People who have LR in the QT

[aquaph8]

I've have a pretty bad track record with some of the harder to keep Pygmy angels(multi bar, and venustus). Im now looking for a new way to QT these fish and before anyone says it, going straight to the DT is not an option. The biggest hurdle as I think most would agree is getting them to eat. I honestly think my biggest problem thus far is my bare QT tank with no rock for them to pick at. I feel that if given time, I could probably work my way into getting them to eat but they only last about 8-10 days before they wither away. Just wanted to hear everybody's thoughts on adding some established rock to my QT for these guys.

 

[FishAddict87]

I don't see anything wrong with that but be aware that you should not reuse the live rock if you medicate the qt with the rocks in there. Also I don't think you can reuse the rock even if you don't because the rock may contain something that the newly acquired fish may have transmitted. Just things that may come to mind.

 

[Deinonych]

Also note that the rock will absorb (and possibly release) Cu if you medicate with it, so you'll need to test frequently to make sure the concentration doesn't rise or fall over time.

 

[hogfanreefer]

I used to have a couple of pieces in my QT but don't now. You could always use hypo instead of copper if Ich is a problem.

You can grow algae on PVC. I accidentally grew it in my QT tank over feeding trying to get some finicky angels to eat. I later notice all these white circles on the PVC and realized it was from them nipping at the PVC. The fish did great and eat pellets, nori, mysis and Rod's all now.

 

[bullitr]

In my experience
Juvenile regal, multibar and juvenile vanustus do well on stablished reef after they are eating well then can qt the fish .

 

[HPark]

That's essentially what I'm doing with a potters angel. Although it's more due to a tank transfer situation, she's started in an established 20g reef. Before she hits the DT, she'll go through a proper QT, but I don't think getting her used to my interactions with the tank, food, etc hurts when she's in a probably much more stressful QT situation.

Other thoughts -- this is what im planning on doing for the next 1-2 years as I reestablish my reef and add fish and mind you, it might not be feasible for everyone - I'd just keep 3 tanks - an established tank with live rock where all fish would first be introduced -- maybe corals from DT that you want to test to see if they'll find them tasty, a QT where they would be placed second (you could always throw PVC into the sump or established tank for a few days/week to get a coating of algae, don't re-use obv.) And then third and finally, the DT. Like I said, a lot of resources/space but if you're spending that much money anyhow...

 

[ace_92101]

I usually keep a piece of live rock in my sump that I can transfer to QT. I don't reuse the rock.

 

[aquaph8]

In my experience
Juvenile regal, multibar and juvenile vanustus do well on stablished reef after they are eating well then can qt the fish .

Kinda what Im thinking just not in my DT. Some established rock, maybe some algae with lots of pods in a separate QT from my usual bare bottom PVC QT.

 

[jjk_reef00]

I've pulled live rock out of my sump before for the purposes of a.) bio-filtration in a tank I was dosing prazi in and b.) to try to simulate feeding responses from picking food off of the rock. When I'm finished with the rock from my qt I let it sit in my garage dry for a month and then reintroduce it a piece at a time back into my sump. I pull the rock when I treat cupramine just so it doesn't absorb any meds. This obviously only applies for fish that are fairly healthy because as you have experienced, many times they come in with disease and you end up treating before you get to fatten them up. So if you have lots of good stuff growing in your sump that is a perfect place to hand pick some rock for your QT.

Are the fish only lasting 8-10 days? That seems like a short period of time for a fish even if it is not eating. The one venustus I tried lasted 3+ months (including 4 weeks in cupramine) and I never saw him eat a single piece of food. I've had other fish that have lasted 6+ weeks without seeing them eat also.

I agree with the others, the 3 tank system is the ideal situation. If you need some extra base rock I have a bunch I can sell you for a good price.

 

[aquaph8]

I've always had a hard time with that Ed. You don't want to treat them for disease before they are eating but it takes valuable time to get them to that point. Unfortunately Live aquaria doesn't come by these two species too often and I gotta buy them from places Id rather not. Neither of these species made it past the two week mark for me. Both seemed pretty healthy but never showed any interest in food. Im thinking they either had collection issues or they've been not eating for a while before they got to me.

 

[ca1ore]

IMO, as you start thinking about more difficult or expensive fish, a dual QT setup starts to make sense. I run both an 'introduction' tank and a 'hospital' tank. The former is setup permanently as a full, albeit small (30 long), reef tank with LED Par38 lighting, a small skimmer, a small UV and live rock. All inverts go into this tank as do all new fish. Generally invert 'treatments' are dips so that can be done relatively easily. If a fish requires treatment, I move it into the 'hospital' tank which is only setup as needed. I keep a few bags of those ceramic bio-rings in my main sump to use as required.

1. With sensitive fish, I try to get them acclimated and eating in the 'introduction' tank before attempting any kind of treatment
2. I don't medicate prophylactically, only as symptoms become apparent
3. Although no medications are used in the 'introduction' tank, if a fish get sick and needs to be treated, the tank then stays fishless for 12 weeks.
4. Symptom-less fish remain in the 'introduction' tank for at least 12 weeks.
5. I use an acclimation box when moving them into the DT

This approach has really worked well for me and since doing it this way I have successfully moved 9 fish into my DT with only a single loss (stupidity on my part though, as a Bartlett Anthias went carpet surfing out of the 'introduction' tank). Fish successes include a Potters Angel, a Purple Tang, five (should have been six) Bartletts, a FlameBack Angel, and a Leopard Wrasse.

