How/Where to buy frags to avoid pests?

[DogueDeBordeaux]

Is there a safe place to order sps frags from? Maybe some vendors might have a seperate mother/frags system that new corals are not being introduced.
What is the best way to start adding frags in a new sps tank? I know to dip and qt. These bugs and pests have been around for awhile in sps systems.
I would think by now some vendors might have a seperate system just for sps that they know is pest free.

 

[Arkayology]

I never acclimate my sps. Just buy a bottle of coral Rx, follow the directions to dip new corals, and add to your system.

 

[tmulrney]

i never acclimate my sps. Just buy a bottle of coral rx, follow the directions to dip new corals, and add to your system.

+1

 

[Reef Bass]

Many people often learn the hard way that dips are completely ineffective against aefw eggs. Even if one is conscientious enough to always dip everything, as one should be, keep acquiring acros long enough and eggs will make their way in. QT is the only way to prevent display tank infection.

 

[javisaman]

^ +1 when it comes to aefw eggs. However, the risk is only significant with colonies and not small frags. Dipping and close inspection is usually good enough for those. Also never pour in the water the corals came in as there can be a lot of nasties in it.

 

[dunk373]

i now always dip coral rx and iodine dip then in the qt for monitoring. I don't want anything extra in my tank. now i have over 50 sps species in there If i had less corals I wouldn't go through the trouble. I have huge colonies one over a foot in diameter that can't be removed so qt is for me, no matter where or who they come from.

 

[bigbuckdown]

^ +1 when it comes to aefw eggs. However, the risk is only significant with colonies and not small frags. Dipping and close inspection is usually good enough for those. Also never pour in the water the corals came in as there can be a lot of nasties in it.

whoever told you that stop taking ANY advise from him. myself and many other reefers i know who has dealt with these beasts only collected frags for there collection yet we all got them. as for your question i personally do not know any vendors or people selling there own frags that you can totally trust. they amy not even know they have them

 

[sponger0]

The only effective way to avoid pests is quarantine.

 

[ecvernon]

I dip all my new additions but somehow I managed to get aefw. Scary stuff. The only place I have trusted was Ora. Of course that was when I took the sps frags straight from the shipment before my LFS put it in their tanks.

 

[javisaman]

whoever told you that stop taking ANY advise from him. myself and many other reefers i know who has dealt with these beasts only collected frags for there collection yet we all got them. as for your question i personally do not know any vendors or people selling there own frags that you can totally trust. they amy not even know they have them

Well I also QT regardless. Just saying though. I said the risk is significantly less, NOT eliminated by buying small frags and dipping.

 

[HV1990]

QT and dip. For me the qt process is as follow.

Day 1. Dip and move to QT
Day 2-6 monitor
Day 7. Dip and back to Qt
Day 8-15 monitor
Day 16 Dip
Day 17 -19 make decision to quarantine for long or put in DT.

If it does make the cut then I repeat for about 4- 6 weeks total. I try to follow what research I have read about the reproduction cycle of pest eggs.

 

[DogueDeBordeaux]

Does any of the online sellars advertize red bug and AEFW free? I read on one site (**********) before stating they guaranteed to be red bug free.
It's hard to believe that none of the online frag sellers can guarantee to be pest free.
I have heard several people leaving sps and back to lps, softies, because of the pests. Just look at how many threads that red bugs, or AEFW are in the title.

 

[Reef Bass]

Redbugs are easy to get rid off with whole tank treatments. Aefw though can be very difficult to banish entirely and are actively chewing the flesh of one's acros while present. A whole different level of pain and nasty compared to redbugs.

 

[mc-cro]

you guys havent even mentioned montipora eating nudi's. Last year I lost every monti in my tank to them. Now, I have a new tank and every thing I get goes into QT for 4-6 weeks, with several dips, no matter where it comes from.

I dont think anyone, especially retailers can guarantee pest free. It takes several weeks to ensure there are no eggs or pests still on the coral, and retailers just move way too pieces to do this.

I have had some local reefers get a little offended because I QT's frags that they assured me were clean, but I have found AEFW, redbugs, and nudi's all from fellow reefers,

 

[ebushrow]

The only effective way to avoid pests is quarantine.

+1 and dipping them

 

[jhawkor]

Vivid always dips frags before they ship, but they do not guarantee them to be 100% pest free. I doubt every retailer dips, though.