do you believe in quarantine?

perfectdark

perfectdark

Active Member
Well from a new hobbiest stand point, I can tell you this. IMO the benifits of QT far out weigh the drawbacks. My QT is only a 10 gal but I only have a 29 gal cube tank. It is set up with 2 small HOB filters and a MJ 600 powerhead. Sponges in the filters and carbon in one filter chamber. No lights except for a actinic flourescent and a desk lamp nearby for observation.
I have a 36 gal bow front tank being set up now, and I also have a 29 gal tank that will take over as a QT with the 10 gal set aside as an emergency hospital tank or what ever I may need it for. My intention isnt to get a tank the size of my DT for quarantine but in the event I get a fish that the 10gal may not be suitable for I wont have to worry.
In the short time I have enjoyed this hobby I too had a bout with ich, it started small and went away. I was thinking that this is something that can be licked pretty easily. I used garlic, the so called reef safe meds, and lots of water changes. All I did was stress out my fish further and eventually the ich over came all of them. I eventually lost them all and since then QT everything I bring in.
 
R

rcreations

Guest
I think in PerfectDark's case, QT works. He has a 29gal display and a 10gal QT. That's a pretty good system going. But then I see people with 150+gal displays who QT in 10 or 20gal tanks. That just doesn't work, to put a big fish in such a tiny envirnment for 3 weeks. It does more harm than good.
If done right QT work well. But from reading these forums, 80% of the QT tanks only end up stressing the fish even more.
 
perfectdark

perfectdark

Active Member
Originally Posted by RCreations
http:///forum/post/2523092
I think in PerfectDark's case, QT works. He has a 29gal display and a 10gal QT. That's a pretty good system going. But then I see people with 150+gal displays who QT in 10 or 20gal tanks. That just doesn't work, to put a big fish in such a tiny envirnment for 3 weeks. It does more harm than good.
If done right QT work well. But from reading these forums, 80% of the QT tanks only end up stressing the fish even more.
I think we are getting away from understanding that the OP would assume that the QT should be one that was set up properly. This makes all the difference in the world. You cant debate this scenario to a case where the tank wasnt set up properly. All things considered equal here, a properly set up and established QT is where IMO this debate should begin.
 
crimzy

crimzy

Active Member
Originally Posted by PerfectDark
http:///forum/post/2523101
I think we are getting away from understanding that the OP would assume that the QT should be one that was set up properly. This makes all the difference in the world. You cant debate this scenario to a case where the tank wasnt set up properly. All things considered equal here, a properly set up and established QT is where IMO this debate should begin.
Of the 36 voters so far who do use QT, how many of them do you think have the proper size, proper filtered and properly fed QT? My bet would be that you'd get less than 5 or 10 at most with a proper QT.
 
R

rcreations

Guest
Originally Posted by PerfectDark
http:///forum/post/2523101
I think we are getting away from understanding that the OP would assume that the QT should be one that was set up properly. This makes all the difference in the world. You cant debate this scenario to a case where the tank wasnt set up properly. All things considered equal here, a properly set up and established QT is where IMO this debate should begin.
But I think it's the opposite of what you're saying. You can't generalize the benefit of QT based on a select few who have the right setup. You need to look at the average person, you have to look at what the majority of people have set up, whether for money reasons, space and so on. And the majority have a QT way too small, with very poor filtration and hopefully a cycled tank. Though even if it's cycled, a little tank with a big fish and a little sponge filter, for 3 weeks is a disaster. That's writing a death sentence for the poor fish. Whereas if you put this big fish straight in the display, feed it with garlic laced food and provide a nice environment, this fish has a much better chance of survival.
 
espkh9

espkh9

Member
I'm sorry but with all due respect most of us will spend more money on an average coral than it cost to set up a proper QT. 20 gallons is better but even if you get a 10 gallon tank you can get a heater for $15 a power head for $10 pvc for $5 the tank for $10 paint the three sides of the walls for nothing. and a filter for $20 hang on nothing fancy.
That's $60. So please whne you say I would QT all fish I just don't have the space or the money for it think about that next time you go buy fish food or any equipment or any fish or an coral or a 10lb rock. I think it is a sorry excuse and a poor one and you are definately not being the consciencous marine aquarist by not setting up a proper QT. If it is setup correctly and I am no expert but you can see beth's thread she is. It is not made to stress out the fish but rather to help them. Granted I QT and one of my fish have a parasite but think about the time and effort and stress I would have to deal with if i placed this fish directly in my reef ? Like Sepulation said 99% of diseases come because people did not QT. If your going to shoot back and say I cant put a 10 inch fish in a 10 gallon well then buy a 55 gallon QT you need to be responsible in this hobby, If you don't have the means to setup a proper QT for you inhabitants then you should buy smaller fish and do it the right way. I can't just sit here and I know I'm new so excuse me for being bold but when I see people saying I wish I could QT but I have no room or I can't afford it. Thats just weak. Just my opinion.
 
aquaknight

aquaknight

Active Member
You guys are missing the point. The point is a proper QT is benefical, period. Regardless of tank situation, if you can QT properly, there are no drawbacks, only pluses. If you call getting by with Ich outbreaks every couple of months, a 'success' so be it.
I understand most don't QT properly, but people also keep fish in displays smaller then they're suppose to. Probably in about worse ratios then QTs. If you can't afford a proper QT, but want the fish anyway, can you really afford the fish? If QT makes too much of $$ dent, what about the proper equipment on the display?
4 QT's here, 55, 25, 12, 10.
 
