invert fish in the QT

gravismaximus

gravismaximus

Member
i have set up my new QT with some of the DT sand and some rocks. my question is when i buy my next invert/fish how long should i put him in the QT for- 2 weeks befor i put him in the DT? also should i dip fish and or inverts in a methylene blue befor putting in the QT.
 
florida joe

florida joe

Well-Known Member
Ok you have to understand that this is just the way I am.
Your are setting up a QT GOOD FOR YOU
Now ICK is the most common parasite we encounter in this hobby. Take the next step in your education and research the life cycle of ick. Now figure out in what stage of that life cycle you can be introducing it into you QT add up the time lines and that is how long you should keep your fish in your QT. If you do not detect ick in this time frame you are good to go. If you do you will have to add the treatment time to the time frame.
OR YOU CAN JUST WAIT FOR SOMEONE TO TELL YOU HOW LONG
 
king_neptune

king_neptune

Active Member
I would advise against LS or LR in the QT.
If you put a fish with ICH in the tank, its going to keep propagating the ICH because there is sand and LR top complete the ICH life cycle.
Its best to use fake plants,rocks and PVC in a QT.
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member

Originally Posted by florida joe
http:///forum/post/3216125
Ok you have to understand that this is just the way I am.
Your are setting up a QT GOOD FOR YOU
Now ICK is the most common parasite we encounter in this hobby. Take the next step in your education and research the life cycle of ick. Now figure out in what stage of that life cycle you can be introducing it into you QT add up the time lines and that is how long you should keep your fish in your QT. If you do not detect ick in this time frame you are good to go. If you do you will have to add the treatment time to the time frame.
OR YOU CAN JUST WAIT FOR SOMEONE TO TELL YOU HOW LONG

I think this is great advice...but to use this idea one must assume the ich is free swimming and at the first stage just to be safe...so how long is the ich life cycle?
 
noah's nemo

noah's nemo

Member
i sorta agree and disagree.My QT is set up with LR and LS.Why,because i only get a new fish every couple months or so,if that.(which i think is best anyway).That is enough time for ick(if present from previous fish),to die off.But,if you want to add fish every couple weeks ,then neptunes advice is good.
 
king_neptune

king_neptune

Active Member
Originally Posted by Noah's Nemo
http:///forum/post/3216163
i sorta agree and disagree.My QT is set up with LR and LS.Why,because i only get a new fish every couple months or so,if that.(which i think is best anyway).That is enough time for ick(if present from previous fish),to die off.But,if you want to add fish every couple weeks ,then neptunes advice is good.
How do you handle your buisness when a fish you put in the QT tank shows ich for example?
Do you treat it for ICH right in the QT? or do you move it to a hospital tank?
 
king_neptune

king_neptune

Active Member

Originally Posted by Flower
http:///forum/post/3216161

so how long is the ich life cycle?
Good question. One I have recently become familiar with

hear is a key statement in an article I just read:
" Cycle can be completed in less than 7 days, but usually within 24 days BUT can go as long as 72 days. Literature usually quotes ‘average’ number of days. 72 days is rare; 60 days usually encompasses more than 99.9% of the observations and research."
Bottom line 4 weeks minimum to be fair. But as long as 10 in rare cases.
Personally I think that after 2 weeks in a QT and you don't see any signs of ICH, your safe to bet that its not present. But since I got burned recently...Im never going to practice(or suggest) any less than 4.
 
noah's nemo

noah's nemo

Member
Yes ,a hospital,with nothing in it(dry now),bare bottom.I never had a fish with ick.MY LFS is very good..He QT's for me too,but then i do too.Ick in DT ,no thank you!!
MY QT is just full of hermit crabs
 
king_neptune

king_neptune

Active Member
For me personally I have just recently set up a 55g hospital tank. But I plan to use it as the QT as well.
That way if future fish show any signs...I can get straight to business since HT and QT are one and the same.
 
