Quarantine Cleaner Shrimp?

[falesdk]

My LFS told me that it wasn't necessary to quarantine the cleaner shrimp I ordered, but I don't really believe them.

How long a quarantine do they need and what should I look for sickness-wise. Or - was my lfs actually right about something?

 

[reefshadow]

If you are adamant about QTing fish to prevent disease, you should QT everything wet that enters the tank; algae, coral, invert, rock, live sand, ect...

Otherwise you run the risk of transferring disease with any organism. (crypto, ect...)

I can't think of a real good reason to QT shrimp aside from the risk of it being a disease carrier that could effect your fish, unlike corals and other animals that carry their own specific pathogens and parasites (acro/red bugs, acro/AEFW, zoanthids/nudis, montiporas/nudis, stuff like that.)

But, to be 100 percent sure, everything should be QT'd to prevent cross contamination. If you are a big QT devotee may as well do it correctly, IMO.

 

[falesdk]

well yes I assumed I should quarantine, as its saved me from an ich outbreak more than once. But the shrimp wouldnt actually have any disease of its own it might just carry one? I assume the 6 weeks I do for fish should be sufficient then?

Thanks a lot!

 

[Sk8r]

I'd just put it through a double dip in successive bowls of tank water, assume it's had a decon shower, and put it in the tank. The main thing is to be sure no lfs water transfers with the shrimp. If you want to be sure its gut is clear, feed it during its last 'dip.' When it's had an elimination, move it on to your tank.

DO acclimate these creatures or they'll die on you: they're more finicky than fish in that regard.

 

[falesdk]

Sorry if I'm being retarded but, whats a decon shower?

 

[Joshua1023]

Figure of speech. Just means to remove any decontamination that would be clinging to the outside of your shrimp or whatever assuming that it isn't actually carrying anything harmful.

 

[falesdk]

ahh ok

well thanks a lot, I'll probably quarantine, but we'll see when I get them.

:-D

 

[Joshua1023]

You already probrably know this, but be wary of putting any shrimp in a tank that you used copper to treat other sick fish in the past.

 

[falesdk]

oh definately, accidently put a rock with a clam living in the middle of it in the quarantine tank with my fathers sick fish, it died within the hour (the clam), it wasnt good. Thanks for the warning though.

 

[ReeferAl]

I haven't heard of any diseases specifically being carried by shrimp or any diseases known to affect the shrimp in our tanks. Even so, I quarantine shrimp just to be safe. I only quarantine for about 4 weeks, as that should be more than enough for any ick cysts on the carapace (shell) of the shrimp, if that is even possible. If the shrimp molts before that time I figure it is safe and add to the DT. No science here, just the protocol I've chosen to follow.
Allen