Taking Over Livestock without Quarantine

[hermesfansf]

I am going to take over most of my friend livestock, as he wants to take a break from the hobby. He has a 300 gallon tank that has been running for 5 years. He told me i don't have to quarantine his livestock as they are super healthy and have no parasite. I feel a little bit hesitate as i don't feel comfortable about it.

Guys, please advice.

 

[snorvich]

When is the last time he added a fish to that tank? What fish are involved?

 

[hermesfansf]

He has not been adding fish for at least 1 year. There is 5 blue eye cardinals that are bought from another reefer so they have been in the home aquarium for more than 5 years,, some wrasses, 2 yellow tangs, a purple tang and some other tangs, foxface, hawfish.

 

[snorvich]

Probably you are ok. One year seems safe enough.

 

[AquaticFins]

Personally, I would still quarantine the fish.

I agree that it's unlikely that an issue exists, but it's not impossible for something to have been hiding in the gills - or for his fish to have developed an immunity to something they're carrying.

 

[snorvich]

Personally, I would still quarantine the fish.

I agree that it's unlikely that an issue exists, but it's not impossible for something to have been hiding in the gills - or for his fish to have developed an immunity to something they're carrying.

A very valid point. If you have sufficient experience to evaluate the behavior of the existing fish in that system, you will be able to make the best decision. However, it takes experience to be able to see fish that are not acting normal.

 

[BBraker]

Here is an odd case: two years ago, a guy got some midas cichlids from my FW tank. Last month, he calls me up and says, "hey, you better check your fish - they may have flukes because mine do". I thought, yeah sure, more likely his cichlids picked something up in the ensuing 2 years, because my fish looked fine. Well, I dipped some of my remaining cichlids - sure enough, they had gill flukes!

I would always quarantine, especially since there is always the idea that there will be some sub-acute stress involved in moving the fish - and that could set off one of these hidden diseases.

Bill

 

[JSeymour]

It may have been a year since the last fish introduction, but what about corals, snails, hermits, liverock, etc.? These can introduce disease just as easy as a fish.

Personally, I'd quarantine. Too much to risk.

 

[aleonn]

I'd QT just in case, on the shorter side of 2-4 weeks.

 

[dpeoples]

Yea dont risk it. Do the QT

 

[spieszak]

5 blue eye cardinals,some wrasses, 2 yellow tangs, a purple tang and some other tangs, foxface, hawfish
Just a thought, but it might be worth just seeing if you can buy the tank from him... Unless you have 180 QT, 10 tanks, or can spread this process out over a quote some time, QT is going to be a really hard thing to manage with that many fish

 

[phishsauce]

I'd only QT for a week at most, just to monitor their health.
Any more than 2 weeks is totally redundant, as we know those fish are healthy, alive and well, even eating like pigs. If anything, keeping a healthy fish in a small QT tank make stress it out. Reverse effects, who knows!

 

[hermesfansf]

I totally agree with you guys. I don't feel comfortable at all. I think this is what i am going to do. I will set up my 46 gallon tank as a QT. I will make 2 pick up on this fish, first pick up will be the smaller fish such as cardinals and wrasses, then after a month, it will be the tangs and foxface. If he does not agree, then i will only pick up the cardinals and wrasses as they are really worth taking over. I am not that interested into taking over the tangs and foxface anyway.

 

[snorvich]

Good decision. And I too would pass on the tangs and foxface.

 

[geaux xman]

I wouldnt take the fish unless i really wanted that particular fish. Unless your tank is just huge and you can absorb all the fish.

Personally, I intended to stock my tank with 8-10 fish that really excites me. Even if someone is giving me a perfectly healthy fish for free, i dont want it. it'll just leave less room for fish that i really want.