Anyone that quarantines?

[twfields79]

Just wanted to ask anyone that quarantines how far in advance do you set up your qt before you get your fish? I am bound determined that no matter how anxeouse I am I am going to quarantine any new fish I get I have recently baught three green chromis from lfs and I believe all but one got ich!! one isn't showing much, but my clown has it now and I am :mad2: . That clown was just fine before I put them in, the weird thing is there are two other fish in their that hasn't got ich and what is weird is that I got them from a chain lfs in town makes me wonder what the quality of the other lfs' fish are I will never purchase live goods from that lfs again. If I only had the $$ to start an lfs up so that all the reefers in town and surrounding could have descent fish.:rolleye1:

[lil'salty]

twfields"If I only had the $$ to start an lfs up so that all the reefers in town and surrounding could have descent fish."
i think we have all said the same

[Imaexpat2]

I set on up and keep it running 24/7. Allow me to explain....

I set a QT tank up, QT fish or corals as required usually 2-4 weeks. After the QT period I will empty clean and disinfect the tank, and then reset it up again, so that it is ready for the next contestant, if and when I should buy another specimen. The only thing I have to do is test the water and add a little R/O water or some saltwater wix to bring it up to the proper standards. This is an on going routine for me as I usually add something every 3-4 weeks. I will also put my coral frags in there for a few days too as weel to ensure that they are going to survive the stress of being cut and what not, after which they go to a frag tank.

Good job on your goal. Its a tough thing to do becuase we all are in a hurry to add a new fish or coral to our tanks. Most dont have that much forsesight to do this religously until they get burnt! But lets face it an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure! You have a lot more options available to you when using a QT tank to treat a problem than you would have in a full blown reef tank that is used for display. Lets take pyramid snails for instance...once theyre in your display....your pretty much screwed for eleminating them. You might be able to eliminate them over time but its very unlikely.

JMHO....

[twfields79]

Thanks Imaexpat2 that is useful info I was thinking of keeping one open 24/7 did for a little bit, but I didn't buy any fish for a while after I had it set up so I got sick(or my wife got sick) of it beeing open.

[twfields79]

what water do you use for your quarantine tank Could I use five gallons of my big tanks water and five gallons of fresh salt water?

[Imaexpat2]

Almost all of my QT tank water comes from the main displays and I will top off with fresh saltwater as needed or RO water as needed.

[twfields79]

Well I have a clown that has ich and I was told that if I quarantined him in water with a salinity of 1.017 that it will get rid of the ich and that fish can live in water of that salinity. Is this a true statement? Maybe you could give me some advise on what to do.

[Mimbler1]

I keep a few corals in my q-tank to keep it biologically active, and to make it more attractive. That makes it painless to quarntine everything, as it is always ready.
Mike

[twfields79]

Do you keep a sand bed in the qtank? and what if you have to medicate anything that you quarantine? I am just asking for I am needing to know how to set one up or how other people set theirs up.

[Mimbler1]

I just have live rock, no sand bed. If I have to medicate I have a ten gallon tank I keep empty for that possibility. I think my method of quarantine keeps the quarantined fish in a good (reef like) environment, and reduces the chance of disease.
Mike

[Imaexpat2]

Your best bet is KISS. It works like a charm in this situation. You just need the following:

10 gallon tank
HOB Filter no carbon just spounge or floss
PVC elbow (gives fish a hiding spot but its easily disinfected after use)
Cheesey light (just a few watts unless your QTing clams or corals then much more light will be required)
Heater, if need be

Thats really about all you need other than water and a victim! No substrate, no rocks, no unneccessary decorations just the bare minimum, thats all! Its easier to clean and disinfect this way between uses. Before dumping out the water though if using anti-biotics...add some bleach to the water to distroy it before dumping down the drain!!! (no live stock in there then of course)

[Neonguy95]

My only commment is I buy fish from the same place. I have yet to have any trouble with ich. I have yet to see it on any of my fish. The cleaner shrimp that dove to the floor when I was putting him in, is still alive and doing quite well.

How do you acclimate?

[twfields79]

Imaexpat2 what about my big tank will it be infected now? no other fish are showing signs of infection, my wife is worrying me todeath for she keeps telling me that the tank is bad and were going to lose a lot of fish(money). So what should I do.

[LargeJohn]

Hi Tim,

I don't mean to hijack your thread or throw you off course, but have you looked into soaking your food in one of the garlic extract products. Some people believe that this can be effective in treating ich or other parasitic infections. I'm no expert on the matter, but I do feed Formula 2 flakes (with 2% garlic) on a regular basis and everything stays healthy (loud KNOCK on wood!). You may want to research this a little bit before you do anything drastic with your main tank.

john

[twfields79]

Where do you get the formula two flakes, the garlic is already in the flakes?

[LargeJohn]

Ocean Nutrition makes a whole series of flake foods for marine aquaria. I believe that Formula is the veggie formula. They add garlic in the manufacturing process. So it supposedly comes with a 2% concentration already in the flake.

You should be able to get it at your LFS, or you can order from about any dry goods supplier.

[leebca]

twfields79

I know you didn't ask the question 'Does anyone NOT use a qt?' but I thought I might interject something to this thread.

I'm a microbiologist and chemist. I gave 'healthy' fish in from my lfs, fish direclty imported from overseas, and healthy fish that lived in my 'disease-free' aquarium, AND fish I kept 4 weeks in quarantine, a freshwater dip for 10+ minutes.

Know what they all had? You guessed. I microscopically examined what came off the fish and every single one had dropped exploded cysts of the 'satlwater ich' variety.

I don't believe that fish bring ich into our displays, I KNOW they do. It is always there. Like a common cold they wait for opportune moments to bloom and spread.

I gave up my qt and emphasize maintaining my fish, tanks, and water in top condition. I have added fish from all sorts of places directly to my tanks and haven't had a disease outbreak since 1968. I have used about a dozen different hobby technicques, and equipment, but you know what --- they all will work if used properly and I pay attention to the quality of my fish, tanks, and water.

Hope this helps.

[twfields79]

Thanks leebca usefull info, what do you do to enshure good water quality or as you put it "Top condition". I do frequent water changes, I feed well in variety. I don't know what else to do. Maybe you could let me in on some of the different maintnances you do on your tank that might help me?

[leebca]

You can perform all the necessary tests of course, but there are a few things that encourage ich to 'bloom.'

Probably the greatest non-chemical water issue that encourages ich is temperature swings. A smaller tank is more suseptible to this, but even that can be controlled. Run your tank 'noramlly.' Check the temperature every 1 hour (even during the night when you should be sleeping!). Not fun, I know. Record your results. Do this once a month at least through the seasons your home goes through.

If the temperature of your tank goes high in summer during the day, then keep it there even at night. If that 'high' is too high, then keep it cooler. I like 75 the best unless your species is used to another temperature. If you can keep your temperature within one degree F of a constant number, 24 hours per day, every day of the year, you have licked this issue.

Next, make a list. List all the things you've heard and read about which stresses a fish. Even ones you can't control or think you can't control. I haven't got the time to get you started here, but if your list is honest, factual, and true, then go down that list and determine just what you are doing to address each stress the fish undergoes. In essence, a fish stressed is suseptible to ich.

I'm glad to hear you feed them well and a varied diet. That's 1 out of the 30+ things on that list. The temperature I mentioned above is another one out of that list.

Good luck.