dangles
Valuable Member
I had started a thread a couple of months ago asking specifically about Dr. Reef's quarantined chromis. Earlier this year I had done an AquaBiomics TankDNA test that found no DNA evidence of uronema (or other common fish parasites/diseases) and I would really like to keep it that way! I had read very good things about his fish/business in general, but since chromis are especially prone to uronema, I was curious if anybody had any first-hand experience with his chromis in particular. At one point (I don't believe it's there anymore) there was a disclaimer on his chromis page stating that even with his quarantine protocol, sometimes chromis will still develop signs of uronema from the stress of shipping. Internal uronema is nearly impossible to detect before the fish begins showing symptoms (usually a result of shipping stress).
A number of people responded with general Dr. Reef experiences, and then to my surprise, Mike (Dr. Reef) chimed in and offered to send me an order of his chromis free of charge for evaluation! So let this serve as my "disclaimer" that these chromis were sent to me free of charge. All he asked was that I post about my experience after the fact, "good or bad." I told him I would be happy to, and I would go a step further and get @AquaBiomics TankDNA tests both before introduction, and after. The TankDNA test from earlier this year came back clean, but I wanted a fresh test just to make sure that was still the case before I introduced the new chromis. I didn't want to attribute any issues to his fish if it was actually something I introduced after my last DNA test. Mike said that's fine and wanted me to post the results no matter what they ended up being.
A little background about his chromis and QT protocols...
Not long ago Mike began sourcing his chromis from the east coast of Africa (Kenya). According to Mike, the chromis they have been getting from there are the only ones they've seen that haven't been showing signs of uronema. He speculates that might be due to higher average temps and salinity, but of course there's no way to know for sure.
As far as his quarantine protocols for chromis (and anthias)...
It's important to note that no quarantine protocol is 100%. Even with the new Kenyan source, and these medicated quarantine steps in place, there is STILL a chance that the chromis will have internal uronema (or something else). However, the steps Mike takes with his fish reduces that risk to about as low as it can be. Dr. Reef still recommends an observation period of 7-10 days (at least) before introduction into a display to further reduce (but not eliminate!) risk. I'm comfortable taking that risk personally, but that is up to each individual person. I have come to believe that occasional AB TankDNA tests are a prudent step to take for anybody so you can have a good understanding of what is (or is not) actually in your tank - even if the tank seems to be free of disease, it might not be!
Mike ended up sending me 7 chromis. They were all 2" or slightly larger, which is bigger than what I normally see in my LFS. When they arrived (good packaging/insulation, plenty of water in well-sealed bags, etc.), 5 of the 7 looked to be in good condition. Two however were not doing well - lying on their sides, gasping in the bags. I followed the acclimation guide on the Dr. Reef website and then placed the fish in a simple observation tank I set up. That seemed to "revive" the 2 that were struggling. Over the course of a few days, one of the 2 ended up dying, but the other seemed to be hanging on, although it was not a vigorous eater and pretty much stayed in one corner of the observation tank staring at the wall. After 5 days in observation, 5 of the 6 remaining were eating very well and I was confident enough to add them to my display (after lights-out). I left the remaining chromis that was not eating well in the observation tank to try to get him healthy before adding him to the display. After a few more days in obs he seemed to be eating well enough. I added him to the display. Sadly I found him stuck to my MP40 guard the next morning. I attribute both of the deaths to stress, as there were no outward signs of disease. I of course will not be asking for a "refund" or replacement because they were freebies, but they do have a reasonable DOA and 3-day guarantee.
It has now been 3 weeks since the chromis were added to the tank. There was some initial bullying from my established fish population, but after about 24-48 hours that subsided. They've been doing great ever since.
As for the AquaBiomics test, I'm still waiting for the results I sent in right before adding the chromis. It should be posted any time now (as I write this I keep flipping back and forth between tabs, refreshing my AB page to see if the results pop up!). I have another test kit standing by to sample and submit after the chromis have been in the system for a month or so. I did not add anything since the pre-chromis test, and won't until after the post-chromis test in another couple of weeks. That should be plenty of time for any issues to show up on a test. I will update this post as soon as I get the results!
