QT or not QT
- Thread starter Mark_C
- Start date
jaybfresh
Pitcher Hill Reef Society
That would be true, but the hobby only started in New York 43 years ago.
I can only account for 32 years of life on earth, so I will take your word on that one.
anthonys51
New member
I never qt. figured it wasn't needed. Been keeping fish for 28 years. I have 6 tanks now 4 fresh 2 salt. I went to the Lfs saw a new fish I had to have. Bought a pair 2 days later all my fish had ich. 10 days later it seemed cured but lost 5 of my nice Angels. Qt is saves money
jbvdhp
Active member
LOL!!! Well, if we all had great luck like you, Paul there would be less drop out!!! Do you have photos throughout the years?
Mishri
Active member
I don't see how people keep adding fish over years... I usually reach max capacity in a tank within a year. (usually less)... but my max capacity is a bit lower than most people on here... I think overstocking leads to more issues than disease. I also usually don't lose fish.
did my first QT ever in my 29 years of experience last week. Not sure if it was worth it yet or not... I'll find out when I add them to my main tank if the stress from being in my little QT tank and moving kills them
did my first QT ever in my 29 years of experience last week. Not sure if it was worth it yet or not... I'll find out when I add them to my main tank if the stress from being in my little QT tank and moving kills them
FraggledRock
New member
i said it once ill say it again, ALWAYS QT!
before adding to an established DT is more imperative than when you see problems...
before adding to an established DT is more imperative than when you see problems...
I had set up my first QT and went to purchase fish for my new system. I was told the above story at the LFS, which seemed to make sense and which made me feel that my QT was redundant. I did not purchase fish due to conflicting thoughts and I came here to ask advice.
Cheers clever and dustin, makes sense. My wife can have her counter back next month.
I would always QT. There are other things to worry about beyond ich, which seems to be the only argument that LFS gave you. I personally have 2 QTs always running. I QT all livestock for 8 weeks and all coral for 30 days.
There are far more reasons to QT other than disease control. I see it as a destressor for the fish as they have been moved countless times before making it to my home. To bring a new fish home that probably hasn't eaten well in over a month and been moved many times in the same time period only to be thrown into a tank with fish that have called it home for years and have claimed their territory doesn't seem like a fair chance. QT also is a time to more easily observe the new fish, allow the them time to adjust to the foods you serve and give the fish time to fatten up before having to compete for food once in the DT.
Also, LFS usually have their salinity much lower than that of my DT. My LFS keeps their fish in 1.018 SG, so I have my QT adjusted to that to make acclimation less stressful and reduce acclimation time to just a few minutes, mainly to match temperature. Over the 8 weeks, I raise it to 1.026 SG to prepare for the transfer to the DT. By then, the fish is used to my face, is eating what I feed, has fattened up and in that time, I can conclude the fish is disease free and only at that time, is the fish ready to be introduced into the DT.
I see what the LFS is telling you but they are focusing their argument on, in my opinion, a very small and limited idea of what the purpose of QT is. In my eyes, disease is really only about 20% of the reason I QT so that argument they gave you doesn't hold very much weight IME and IMO.
Happy reefing!! :hmm5:
jbvdhp
Active member
Yes I do
Circa 1972
Circa, last week. That tank is still running, only larger,, But luck didn't have much to do with it. Neither did quarantining. :wavehand:
That's cool!!!! I hope to have most of the same stuff 40 years from now! [emoji106][emoji16]
Mark_C
New member
Well, as always, thanks for all the advice. I decided to ignore the advice given from the LFS, go with the overwhelming opinion of the RC members, and quarantine (tank has been set up and awaiting residents).
20L with 30g rated HOB filter (sponge with no carbon), media from established tank, heater, thermometer, bubbler, powerhead, and UV (I had it around and I am not medicating the QT atm).
The residents - a chalk bass and a fairy wrasse, both looking despondent...
I'm adding more PVC soon to encourage activity.
If that doesn't work I'll introduce a lionfish.
20L with 30g rated HOB filter (sponge with no carbon), media from established tank, heater, thermometer, bubbler, powerhead, and UV (I had it around and I am not medicating the QT atm).
The residents - a chalk bass and a fairy wrasse, both looking despondent...
I'm adding more PVC soon to encourage activity.
If that doesn't work I'll introduce a lionfish.
Spicmonkey
New member
Playing devils advocate here....qt can also cause more stess by the more frequent tank changes and being chased by nets etc. In my studies ICH is always present and flares up with stress, weakened immune etc. Plus I would not add chemicals to dt or qt. Copper is deadly to many inverts corals etc and once in a tank adheres to walls rock etc etc and can NEVER be removed. I use a separate bucket/filter/heater for chem treatment
Spar
New member
Throw in some Mantis Shrimp and you got yourself a party! Would be fun for a few minutes at least :wildone:
Mark_C
New member
Weazerdogg
New member
Also don't agree with the "Every tank has ick" crowd. I watch my fish pretty close, there aren't to many days that go by without me looking at the tank with a magnifying glass and if my fish had any ich I would see it. If my tank has ich and my fish don't show it, where it it living? How is it multiplying? What is it eating if its evolved to live off of a fish? Its not going to suddenly decide to live on the deritus in my live rock. I also learned the lesson the hard way, losing a very cool fish because of not QT'ing a newbie. Its hard to leave a tank up just for QT in salt (fresh isn't usually as bad, can set up a tank in minutes with some gravel from DT), I just had to set up another one because my QT tank became a kind of refugium for mushrooms, hermits and copepods, LOL. Not going to put anything in this new one, not even "temporarily".
Mark_C
New member
I'm sure this is along the same lines as certain human infections. We carry a load of pathogens in our bodies and they're on just about every surface we have contact with. They're kept in check by our immune system.
It's a fact that people that are under higher stress levels have weakened immune systems. The most common environmental pathogens are opportunistic and get us when our immune systems are compromised through said stress, poor diet, illness from a more severe pathogen, etc.
Guess that some folks have applied the same theory to fish, which is reasonable. Disease is present, fish are OK. Fish get stressed, fish immunity compromised, fish get sick from common pathogen, which, in fish case, seems to be ich.
Perhaps every tank and surface does have ich, they certainly have pathogens, and the quality of the environment you provide your fish, as well as the food you feed them determines their susceptibility to disease, including ich.
You watch your fish for disease, with a magnifying glass no less. Also implies that you show considerable care for the fish and tank parameters, which equates to less stress on the fish and better immune systems. Therefore no infection leading to the visible symptoms of ich.
Just thinkin. Seems to be quite reasonable, even probable.
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