Quarantine Inverts?

[Greg129]

I want to pick up some hermits, two cleaner shrimp, and maybe some snails. I was wondering if I should quarantine any of these. If so, how long? Thanks.

 

[Greg129]

Anyone?

 

[der Riff-Konig]

I have never done it or heard of it.

 

[Greg129]

That's good. One less step I have to do. Anyone second that?

 

[Greg129]

??? Anyone second that you don't have to QT inverts?

 

[Kigs]

I second that. You don't have to QT inverts, generally.

 

[Freed]

NO, NO, NO. If you want to be safe do you just use a condom sometimes and not others? Uh, if you're old enough that is. All new additions should be QTd if they are wet, no ifs and or buts. Water carries the ich or other disease or infestation right? The disease can live on a crab shell, right? The ich can live on a rock, right? The flatworm can live on a piece of coral, right? Why wouldn't you QT EVERYTHING?

 

[paulallen]

That is bs, inverts do not host disease, worms, or other problems that effect coral and fish. Some might even eat it. If you are worried about the water, acclimate them by slowly adding tank water, then rinse them in pure tank water. Plus if you have a QT running copper in it, it will kill your inverts.

 

[Fred_J]

Randy holms farley, A. Calfo and steven pro have all came out and said quarantine everything wet. Look through the quarantine stickies for more info. I don't because its too much trouble.

 

[Drewpy]

QT everything... I have seen flat worms in clams... And ick can definately be on anything... Red bugs and their eggs can be on rock...

I went through an ick break out and left the tank fallow for 8 weeks, during that time (around the 3 week mark) i re arranged the tank and gave some (infected) rock to local reefer. I told them to leave that rock out of their system and fishless for at least couple more weeks...
Well they didn't--- and surprise surprise--- ICK! Think about it that rock was moved once out of my system... Again into containers for them when they picked it up and then at least one last time when they put it into their display...

Ick does not wash off easily... As a side note is was enough of a disaster that they left the hobby... This hobby is great-- but there are RULES TO IT and QUARANTINING EVERYTHING IS LIKE NUMBER ONE RULE if you do not want expensive headaches or a yard sale of all your equipment...

While cleaner shrimp, crabs, and snails are less likely in all probablility to give you problems... What do u have to gain by not quarantining them??? They will be fine in a month---ick free, and any other problems would be noticed by then... LEARN FROM OTHERS MISTAKES!

 

[guitarfish]

Folks - while ich can only "infect" fish, that is, latch on to them and live off their fluids (as any parasite does), once they detach from the fish, they attach to something and encyst. Then they reproduce, the cyst ruptures, and out come 100-200 more of the little creeps.

Now here's the thing - they can encyst and attach to:
- sand
- rock
- snail shells
- crab shells
- tiny pieces of rock that corals frags come on

Get the idea? So YES, you should QT.

I have an LFS that keeps his corals and inverts in a tank with no fish. This is better than one with fish, because the ich will at least die pretty quickly if it can't find a fish to attach to. Much safer IMO. There's still a risk, but it's a smaller risk.

 

[Freed]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7036800#post7036800 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by paulallen
That is bs, inverts do not host disease, worms, or other problems that effect coral and fish. Some might even eat it. If you are worried about the water, acclimate them by slowly adding tank water, then rinse them in pure tank water. Plus if you have a QT running copper in it, it will kill your inverts.

Obviously don't know how to read and absorb information.

 

[Greg129]

Thanks. I'll definetly setup a QT tank before buying fish as well as inverts.

 

[agarza]

As above said, QT anything wet, corals, inverts, rock and obviously fish. 4 weeks is good way to be sure no disease will enter your system as the infamous ich will die in that period if no host is found. And you can also trap any unwelcome hitch hikers that way. Just my .02

Cheers

 

[Tetra84]

Bringing this thread back to life.. but with a slightly different question.. How should you quarantine sps frags for a month if they need super high intensity lighting and skimming to survive for that time? I have that for my display, but not my qt... Sounds like you'd need a pretty expensive qt setup for corals if that was the case..

 

[Tetra84]

bump for above question.

 

[jerpa]

SPS will survive inferior lighting for 4 weeks. In a qt tank you can also put them right at the water line and provide them with the par they need from less lighting. The skimmer shouldn't be too much of an issue if the corals are in there by themselves. Without adding food you shouldn't have nitrate or PO4 problems.

 

[BigCountry74]

why would your quarantine 1.99 cleaner hermit crabs or snails?? no offense, that's the craziest thing I have heard.

just be careful with the SPS coral. its going to shock going from the LFS to your QT water. then shock again when it goes from the QT to your DT. I have never QTd any coral or inverts. patiently drip acclimate and straight into DT.

I have only QT fish.

 

[Metal Man 1221]

I have never QTd any coral or inverts.

I didn't either.... Until I got red bugs. A trusted dip and a QT can prevent some major headaches.

 

[BigCountry74]

yeah for sure, i most certainly do not want to debate it. it's a personal preference. i just figured most people buy cheap cleaner inverts to clean tanks. just seemed silly to QT those, you would prob lose a good bunch to QT and be left with nothing to clean the DT.