QT Question

[Ambition]

This question has come up die to a recent thread on reasons why people do or don't QT. One of them is that a QT is more stressful than simply adding straight to your DT. Has there been any research, formal or anecdotal, done to show that there is more stress with QT that it is worth not QTing (saying if this is the reason someone does not)?

 

[chirojosh]

I dont know why it would be more stressful to add to a QT. Frankly its more stress for me to tear my tank apart and treat for months at a time. If it cant survive a QT it has no business in my DT

 

[Painted skin]

The whole point of QT is to prevent introducing new or previous pathogen and spreading to healthy subjects and system. Not QT' ing is like playing Russian roulette or having unprotected woopie with someone you don't really know.

 

[scuzy]

I really don't see how a qt can be more stressful unless the water params are off. If the ammonia is low and other params are undetectable it should be the same as your DT.

 

[EllieSuz]

I think there's less stress in QT. There's no competition for food or hiding places, for instance. In any case, it would be better to subject a new fish to a little stress than to infect all the fish you already own.

 

[wooden_reefer]

I dont know why it would be more stressful to add to a QT. Frankly its more stress for me to tear my tank apart and treat for months at a time. If it cant survive a QT it has no business in my DT

+1 This is not allowing the tail to wag the dog.

Plus, cycle the medium for QT, have a large QT, have places for security, then a QT is NOT stressful to 95% plus of fish and you.

A QT can be better called an FOWCC to me. Fish only with crushed coral tank, where fish can stay with little stress to me and them for many many weeks, even months. What is the hurry?

Some fish need to be accilimated first because they will not accept prepared food well for top health. Sometimes the food the will eat at first will be harmed by active treatment against ich etc. These fish is the potential tail that could wag the dog. The newbie should avoid them. There are many many other beautiful choices. There is no trophy is keeping one of these. Wait until you are very experienced before you attempt on these. Such as the coppernbanded butterfly and some other butterflies, and a few pigmy angels.

 

[wooden_reefer]

This has been heard before:

"I have a copperbanded butterfly. It will only pick on live rock and will not eat prepared food. But hypo or copper will kill its food on the life rock, So...I put it into the DT as the QT is too stressful without proper feeding."

The tail is wagging the dog. I will allow the copperbanded to die in QT (the tail) before I will risk any chance of ich infestation in DT (the dog).

You need to have special preparation before you attempt these difficult fish. You have to prevent ich infestation during accilimation in QT.

 

[MrTuskfish]

I think there's less stress in QT. There's no competition for food or hiding places, for instance. In any case, it would be better to subject a new fish to a little stress than to infect all the fish you already own.

+1
"Stress" is not a reason to skip a QT, its an excuse. Can anyone name one "stressful" thing about a QT? Please don't say "he doesn't have any fishie friends".

 

[sleepydoc]

+1 to all the comments. If it was that stressful to the fish, none of the hundreds of successful hobbyists here that religiously quarantine would have any fish in their DT! I far prefer a quarantine tank to carefully monitor my new fish, make sure they're eating well, figure out exactly what they like, etc.

Moving a fish always involves some stress, but if it unmasks latent or hidden disease while in quarantine, that's actually a good thing anyway.

 

[Ambition]

Thanks for all the responses! It solidified what I was thinking the whole time.

I see people say that QT stresses fish, all the time. IME I have never had a fish stressed in QT any more so than the first couple of days in my care, which is to be expected (strange creatures observing you, new environment, odd foods, etc). Those things still happen in a display, but you can't do much to help the fish in a display full of other fish or inverts...

 

[mil hse]

I would say its WAY less stressful to a fish in my QT tank being alone getting use to me. Rather than getting dropped into the "dog pen" (DT) and getting checked out by the other bigger fish. Not to mention how bad it is for the rest of your healthy fish to catch a bug. No thanks. QT all the way. I lost 12 fish back in the day to ick because I didn't QT. never again.