Do I need to QT a clean up crew?
- Thread starter Lou Young
- Start date
lagatbezan
Active member
I qt anything that's wet. Better safe then sorry.
jay.fishman
New member
It can't hurt to QT them. Gives you a chance to look for issues and to have the critters digestive track get flushed.
I don't. I do buy from trusted sources, and I also swish them through an intermediate bath of tank water, then discard that water. This is because they don't get the parasites we worry about, but they come in water that might have them (really not likely, because distributors don't put inverts in the same tank as fish) Stores may, however. So a swish through a bath is going to change out their water, hose them down, and send them into your tank with far less chance they're carrying anything.
Problem with qt'ing them? You can't tell if there's parasites in the qt water at the end of 4 weeks because THESE critters don't host them and don't show symptoms. So you're just waiting four weeks, which is too little to let the parasite starve out if present. I just cross my fingers and give them a bath.
Problem with qt'ing them? You can't tell if there's parasites in the qt water at the end of 4 weeks because THESE critters don't host them and don't show symptoms. So you're just waiting four weeks, which is too little to let the parasite starve out if present. I just cross my fingers and give them a bath.
cloak
New member
I never have either. So far so good. 
I do however take the extra time to research & really observe the specimens before I purchase them though. Just as an example, to the naked eye a snail roaming around a holding tank eating algae might look harmless, but if you were to flip it over and give it a good look, you might find some pyramid snails hitching a ride on the shell. Unknowingly you add this to your DT, and within a month or so your Derasa clam is toast. The link below pretty much sums it up. It's geared more towards fish, but these principles pretty much go for everything. GL.
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/ft/index.php
I do however take the extra time to research & really observe the specimens before I purchase them though. Just as an example, to the naked eye a snail roaming around a holding tank eating algae might look harmless, but if you were to flip it over and give it a good look, you might find some pyramid snails hitching a ride on the shell. Unknowingly you add this to your DT, and within a month or so your Derasa clam is toast. The link below pretty much sums it up. It's geared more towards fish, but these principles pretty much go for everything. GL.
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/ft/index.php
wooden_reefer
New member
Since CUC is added first, there will be a natural fallow period in DT.
If the CUC has been fishless for 12 weeks in DT, then ich and velvet would not be a problem.
There are other risks besides ich and velvet. There are always trade offs.
If the CUC has been fishless for 12 weeks in DT, then ich and velvet would not be a problem.
There are other risks besides ich and velvet. There are always trade offs.
