QT questions + dumb question

[jauringer]

Ok I am sorry too ask such a dumb question, but i have to. So i am finaly wanting to set up a QT, but I have a question first. i understand that it is used to medicate diseased fish and it is also used to monitor New arrivals for signs of disease after a stressfull move. However isn't the move from the QT to the main tank just as stressfull as bringing it home from the fish store. Are there a lot of cases where the fish gets ich or something after he has been QT ED for two or three weeks? Just wanted to hear peoples input on this. thanks

 

[jumpfrog]

Not a bad question at all and there are varying opinions on this subject and ardent fans of each philosophy. A QT tank can be a hospital tank or an observation tank or a refuge from other activities. The idea is to separate sick or weak fish from the main community to allow them to recover and/or minimize the chance of spreading disease.
A new fish at the store might have just finished a very stressful journey. Imagine day one being pulled from the waters off Fiji, placed in a bag and flown to LA. Then you go into a tub with many others only to pulled out a day later and put in another bag and sent by plane to NY. Where you are thrown in a tank only to be pulled out an placed in a bag to go to "your" house. Probably hasn't eaten in days (add to waste issues), has been burned some by ammonia and basically scared s*^)*%@$$. This stressed fish is just ready for a pathagen.
So, it hangs out in QT for a while so you can make sure it recovers, eats, etc. And, if it does get sick, you can treat it before it goes in your main system.
Of course there are those who feel that a well balanced system can handle/cure a sick fish as well.
Hope that helps.

 

[azeritis]

Just to take on on jumpfrog's post.
It is far easier to make a fish get used to captive conditions when it is by itself, where he will not have to antagonize other fish for food, hiding places, etc.
And then imagine this: having a tank running with your LR and some corals and inverts, and your fish. Introducing a fish from the pet shop that may carry diseases can mess up your tank. Why risk it?
There are those who have never had a problem and had success without a qt for many years. But there are those (I am one of them) who have seen expensive fish die and their tank crash because they did not have a qt.
In my opinion, and I am no expert, there are more pros than cons when running a qt.

 

[fshhub]

like mentioned, it eases transition and also severely lessens problems in the main tank. esp with disease and parasites. The odds of the transfer from qt tank to main tank being a prob are far less than the odds of the shiping in the last 2 or so weeks being a problem. Plus, if it does prevent a prob in your main tank, it prevents teh other fish from contracting the same problem too.
One last note, you should qurentine for a minimum of 1 full month, not 2 or 3 weeks.