Do you quarantine livestock?

[crissie]

Don't know how long you have been in the hobby, but there are lots of things that seem 'intuitively obvious' today that were not always so. Places like RC, frankly, make it quite a lot easier now to adopt best practices than when I started up my first reef tank in 1988 and was largely 'winging it'. It's only been for about the last 10 years that I have employed strict quarantine procedures for fish - prior to that there really was no consensus that it was a worthwhile thing to do. Heck, even today there are some experienced reefers who eschew the practice.

I started about 10 years ago, so perhaps that explains it. Although I am also in England, which may well be another factor. It's very rare I have come across someone who doesn't quarantine. Actually that's not true, I have met quite a few people who take up the hobby because a marine tank is pretty but they on't really bother much about understanding how to care for it properly. These people have never stuck with it for long, most less than a year TBH.

 

[ca1ore]

I started about 10 years ago, so perhaps that explains it. Although I am also in England, which may well be another factor. It's very rare I have come across someone who doesn't quarantine. Actually that's not true, I have met quite a few people who take up the hobby because a marine tank is pretty but they on't really bother much about understanding how to care for it properly. These people have never stuck with it for long, most less than a year TBH.

I'm a Brit myself .... though a transplanted one (in the US for decades) Very high dropout rate in this hobby, no question - the 'Finding Nemo' syndrome I guess.

 

[crissie]

I'm a Brit myself .... though a transplanted one (in the US for decades) Very high dropout rate in this hobby, no question - the 'Finding Nemo' syndrome I guess.

Indeed! Although the new popularity has made it much easier to obtain the things you need. Up until 2 years ago my closest marine store was about 25 miles away, now there are two within 5 miles.

 

[alton]

The trick is a seasoned biological filter and adequate cover. Air driven sponge filters and biowheels are great, as they can be kept in the sump of your main tank to be seasoned For cover, adequately sized PVC pipe fittings or clay pots are good as they won't react with any medications and are easily cleaned.

Right on with the sponge filter, works for me every time.

 

[Mr. Limpid]

I started about 10 years ago, so perhaps that explains it. Although I am also in England, which may well be another factor. It's very rare I have come across someone who doesn't quarantine. Actually that's not true, I have met quite a few people who take up the hobby because a marine tank is pretty but they on't really bother much about understanding how to care for it properly. These people have never stuck with it for long, most less than a year TBH.

I started my tank back in 1980, back then there was only fish no coral due to lighting issues. But QT was not need due to the fact a fish would sit at the pet store min. 2 weeks before sold plenty of time to see if fish was in good health. Today fish go out same day some times, also tanks back then were set up individually not hooked up in groups, less chance of transferring diseases.

 

[MikeD]

For QT, do you only do Hypo or do yo do copper as well? I'm guessing everyone pretty much has a QT running full time since they (Fish) have to be in Qt for a long period of time?

 

[crissie]

I don't do either if it's not necessary. If the fish are healthy then they're left with normal water parameters, if not then I use tank transfer (I have been lucky, I have only ever had one case of Ich and nothing more). I don't much like the idea of copper and would prefer not to alter water parameters if I don't have to.

 

[spoon331]

always good practice to QT everything at least 2-4 weeks. helps protect your investment

 

[Mr. Limpid]

For QT, do you only do Hypo or do yo do copper as well? I'm guessing everyone pretty much has a QT running full time since they (Fish) have to be in Qt for a long period of time?

Quarantine is what you are doing for new fish, the tank is a Hospital tank. The treatment used is based upon the fish needs in quarantine.

 

[snorvich]

+1 with the above. Different treatments for different issues.