Can EVERYONE Quarantine New Fish & Corals? Are their viable reasons not to QT?

[Paul B]

Also knew a chinese restaurant that had fish at least 10 years old that had nothing but neon pink and orange plastic plants.

Yes but those fish hated the owner and probably kept spitting in the tank to show their dissatisfaction.

I QT all my Fish

I know, but hopefully not the pipefish I bought from you.
They are still smiling by the way.

 

[PharmrJohn]

When I reboot, I'll QT (or buy livestock from a QT vendor) just about everything i deem necessary to QT. I had a tank crash about 12 years ago that cost me everything. It was just after adding a Mandarin. While at the time I had no clue about fish diseases and absolutely no idea what happened, I have a strong feeling now it was velvet or something equally catastrophic. I NEVER QTd back then. Not happening again.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

The primary reason to quarantine new animals is to be protect your existing collection. If that isn’t a consideration (no other fish in the tank for example) then quarantine isn’t as important.

Every AZA zoo and aquarium MUST quarantine every new animal, it is one of the requirements to be accredited. Veterinarians must feel it is vitally important or that wouldn’t be the case.

Here is the quarantine process we developed for home aquariums here:

Current Quarantine Protocol

2023 Quarantine Procedures Jay Hemdal David Scarborough Protozoans (Cryptocaryon/ich, Amyloodinium/velvet) and Metazoan trematodes/flukes are by far the most common parasites found on newly acquired fish. A carefully managed quarantine process can effectively eliminate these parasites before...

www.reef2reef.com

Jay

 

[kenchilada]

The primary reason to quarantine new animals is to be protect your existing collection. If that isn’t a consideration (no other fish in the tank for example) then quarantine isn’t as important.

Every AZA zoo and aquarium MUST quarantine every new animal, it is one of the requirements to be accredited. Veterinarians must feel it is vitally important or that wouldn’t be the case.

Here is the quarantine process we developed for home aquariums here:

Current Quarantine Protocol

2023 Quarantine Procedures Jay Hemdal David Scarborough Protozoans (Cryptocaryon/ich, Amyloodinium/velvet) and Metazoan trematodes/flukes are by far the most common parasites found on newly acquired fish. A carefully managed quarantine process can effectively eliminate these parasites before...

www.reef2reef.com

Jay

Are zoo/aquarium quarantine systems setup at all like home quarantine systems?

 

[kenchilada]

The primary reason to quarantine new animals is to be protect your existing collection. If that isn’t a consideration (no other fish in the tank for example) then quarantine isn’t as important.

Seems equally important that the first fish you add be quarantined, no? LFS runs suppression protocol (though they often insist they’re doing prophylaxis) that hide problems. Many problems don’t always show up on day one, like internal parasites or flukes.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Are zoo/aquarium quarantine systems setup at all like home quarantine systems?

Yes - but are typically much larger. Bare tanks with plastic hiding spots and a good biofilter is the norm.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Seems equally important that the first fish you add be quarantined, no? LFS runs suppression protocol (though they often insist they’re doing prophylaxis) that hide problems. Many problems don’t always show up on day one, like internal parasites or flukes.

Yes - I meant if the tank is only going to house the original fish, and if they are in good shape and have a good history (tank raised, pre quarantined, having been held for a long period in captivity already, etc.). Not quarantining those fish won't risk the existing collection (because there isn't any).

In my home office, I have a Biocube 16 with soft corals and inverts. I added one very healthy Darwin clown that I didn't quarantine (oh my!) but I knew that fish had a good history and I won't add any new fish. For me, that risk was then negligible.

Jay

 

[FernBluffReef]

I setup two tanks with the expectation of using the small tank for QT / Observation - at least in the beginning. Never worked out quite as well as I expected but never does. Either way I did buy a QT’d Scopas tang from my local LFS which is really 2 weeks of conditioning. I then put the guy in the small tank for over a month for observation. All was well. Moved to the main tank and instant ich where no ich before to my knowledge and both are new tanks. So now ich management for me. Scopus got over it after a week or two and tank showed no further signs but know it’s there. New adds since then no issues.

Fast forward to about 5-6 weeks ago when I added an ich magnet (powder blue). I wasn’t going to get one but could not not get one. Ich right off the bat as expected. Scopas got it again, as have a couple others. Every one is eating fine but it is spreading - was hoping they would largely work thru it by now.

Meanwhile the small tank continues to show no sign of ich. So I got it in the display but not the observation tank to my knowledge. Have I been perfect on QT. Nope. Some fish like Mandarin went straight in as they are just hard to QT.

I have a third tank now for hospital but have yet to use save for a Ritteri. But QT for ich no reason to do so and I’m not ready to go fallow as I’m skeptical ich can be kept out anyway without extreme measures. Crossing my fingers ich management wins the day

 

[NancyFish]

I qt fish, but nothing else. I used to qt everything, but actually had more losses doing that.

What’s your current process, I’m debating QT our first coral but it seems people are divided.

 

[BZOFIQ]

I can't dedicate any more space in my house and then there is the time needed or rather the systemic approach to move fish during tank swap quarantine etc.

I do however have a long 33G established "observation" tank where I can introduce new arrivals to make sure they dont break out with anything which also allows me to feed different foods with no competition around.

I tend to keep fish there for 90 days or so before saying ok enough and moving them over to the DT.

I hope I never have a disaster in the DT

 

[Sump Crab]

No thanks lol