What's your quarantine process and setup?

[BrettH]

Just wondering what some other experienced aquarist are doing?

Mine is a 40 gallon breeder with a 20 gallon sump and AquaC 180 skimmer. I also have an 18 gallon Eclipse for treating fish. I have extra live rock that has not been exposed to any medications (yet that is).

I am thinking my new process will be to keep a sponge in my sump that can house nitrifying bacteria and maintain copper in my quarantine system at all times. As opposed to keeping live rock in my 40 gallon system. I really don't want to kill off my live rock and copper shouldn't be kept with anything calcerous as it absorbs it. I would then move the live rock to my 18 hospital tank. And then I will use the 18 gallon for the second stage of my quarantine process.

So here would be the process for me:
-40 gallon system will always hold copper for preventative care treatment
-After 4 weeks, I would move quarantined fish to 18 gallon system for a one week observation.
-Then move to display.

One of the reasons I am asking this question is that I am about to start stocking my new 240. My plan is to initially stock the highly ich prone fish first (i.e. tangs). A powder blue tang or hippo in an 18 gallon tank is tight. This partly why I'm considering the change.

Here are my questions:
1) what are you using for substrate for nitrifying bacteria?
2) do you subscribe to prophylaxis i.e. do you keep copper in your quarantine system? Or any other medication? And why?
3) does anyone use a two stage quarantine process?

I am debating with myself if I want to use preventative care that will stress fish, but IME, I have never bought a powder blue or hippo tang that didn't have ich.

Thanks.
Brett

 

[snorvich]

My suggested protocol is to use tank transfer for all new specimens to insure against cryptocaryon irritans. 12 days and two 20 gallon tanks is all it takes.

The initial receiving tank is temp and SG adjusted to the bag water( SG a few points couple of points lower than the bag water is ok but not higher) This obviates the need for drip acclimation and prolonged stays in bag water where pH can rise and ammonia toxicity can increase once the bag is opened. This is particularly important after prolonged stays in the bag.

During the 12 day tank transfer process ( 3 day stays 4 transfers, move fish on the morning of days 4,7,10,13) observe for other maladies. Since there are no meds to interact with in the transfer tanks which contain freshly mixed salt water aged and aerated overnight , use an ammonia detoxifier during each 3 day period. Bound copper products for example can't be safely used with ammonia detoxifiers as more toxic free copper occurs with lethal copper toxicity,even though total copper measures the same.

If there is reason to suspect infestation with brooklynellosis, velvet or flukes , do a formalin bath before starting treatment with copper for velvet, formalin for brooklynellosis or prazi pro for flukes.

Since not all maladies will present symptoms in the 12 days( flukes can easily be missed, velvet can take up to 30 days to present), use a larger cycled QT tank for an additional 2 to 4 weeks of observation depending on the condition of the fish with treatment as necessary.

Most fish receive no medications yet all are effectively prophylactically treated for ich,the most common killer

Ammonia is monitored and has never been an issue during the 3 day stay but a detoxifier is added just in case, The cycled tank takes care of itself.

BTW there is no need to worry about nitrite or nitrate.

 

[geaux xman]

I have a bunch of smaller tanks that I use for QT, but I really like to use my standard 29g and 33g(MrAqua rimless $175 shipped). I really like the AquaClear HOB filters and have several. http://www.amazon.com/AquaClear-70-...8&qid=1340568023&sr=8-1&keywords=aquaclear+70
The AquaClear HOB's, I just keep the sponge in there and thats it. I feed my fish in QT 3x/day and have no ammonia issues. I will randomly do 5-10g WC during the QT period. I keep the QT tanks running at all time.

I've put plenty of 4-5" angels/tangs in the 29g without issue. Its a little cramp, but no big deal for short-term stay. It is very easy to medicate in and I can do a 50% WC in a few minutes if needed. I had a 40g breeder that I use to QT multiple big fish, but my brother took it. Petco has the $1/gal sale that I will be buying another one this week.

The 33g rimless is basically a display/QT all-in-one. I have 4 3" Lemonpeels in it right now with a mp10 and a few PVC's. They will go in my 180g when ready.

When fish first arrives, I typically feed for a few days. If the fish is eating well, I will start cupramine as early as day 2-3. Administer .5ppm cupramine over 4-5 days. .4-.5ppm cupramine for 3-4 weeks. During that time, I would give the fish 1-2 treatment of prazipro(4-5days).

Some like to observe the fish for 1-2 weeks after cupramine, but after 3-4 weeks of .4-.5 cupramine, I've already had the fish in my care for a good month, so it goes directly to my DT. I've observed plenty already.

Before any fish enters my DT, I would also give it a 45-60min formalin dip(4ml/4gal). Sometimes during the cupramine treatment, a lot of times during the transfer to my DT. A little over the top, but that is just me.
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/formalinart.htm

I keep Maracyn-2 on hand and medicate that if needed in a 10g tank with a couple of air stones.

G'luck and always QT fish yourself. I trusted a local seller once and got burned by it bad.

