Do You Quarantine Your New Fish and Dip Your New Corals???

[Almon]

To Quarantine or Not to Quarantine? What do you do? Any why?

 

There have been so many very sad stories I've read of various losses to aquariums due to parasites like Ich and Brook, or Coral eating worms, or treatment of undesirables like flatworms. Stories so sad that we can all understand and appreciate why people leave the hobby. We become very attached to our pets....they're part of the family.

 

So why don't people quarantine new fish.....or dip new corals?

 

I have purchased a couple new fish earlier this year from the LFS and I did not quarantine them. I just acclimated them and dumped them in. Why?

• I didn't have a quarantine tank set up.
  
• I wanted to see my fish in my reef immediately.
  
• I thought it wouldn't happen to me.
  

Well, thankfully it didn't......YET. But it will.....eventually......undoubtedly....it will happen.

 

There are a few fish that my wife and I miss from the old Fish Only tank. Puffers and Triggers and Angels...fish that may not be suitable for the mixed reef main display tank. I've decided to set up a 55g fish tank for them. But all of my tanks are on the same system. If I add new fish that introduce Ich or Brook into one aquarium, then I introduce Ich or Brook into all of my aquariums. Several months ago red flatworms were introduced into my frag tank because I didn't dip my new corals into an iodine bath. What if I added a new fish that had Brooklynella and all of my fish died...my beautiful and healthy Blue Tang that I've had for only 11 years.

 

Well no more.....I've decided that ALL new additions to the system require an iodine bath or quarantine or both. Nobody intentionally gives you Ich or Brook or Flatworms....not the LFS and not other members....but it happens. We must all take the responsiblity for the safekeeping of the inhabitants of our micro reefs. We must quarantine our fish...we must dip our corals.....me must take steps to protect our existing corals and fishes. I just received two new Ocellaris Clowns from another WAMAS member. They are absolutely beautiful, don't show any signs of any type sickness or parasite, and seem perfectly healthy. But I have quarantined them for a couple/few weeks. Just to make sure.

 

What do you do and why?

[davelin315]

I didn't vote because there's no where that says I'm going to start... I have begun QTing fish and will most likely do that with coral sooner rather than later.

[Almon]

At this time, you fall into answer #3, you quarantine, but don't dip.

 

I didn't vote because there's no where that says I'm going to start... I have begun QTing fish and will most likely do that with coral sooner rather than later.

[zotzer]

Well, I don't even have a reef tank yet (picking it up this weekend), but have the QT up and cycling, and some flatworm Exit already in the bin o' fish stuff. While doing research on this hobby, I just read TOO many horror stories and realized I will do whatever I can to learn from the mistakes of others.

 

While on this topic, what is the best all-around coral dip that people would recommend?

 

Great topic!!!

Tracy

[Almon]

I like Tropic Marin Pro-Coral Cure

Red Bugs: INTERCEPTOR (6 hour dip: not in tank but use tank water) Used for Heartworms in dogs

 

Acro Eating Flatworms: Tropic Marin PRO-CORAL CURE (15 minute dip in tank water in bucket w/power head) Look for egg sacks and scrape them off. (pic below)

 

 

Monti eating Nuibrancs (and Acro Eating Flatworms): Levamisole (15-20minutes) is used to: A) treat patients with stage III colon cancer after they have had surgery to remove the tumor, or as much of the tumor as possible. In stage III colon cancer, the cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes. B) deworm pigs

Great article by Tracy Gray: found here includes pictures.

 

 

All bad things on wild zoanthids:

1. Using a 5 gallon white bucket, add 3 gallons of RO water.

2. Now add 1 or 2 drops of Lugol's Iodine per gallon of RO water.

3. Set your PH to 8.2

4. Set your water temp. at 78 degrees

5. If you have some Flatworm exit made my Saliferts, add

2 drops per gallon to the RO water to kill any Flatworms

 

Place the colony in the white bucket right side up. Leaving it there for about 5 minutes. Then grab the rock and invert it and place it in the water 3 inches below the water surface. Now twist the rock as fast as you can in a clockwise and counterclockwise motion for at least a minute.

[lanman]

Sooner or later I will get some 'dip' for new corals. Right now - I 'quarantine' them... so to speak. And I always shake them well in a container of tank water to check for flatworms.

 

Current procedure - acclimate them for temperature, acclimate them for water (with larger ones, I check the old water's alk/pH - and if it's the same I don't worry about it), and then upside down and shake well in a container of tank water. Then I put them in my frag tank (separate system) for a while, look them over real good for a day or two, and then put them in the display.

 

bob

[Almon]

I've heard that Freshwater baths are helpful. I know that flatworms easily fall off and dissolve in freshwater.

[dbartco]

get brooklynella once after not qting for long enough (2 weeks not long enough), loose $1K worth of fish, and you never NOT do that again.

 

Interceptor and levamisole on everything wet going into the tank... acros get tropicmarined as well

 

I usally avoid freshwater dips unless I suspect something.

[Nitro Junkie]

I didn't vote because there's no where that says I'm going to start... I have begun QTing fish and will most likely do that with coral sooner rather than later.

 

 

I voted no/no but live dave , i WILL be doing both very soon.

[jason the filter freak]

I didn't vote because there's no where that says I'm going to start... I have begun QTing fish and will most likely do that with coral sooner rather than later.

