powder blue tang quarantine or no

[sanchoy]

Hello,

this will be my first try at a powder blue tang. My question is should i quarantine it, or send it straight to the display. The display tank houses several cleaner shrimps and a cleaner wrasse.

My display tank is 250 gallons. the quarantine tank is only 20 gallons. I have heard that people had better results putting the PBT straight into the display without quarantine. Others tried quarantine and treating the ich, but when reintroduced into the display another onset of ick will restart over again.

advice..

thanks

 

[SlowCobra]

If quarantined properly it is impossible for the ich to spontaneously re-appear. If it does you had a strain of ich that was impervious to treatment, you didn't perform the QT properly, or your display tank already has it and you didn't know.

 

[mockery]

Personally, and this is just my personal opinion. If you trust the store where you buy it, and they let you watch it for a couple weeks I would skip the QT it will just stress an already temperamental fish more.

 

[Sardaukar]

Not having a QT big enough seems to be an all too common excuse for not QTing <insert fish>. In the long run, its best to spend the money on a cheap tank thats big enough to QT any fish. You can find 55 gallons on craigs list for almost free. Remember that only bad things happen fast in this hobby - I'm a firm believer in the QT everything method.

 

[woowoodengy]

Not having a QT big enough seems to be an all too common excuse for not QTing <insert fish>. In the long run, its best to spend the money on a cheap tank thats big enough to QT any fish. You can find 55 gallons on craigs list for almost free. Remember that only bad things happen fast in this hobby - I'm a firm believer in the QT everything method.

i strongly agree

 

[Jersey Bounce]

Not having a QT big enough seems to be an all too common excuse for not QTing <insert fish>. In the long run, its best to spend the money on a cheap tank thats big enough to QT any fish. You can find 55 gallons on craigs list for almost free. Remember that only bad things happen fast in this hobby - I'm a firm believer in the QT everything method.

+2

Not only can you find rather inexpensive used large tanks, but should something awful happen to your display tank, you might need an "emergency" place to put your livestock. I doubt much of what's in your 250 would fit in a 20. I think a 55 would be the minimum I'd want for a QT / backup tank for a 250 gallon display.

As for the tang, I've never attempted to keep one, so I can't really offer any insight. But I insist on quarantining everything that goes into my display tanks or open systems.

 

[candeewolf]

If you are worried about the Tang's safety/ich problem, I would definitely QT it. I did not QT mine as I got it from a reputable friend that I had seen eating and stress free for quite some time before I brought it home. However, there are very few reasons to not QT a tang, and many reasons in favor of it (eating/stress with other fish/temperature/ich/current health). I personally don't think a 20 gal is all that bad for the tang if it is in the normal purchased range (~4"). However, any larger than that and it will be a detriment to this fish, as it likes to swim a lot.

 

[jmaneyapanda]

There is no excuse to not QT every fish! Dont skip QT

 

[ccampbell57]

There is no excuse to not QT every fish! Dont skip QT

Plus INFINITY!!

 

[MrTuskfish]

plus infinity!!

.....plus the number of Tiger Woods' mistresses!

 

[scooter86]

plus the # of federal bailout dollars.

 

[jmaneyapanda]

plus the # of federal bailout dollars.

Go Big Red!!!! Class Of 97

 

[kaiserkid]

I have to strongly agree with what pretty much everyone has said...putting it in a QT is a must.

Another thing that you might want to consider is that PBT's are VERY ick prone. If you did by chance get one that had ick but was not showing signs at the time of purchase and put it in your DT you might be asking for frustration later as you are trying to catch it (or other fish) for treatment. IMO you would be much better off to put it in a QT from the start, that way if it does begin showing signs of ick (or any other disease/parasite/fungus) you already have it where you can begin treatment. This would also ensure that you don't introduce ick into your DT.

That being said you also need to make sure that you use the QT long enough to be effective. Putting it in a QT for the weekend just to put it in the DT on Monday won't do much good.