DD fish quaranteen
- Thread starter ssavader
- Start date
altolamprologus
New member
Yes, always quarantine. DD doesn't actually quarantine, only holds the fish for 2 weeks before putting them up for sale. I would do at least another 2 weeks, but since you have no idea what went on before you got the fish, or what other fish yours was exposed to, you should proceed as if it's straight from the wild, quarantining for 4-8 weeks.
I hate to say this but i think QT'ing way over rated. If your buying from a trusted source then you should be fine. I never did.
Many fish have something just waiting to come out but if fish doesnt get stressed then you will never know.
Good water flow for plenty of oxygen.
Always add least aggressive fish first.
Turning lights out a few days helps.
Also most fish like to find a place to call home and will defend it. Have caves , overhangs , cubbys for them to like. Even a1 or 2 inch PVC tube with one end blocked off.
Reducing stress is the key.
Many fish have something just waiting to come out but if fish doesnt get stressed then you will never know.
Good water flow for plenty of oxygen.
Always add least aggressive fish first.
Turning lights out a few days helps.
Also most fish like to find a place to call home and will defend it. Have caves , overhangs , cubbys for them to like. Even a1 or 2 inch PVC tube with one end blocked off.
Reducing stress is the key.
gone fishin
New member
I must agree QT. DD is a great place but with the volume of livestock passing through there no one can say for sure. What is a few weeks worth of observation compared to tearing down a tank again. Ultimately it is a personal decision that we make. Just my 2 cents
Im not saying that in time they will come down with something. Just that the chances they might come with a pre extesting condition from source.
There are many articles , ill leave one. If you can prevent stress which would lower the immune system then you can prevent desease. Works for QT tank and display tank.
http://www.saltwater-aquarium-online-guide.com/fish-diseases-and-treatments.html
Its all about the basics. But there are many factors. Like type of stock, more aggressive fish can stress it , water quality , lack of hiding spots in LR ,no caves ,cubbys or overhangs. Flow rate and positioning.
This guy like many has no tank info listed in bio so your guess is as good as mine.
This guy like many has no tank info listed in bio so your guess is as good as mine.
altolamprologus
New member
Hollister, about 60% of fish come in with some kind of disease. 60%!! Granted, many of these are relatively harmless and can go away on their own, but that is not a statistic I am willing to gamble against, and you shouldn't either. I have have seen way too many people lose their prized fish after introducing just one that carries a disease, even after years successfully not quarantining.
I fully agree and dont say all should do it but if its a trusted source the 3 or 4 days in a QT should be plenty. Atleast for fish ,frags should be longer , in fact depending on the tank i might even desect that frag first.
I did alot of research and felt comfertable adding without QT ,ing. I added 5 fish in a 75 gallon and the rest was coral. I dont even skim. water changes alone do the job. Though i did skim the first 2 years.
Im not saying my tank is prefect but everyone's first reaction is always a blind stare in awe and then , COOL , or something similar.
Ostara
Keep Calm and Reef On
I agree completely and definitely would not call what they do quarantining. It's more like conditioning, but it should always be kept in mind that they are such a large facility and see so many fish (adding up the pairs and trios, they posted around 45 fish for sale today alone) that they can't possibly ensure anything. Their fish are high quality and that is why I buy from them and from the regular LiveAquaria site. I just don't expect every fish to be perfect and treat them accordingly, like any other fish I get.
reeferstace
I'm a little people
Even DD recommends QTing their fish. There's no valid reason not to.
Definitely QT. More than likely the fish will be clean as a whistle from LADD. But that just makes the whole QT process that much easier. Ever dealt with a diseased fish in QT? Not so much fun. It's nice when the only thing you have to worry about in QT is conditioning the fish to the foods you feed 
Dr Colliebreath
New member
Absolutely quarantine. It is easier to acclimate the fish to eating from the water column and otherwise adapting to aquarium life in the QT and it is easier to treat in a QT if something shows up. DD selects good fish and weeds out those that won't eat or that die right away, but even they recommend quarantine.
MechEng99
aka Reef'd Up
I've been keeping fish for 25 years now, and I've been keeping reefs for 6 years. You can find anything on the internet to support whatever opinion you want...whether that be not skimming, not QTing, etc.
3-4 days in QT is not enough to determine whether a fish has internal parasites (estimated 75-80% have them) or Cryptocaryon irritans (or a variety of other diseases.) I'm glad your system is working for you, but please consider what is best for long-term care of fish. Fish are not a disposable commodity to be replaced every year.
MrTuskfish
Team RC
Not only can you find anything to support anything on the internet; you can also find some SW hobbyist who has done anything; long-term success is another thing.
Good posts above. I don't know of any recognized author, or any hobbyist I would take advice from, who doesn't always use a QT. The link on the post above also says copper is the best way to cure ich. If the fish wasn't treated in a QT, I assume the ich infected fish is in the DT. Now what? Wouldn't it have been simpler to catch the ich in the QT? Odd, the link contains selected quotes from Drs. F&S. there is no bigger advocate of using a QT with all new fish that Drs. F&S. Very selective reasoning. Some experienced hobbyists have managed to keep ich "managed' for a while (but the parasites will almost always win, sooner or later); but suggesting a beginner go without a QT is very irresponsible...IMO & IME.
Good posts above. I don't know of any recognized author, or any hobbyist I would take advice from, who doesn't always use a QT. The link on the post above also says copper is the best way to cure ich. If the fish wasn't treated in a QT, I assume the ich infected fish is in the DT. Now what? Wouldn't it have been simpler to catch the ich in the QT? Odd, the link contains selected quotes from Drs. F&S. there is no bigger advocate of using a QT with all new fish that Drs. F&S. Very selective reasoning. Some experienced hobbyists have managed to keep ich "managed' for a while (but the parasites will almost always win, sooner or later); but suggesting a beginner go without a QT is very irresponsible...IMO & IME.
ReefKeeper64
Wanna be a reefkeeper
+1 on the quarantine process. You'll be glad you did in the long run.
There is no trusted source. Stress does not cause ich, ich causes ich. There are many worse parasites than ich, when you run into them, you lose all the fish in your tank. Period. Oh, and for those that check my profile, I have slightly over a 1000 gallons of saltwater tanks. And I have been doing aquaria since 1957 and salt from the early 1980's.
gone fishin
New member
Is that trusted source going to help tear a tank down or replace the lost livestock. Chances are No they will not. So why not just hedge your odds and QT. We really have no control over when a piece of equipment decides to go south but we do have control over the condition of our livestock when they go into the DT. I never really liked my odds at russian roulette. just my 2 cents
MrTuskfish
Team RC
Very true. ....and parasites are only one reason to quarantine. Most fish acclimate to captivity faster and start eating sooner without the bullying, competition, and over-all mayhem in a DT. For "stress" junkies; I know that stress is a real concern during the reef to tank trip. But I think its just used as an excuse not to quarantine far too often. IMO, there is far less ''stress" in a decent QT than in the DT. Fish in a QT do not need little fishie friends to thrive.
