Quarantine Procedure for LFS

[lutz123]

Is there an old thread possibly detailing the quarantine procedures of the local fish stores? Yes, I can call each store individually and write it all down but thought maybe this has been discussed before. I would gladly pay more for a fish that has been healthy and eating, and want to at least know what I'm risking on a fish that was wild caught a week prior.

 

Mods, feel free to move this to Vendor Experiences if that is more appropriate.

[YHSublime]

There is a thread around here somewhere that covers that information. If you're not planning on QT'ing your self at home, and relying soley on the vendor, then you're taking a risk. Honestly, I don't know if a single vendor that QT's for 8 weeks before putting a fish up FS, nor is it realistic, IMO. I will add that I think every vendor here will QT your fish for a flate rate, or a percentage based on number of weeks and the value of said fish. I will also add, that some vendors when the offer this QT at a fee, also guarantee the fish at least once. Meaning, if it dies while in their care, they will get you another one and try again.

 

You should try when your at your LFS to really observe the fish for as long as you can, ask to see it fed, watch it's behavior. A visual inspection, and watching it eat is a great start. I usually compare with live aquaria when I'm at a store, just to see if I can meet it's basic needs, and if it's a right fit.

[surf&turf]

Quantum has a quarantine service that they provide for an extra charge. I just got a powder blue that they quarantined for me and it is doing great.

Well worth the extra cost!!!

[wildcrazyjoker81]

+1 for Steve and Vince at Quantum. Those guys will go the extra mile to make sure you are getting good and healthy fish. Also there is this new product

Blue Life USA Announces Breakthrough New Product, Safety Stop: Instant Fish Quarantine

Safety Stop is the first product on the market to offer hobbyist a safe, quick and effective quarantine bath. The breakthrough product will help prevent, and cure common ailments prior to introducing new fish into salt and fresh water aquariums.

[AlanM]

I saw that stuff at QR.  Here's Melev's long review of it: http://www.reefaddicts.com/content.php/375-Product-Review-Safety-Stop

 

Looks like he likes it.  It's a formalin bath and then a methylene blue bath in convenient 1 gallon doses.

[Origami]

+1 for Steve and Vince at Quantum. Those guys will go the extra mile to make sure you are getting good and healthy fish. Also there is this new product

Blue Life USA Announces Breakthrough New Product, Safety Stop: Instant Fish Quarantine

Safety Stop is the first product on the market to offer hobbyist a safe, quick and effective quarantine bath. The breakthrough product will help prevent, and cure common ailments prior to introducing new fish into salt and fresh water aquariums.

 

I saw that stuff at QR.  Here's Melev's long review of it: http://www.reefaddicts.com/content.php/375-Product-Review-Safety-Stop

 

Looks like he likes it.  It's a formalin bath and then a methylene blue bath in convenient 1 gallon doses.

The part that I dislike about this boils down to the semantics of QT. This chemical-QT is treatment, not quarantine. While treatment might be part of a quarantine protocol, it is not QT in its entirety. (In fact, strictly speaking, QT does not require chemical medications.) First, treatment assumes that the newcomer fish is sick. Maybe it is and maybe it isn't. But, in most cases, you can almost guarantee that it is stressed. A few minutes in both solutions does little to bring a stressed fish, who may not have eaten for days, and has lived in a bag of water for I don't know how long, up to a healthy condition where it is ready to take on the other fish in your display tank or the latent diseases that may lie in wait there, waiting for a compromised (stressed) fish to be dropped into the tank. In that sense, QT is not only about disease, but it's about preparing to acclimate and acclimating new fish to their new home. This is part of what Christine Williams was trying to tell us last Winter. It also ties in closely with the chain-of-custody part of what Bob Fenner talked about in Spring 2012, where he talked about the handling that our fishes go through reef-to-LFS and to our tanks.

