D
Deep Reef
as the title says... what is te best way to kill ich on new coral purchases. I bought some corals and 2 weeks later my fish have ich. Therefore I want to prevent it from happening again.
thanks
thanks
The Plummer
New member
The only way I know of is an adaquete quarantine period. That's highly debatable, but my research indicates that to ensure 100% eradication is a period of time not less than 11 weeks.
Deinonych
New member
D
Deep Reef
yeah that's what I was thinking. I was just hoping there was a better way as my corals don't do as well in the QT tank.
triggreef
New member
Thats the only way. I sometimes forgo that with corals bought from people I know locally with good methods but from the LFS it depends. You never know what fish they move around where so even a tank with only frags could have had a fish with ich in it yesterday, or 2 weeks ago.
The Plummer
New member
Can't really blame the false assumption, always promoted by LFS workers, as they have no experience with an ich free environment. They would not spend the resources or time/expense to ensure parasite free livestock.
Only you can know for sure, if you take the necessary steps.
My attitude is, all new livestock IS infected and must be treated. I like the TTM method sticky'd here.
SNAKEMANVET
PREMIUM MEMBER
+1 with plummer I now qt everything for 12 weeks,snails hermits and etc.
MrTuskfish
Team RC
Good advice!:thumbsup:
sleepydoc
Team RC
I have a 29 gal QT tank, but I don't have the lighting to keep it alive for 12 weeks. I'm honestly not sure I could keep the water quality up to par in my QT system. Because of this, I've just been dipping my corals in Revive and rinsing them before placing them in my DT. I suspect many are in a similar situation. Does anyone have any suggestions? Would tank transfer be a viable option?
SaltWater226
New member
I would give it an extra week just to be sure
Deinonych
New member
I would be interested in whether or not TT works for corals. I had ich sneak in on a coral that I purchased in late June. I dipped it with CoralRx, but it didn't matter. Now all of my fish have been removed from my DT for 11 weeks.
Once my fish are out of quarantine (again), I plan to quarantine ALL coral for 11 weeks unless there is another option. I'm looking into inexpensive T5 lighting for my coral QT.
I would be interested in whether or not TT works for corals. I had ich sneak in on a coral that I purchased in late June. I dipped it with CoralRx, but it didn't matter. Now all of my fish have been removed from my DT for 11 weeks.
Once my fish are out of quarantine (again), I plan to quarantine ALL coral for 11 weeks unless there is another option. I'm looking into inexpensive T5 lighting for my coral QT.
I would suggest either setting up a frag tank with eggcrate shelves (so you can frag/sell/trade coral)... or a small secondary "invert only" reef tank.
Deinonych
New member
Thanks! That is my plan.
I was thinking about TT, and came to the conclusion that it wouldn't work for corals since TT disrupts the free-swimming phase (not the encysted phase). If the coral skeletons are harboring crypto cysts, moving them from one tank to another won't affect the cysts.
DeathMagnetic
New member
I would be interested in whether or not TT works for corals. I had ich sneak in on a coral that I purchased in late June. I dipped it with CoralRx, but it didn't matter. Now all of my fish have been removed from my DT for 11 weeks.
TT will NOT work for corals... as the cysts attach to them...
Joe
I have found it necessary to have a permanently running 'introduction' tank. I'm just not able to keep pests out of my main tank any other way. It is a 30L setup as a full reef tank, with live rock, a protein skimmer and Par38 LED lighting. It is not as sophisticated as my main DT, but with water changes from the DT, I am able to keep inverts just fine for 12 weeks or so. I also use it as an initial tank for new fish, though if treatment is required I remove them to a bare hospital tank that is only setup as needed.
I recently bought a torch coral that turned out to be harboring flatworms, so thankfully they are not getting into my DT. I think my next new fish needs to be something that will eat flatworms
I recently bought a torch coral that turned out to be harboring flatworms, so thankfully they are not getting into my DT. I think my next new fish needs to be something that will eat flatworms
Deinonych
New member
Sounds like a great idea. Thanks!
sleepydoc
Team RC
That's what I was thinking & afraid of...
So that leaves me in a quandary. A QT for fish is a relatively simple (and inexpensive) endeavor. Tank, heater, HOB filter and a basic fluorescent light. A frag tank requires a permanent setup with better filtration & water quality, and better lighting. Since treatment of fish is incompatible with corals, it would need to be an entirely separate setup from my existing QT setup. The financial and logistical expenses associated with this make it impractical and infeasible.
I'm sure others are in the same position. I'm open to suggestions, but it essentially leaves me with the option of no QT at all.
DragKnee
New member
So that leaves me in a quandary. A QT for fish is a relatively simple (and inexpensive) endeavor. Tank, heater, HOB filter and a basic fluorescent light. A frag tank requires a permanent setup with better filtration & water quality, and better lighting. Since treatment of fish is incompatible with corals, it would need to be an entirely separate setup from my existing QT setup. The financial and logistical expenses associated with this make it impractical and infeasible.
Which is why I think ich is in *most aquariums. People swapping corals, buying from a LFS...etc, in which those do not have coral-only tanks not running through fish-filled tanks have the opportunity to bring in ich.
While Im in a fallow period right now because an outbreak from one of my fish, I will not think too much into it when I restock because I buy corals from local people all the time ... and I don't have the means to QT corals in their own tank for 8 weeks per purchase, so, I just keep my fish healthy.
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