to ask than your risk goes down..... some. If I had to get fish online based on my area I would definitely QT all fish. Sometimes I don’t even dip my coral if it’s from someone with a great tank in my club. If it’s from a shop, I do a quick dip 80% of the time. Inverts get the float and drop.

I’ve lost 2 fish. One jumper on an older tank before I knew better and had a screen, and one died during drip acclimation which was the last drip I’ll ever do.

Lots of opinions , most of us aren’t marine biologists, and just find a routine that works.

Quarantine is never a bad idea. But I’m not gonna lie and say I do it. I am in a situation where it’s not super high risk, but definitely not 0 risk.

Happy reefing to all!

Wow....I am in the exact same situation as you where I live. I could have wrote this myself....lol....I too have three LFS I go to and know the owners and employees. I never buy fish online. I don't QT, I take a calculated risk myself. That is my system as well, including the coral and inverts. Everyone needs to find what works for them. It took me many years to build my relationship with my LFS that I use.

I like to see the fish I am buying, come back several times over a few weeks to a month, if it is gone it's gone. If it is a fish I really want they acclimate it to their display tank for me. I watch it a few weeks and then buy it.

If possible find a good LFS within driving distance and take the time to build a solid relationship with them.

If I was in a area with no good LFS, and had to buy online I don't know if I would even have a saltwater tank to be honest. If i did buy online I would set up a QT, for observation if anything else.

 

[ChrisNH]

Other than one order from ipsf to kick-start my tank I use quarantinedfish.us for fish and inverts. I am working on getting a qc tank up for coral, right now i dip and pray.

 

[Ross Petersen]

Who has the discipline to QT corals and inverts for 76 days? I dip and scrub and remove plugs before QT... but end up adding to the DT after 4-6 weeks. I might have to re-evaluate this...

 

[Anthony Scholfield]

@Rob.bucek and @Ratsinmyhead I've been looking for local reefers if you're interested (wife and I are in the Twin Cities). I started this hobby just before covid, so haven't been going to TCMAS but AFAICT they are mostly fresh water?

I buy my all my stuff from Jen at New Wave. So far so good. Cost more but worth it. I figure she and her staff can QT just as well as I can, though if I had a larger system with more fish, not sure I'd trust. But New Wave is great. She's always spot on, including scoffing at me that my nitrates are way too high to turn on the lights, while the other stores are just saying "Oh, that's nothing to be concerned about at all, you're good to go", etc. Good people at the other stores but completely sloppy. Totally different ball of wax at New Wave. They do all the hot shots at Mayo Clinic, get the nod from BRS, etc.

I have the impression Jen at New Wave is also quite choosy about her suppliers and turn down fish if they arrive and don't look good. I don't claim to understand the supply chain well, wish I knew more.

Awesome! Yeah I'm definitely looking to hookup with local reefers (not like tinder hook up) lol but you know what I mean. Us mid westerners are spread out so distance is not our friend, however I value a solid mutual connection in reefing! I know a couple guys here in eau Claire. Maybe we can shake some things up? I love learning and all you guys bring so much to the table.

Yeah Im in Eau Claire (rob knew this, haha)...lets shake some things up

I use Elliot at Marine Collectors for all my fish. Top notch guy!

 

[Rudefish]

I buy all my fish from live aquaria and has never had any issues with their livestock arriving with disease. Been doing so for a few years now. Their 14 day guarantee provides some level of comfort. I do qt all fish even though I trust the quality but that is to be on the safe side. Qt is just get them use to my process and routine and not being further stress out by the current inhabitant in the dt. Shipping is stressful enough to then adding additional stress which comes with being in a new home.

 

[Anthony Scholfield]

I buy all my fish from live aquaria and has never had any issues with their livestock arriving with disease. Been doing so for a few years now. Their 14 day guarantee provides some level of comfort. I do qt all fish even though I trust the quality but that is to be on the safe side. Qt is just get them use to my process and routine and not being further stress out by the current inhabitant in the dt. Shipping is stressful enough to then adding additional stress which comes with being in a new home.

Count yourself lucky.....

 

[pasquale petrovia]

I have lost a Moorish Idol, Bariene tang, clown tang, Orange shoulder tang.in my QT tank. All got ich under a Cuppermine treatment, Tested every other day and level was steady at .4 for 3 weeks and Ich never died off fish. It kept coming back. 29 gallon bare bottom sponge filter, PVC fittings to hide in,

 

[Culater94]

In 7 years, never quarantined, never an issue, UNTIL...
Last month, bought two wrasses from a vendor on here, who I have purchased from before.
Velvet!
Lost 5 fish, $1000's worth including the two wrasses.
Will not make that mistake again.

 

[tony'stank]

One of the prime LFS I buy from, Pet Connection in Livonia MI, labels the date of acquisition of all fish on the tank. That makes it easy to see how long the fish has been in the tank . Because of this when I buy from them I usually don’t quarantine