Please critique my quarantine procedure

[Jonvo324]

I've never quarantined my fish before and since I'm resetting up my tank I decided I would like to do it correctly. My plan to quarantine is as followed-

* Formalin dip upon arrival 30-45 minutes (match salinity and temperature beforehand)

* TTM: (match salinity and temperature before transferring between dips)

1- place fish into tank #1
2- fish stays in tank #1
3- prepare tank #2
4- transfer fish from #1 to #2. Clean tank #1. Dose prazipro into tank #2
5- allow tank #1 to dry for 24 hours
6- prepare tank #1 with saltwater
7- transfer fish from #2 to #1. Clean tank #2
8- allow tank #2 to dry for 24 hours
9- prepare tank #2 with saltwater
10- transfer fish from #1 to #2. Clean tank #1. Dose prazipro into tank #2
11- allow tank #1 to dry for 24 hours
12-prepare tank #1 with saltwater
13- transfer fish from #2 to #1. Clean tank #2
14- allow tank #2 to dry for 24 hours
15- store tank #2 away
16- transfer fish from #1 to quarantine tank. Clean and store tank #1 away

* Formalin dip for 30-45 minutes (match salinity and temperature beforehand)

* Quarantine tank- (match salinity and temperature beforehand)
Feed fish food soaked in metronidazole
Observe for minimum of "x amount?" of weeks

* Display tank (acclimate from qt to dt)

Does my procedure sound good? I wanted to do preventative treatment instead of waiting for a disease to show up.

I was also wondering how I should acclimate fish from the LFS to the formalin dip? And from qt to dt if I need to at all? I know I've asked a few questions already about quarantining, but I just want to get it right. Thank you!





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[2000se]

not sure you are giving enough time between your transfers for the TTM (steps 1 - 16).

You can refer to this for more info on that.
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2388428

Regarding the Formaline dips and the QT feeding of Metronidazole, I can't comment on those.

 

[Jonvo324]

not sure you are giving enough time between your transfers for the TTM (steps 1 - 16).



You can refer to this for more info on that.

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2388428



Regarding the Formaline dips and the QT feeding of Metronidazole, I can't comment on those.

Thank you for the reply, but isn't isn't the procedure for TTM state that fish can't be in the tank for more than 72 hours (3 days), however less is ok. Wouldn't day one be considered a transfers also, from LFS to brand new water at home. I also added one extra transfer just to be sure. I have a total of six transfers: day 1,4,7,10,13,16
Please correct me if I'm wrong


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[Deinonych]

Thank you for the reply, but isn't isn't the procedure for TTM state that fish can't be in the tank for more than 72 hours (3 days), however less is ok. Wouldn't day one be considered a transfers also, from LFS to brand new water at home. I also added one extra transfer just to be sure. I have a total of six transfers: day 1,4,7,10,13,16
Please correct me if I'm wrong


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The timing above looks sound. The key factors for TTM are 1.) no more than 72 hours elapsed time between transfers, 2.) a minimum of 12 days total treatment time and 3.) sterilization + drying of all equipment between transfers (a minimum of 2x all equipment is required, more is better/easier).

The extra transfer is not necessary, but I can understand the need for peace of mind.

 

[Brieninsac]

I'd like to see actual times as well as this is an important factor.

 

[Deinonych]

Actual times are not critical as long as the 72 hour period is not exceeded.

 

[microlady]

I'm tagging along. New fish are coming in on Thursday and I'd like to get this right. Your plan looks good. Be sure you quarantine in a separate room at least 20 feet away from the display.

I plan on giving the fish a formalin dip upon arrival and performing TTM every three days. Prazi will be added on transfers 2 and 4. I also might give them another formalin dip before they enter the 29 gallon observation tank, and they will stay there at least another 5-6 weeks. And YES, I am super paranoid! I might even do TTM again before they enter the display! :lolspin:

 

[lg2725]

Not trying to hijack this thread but let's say we all do the TTM for our fish but in the future would like to add frags, inverts, etc (anything other than fish), what's the protocol on this? I know Ich needs a fish to survive but after all of the reading I have done it also seems that in 1 of the stages it can hitchhike on inverts and such. Am I wrong?

 

[Deinonych]

Not trying to hijack this thread but let's say we all do the TTM for our fish but in the future would like to add frags, inverts, etc (anything other than fish), what's the protocol on this? I know Ich needs a fish to survive but after all of the reading I have done it also seems that in 1 of the stages it can hitchhike on inverts and such. Am I wrong?

Yes, cysts can hitchhike on frag plugs, snail shells etc. so those would need to be quarantined for a minimum of 72 days. I have a dedicated invert QT that I use for all corals and inverts prior to introduction to the DT. It's definitely overkill, but I'm one of the super-paranoid ones.

 

[lg2725]

It's kind of what I thought. So since I'm in my cycle now I wait until that's complete, add my CUC and wait an additional 72 days? Sheeshk.
:debi: <<<spouse hitting my head on the wall!!

 

[CHSUB]

if you're going to do extra transfers, do this 1,3,5,7,10,13. this will also eliminate velvet. the "back end" transfer will do nothing, imo.

 

[gmcpickup66]

So best to do Prazi on transfers 2 and 4? What is the best salinity to do my ttm?

 

[Newms118]

I'm tagging along. New fish are coming in on Thursday and I'd like to get this right. Your plan looks good. Be sure you quarantine in a separate room at least 20 feet away from the display.

I plan on giving the fish a formalin dip upon arrival and performing TTM every three days. Prazi will be added on transfers 2 and 4. I also might give them another formalin dip before they enter the 29 gallon observation tank, and they will stay there at least another 5-6 weeks. And YES, I am super paranoid! I might even do TTM again before they enter the display! :lolspin:

So I have my display in my kitchen, along with the QT tanks, defininately not more than 20 feet apart. I live in a condo so I dont have the space to put the QT tanks anywhere else. Anything I can do to protect the DT? I have it covered with a glass lid, so I figured nothing would get in anyway.

 

[Jonvo324]

It's kind of what I thought. So since I'm in my cycle now I wait until that's complete, add my CUC and wait an additional 72 days? Sheeshk.

:debi: <<<spouse hitting my head on the wall!!

I was also planning to do this as well. I also have a 10 gallon reef nano that I'm going to use as a quarantine for inverts and corals after the introduction of fish in the display.

About formalin, does anyone know how to acclimate the fish to the formalin bath if I just received them from the LFS. Would you add the fish by drip acclimation? Also could you add formalin to the fish instead of adding the fish to the formalin...if that makes sense


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[Deinonych]

For quarantine, best practice is to match the QT salinity to that of the transport bag. Then, do the same for the formalin dip, matching temperature to that of the QT. You'll want to temperature acclimate the fish (i.e. float the bag for 15 min or so) before releasing into the dip. The key to formalin dips is to ensure you aerate thoroughly (a small powerhead works), as formalin will dramatically reduce oxygen saturation.

 

[2000se]

Thank you for the reply, but isn't isn't the procedure for TTM state that fish can't be in the tank for more than 72 hours (3 days), however less is ok. Wouldn't day one be considered a transfers also, from LFS to brand new water at home. I also added one extra transfer just to be sure. I have a total of six transfers: day 1,4,7,10,13,16
Please correct me if I'm wrong


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72 hrs yes. My mistake, I thought I was seeing a 24hr. period in between transfers yielding only about 4 or 5 days for the whole process.