My experience with Dr. Reef was excellent in every way, and however the AquaBiomics tests turn out, Mike has earned my business moving forward.
(Sorry for the crummy pics! These little fellas are hard to get on camera, constantly darting around everywhere!)
A number of people responded with general Dr. Reef experiences, and then to my surprise, Mike (Dr. Reef) chimed in and offered to send me an order of his chromis free of charge for evaluation! So let this serve as my "disclaimer" that these chromis were sent to me free of charge. All he asked was that I post about my experience after the fact, "good or bad." I told him I would be happy to, and I would go a step further and get @AquaBiomics TankDNA tests both before introduction, and after. The TankDNA test from earlier this year came back clean, but I wanted a fresh test just to make sure that was still the case before I introduced the new chromis. I didn't want to attribute any issues to his fish if it was actually something I introduced after my last DNA test. Mike said that's fine and wanted me to post the results no matter what they ended up being.
A little background about his chromis and QT protocols...
Not long ago Mike began sourcing his chromis from the east coast of Africa (Kenya). According to Mike, the chromis they have been getting from there are the only ones they've seen that haven't been showing signs of uronema. He speculates that might be due to higher average temps and salinity, but of course there's no way to know for sure.
As far as his quarantine protocols for chromis (and anthias)...
It's important to note that no quarantine protocol is 100%. Even with the new Kenyan source, and these medicated quarantine steps in place, there is STILL a chance that the chromis will have internal uronema (or something else). However, the steps Mike takes with his fish reduces that risk to about as low as it can be. Dr. Reef still recommends an observation period of 7-10 days (at least) before introduction into a display to further reduce (but not eliminate!) risk. I'm comfortable taking that risk personally, but that is up to each individual person. I have come to believe that occasional AB TankDNA tests are a prudent step to take for anybody so you can have a good understanding of what is (or is not) actually in your tank - even if the tank seems to be free of disease, it might not be!
Mike ended up sending me 7 chromis. They were all 2" or slightly larger, which is bigger than what I normally see in my LFS. When they arrived (good packaging/insulation, plenty of water in well-sealed bags, etc.), 5 of the 7 looked to be in good condition. Two however were not doing well - lying on their sides, gasping in the bags. I followed the acclimation guide on the Dr. Reef website and then placed the fish in a simple observation tank I set up. That seemed to "revive" the 2 that were struggling. Over the course of a few days, one of the 2 ended up dying, but the other seemed to be hanging on, although it was not a vigorous eater and pretty much stayed in one corner of the observation tank staring at the wall. After 5 days in observation, 5 of the 6 remaining were eating very well and I was confident enough to add them to my display (after lights-out). I left the remaining chromis that was not eating well in the observation tank to try to get him healthy before adding him to the display. After a few more days in obs he seemed to be eating well enough. I added him to the display. Sadly I found him stuck to my MP40 guard the next morning. I attribute both of the deaths to stress, as there were no outward signs of disease. I of course will not be asking for a "refund" or replacement because they were freebies, but they do have a reasonable DOA and 3-day guarantee.
It has now been 3 weeks since the chromis were added to the tank. There was some initial bullying from my established fish population, but after about 24-48 hours that subsided. They've been doing great ever since.
As for the AquaBiomics test, I'm still waiting for the results I sent in right before adding the chromis. It should be posted any time now (as I write this I keep flipping back and forth between tabs, refreshing my AB page to see if the results pop up!). I have another test kit standing by to sample and submit after the chromis have been in the system for a month or so. I did not add anything since the pre-chromis test, and won't until after the post-chromis test in another couple of weeks. That should be plenty of time for any issues to show up on a test. I will update this post as soon as I get the results!
My experience with Dr. Reef was excellent in every way, and however the AquaBiomics tests turn out, Mike has earned my business moving forward.
(Sorry for the crummy pics! These little fellas are hard to get on camera, constantly darting around everywhere!)