noah's nemo

noah's nemo

Member
Yuo are right,but my QT is set-up behind my couch,and my kids like watching the crabs crawl around and fight for shells more than they like the DT
,yeah i kinda like it too.
 
srfisher17

srfisher17

Active Member
I QT EVERYTHING. I QT all fish and treat with copper (Sea-Chem Cupramine) and a de-wormer. Fish spend 4-5 weeks in QT. (I agree with Joe, look it up to be sure.) I have lots of fish and haven't seen a parasite in my DTs for many years. IMO, copper is not scary, I doubt that you could find a fish that hasn't been treated with copper on its trip from the reef to your tank.
 
king_neptune

king_neptune

Active Member
Isn't it bad for the liver and should be used as a cure, rather than prevention?
I have heard Nutra Kol is a good food supplement that will help boost the immune system against ICH and other's
 
srfisher17

srfisher17

Active Member
Originally Posted by King_Neptune
http:///forum/post/3216214
Isn't it bad for the liver and should be used as a cure, rather than prevention?
I assume you're talking about copper.
I've never heard this. Almost all shippers, collectors, wholesalers, online dealers, and many lfs, run copper constantly. I know many hobbiests do as well. Of course, it has to be well monitored.
I've heard of many things that supposedly (and probably do) help immune systems...mostly garlic based. However, if I'm sure no ich, or other preventable parasite is in any of my tanks, I never have to worry about it. Even the healthiest fish, with the best immune system, can be overcome by a parasite invasion.
 
king_neptune

king_neptune

Active Member
ya I was talking about copper. It was my understanding that it puts stress on the liver. I guess in controlled amounts though that makes sense in the same way that a glass of wine with is healthy.
 
gravismaximus

gravismaximus

Member
thanks, 4 weeks min. i agree with you joe i should do more research on my own, but i am pretty sure i will just ask someone who has done it all for me already like you
, lol. dont hate me

what about the second question- invert dipping in the blue?
 
king_neptune

king_neptune

Active Member
Originally Posted by gravismaximus
http:///forum/post/3216399
thanks, 4 weeks min. i agree with you joe i should do more research on my own, but i am pretty sure i will just ask someone who has done it all for me already like you
, lol. dont hate me

what about the second question- invert dipping in the blue?
Joes just tired of answering the same questions over and over when its in the sticky...or even a simple google search.
I dont mind since Ive been away for a while.
The way I see it is there are hundreds of thousands of people out there, so chances are there are a small number who dont know any other way to get a certin question answered from time to time. Ive asked my share of easy questions. Thats where %90 of my post count comes from

back to the dip:
I dont know, but I would say "Not needed"
My favorite way to do inverts is float them to raise the temp.
From there you can net them and drop them in(which has been my preferred method lately), or drip to match salinity. The key element is temp control...they spend too long under a drip line and they get cold, that is the most detrimental part of the whole change.
 
srfisher17

srfisher17

Active Member
Originally Posted by gravismaximus
http:///forum/post/3216399
thanks, 4 weeks min. i agree with you joe i should do more research on my own, but i am pretty sure i will just ask someone who has done it all for me already like you
, lol. dont hate me

what about the second question- invert dipping in the blue?
I also QT all inverts; they can easily carry various stages of many parasites. (no copper, of course). Maybe overkill, but I dont think so. A crab, coral, etc., could easily carry the tomont stage of ich into your tank--along with the potential to wipe out all the fish in the tank.
 
king_neptune

king_neptune

Active Member
Originally Posted by srfisher17
http:///forum/post/3216885
Maybe overkill, but I dont think so.
Heck no!
I learned thehard way, QT QT QT!
Im for sure never getting another fish w/o QT, but now I might start doing inverts and corals as well.
Fortunately Im past the hardest part of my ICH treatment(getting all the fish out), so I'm very lucky!
But its a lesson I learned, and sadly one I have known all along. Bottom line is its both impatience, and laziness that took hold of me. And I got an ICH infestation as a result. NEVER AGAIN!
 
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