 

After all the stories on here lately of crashes and infestations I think it's been shown that both are essential

[SkiCurtis]

I dip everything I can.Cmas had a great speaker frank ? and it was about setting up a Qt tank and doing the iodine dips.After Frank spoke it gave me new insight and now I take it very serious. After losing a few $100.00 fish that was enough for me.Great post Almon.

Curtis

[AndrewB]

Almon and I had a conversation a few days ago about the number of recent threads on a variety of forum boards where people were relating horror stories of a variety of tank meltdowns due to outbreaks associated with new livestock.

 

Quarantine is critical... Most reefers have thousands, if not tens of thousands of dollars invested in their display aquaria. The small investment of space, time and money of a quarantine system is well worth it! In fact, I might even suggest quarantine of corals as well as fish and motile invertebrates.

 

For those who are on the fence, consider the following strategy:

 

There are iron stands available that will house two aquaria, one above and one below. A 36inch long system can house a 45gal tank over a 30L, or a 65gal over a 40breeder. Add a power compact light fixture, hang-on venturi protein skimmer and powerhead to the bottom tank for coral quarantine. Add a power or canister filter and heater to the top tank for fish quarantine. Leave the tanks bare bottom for easy sterilization and cleaning and use lengths of PVC pipe or large fittings for shelter in the system. Keep a small bunch of tufa rock or other substrate for transfer nitrifying bacteria in your main system that can transfer biological cultures to the quarantine system if necessary. In between quarantine cycles, the tank can be filled with fresh water with all components running to seterilize. In extreme cases, a low bleach concentration can be used.

 

These setups don't take a whole lot of space, and will house almost anything you could want for a sufficient period of time to prevent adding an unwelcome surprise to your display system. Moreover, they are versatile enough that different animals requiring different care can get specialized treatment in either tank.

 

It's worth it... Just read the forums!

[Almon]

For the people that are voting NO for either the QT or the Dip or Both:

 

Why don't you?

 

Is it because you:

Don't have the equipment? Don't think it's necessary? Don't believe it will happen to you? Believe your water quality is that good?

[Nitro Junkie]

I dont because of equipment. My wallet is crying after just setting up my 75. Once I can recover from that I look to setup a qt and coral dip.

[lanman]

For the people that are voting NO for either the QT or the Dip or Both:

 

Why don't you?

 

Is it because you:

Don't have the equipment? Don't think it's necessary? Don't believe it will happen to you? Believe your water quality is that good?

 

I am serious about coral, but not so serious about fish. The most expensive fish I have is worth about $30 - and I paid less. I only had 3 fish in my tank for months; then got 5 more because someone needed to get rid of them fast. ON THE OTHER HAND - when I get my 225g set up, and need to add a bunch of nicer fish to balance the tank out; I guarantee I will set up a quarantine system for them.

 

bob

[dhoch]

I have to admit I used to not be religous about this, but after all the stories now I am...

 

There are some fish I would consider not quaranteeing though:

Scooter Blennies

Mandarins

 

Dave

[HowardofNOVA]

GREAT ARTICLE - Sounds like a great topic for someone to speak at AGAIN at future meetings!

 

I just p/u a second bottle of KICK ICH to continue my treatment of my setup today, got 1 week left until done!

 

GREAT NEWS!

 

My Purple Firefish came out of the rocks, so back up to 4 FISH now!!!

Still a hard lesson to learn, losing 16 of 20 fish!!

[Almon]

This is my first quarantine hotel and its first guests. I was fortunate to be able to do this without any cost by using what I had laying around. I will still need a heater...and if the QT Hotel receives infected guests, then I will have to clean the sand completely in freshwater. I have it sitting partially in front a window for natural light. It's working great so far. But I will have to go to Scales and get some stuff for another one.

• 10g Aquarium + hood
  
• Undergravel Filter
  
• Power Head
  
• 40lbs Sand
  This came from the frag tank when I took it down and set it back up again due to the introduction of red flatworms. It has been thoroughly cleaned in freshwater and then placed in the 10g w/undergravel filter to run through the nitrogen cycle. It was a successful science experiment that happened to be handy. What is nice about this is that I don't have to worry about ammonia and nitrites. A ready made biological filter.
  
• Small pieces of Live Rock
  
• PVC Pipe
  

 

[zotzer]

Question about QT time....

 

Last night, I picked up a pair of beautiful onyx A. Percula from a fellow WAMAS member. His systems are pristine, and he's had these two for a couple of years.

 

They are happily swimming about in the QT now, but mainly while I wait for my main tank to stabilize (it was just set up this past weekend). I used cured LR and LS in the main tank, and have had a hard time even detecting any major cycle.

 

Would you all stick with the 4 week QT period in a situation like this, or shorten it due to the known history of the two? No matter what, I will wait at least a week or two, to assure that the water quality of the main tank is stabilized.

 

Thanks for your help!

Tracy

[gioNVA]

Hey Tracy,

 

It was good to meet you. I usually QT new fish regardless of who I get it from. I do this to monitor them for diseases or parasites and make sure that they are eating well. If all goes well, I think two weeks should be good enough. I only extend QT time if I need to treat them.

 

Thanks!

Francis

[zotzer]

thanks, Francis!!! They seem to eat like little piggies. I'm psyched to have them.

It was great to meet you too,

T

Edited August 29, 2007 by zotzer

[Almon]

I'm also interested in knowing what the "Experienced" quarantiners do and for how long. Is one week long enough? Or two? Depending on the length of the parasite cycles I would think that 3-4 weeks would be most appropriate. But since I am new at QT, I would really like to know the length of time others are QTing.