Qt?

[jwils27]

dose everyone use a QT tank for new fish (online or LFS). if not why would or wouldn't you use a QT tank for new fish? i've heard alot of opinions on this and from QT everything and nuke em with med's to don't QT b/c it stresses out the fish even more. i tend to believe in a more natural aproach ie good diet neon gobies and cleaner shrimp but my experiance is limmited. just want to see what all you pros think .

 

[FutureInterest]

Oooo... don't get these guys started on this topic again... It's just painful!

 

[FutureInterest]

Here's the original thread where some of our more argumentative folks staked their claims. Brandon was kind enough to compile most of the more useful Ich articles online into one big article... and the debate over prophylactic QT procedures ensues shortly thereafter.

 

[stanfill reef]

I will never again put a fish in a display tank without QT. I had a near complete wipe-out of a tank when we introduced a fish with velvet into our 30-gal tank. The only fish that survived was our firefish. I now have a 20-gal nano reef setup that we use for QT. It only has inverts and corals the rest of the time. If the fish shows signs of illness, I move them to a hospital tank where I can add medication.

My wife was devestated after that loss. I won't do it again.

 

[xyzpdq0121]

Ok everyone buckle their seatbelts because here I go on a rant again!!!

First a few places that you might be a little misinformed:

YES YOU NEED TO QT EVERYTHING (fish, coral, inverts, Live Rock, Sand from another's tank, Macro Algae, EVERYTHING!) That might be a bit extream but you get the idea!

You are not medicating your fish in QT. It is just a holding spot for them so you can watch them and make sure they are healthy. Medication only is used if there is a problem!

Fact: take a look at your LFS, EVERYONE has Ich in their tanks. Fact: take a look at 90% of the tanks in people's living room, they have ich and most of the owners do not realize it.

Fact: you spend ALOT of money on your tank... If you want to take the risk of puting in an illness that could wipe it all out, be my guest.. Just know that a QT can solve most problems in a tank. No more Ich, No more flatworms, no more redbugs, less chance of an unknown hitch hiker, Etc...

Fact: While cleaner shrimp are fun to watch, 1) not all of them clean all the time, and 2) not all fish let them clean and 3) they take care of only a small portion of what you are going to let into your tank without a QT.

Ok that is all I have time to type right now but be sure I will be back with more!

 

[xyzpdq0121]

Jin: +1 for remembering that link!!!

 

[FutureInterest]

LOL. I had it bookmarked... it was compelling stuff! I forgot to remove it even though the thread is now dead .

 

[budsreef]

Ok, so I buy into the reasons and the theory, but what is the implementation side of doing it? Do you keep a tank running at all times with nothing in it? I have that now, but am going to turn that tank into a frag tank in the near future. What is a practical set up for a qt tank?

 

[jetchris]

yes what is a practcal setup and how log do you keep them in QT

 

[xyzpdq0121]

Dang did not one read the HARD work I did on that Ich topic?!? Really!!!!

Ok here it is again for you kids in the back of the class!

Ok, Ok, You have made your point! How do I not get Ich?!?

Well, Question for the ARC group. How many people in the group have set up a QT tank?!? Ya not too many! (and your excuse is not because you got me to pawn your fish off to and do it for you! You know who you are! ) I have never met another member that has shown me their tank, sump, fuge and then QT set up! I only know one person that has told me that they were setting up a QT tank when they got their last batch of fish, and I do not know if that was the truth or if this member was just saying this because he was afraid that I would not give him his fish without it! Other then that, I do not know of ONE other QT/Hospital tank in the club other then my own! (I am sure there is one but I have never seen it!) Why is this?!? It costs less then one of the fish you put in your tanks! You would keep more fish alive in the long run with it! You would save yourself WEEKS of work and heart ach if you would have one! EVERY book you have read that was published in the past 10 years has told you that you NEED one! So why don't you have one?!? Ya, I am talking to you, WHY DON'T YOU HAVE ONE?!? Having one is they ONLY way not to get Ich in your display tank! That is it, that is the cure all! Easy end of thread.... Well not quite.