I had most of the equipment needed for the 'introduction' tank laying around, so the incremental cost was quite small, which made it easier to do. Not a perfect approach so I welcome suggestions!

 

[Louis Z]

its velvet that you have to watch for. if questionable vendors. you cant wait for observation and then treat. They seem to go so quickly with velvet. I have ordered chloroquine to have on hand. Possibly not as bad as copper and formaldehyde. I too have wasted live rock for the sake of fishes. Afterwards I soak in vinegar , rinse, dry and then let soak in freshwater for months. Those fish are either rare or delicate as to not sacrifice live rock( just not your prettiest LR..). If the last qt tank is big enough they can stay in there for a good 6 months so as to not contaminate your DT . So possibly a four tank system to avoid contamination of your coral tank . sounds extreme but then again you have a huge investment of caring, time and money.

 

[Rea17]

I'm kind of in the same boat as ca1ore and Louis Z, in that I use an "introduction" tank with LR for more sensitive fish. I let the rock sit fallow between inhabitants, whether I observe illness or not. All of my fish go through treatment before going into my DT, but sometimes that extra established grazing surface can make a big difference. I have plans for a venustus angel, and I intend to run him through this setup.

 

[aquaph8]

Ami, are you running two separate QT tanks then?

 

[MondoBongo]

IMO, as you start thinking about more difficult or expensive fish, a dual QT setup starts to make sense. I run both an 'introduction' tank and a 'hospital' tank. The former is setup permanently as a full, albeit small (30 long), reef tank with LED Par38 lighting, a small skimmer, a small UV and live rock. All inverts go into this tank as do all new fish. Generally invert 'treatments' are dips so that can be done relatively easily. If a fish requires treatment, I move it into the 'hospital' tank which is only setup as needed. I keep a few bags of those ceramic bio-rings in my main sump to use as required.

1. With sensitive fish, I try to get them acclimated and eating in the 'introduction' tank before attempting any kind of treatment
2. I don't medicate prophylactically, only as symptoms become apparent
3. Although no medications are used in the 'introduction' tank, if a fish get sick and needs to be treated, the tank then stays fishless for 12 weeks.
4. Symptom-less fish remain in the 'introduction' tank for at least 12 weeks.
5. I use an acclimation box when moving them into the DT

This approach has really worked well for me and since doing it this way I have successfully moved 9 fish into my DT with only a single loss (stupidity on my part though, as a Bartlett Anthias went carpet surfing out of the 'introduction' tank). Fish successes include a Potters Angel, a Purple Tang, five (should have been six) Bartletts, a FlameBack Angel, and a Leopard Wrasse.

I had most of the equipment needed for the 'introduction' tank laying around, so the incremental cost was quite small, which made it easier to do. Not a perfect approach so I welcome suggestions!

this is very similar to what i do as well.

my "QT" tank is a fully cycled 20 long with some live rock in it. bare bottom, and a 4 bulb t5ho light over top of it. it also has a nice big ball of macro floating around.

i do not treat prophylactically either, i've always thought it seems more stressful than necessary for the fish, and if they're not sick would provide no benefit. after all, we don't all take antibiotics every day all day unless we have a reason to.

thankfully i haven't had to worry about a disease outbreak in QT yet, but if that happens i have another small tank and some cycled media in my DT sump that i would use to set up a hospital tank strictly for medication treatment while allowing the main QT to go fallow.

 

[Rea17]

I actually have a few up right now, I have this issue with wanting to buy new fish all the time...

But yes, in this instance, I would rotate the sensitive fish from the "introduction" soft quarantine tank with live rock to the hospital tank for treatment before the fish goes to the DT, or to the main system.

 

[aquaph8]

Haha, can definitely relate to that Ami.

Thanks for all the responses everyone, more than I expected. So happy so many people are using QTs.

 

[homegrowncichli]

I call my introduction tank an observation tank. 4" sand bed , full of tube worms and hair algae covered live rock, with pods pouring out of every crevice. Any fish will feel comfortable in there and plenty of foraging.

IMO, as you start thinking about more difficult or expensive fish, a dual QT setup starts to make sense. I run both an 'introduction' tank and a 'hospital' tank. The former is setup permanently as a full, albeit small (30 long), reef tank with LED Par38 lighting, a small skimmer, a small UV and live rock. All inverts go into this tank as do all new fish. Generally invert 'treatments' are dips so that can be done relatively easily. If a fish requires treatment, I move it into the 'hospital' tank which is only setup as needed. I keep a few bags of those ceramic bio-rings in my main sump to use as required.

1. With sensitive fish, I try to get them acclimated and eating in the 'introduction' tank before attempting any kind of treatment
2. I don't medicate prophylactically, only as symptoms become apparent
3. Although no medications are used in the 'introduction' tank, if a fish get sick and needs to be treated, the tank then stays fishless for 12 weeks.
4. Symptom-less fish remain in the 'introduction' tank for at least 12 weeks.
5. I use an acclimation box when moving them into the DT

This approach has really worked well for me and since doing it this way I have successfully moved 9 fish into my DT with only a single loss (stupidity on my part though, as a Bartlett Anthias went carpet surfing out of the 'introduction' tank). Fish successes include a Potters Angel, a Purple Tang, five (should have been six) Bartletts, a FlameBack Angel, and a Leopard Wrasse.

I had most of the equipment needed for the 'introduction' tank laying around, so the incremental cost was quite small, which made it easier to do. Not a perfect approach so I welcome suggestions!