I'm setting up a new, permanent 10 gal quarantine tank and I'm thinking of "staffing" it with 1 or 2 skunk cleaner shrimp and a couple of bivalves. Shrimp to do their part and bivalves to remove any free floating detrimental organisms. Filtration will be live rubble and biowheel filter for water movement. I'm hoping this approach will be less stressful for new fish versus chemical treatments. Of course with the inverts there will be no copper treatments at all for this tank. Looking for opinions or if anyone has tried a similar, natural approach.
Holistic Quarantine
- Thread starter Dalma
- Start date
Seems like a good idea. IME most fish that are QT'd end up not needing treatment for anything so I just keep live rock in the tank when I have one setup.
I used to allways treat with copper when I got a new fish and I've definately gotten away from that. It's usually not necessary but sometimes copper still is the easiest/best option.
Chris
I used to allways treat with copper when I got a new fish and I've definately gotten away from that. It's usually not necessary but sometimes copper still is the easiest/best option.
Chris
Spracklcat
Disaster Expert
Plus the live rock will serve as a place for some pathogens to thrive. for QT/hospital tank you need to use only things you can decontaminate.
Macimage
Active member
I use a similar setup for quarantine. I have a 29 gallon tank running with live rock, live sand, a heater, powerhead, lights and a skimmer. I have cleaner shrimp and snails in it too. I also have a 10 gallon hospital tank for treatment if necessary.
I think the natural setup works well for quarantine.
Joyce
I think the natural setup works well for quarantine.
Joyce
FunkieReefJunkie
Member
I usually dim the lights, light a few candles and play a little Barry Manilow. If the fish get too relaxed and start laying on the bottom I invite Richard Simmons over to scare the living life back into them. :lol:
If you want it to be a low stress environment for new arrivals, you may consider a larger tank than 10 gallons. I think one of the most stressful things to new captives that come from the ocean is the small confines of an aquarium. I guess it depends on the fish, a small goby or royal gramma should be fine, but with a fish like a decent sized wrasse or any tang, I think you might do more harm than good
I think using a cleaner shrimp or any other organism likely to reduce the level of possible infestation is a big mistake. The idea of quarantine is to allow any pest infestation enough time to manifest itself as clear simptoms, not to mask/reduce the symptoms and misleed u in to a false sence of security.
