Beginners Guide to Acclimation and Quarantine

[Reef 450]

I lost many fish due to not using a QT. This is how I set up my system.

 

[Susan Edwards]

[QUOTE="Brew12, post: 4129328, member: 72319"I would also only treat in a tank set up as a hospital tank. If you can't be positive you are maintaining the correct level of medications you can't be sure of success.[/QUOTE]

I did get copper to correct level with sand last time but it took a few days (had a sand sifter), but this time around I'd have to use CP for the mandarins. Not sure if sand absorbs or not. I seeded pods in the new sand, along with some sand from my tank to add pods. I guess I treat with the CP and hope I get anything nasty.

 

[Reef 450]

[QUOTE="Brew12, post: 4129328, member: 72319"I would also only treat in a tank set up as a hospital tank. If you can't be positive you are maintaining the correct level of medications you can't be sure of success.

I did get copper to correct level with sand last time but it took a few days (had a sand sifter), but this time around I'd have to use CP for the mandarins. Not sure if sand absorbs or not. I seeded pods in the new sand, along with some sand from my tank to add pods. I guess I treat with the CP and hope I get anything nasty.[/QUOTE]

No, you cant use copper with mandarins. The sand does absorb the copper and it will kill the pods. How old is ur tank?

 

[Maritimer]

CP will wipe 'pods as well ... perhaps be prepared to hatch a lot of brine shrimp, maybe use one of PaulB's nauplii feeders.

I'm not sure whether sand will absorb CP myself, but @Humblefish has worked with that medication quite a bit. (Sand isn't required for mandarins ... maybe pull it?)

~Bruce

 

[Reef 450]

CP will wipe 'pods as well ... perhaps be prepared to hatch a lot of brine shrimp, maybe use one of PaulB's nauplii feeders.

I'm not sure whether sand will absorb CP myself, but @Humblefish has worked with that medication quite a bit. (Sand isn't required for mandarins ... maybe pull it?)

~you don’t need to qt mandarins. In the Fish stores they are only kept with inverts. That Fish is very disease resistant. Just make sure u have plenty of pods in ur display

 

[Susan Edwards]

I have a ton of pods in the display and only one scooter blenny. Tank was fallow for 76 days so pods really took hold. I did research on mandarins and qt'ing and the general concensus was nothing is for sure and to qt in case. I'd love to not qt them but the lfs does not do any type of qt practice. In this store, they were in a tiny tank by themselves but share water with all the other tanks in that area.

 

[Susan Edwards]

Oh, as the 2 I got were only 9 bucks each, I'm not sure I'm all that confident they will be healthy! I decided to take the risk.

 

[Humblefish]

I'm not sure whether sand will absorb CP myself, but @Humblefish has worked with that medication quite a bit. (Sand isn't required for mandarins ... maybe pull it?)

Sand does absorb meds, but IME it is minimal. Rock is the bigger threat for absorption.

~you don’t need to qt mandarins. In the Fish stores they are only kept with inverts. That Fish is very disease resistant. Just make sure u have plenty of pods in ur display

I don't agree with this. While the mucous coat on their skin is incredibly disease resistant, parasites/worms may still be able to penetrate the gills.

 

[Reef 450]

Sand does absorb meds, but IME it is minimal. Rock is the bigger threat for absorption.

I don't agree with this. While the mucous coat on their skin is incredibly disease resistant, parasites/worms may still be able to penetrate the gills.

Putting the fish in QT does not mean u have to medicate it.

 

[Humblefish]

Putting the fish in QT does not mean u have to medicate it.

Of course it doesn't. Sometimes just passive observation is necessary, or with a disease resistant species I would QT a black molly alongside it to see if that fish pops positive for a disease: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/freshwater-black-mollies-vs-marine-fish-diseases.312166/

 

[Brew12]

I have a ton of pods in the display and only one scooter blenny. Tank was fallow for 76 days so pods really took hold. I did research on mandarins and qt'ing and the general concensus was nothing is for sure and to qt in case. I'd love to not qt them but the lfs does not do any type of qt practice. In this store, they were in a tiny tank by themselves but share water with all the other tanks in that area.

Aquabox was offering fully and properly QT'd fish. They are moving so don't have anything offered right now. Rumors have it others are considering entering the market.

I'm in the position you are. I want a Mandy, but I'm not confident I can get them through QT ok.

 

[Susan Edwards]

Sand does absorb meds, but IME it is minimal. Rock is the bigger threat for absorption.
.

