Who Quarantines New Fish
- Thread starter crp
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Arik
New member
I think the "depending on where I get the fish" is just a rationalization. If it's wild caught, you got the fish from where all the other stores got their fish. Some stores are very good at keeping the fish as unstressed as possible which does help, but they still may be carriers of parasites.
chrisguy
New member
I voted "No, Never" and in the past that has been true and I've been burned. I now have a a second tank that is running all the time and a QT tank. It's been a long time since I bought a new fish. The last new fish was held in the second tank for 2 months to allow it a little time to grow, but went MIA before I could move it to the display.
In the future I plan to provide some form of QT or staging before a fish is moved to the main display.
In the future I plan to provide some form of QT or staging before a fish is moved to the main display.
thriceanangel
Active member
I usually try to treat a fish with copper prior to introduction. But if the fish has been at the lfs for weeks, and there has been no signs of ich, then I might add him to the main display. Or if it came from a friends tank where I know that he has had no problems with ich, i would just add the fish to keep stress levels down.
Arik
New member
You should be quarantining everything, even down to macroalgae. The benefits far outweigh the negatives. Remember the mantra of reefkeeping; nothing good happens fast.
In the past 3 years I've never had any signs of Ich in my display, and I have a Hippo --- perhaps one of the biggest Ich magnets in the trade.
Arik
New member
If these fish were a couple bucks, I might not quarantine. However, since I've spent several hundred dollars on livestock I'm not going to risk my whole population to avoid 6 weeks in QT. About 30% of the fish I've purchased have showed signs of Ich in QT, and they were from the local LFS's and online sites.
If you quaranteen everything then it certainly helps but I think you still are not 100% safe. I had a Hippo develop ich a couple of summers ago when an AC issue led to big temperature swings for a couple days. Nothing was added to the tank for at least 6 months prior so the organisms had to have been in the tank in an invisible dormant state for much more then 6 weeks. Copper treating the fish will keep out some parisites you can't see, but you can not copper treat the rocks and shrimp and snails etc.
FWIW, the Hippo recovered within a few days of correcting the real problem, the temperature variations, without any copper meds. He is still alive and (visibly) ich free 2 years later. I guess I view a healthy tank and therefore non stressed fish as the best defense.
m-fine
Arik
New member
I agree you are never 100% safe when quarantining everything, but you are 100% unsafe when you don't. I don't treat any fish with copper; I've always used hyposalinity down to 1.009 in QT with great success.
Also, you don't need to treat rocks, shrimp, and snails if you QT them first. Ich can't survive without a host for about 6 weeks, so a fishless QT takes care of that.
I've had major temp swings and power outages as well, and have never had a single symptom of Ich. Ich is active well before the cyst develops in size large enough to be seen with the naked eye, so it's not a dormant state, it's just that the fish was happy and healthy enough to stave off a full blown infestation.
Also, you don't need to treat rocks, shrimp, and snails if you QT them first. Ich can't survive without a host for about 6 weeks, so a fishless QT takes care of that.
I've had major temp swings and power outages as well, and have never had a single symptom of Ich. Ich is active well before the cyst develops in size large enough to be seen with the naked eye, so it's not a dormant state, it's just that the fish was happy and healthy enough to stave off a full blown infestation.
ming81
New member
http://petsforum.com/personal/trevor-jones/marineich.html
People keep insisting that the ich was dormant in their tanks, if so, whats the point of QTing fish?
back to topic, I never used to QT until it hit me hard, but now I sometimes QT depending on where I got it, how long its been there, how much I trust the store, and ofcourse how the fish looks.
People keep insisting that the ich was dormant in their tanks, if so, whats the point of QTing fish?
back to topic, I never used to QT until it hit me hard, but now I sometimes QT depending on where I got it, how long its been there, how much I trust the store, and ofcourse how the fish looks.
Quarantine is good.
parkavenuereef
New member
No UV sterilizer, then yes quarantine or at least a nice copper dip, With UV sterilzer, never..
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7780025#post7780025 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ming81
People keep insisting that the ich was dormant in their tanks, if so, whats the point of QTing fish?
Perhaps people keep insisting that because real world experience seems to repeatedly indicate it is true no matter what some book or web page says on the topic. Perhaps it is not really DORMANT and in fact the parisites are replicating in small numbers not visible to the naked eye, but the fact remains there is considerable evidence that a tank that has had no additions for more then 6 weeks can suddenly have a visible ich outbreak. Arguing over wording such as dormant is pointless. BTW, I am not new to the hobby (coming up on 20 years) and nor is everyone else who has had a fish with ich.
The point of QT is to reduce the risk, not necessarily eliminate it 100%. The question is if the cost and effort is worth the reduced risk level verses other methods of combating ich. The answer will vary with the cost of both the new fish and the existing fish along with a bunch of other varibles.
