Transferring my fish to a new tank should I out them through quarantine?

[RickyRicardo]

Hello, I am transferring two clown fish I have owned for 4 years from my 22 gallon to a new 116 gallon setup, I am wondering if I should quarantine them first?

They have never been sick or shown any disease since I have owned them (they were also tank raised) but I am wondering if it could be possible that some pathogens exist in my tank as I had not adopted quarantined procedures in the past and had other fish (lost the others as they end up jumping at one point in time).

What are the experts views? Would I be putting them through an ordeal for no extra benefit?

 

[HumbleFish]

If they are tank raised clowns, and the only fish ever put in the 22 gal without the benefit of QT, then I would say you are probably fine.

Tank raised clowns are normally disease free; and your 22 gal has, in essence, been serving as a QT for observational purposes over the past 4 years. HOWEVER, if any other fish entered the 22 gal (over the past 4 years) without going thru QT, then that would be a different story.

 

[MrTuskfish]

Once a fish has been in a "clean" tank, moving it should never be a problem. I move fish from tank to tank without QT all the time.

 

[RickyRicardo]

I had other fish in the last four year, some neon gobies and a blue doth watchman. They all "disappeared" at some point.

I have to admit the tank was highly neglected in the year before and after my divorce, it is actually a surprise the two clown fish made it through (there was a phase where you could not see in the tank... It speaks to the hardiness of the Ocelearis.

 

[HumbleFish]

I had other fish in the last four year, some neon gobies and a blue doth watchman. They all "disappeared" at some point.

That being the case, I would QT the clowns, and prophylactically treat them with copper for 1 month before adding them to your new tank. Or TT them. You want to be sure you aren't introducing Ich into your new tank.

 

[RickyRicardo]

Thanks!

I have transferred live rock and invertebrates, am I right to understand that ich will not survive without actual fish after a period of 6 weeks?

 

[HumbleFish]

While there is no 100%, this sticky lays out the odds:

These percentages are known as the "empirical rule". What this means for Cryptocaryon irritans is that leaving a tank fallow for 3 weeks will give you a 68% chance that you have eradicated the parasite, leaving a tank fallow for 6 weeks will give you a 95% chance of eradication, but if you want 99.7% chance, you will leave the tank fallow for 9 weeks. That is the reason you see different numbers being used on Reef Central and in the literature.

 

[RickyRicardo]

That is assuming Ich is present which I have never noticed in my tank in the past. I guess I am comfortable with 6 weeks...