Can you or can't you... add coral during fallow period?

[artieg]

Assuming you follow best practices coral protocol (dipping and quarantine), why would adding coral require a "reset" of the fallow period, when going fallow (no fish) for ich and velvet?

In other words, in theory, yes, coral and rock and other non-fish items can potentially carry the parasites. That is why you treat them. But assuming you take the precautions you would otherwise take in adding coral to an up-and-running tank, why would a "cleaned" piece of coral cause a reset of the fallow period? The point of the fallow period is to deny fish hosts, not to deny new items of cleaned non-fish hosts.

I've looked through 10 years of posts on RC, and find conflicting opinions. Is there some weird part of the logic here that I am missing?

Please, if you offer an opinion, I would love an explanation of the logic of how the parasite in the tank gets a new turn of its life cycle by adding a piece of parasite-free coral. It seems like the forums would benefit from a definitive verdict on this question.

Thanks!

 

[scooter31707]

I have added coral during my fallow process, but only if I was able to separate the coral from the plug. If I was unable to like a leather, I would not add it, it would go in my QT I had for coral.

 

[olemiss reb]

Reset. The concern is introducing new tomonts and free swimmers to a lesser degree.

Ex. You add a Fire Shrimp or coral which has a single encysted Velvet tomont. The tomont generally ruptures in 2-4 days but can take up to 20 days before releasing the dinospores. The dinospores can then live for up to 15 days without a fish host. Same issue with Cyrpt but the time lines are different. Dips do nothing to tomonts.

 

[artieg]

But here is what I don't understand. Then how can you ever add coral or shrimp to your tank, if it could possibly have "a single encysted Velvet tomont"???? Then every piece of coral potentially contaminates a fully clean tank.

 

[scuzy]

Quarantine thanks are your friend. Put inverts through qt 2-3 weeks is enough.


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[olemiss reb]

Quarantine all new corals and inverts in a fishless system. I used to think this was overkill but I just finished up my second bout with Velvet, which came in on an unquarantined Fire Shrimp. Humblefish did a nice write up on the other forum on Qt times for various non-fish livestock.

 

[scuzy]

This reason why I hate LFS that put fishes in coral tanks and invert tanks to save space. Contaminate everything.


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[chaaban]

New DT almost cycled. Can I add coral and inverts only and start the 72 day clock on the day that my last coral/invert is added?…then follow through with fish which have had a tank transfer method QT process??

 

[Uncle99]

As long as the tank has had no fish for 72-76 days, the cycle is broken.
For me that's overkill, I filled my DT with tons of coral through fallow, but all were purchased directly from the store which I trust based on years of buying.

 

[Louis Z]

:sad1:

But here is what I don't understand. Then how can you ever add coral or shrimp to your tank, if it could possibly have "a single encysted Velvet tomont"???? Then every piece of coral potentially contaminates a fully clean tank.

. I dip and move corals to new QT several times and then they go under observation for a long time ; up to 2 months . I try to leave the organisms behind similar to TTM. Yes it's a PITA but it's an even bigger PITA if you loose fish and have start over again . It all depends on the risk you are willing to take. And is it possible my DT may end up with an infection , yes . But I have tried my best to limit it . Once my livestock has gone thru this much time and care , I have grown quite attached to them. I don't want to risk losing them. And that goes for all corals/inverts and fish . Do what you think is best for you .

 

[Louis Z]

This reason why I hate LFS that put fishes in coral tanks and invert tanks to save space. Contaminate everything.


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Um , I cringe when I see that too . Yet I also see some of the fattest fish in their coral tanks too. Even if they didn't do that ., contamination never 100% preventable , because wet hands, equipment and water hoses are always passed from tank to tank.