How to set up a QT tank:</em>
The equipment involved for quarantine is ridiculously simple. You will need a small glass/acrylic tank with cover (from 10 &#8211; 40 gallons, depending upon the size/number of specimens that you are working with), outside power, canister, or sponge filter, and a reliable aquarium heater of sufficient wattage for the tank that you&#8217;re using. Other items include an accurate thermometer, a dedicated net (that will not be used in any other aquarium), siphon for water changes, and test kits for any therapeutic agents that you will be using, such as copper.
That&#8217;s about all you need! No rocks, gravel, or other substrate is used, as these materials can potentially bind with or absorb any medications you may be using. Inert materials such as PVC pipe sections may be used to create hiding places for your fishes.
Setting up is a very simple process. Several days before the arrival of your new animals, fill the aquarium with water from your main system. Introduce the filter, plug in the heater, and you&#8217;re ready to go. (Here&#8217;s a tip: If you keep your filter sponge or other quarantine tank filter media in your main system&#8217;s sump when the quarantine tank is not running, you will always have a filter that is fully colonized by beneficial bacteria at all times.)
Following a proper dip/bath procedure, which is in itself a simple procedure, introduce your fishes to the quarantine aquarium. I highly recommend refraining from running the tank lights, if present, for at least the first 24 hours to give the new fishes a chance to settle in after a rough journey. In fact, ambient room light is usually fine.
It&#8217;s a good idea to wait overnight before attempting to feed your new arrivals, as they are usually not inclined to eat right off the bat. Besides, cleanliness in the quarantine tank is of utmost importance. Any uneaten food should be promptly siphoned from the tank to avoid pollution.
The quarantine tank&#8217;s water chemical parameters (pH, etc.) and temperature should approximate these found in your main system. Some hobbyists like to run their quarantine tank at a lower specific gravity (as low as 1.010) to assist in eliminating parasites, but I like to keep the quarantine tank at a "normal" specific gravity (1.022 &#8211; 1.026). Since you are working with a smaller volume of water in most cases, it&#8217;s important to follow a diligent schedule of small water changes. Assuming that your main system is healthy, you can utilize water from the main tank to replace the water in your quarantine tank. Since it is the water that your new charges will eventually be living in, I can&#8217;t think of a better use for wastewater from your main system&#8217;s routine water changes (you are doing regular water changes, aren&#8217;t you?). The quarantine period should last 21 days. <Let me interject here to and say you should run it for 4-6 weeks at a minimum in my opinion! Better to be safe then sorry. Also the clock starts when you add your last fish to the QT, not your first. If you add a fish 2 weeks after the others, the clock starts over again!>
During the quarantine period, observe your fishes daily and be sure to keep a keen eye out for any potential infection. Obvious signs of illness, such as rapid respiration, open sores, fungus, etc. require recognition and quick action on the part of the aquarist. As you will find, the quarantine tank presents a perfect environment to treat fish diseases before they can spread to your main system. See elsewhere on the wetwebmedia site for information on the recognition, diagnosis, and treatment of various afflictions that can affect your fishes.
What do you do if your fishes do become ill during the quarantine period? Two things: First, take the appropriate actions to treat your fishes, and second, congratulate yourself on having the foresight to utilize quarantine procedures with your fishes! Unfortunate though it may be, you will receive the best possible lesson on why quarantine is so important.
Keep in mind that, should disease rear its ugly head during quarantine, you&#8217;ll need to reset the clock for another 21 days after you have successfully eradicated the ailment. There would be absolutely no point in rushing to add your newly cured fishes to your main system at that stage of the game. Patience is truly a virtue with quarantine, and it will, reward you and your fishes handsomely.
Should you acquire more new fishes while you are in the middle of the quarantine period (this never happens, right?), you have two options: either add the new fishes to the quarantine tank (after appropriate prophylactic dips/baths) and reset the calendar for 21 more days, OR you can set up a new quarantine tank! Either way, you have to stick to the 21-day rule. It&#8217;s that important.
In addition to being an invaluable aid in the prevention of disease in your main system, the quarantine tank provides a perfect environment for newly-received fishes to "toughen up" and rest after the long ordeal of capture, shipping, and handling. Your fish will be refreshed, well fed, and most important of all, healthy after a stay in your quarantine tank. When the 21 days are up, and your new fishes have been introduced to their new home, you can break down and thoroughly clean the quarantine system. Be sure that none of the equipment from your quarantine tank comes in contact with your main system before it has been cleaned, particularly if you were utilizing copper or other therapeutic agents in the tank. Your sponge filter or other filter media may then be sterilized and placed back in the sump of your main system to re-colonize beneficial, ready for your next new arrivals.
Hopefully, you are now convinced of the value of the quarantine tank, and the piece of mind and other benefits it provides. Such a simple concept, yet an invaluable tool. The quarantine tank is used at all public aquariums as a first line of defense against the introduction of disease. Aquarists at public aquariums cannot afford the risk of infecting their entire population of fishes, neither should you. Quarantine should become an integral part of YOUR fish keeping procedures.
</em>