[monkiboy]

yeah, the words QT, hospital tank, treatment, etc get tossed around together frequently and it makes it hard to understand exactly what goal the person in question is after for their fish. that being said, most of the LFS on this forum will do as you please (just QT/hold fish, treat, and even treat with your protocol) for a given price or percentage of the fish price.

 

tom, i don't think folks are taking fish from stores or suppliers and immediately treating them. there's usually a few days if not a couple weeks ideally before treatment begins. like you mentioned, taking a stressed fish into a new environment (your QT/hospital tank) and then putting into a bath or through a protocol is never a good idea unless immediately necessary due to the obvious symptoms/disease the fish is contending with.

[Origami]

tom, i don't think folks are taking fish from stores or suppliers and immediately treating them. there's usually a few days if not a couple weeks ideally before treatment begins. like you mentioned, taking a stressed fish into a new environment (your QT/hospital tank) and then putting into a bath or through a protocol is never a good idea unless immediately necessary due to the obvious symptoms/disease the fish is contending with.

That seemed to be the implication in Melev's article (and he actually does it immediately following water acclimation in the article). That's why I mentioned it. Of course, he still encourages QT (and does so, in a way, at the end of his demo). Of course, the product is also labeled "Rapid Fish Quarantine."

[trockafella]

You know what the problem with that product is..... Nothing good happens fast in this hobby. Now you can cycle and quarantine all in one afternoon..

[matt]

Disclaimer, this is what I know of...and I certainly don't know about everything

 

F&F has a QT process, a good one too from all accounts I've heard. They've posted it somewhere and you can probably find it. It seems like a lot of people trust the methods Sean uses as he does a lot of preventative treatment...profilactic treatment. (I've not bought fish here, Ashburn seems so far away)

 

BRK has a process, they've posted and you can probably find it. Look for their upcoming presentation that they talked about recently (I think in the BRK forum pages)...hopefully we hear it is happening soon. (I have bought fish here, who have remained healthy)

 

Quantum has a QT process, but they treat only as needed as I understand it. You pay extra for the QT treatment and they replace the first replacement fish if something happens. (I've not bought fish here, at least not yet)

 

Marine Scene I think does something, but I can't remember any details. (I bought my first local fish here a year and half ago as ORA supplied. They have remained healthy)

 

Dale City Petco quarantines all their fish by placing them in their store, so that you know where the sick fish are by using their website and looking for the store address. ;-) (I have not bought fish here, but have seen several sick fish for sale...in addition to what must be some healthy ones)

Edited September 23, 2013 by matt

[ohaverd]

Disclaimer, this is what I know of...and I certainly don't know about everything

 

F&F has a QT process, a good one too from all accounts I've heard. They've posted it somewhere and you can probably find it. It seems like a lot of people trust the methods Sean uses as he does a lot of preventative treatment...profilactic treatment. (I've not bought fish here, Ashburn seems so far away)

 

BRK has a process, they've posted and you can probably find it. Look for their upcoming presentation that they talked about recently (I think in the BRK forum pages)...hopefully we hear it is happening soon. (I have bought fish here, who have remained healthy)

 

Quantum has a QT process, but they treat only as needed as I understand it. You pay extra for the QT treatment and they replace the first replacement fish if something happens. (I've not bought fish here, at least not yet)

 

Marine Scene I think does something, but I can't remember any details. (I bought my first local fish here a year and half ago as ORA supplied. They have remained healthy)

 

Dale City Petco quarantines all their fish by placing them in their store, so that you know where the sick fish are by using their website and looking for the store address. ;-) (I have not bought fish here, but have seen several sick fish for sale...in addition to what must be some healthy ones)

Funny as H-E-double hockey sticks bro! lol

[lutz123]

Thanks...that's about what I expected.  I'll keep quarantining as usual.  I have a couple of stores that I trust more than others.  I was hoping there was perhaps an old thread hanging around. 

 

I agree that we are very lucky around here to have so many choices.  That's why it would be nice to narrow it down some!