I only have 2 pcs of rock, both rather on the smaller side, one is a shelf pc. The rest are plastic flowers or ceramic decorations to provide cover . If I do the cp, should I add a bit extra to compensate? I have 3 fish. 2 mandys and one barbershop goby. Also, if the mandarins don't eat, should I put them in the display? Should I go ahead and treat with cp now instead of just observing in case I need to move them over sooner? I used 2 straws put together to get some food down to the one I can see. Some tigger pods and some nutra ova and oyster eggs. I really want these guys to survive

 

[Mini Coop]

Don't feel bad. That is about what most people do. And many of them get away with it for years. Until they don't. We've even had members here go through multiple tank wipes and still don't quarantine.
Personally, I like knowing a heater failure wont cause an ich break out in my tank so I QT everything. What I laid out here is the absolute bare minimum I would suggest in quarantine. I recommend a much longer and detailed QT process for anyone stocking a large system or planning on expensive fish.

I’m sure there is an article that you might refer me to - but wondering if you can link me to your more detailed QT. Getting ready to start stocking my 180. Thinking because of the process length, may be getting fish to QT while the main tank is cycling.
I have 3 QT tanks - a 20 gal and 2 10 gallons. All separate filtration of course. Looking to possibly start with some Mathias and a tang. Any help would be great! I’ve dealt with the ich outbreak from stupid advice. Have had some bad luck in QT but know it is worth it.
I had 2 cardinals. One died pretty quickly. The other just never looked quite right so I refused to put her in the main tank. Lost her too. But glad it didn’t wipe my system. I’ll get better at QT but it’s a skill!!

 

[Humblefish]

I only have 2 pcs of rock, both rather on the smaller side, one is a shelf pc. The rest are plastic flowers or ceramic decorations to provide cover . If I do the cp, should I add a bit extra to compensate? I have 3 fish. 2 mandys and one barbershop goby. Also, if the mandarins don't eat, should I put them in the display? Should I go ahead and treat with cp now instead of just observing in case I need to move them over sooner? I used 2 straws put together to get some food down to the one I can see. Some tigger pods and some nutra ova and oyster eggs. I really want these guys to survive

This is a difficult question to answer, because if a biofilm has formed on either rock it may deplete CP rather quickly: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/qt-and-biofilm.292878/

I wouldn't cut short QT for a mandy or any other fish for that matter. A disease could be suppressing appetite. I've yet to encounter a dragonet that wouldn't eat Nutramar ova.

 

[Susan Edwards]

This is a difficult question to answer, because if a biofilm has formed on either rock it may deplete CP rather quickly: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/qt-and-biofilm.292878/

I wouldn't cut short QT for a mandy or any other fish for that matter. A disease could be suppressing appetite. I've yet to encounter a dragonet that wouldn't eat Nutramar ova.

I tried the nutramar ova this morning. I put 2 straws together and used a turkey baster to shoot food down to where it is. I'll try again tonight. If I do cp, it's not a big deal to remove the 2 rocks and put them in a tub with airstone to keep anything on them alive. There are a few pcs of rubble that had pods living in them but they are just rubble. And I'll take a couple of the plastic plants out as well. the female is on the large ceramic piece. I'll give them a couple days of target feeding.

If they aren't eating, should I add prazi just in case? the barbar shop goby was eating last night. No idea where it is today

 

[Humblefish]

If they aren't eating, should I add prazi just in case? the barbar shop goby was eating last night. No idea where it is today

You can't mix Prazipro with CP. You would need to use API General Cure (which contains powder praziquantel).

 

[Susan Edwards]

I haven't used cp yet. No meds. If the mandys don't start eating or moving around, should I start a medication. And if so, which one. I know I can do prazi, followed by carbon, then cp. Or is api general cure a better route. I also have rallys and paraguard. I want as low stress as reasonable, for me too....

 

[Humblefish]

I haven't used cp yet. No meds. If the mandys don't start eating or moving around, should I start a medication. And if so, which one. I know I can do prazi, followed by carbon, then cp. Or is api general cure a better route. I also have rallys and paraguard. I want as low stress as reasonable, for me too....

If you're wanting low stress + treating as many different diseases as possible , then I would start with CP.

 

[Susan Edwards]

If you're wanting low stress + treating as many different diseases as possible , then I would start with CP.

Okay, tomorrow, I'll remove the larger rocks, not the few pcs of rubble, and start cp. I actually took out 2 of the plastic plants as what I put in are bottom fish and I want to see them while the plants were for mid to top swimmers. The male hasn't moved at all today, the female is resting on one of the openings to the ceramic tower.

Should I use a bit more than needed to compensate for sand?

 

[Humblefish]

Should I use a bit more than needed to compensate for sand?

Yes; dose @ 60mg/gal.