R

rcreations

Guest
It also has to do with space constraints, not just money. If someone has a 150 gal tank, they might not have any space for a 55gal QT.
But yea, a PERFECTLY setup QT is good to have. I'll leave it at that.
 
aquaknight

aquaknight

Active Member
Well, when you're planning your tank(s) out, perhaps figuring in proper QT's should be part of the equation? This hobby is about sacifrices and choices, if you can only keep X sized QT, keep only X sized fish?
 
perfectdark

perfectdark

Active Member
Originally Posted by crimzy
http:///forum/post/2523121
Of the 36 voters so far who do use QT, how many of them do you think have the proper size, proper filtered and properly fed QT? My bet would be that you'd get less than 5 or 10 at most with a proper QT.

Your right I cant argue that, however as responsible fish owners this shouldnt be the case. But that also doesnt mean that a QT set up properly is not effective or not necessary. I believe that it is a necessary step in keeping a disese free fish from entering your DT. And helping it transition from where it came from to a DT with other inhabitants, competing for food, territory etc...
 
perfectdark

perfectdark

Active Member
Originally Posted by AquaKnight
http:///forum/post/2523199
Well, when you're planning your tank(s) out, perhaps figuring in proper QT's should be part of the equation? This hobby is about sacifrices and choices, if you can only keep X sized QT, keep only X sized fish?
I agree... 100%.
 
convbmw

convbmw

Member
I didn't, I regret it, what a night mare. Ich was rampant in daysI will from now one FOR SURE.
In fact, I need to research and find out how to make a QT tank.
 
T

tizzo

Guest
With my last tank... I only qt'ed fish. Well all but one, a mandarin. Stupid mandarin brought in parasites, so all my fish got "hospitalized for a while as a result.
I did however dip all my corals in flatworm exit and iodine, after a bout of flatworms in my tank.
Then I got pyramid snails and couldn't get rid of them, so with this new tank I will qt the snails.
I don't want red bugs, aiptasia or majano, or mantis.
I know there is no lenth of QT that will guarantee avoidance, but I will throw everything in the little qt tank for a week as a little added measure of security.
 
kjr_trig

kjr_trig

Active Member
Good thread...I'm going back and forth on this right now, I have a new 240 FOWLR about 2 months old, I also have a 25 gallon that I planned on using as a QT as soon as I find an appropriate home for the 2 Groumis (freshwater) currently inhabiting it. Yes, I would like to QT new fish for 4 weeks before adding them to the DT, but I feel 4 weeks in a 25 would be a lot more stressful for the new fish (for example a $125 Sargassum Trigger I am considering) than the risk that he may infect the DT, would I really want to further stress this fish???. I have a really good UV (40 Watts), I know thats not the cure all but it sure helps. I had my previous tank for 5+ years and never got ich, or anything serious and I didn't QT...Again, I am really back and forth on this one so I enjoyed reading the thread.
 
bewaretheblond

bewaretheblond

New Member
i quarantine everything, but i'm wondering if it's worth it. i hypo all the fish even if i don't see any spots, but only 3 out of 11 fish have made it. i'm obviously doing something wrong but i keep reading and researching and i can't figure out what it is.
so after a year and a half all i have is 2 clowns and a foxface. it's very discouraging...
 
dkfloyd

dkfloyd

Member
From a newbie.... I didn't used to Quarantine. Then of course my Coral Beauty got ich. It died in Hypo the other day. I actually think it died because the QT wasen't cycled enough yet though.
Personally I do think qt is a good thing and I will qt. IMO, it is too risky to add another (new) fish to a tank that is diseased or could become diseased.
I would rather give (an expensive) fish a better chance in qt than to risk all of my fish getting sick or worse (again).
I don't like the idea of having to acclimate them again and I question this::::
I thought fish could also get ich from being stressed? So what would prevent a fish after quarantine from getting ich - after being put into the DT?
 
al mc

al mc

Active Member
Originally Posted by dkfloyd
http:///forum/post/2569417
I don't like the idea of having to acclimate them again and I question this::::
I thought fish could also get ich from being stressed? So what would prevent a fish after quarantine from getting ich - after being put into the DT?
If Ich is present in the environment that the fish is in and it gets stressed you are likely to see an Ich outbreak. However, if you have an Ich Free environment then even when stressed the fish will not get Ich.
 
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