Vote - YES or NO

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xaflatoonx

New member
Reading up about a QT tank... since i started researching the hobby - this is the first time i am reading about it. 2 days before i start my first cycle.

So here is the question - how many of you ACTUALLY use a QT .. EVER SINGLE TIME you get a new fish to add to your tank?

I guess i am just asking so I know if i really need to get another tank and set it up and go through the process EVERY- SINGLE - TIME.

reading up online - i see 95% of the people dont do it...
Not trying to offend if you do or not - more power to you - just trying to see how many have actually used it - and how many havent - (and still been okay).

so -

yes or no... do you use a QT every time you add a fish?
 
but how is keeping a fish in a small 10G tank with just a filter and heater good? isnt the small space going to stress them out more? plus - wouldnt you be able to see if the fish has ich or not when you are buying it from a Petco or something?
 
xaflatoonx said:
but how is keeping a fish in a small 10G tank with just a filter and heater good? isnt the small space going to stress them out more? plus - wouldnt you be able to see if the fish has ich or not when you are buying it from a Petco or something?
Click to expand...

Stress won't kill a fish, but disease can. You cannot always see ich (and flukes). Both can harbor in the gills, out of sight. Other diseases, such as marine velvet, brooklynella, uromena and bacterial infections, can take time to manifest themselves. Especially if the fish was kept in a non-therapeutic level of copper before you acquired it.
 
I used to not, but have since learned my lesson. It was not fun and not worth the risk nor the ensuing expense. Besides, a couple 10s or 20s and cheap salt and tap water are easy to keep around.

FWIW, I'm setting up QT for a Clarkii and 6-line tonight.
 
Stress is dropping a new fish straight into a tank full of fish that think they own it.

The quiet simplicity of a bare glass tank with a pipe to hide in, regular food, low light, is actually calming.

In question of how often? The question is---how many people didn't and wished they did? You can get away with it until one mistake, which disrupts your whole tank.

Plus, pushing a fish into a just-cycled tank is a mistake. Put your fish into qt, and let a cleanup crew poo into that sandbed for 4 weeks. Then your fish will be certified ok, and your tank will be strong enough to tolerate fish poo and stray fishfood.
 
all of this is very helpful.

Saw a few threads on the QT setup - but just to simplify -

essentially - you get a 10G (for example)
fill it up with salt and water (lower than DT salinity)
LED and heater and filter
run it for a little bit - before the fish comes in
Let the fish settle in that for a few weeks and then move to DT

Once MOVED - i can stop taking care of the QT until i need it again for another fish or for a sick/ich'ed fish.

would you say that about sums it up in english? lol
 
YES! And corals and just about everything else as well. Ich isn't the only parasite that can get transferred.
 
Yes! You dont have to keep a QT tank running 24/7. Buy some seachem matrix put it in a filter bag in your sump and leave it. When you need a QT tank pull out the 10 or 20 gallon tank fill with saltwater and pop the seachem matrix into a hang on back. Boom instant QT tank and very little expense to have a disease free tank.
 
A wise man once said. Not using a quarantine tank is like playing Russian roulette. Nobody wins some ppl just get to play longer than others.
 
This is my story.
I don't have a QT. I started cycling the tank and after 5 weeks I added my CUC. A week later I added some zoas, a euphyllia coral and oh yes a clown!
The clown came down with brooklynella. That meant that I needed to leave the tank fallow for 3 months just to be sure there was nothing left of this nasty parasite.
I can tell you it is a ******" in the @ss. BUT it did gave me time to research more and learn about corals. It also gave me the time to finalise my aquascaping. You will be surprised how many times you will want to move stuff around once you think you are done.

If you think you can rust your LFS and don't shop from fellow reefers then you might be able to skip a QT. If on the other hand you like to have your options open and shop/trade with fellow reefers the I would suggest investing in a QT.
Bottom line is: If you have the space/time/money/energy to setup a QT it is worth it anyways.
 
I didnt use a QT and payed the price lost all fish. It sucks big time. So i got a 20 gal from local pet store for super cheap. Since i lost all my fish i got so mad that i havent had a tank running in 3 years but now i going to get back into it again. I have the QT ready to go now. you will pay the price in the end. why chance it??
 
QT yes, I have a 50gal only filled 3/4 of the way up with a HOB filter and a powerhead and small low power LED for light.
 
Yes...after an ich outbreak caused me to pull all fish for treatment and 72 day fallow period. Never again. So now every fish goes through tank transfer, prazipro and then an additional 3-4 weeks of QT for observation.
 
After ALL MY FISH had to be pulled from the display and kept in a 25 gallon tank for 72 days I can tell you emphatically that I NEVER want to go through this again. Today just happens to be day 72 and I finally have fish in my tank again.

Quarantine everytime!

(Oh and...I tried to cheat and let it go fallow for only 8 weeks...well you guessed it...I had to tear my tank apart a second time to catch the fish and then start again with 72 days.) It blows man.
 
No, but I am not adding anymore fish. Once I am able to move into a larger house I will setup a QT. I would get a QT to be on the safe side.
 
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