 

[FutureInterest]

I think all you need is a spare tank... no reason to keep it filled and running at all times. You do want some bio filtration so its wise to use an old school hang on the back power filter. Take one of those filter cartridges that you slide into the power filter and put it in your sump in a place where it won't be catching detrius so it'll get filled with good bacteria.

So when you need to set the QT up, just do a partial water change on your main tank . Drain the water into the QT and throw the power filter on there and put in the filter cartridge. You'll also want to put a heater on there of course and its always a good idea to put in pvc pipes so the fish have places to hide and feel more secure.

 

[jmaneyapanda]

Xyzpdq0121;51526 wrote: Ok everyone buckle their seatbelts because here I go on a rant again!!!

First a few places that you might be a little misinformed:

YES YOU NEED TO QT EVERYTHING (fish, coral, inverts, Live Rock, Sand from another's tank, Macro Algae, EVERYTHING!) That might be a bit extream but you get the idea!

You are not medicating your fish in QT. It is just a holding spot for them so you can watch them and make sure they are healthy. Medication only is used if there is a problem!

Fact: take a look at your LFS, EVERYONE has Ich in their tanks. Fact: take a look at 90% of the tanks in people's living room, they have ich and most of the owners do not realize it.

Fact: you spend ALOT of money on your tank... If you want to take the risk of puting in an illness that could wipe it all out, be my guest.. Just know that a QT can solve most problems in a tank. No more Ich, No more flatworms, no more redbugs, less chance of an unknown hitch hiker, Etc...

Fact: While cleaner shrimp are fun to watch, 1) not all of them clean all the time, and 2) not all fish let them clean and 3) they take care of only a small portion of what you are going to let into your tank without a QT.

Ok that is all I have time to type right now but be sure I will be back with more!

GET READY!! I agree with Brandon. On all points. I especiially like the last point about the cleaner shrimp. The last journal I read about them found no ick tomonts in their digestive system. While certainly a benefit to nearly every fish under every situation, they are not a cure for ick.

Bear in mind, you are not only QTing for ick, but any disease, and for other reasons too. To get an animal eating, maintian an ultra clean enviroment (QT tanks are typically much easier and likely to be kept extra clean), reduced stress due to lack of roommates (in most cases), etc.

 

[xyzpdq0121]

+1 for Panda (for agreeing with me!) But he will never know he got a rep point because he does not believe in them!! LOL J/K

Yes, I agree with Panda because he agree wth me... But more so because he is right. Little know fact, Ich does not present itself in nature. So logic would say that if a fish/shrimp that is using what it cleans off for food and has never seen Ich till he got in your tank, he would not know what to do with it.

