Why I hate quarantine...

[ptreef]

I hate fish QT as well. seems just more stress and more deaths. I buy online from reputable vendors that QT and treat and have had great success.
I try to get all fish into system early on as well. Same with corals. Stock up and let grow. not add as tank matures.

 

[ritter6788]

I got my QT going again since I'm looking to add a couple fish.

20 gal, Reef octopus HOB skimmer, koralia 1100 powerhead, titanium heater, dedicated live rock, seeded sponge and clay pots for biological filtration, 4 bulb t5 light for good viewing/observation.

I actually treated some fish with this method that had ich earlier this year. Made it through the QT with no water changes, only top-off adds as needed. Was easy as I've ever QT'd fish.

 

[Daniel@R2R Verified Admin]

I hate fish QT as well. seems just more stress and more deaths. I buy online from reputable vendors that QT and treat and have had great success.
I try to get all fish into system early on as well. Same with corals. Stock up and let grow. not add as tank matures.

Better check that first post. I'm not advocating no qt. I hate the process, but after my own experience and the experience of others, I'll never introduce a fish to my reef that hasn't been qt'd. I like to buy from reputable vendors that have qt, but it's still no substitute for my own qt IMO. It's just added protection and more probability of getting a healthy fish.

 

[Karen]

I will be setting up a qt tank before any more fish purchases. Thinking of going 10 or maybe 20 gallon.

 

[h8edpurdie]

QT Everything.

I spent a couple hundred bucks, ordered some livestock online. When they arrived, I did the entire quarantine process. Took them to my display tank in my office. Decided I wanted to set up a refugium and ordered some chaeto and lost all but 2 fish so far. Never thought I would need to quarantine chaeto, but trust me I will from here on out. This has been one of the most devastating experiences ever.

 

[saltyphish]

Completely agree! However, I understand the necessity for the QT. The first fish I added to my tank was a ocellaris clownfish and a black and white clownfish. Both in the same tank at the store. When I added then to my DT (no QT, didn't think it was necessary since there were no other fish) and a day later the black and white showed signs of parasites. He got returned to the store for a refund and I did not add any more fish for 2 mths. Even after 2 mths I bought my next fish only this time he went into my permanent set up QT. Lesson learned. As a matter of fact here is my latest addition waiting his 5-6 week term in QT. One of my favorite fish so far.

 

[hatfielj]

I'm setting up a refugium right now and after reading the post about the cheato, I guess I'll be putting that in QT too. I wonder if I should treat it with coral dips? Just to be safe?

 

[Av8Bluewater]

I don't know about a coral QT tank full of corals. If you bring something in with bubble, cotton candy , vermetids or about any other thing and put it in a QT tank with a bunch of corals you're now infecting all the corals already in the QT tank.

 

[ohiojeffsreef]

as I read this I have a powder brown tang in QT in my basement right now. he is four weeks in, eating and ick free so far. I will never risk my main tank again. lesson learned.

 

[Tench1]

I too am guilty of killing mu beloved fishes in my 150G.

After introducing new wrasses that 'doesnt look sick', 1 by 1...starting with the newest beloved occupant yellow belly regal that i managed to train fit pellets....to my algae eating tail spot blennies. All dead...

My stronger fishes are now battling iches. Hope they recover soon.

Yes. Qt is a must. Dont skip this necessary step.

 

[143MPCo]

Nice thread, I agree 100% and have learned the hard way, QT is a MUST have in my book!

 

[seastar]

Slightly older thread I'm digging up here, but convinced me to do a QT as well and I'm hoping a few more feel the same way. 20g seem to be the way to go with a fish QT? do the majority of you run one for fish and one for corals separately?

 

[JakefromRi]

If you're buying fish from a store in which you know for a fact that they quarantine for two solid weeks before they are put up for sale, is this necessary? This more of an arbitrary question, but isn't moving the fish from tank to tank to tank causing additional stress?

 

[seastar]

I have these exact same thoughts/concerns, but it seems like overwhelmingly they way to go is the QT tank.

 

[JakefromRi]

I totally understand quarantining if you aren't familiar with the store, or you buy fish online, or from your buddy, etc., but what is it going to do aside from stress the fish, if you get them from a reputable source?

 

[mfinn]

If you're buying fish from a store in which you know for a fact that they quarantine for two solid weeks before they are put up for sale, is this necessary? This more of an arbitrary question, but isn't moving the fish from tank to tank to tank causing additional stress?

You would think that it would be safe, but it really isn't. When you put a fish in your own quarantine tank it should remain there a good 6 - 8 weeks. That's not really bouncing it around much. As long as you give it a quarantine tank big enough ( not a 10 gallon tank) and give it plenty of hiding places, good water, and good food, it should get fairly comfortable. I like to cover the ends of the tank and front of the tank with paper to give it more privacy. I leave holes in the paper to be able to observe the fish, but not big enough so the fish sees this giant being coming at it, with no place to flee to.
A fish store employee that inadvertently uses a net in one tank that does have a sick fish in can cross contaminate the tank the day before you pick it up ( or sooner)
The tank could be connected to a central sump, that has other tanks that have sick fish in.
There are so many reasons to use a quarantine tank, and none ( for fish store fish) for not using one.
Just my 2 cents.

 

[JakefromRi]

You would think that it would be safe, but it really isn't. When you put a fish in your own quarantine tank it should remain there a good 6 - 8 weeks. That's not really bouncing it around much. As long as you give it a quarantine tank big enough ( not a 10 gallon tank) and give it plenty of hiding places, good water, and good food, it should get fairly comfortable. I like to cover the ends of the tank and front of the tank with paper to give it more privacy. I leave holes in the paper to be able to observe the fish, but not big enough so the fish sees this giant being coming at it, with no place to flee to.
A fish store employee that inadvertently uses a net in one tank that does have a sick fish in can cross contaminate the tank the day before you pick it up ( or sooner)
The tank could be connected to a central sump, that has other tanks that have sick fish in.
There are so many reasons to use a quarantine tank, and none ( for fish store fish) for not using one.
Just my 2 cents.

Don't take this the wrong way, I'm just asking out of curiosity. You say you cover the quarantine tank in paper to prevent startling the animals. Isn't this inevitable once you place them in the display?

 

[mfinn]

Don't take this the wrong way, I'm just asking out of curiosity. You say you cover the quarantine tank in paper to prevent startling the animals. Isn't this inevitable once you place them in the display?

I guess I should have been specific when I mentioned that part.
I place the paper around it for the first couple days so the fish don't see a bunch of activity that they can't get away from, like they would in the wild.
Then over the course of a couple days I take most of it down. Slowly. Getting them use to it.

 

[mfinn]

It doesn't take long for a fish to realize where the food comes from and comes to the front when they see me in the room.

 

[ilovereefing <3]

Very well said!