 

[MrTuskfish]

In addition to the points made in the 2 points above: I avoid rock and substrate. They absorb meds and make proper dosing impossible. Don't use a 'low dose' copper routine like many LFS do. Their goals are different than yours. Fish should be introduce to copper very slowly and watched for reaction. If you use copper, completely remove it with carbon or Cuprisorb. I like the Aqua-Clear filters too; their sponges are huge, cycle well in the DT system, and the filters last forever. A cycled AC sponge will take of ammonia very well. The 2 tank process that you've seemed to describe could easily leave parasites behind in the bigger QT; unless they were treated with a full course of copper. I really like Snorvich's TT approach to ich. A skimmer in the QT won't hurt; but there won't be much to skim and is just one more thing to worry about. Skimming has long-term benefits and I can't see any reason to use one in a QT. You've planned this well; but (IMO & IME), a single, tank with no substrate or rock is easier and more fool-proof. Fish don't care about rock, PVC pieces work well for shelter. The simpler the QT, the better, IMO.

 

[BrettH]

Thanks everyone for your input. Great info.

Here is what I have decided:
1) Tank transfer for first 12 days - I really like this approach to start, makes sense to me.
2) Then Formalin bath
3) Then into long term (cycled) quarantine with cupramine/prazipro (maybe I should start with PP then Cu since I hopefully isolated ich with tank transfer)


@geaux xman - are you combining Cupramine and Prazipro? Does PP affect the bio-filter?

What about the formalin bath for 45 minutes? From what I recall, I never did a 45 minute formalin bath, but it has been five years since I last kept a tank. Anyone have any thoughts regarding the length of time?

And how do you get 4" PVC to sink? I drilled holes and then pinned it to the bottom with a heater.

PS - in CT Petco is having the $1 gallon sale right now (atleast the stores near me).

 

[snorvich]

I would not do formalin or copper prophylactically. I would observe to see if it were required for Brook or Velvet. I would do PP on all fish after TT.

 

[sweeper7]

why are you guys doing cupramine treatment if the fish looks okay?

 

[MrTuskfish]

why are you guys doing cupramine treatment if the fish looks okay?

Parasites can be "invisible" for longer than most people will keep a fish in a QT. They can live, unseen. in the gills for who knows how long. Personally, I'm very comfortable with copper and see no downside to prevention of who-knows-what. I know there is plenty of disagreement on this issue; but I think it would be impossible to find a fish that wasn't treated with copper somewhere in its journey. I wouldn't advise anyone to go this route without really learning the little quirks and tricks with copper. If you don't use copper in the QT: I do suggest tank-transfer for ich and Prazi-Pro for all new fish. Both easy, safe, and foolproof.
I tore a big tank apart ONCE because of ich----never again. Velvet or brooklynella are far worse than ich and just the thought of one of those parasites getting into one of my DTs makes any prevention steps well worth it.

 

[sweeper7]

Here is a question I have...my tank had a complete crash.. some fish died due to ich, some for no reason, corals to reasons no one ever found answers for, green slime/hair/grass grew all over the place and it wasn't "GHA" as that one we confirmed and the tank just turned complete brown like a swamp. Snails died, fish died except for a clarkii. EVERYTHING died except for Clarkii, cleaner shrimp, and Pulsing Xenia.

So I tore the tank apart and left the reefing scene for nearly 1 year if not more. I am back now, with a 40 Breeder and I bought EVERYTHIGN new just to be safe.

I have a 10 gal tank that I put all the living stuff in to save before htey died as well. I had a heater in there, K. Nano etc.

So now I am using that 10 gal as a QT and I vinegar washed the tank, the K. Nano in a small bath of vinegar and used a razor to remove as much coraline and slime i could get off EVEN AFTER it was sitting in the garage for 1 year, my thermometer, and I even bought a new cheapo HOB Tetra Whisper.

I washed those previous equipment with venigar, do u think its safe to use it now for a QT or do u think whatever that crashed my last tank is possibly still on this equipment?

I can't imagine evreyone always throws away and uses new eqipment after a crash so i figure this vinegar wash should do the trick.

right?

I had such a bad experience last go around that I am scared of whatver I am doing wiht tanks loll.

 

[h2so4hurts]

I dip all new arrivals in 10x RidIch+ for an hour with heavy aeration (5mL per gallon in a separate bucket). This should kill just about everything on or immediately under the skin of your fish. A week after the fish has been in QT, I start a week of Prazi treatment for internal worms. Finally, I follow that with 4 weeks of observation in QT. That's a total of 6 weeks. This is the procedure that was recommended to me by the experts who run the Aquatic infectious disease lab here at the University of Florida and it has not failed me in my 5 years of implementing this protocol.

My QT is an Aquapod 24 with a 25 watt UV sterilizer, maxijet 600, 30 watt heater, and an air driven sponge filter.

I have a 30 long HT attached to my DT that serves as an acclimation tank for all new additions. Before adding the fish to the display, they spend a week in my HT to adjust to the new water conditions and reduce transfer stress.