Logic also says that what is going to clean your neon goby of ich (if you could clean it) since he is the one that is suppost to be eating it off other fish!

I sware one of these days when people complain that they brought in flat worms of brook or velvet or anything into their tank I am going to laugh at them before I help them. It might sound rude but I have been preatching a QT tank to people for as long as I have been on this forum and it is to no avail.

 

[budsreef]

OK, I may have been too lazy to go read through the original post, but thanks for putting it out again here and I'm convinced. I just got a call that my next new fish is now available and instead of going to get it today, I'm going to get my 10G ready this afternoon as a QT and go get the fish tomorrow. Getting it ready shouldn't take too much since it has been full of water with just a couple of pieces of live rock in it for a couple of months. I think I just need to test the water, do a large water change, and replace the filter.

Thanks for the timely kick in the pants to get moving on it.

 

[linda lee]

Budsreef;51550 wrote: ....what is the implementation side of doing it? What is a practical set up for a qt tank?

I think I have a 10-gal tank in the attic and am going to try my hand @ setting up a QT ~ ~ I'd like to see feedback regarding a pratical set-up.

Can you just run an undergravel filter and use regular ol' lights? What other equipment would you need? (I'm guessing you'd need no skimmer, since you'd just have 1 critter in there @ a time?)

A simple set up for this rookie, please! Liberal use of layman's terms will be appreciated!!!

Also, Fenner recommends that when you do system water changes for your main tank, you put <u>that</u> water into your QT after you dump the QT water. Sounds logical.

(pics of QT set-ups would help)


:unsure:

 

[cameron]

I support QT... but admit I don't do it. Once I realized I had ick in the tank and a fairly nasty QT fish loss, I just punted and threw the rest of the fish in there. I know it isn't a good practice, but some minor precautions were taken on most of the fish which included watching them in the fish store for a couple weeks before purchasing. I occasionally see a spot here or there, but I haven't had an outbreak yet.

 

[linda lee]

Linda Lee;51645 wrote: I think I have a 10-gal tank in the attic and am going to try my hand @ setting up a QT ~ ~ I'd like to see feedback regarding a pratical set-up.

Can you just run an undergravel filter and use regular ol' lights? What other equipment would you need? (I'm guessing you'd need no skimmer, since you'd just have 1 critter in there @ a time?)

A simple set up for this rookie, please! Liberal use of layman's terms will be appreciated!!!

Also, Fenner recommends that when you do system water changes for your main tank, you put <u>that</u> water into your QT after you dump the QT water. Sounds logical.

(pics of QT set-ups would help)


:unsure:

Please disregard above post (I just read Brandon's step-by-step and it sounds easy-peasy)

Duh... Brandon's post was just so teeeeny, I skimmed right over it.

:blush:

 

[xyzpdq0121]

Linda Lee;51666 wrote: Please disregard above post (I just read Brandon's step-by-step and it sounds easy-peasy)

Duh... Brandon's post was just so teeeeny, I skimmed right over it.

:blush:

LOL I was just fixing to get on to you for not reading!!!

 

[FutureInterest]

The oddest thing about ich is that its not deadly in most tanks. One would think that in a closed environment it would easily become deadly by exponential reproduction. Even fish that have "immunity" are still hosts to the ich parasite to some degree. Yet I only know of a few people that have had deadly ich outbreaks, like Brandon...

Anyone else here lose their fishies to ich?

 

[budsreef]

My QT is set up and ready to go for my new fish I'm getting tomorrow. It's a 10G kit from WalMart for $50. Came with Aqua Tech filter, cheap heater, cover and 18", 15W flourescent light fixture. It has some left over live rock that I didn't have room for in my other tank which I will leave there for now in hopes I won't have any problem that I need to treat chemically. I stopped at Home Depot and picked up some pvc elbows to throw in there as well for additional cover.