The QT debate

[crimzy]

OK, I know there hasn't been much debate over the use of QT's. It is generally accepted to be an extremely valuable practice. I have doubts, though, about its usefulness and wanted to get some opinions on the subject. Here's my thoughts...
First, generally in the home aquarium, a QT is a much smaller tank and I am taking this as a given fact although I'm sure there are exceptions. So, for the sake of this discussion, people with larger tanks are supposed to place tangs, angels, butterflies and other large fish in the qt. IMO, this is an unnecessary stress on the fish. It is difficult enough to get a new fish comfortable in a large, suitable environment without subjecting it to another move and a smaller tank. Furthermore, if you get your fish from the lfs (like me), you can make sure to select only those fish that have been in their tanks for 3 wks or more and can see that they don't show any signs of disease.
Now, that being said, I think the true benefit of a qt is that you have a hospital tank that you can use to treat with hypo or meds as needed. I don't have any argument with this. But to QT every fish IMO can cause more harm than good.
What are your thoughts?

 

[yimmy]

I QT is a good thing, I don't do it because my LFS does. The qt their fish for 4 weeks. So if you don't see anything on it when you buy it nothing is on it. IMO it depends on how well you watch your fish.

 

[darth tang]

That is why I use a 55 for a QT and I recommend nothing smaller unless your tank is smaller.

 

[crimzy]

Originally Posted by Darth Tang
That is why I use a 55 for a QT and I recommend nothing smaller unless your tank is smaller.
Even so, would you place a queen/majestic angel or powder blue/clown tang in a 55 QT for a month?

 

[ohioguy06]

Originally Posted by crimzy
Even so, would you place a queen/majestic angel or powder blue/clown tang in a 55 QT for a month?
That is a good point...............im kinda clueless.

 

[darth tang]

Yes, as I would be them as juveniles. Since I started using a QT i have never had an ich problem again. And my fish have thrived. My QT size has never been a problem and I have had tangs and a green bird wrasse go through it which all require a large tank.
The other option is not to QT ever and have fish die due disease and parasites introduced.....which is the higher risk?

 

[crimzy]

Originally Posted by Darth Tang
The other option is not to QT ever and have fish die due disease and parasites introduced.....which is the higher risk?
You really think this is the other option. I never QT my fish and have lost just one fish in 1.5 yrs (due to an unexpected ammonia spike not disease or parasite).
I believe if you select fish carefully, you can reduce or even eliminate the risk of them carrying diseases.

 

[darth tang]

You are the exeption, not the NORM. There is a guy on here that claims he hasn't done a water change on his tank and has a ton of fish in it.....would you follow this practice also...since it has been done?

 

[crimzy]

Originally Posted by Darth Tang
You are the exeption, not the NORM. There is a guy on here that claims he hasn't done a water change on his tank and has a ton of fish in it.....would you follow this practice also...since it has been done?
No... but I'm not sure what this has to do with whether or not to QT. I just wanted to bring this up because most of the experienced people swear by it. I'm not saying it's wrong to QT, I'm just not sure it has the value that people think.

 

[1journeyman]

QTing is incredibly valuable....
For one thing... most fish stores do not QT. Even if they do, the majority (that I have seen anyways) have all tanks on a couple of filters. That can lead to disease and parasites freely traveling.
Two, "carefully observing" a fish at a pet store cannot tell you if it is %100 healthy. It could be carrying parasites/diseases that you can't see.
Three, by using a QT you allow the fish to grow accustomed to captivity without having to compete for resources. This gives the fish a more peaceful introduction into your display tank later.
Four, you can be successful for years.... it only takes 1 mistake to wipe out a tank.

 

[crimzy]

Originally Posted by 1journeyman
QTing is incredibly valuable....
For one thing... most fish stores do not QT. Even if they do, the majority (that I have seen anyways) have all tanks on a couple of filters. That can lead to disease and parasites freely traveling.
Two, "carefully observing" a fish at a pet store cannot tell you if it is %100 healthy. It could be carrying parasites/diseases that you can't see.
Three, by using a QT you allow the fish to grow accustomed to captivity without having to compete for resources. This gives the fish a more peaceful introduction into your display tank later.
Four, you can be successful for years.... it only takes 1 mistake to wipe out a tank.
Well... good points but I disagree.
1 & 2) Careful observation and selection also requires that you only buy fish that have been there for a while... I use 3 weeks as a general rule. The theory being the same as a QT... if a fish is going to exhibit signs of parasite or disease, 3-4 weeks of health are enough to assure a healthy disease free fish.
3) Sorry, but this argument sounds.... well... made up. Your fish have "grown accustomed to captivity" well before you purchase them. If you feed enough or spot feed and keep appropriate tankmates together, then competing for food is not that difficult. All you're really doing is sticking a fish into a tank that's too small and waiting to see if it gets sick. Then you stress the fish yet again to transfer and acclimate into another tank.
4) True... but this doesn't really relate to this discussion. The risk of introducing a disease can be eliminated by making an intelligent selection of a healthy, well adjusted fish.
Just to reiterate, these points are my opinion only. I respect opposing opinions even if I don't agree.

 

[1journeyman]

1-2 No amount of careful observation at a pet store can make a fish 100% safe. It could very well pick up a disease or parasite 10 minutes before you buy it. Again, just because it looked healthy for weeks doesn't mean it hasn't recently aquired a disease. Unless your pet store has seperate filtration systems for every tank, and only introduce fish to clean tanks, then the risk of a pathogen is there.
3. Not true... ""Transit" disease is alleviated. The jet lag some livestock go through is greater than most people have ever endured. Given a brief respite to rest and reconstitute, new specimens are far more likely to adjust rapidly and not be bullied by existing tankmates in the main system. Very often, the animals, algae, and rock at your dealer's were on the reef just days before. Give them a break" (Fenner, conscientious Marine Aquarist pg 153)
4. Again, it is very relevant. A great reason to QT is to avoid disease. I cannot stress enough how a healthy fish could be a carrier of a potential plague!

 

[puffer9006]

sorry to interput but you guys should be lawyers or something with your agruements. all of you have the best reason for your thoughts its just different experence with your tanks

 

[1journeyman]

Good debate is the source of new ideas!!

 

[ohioguy06]

Originally Posted by puffer9006
sorry to interput but you guys should be lawyers or something with your agruements. all of you have the best reason for your thoughts its just different experence with your tanks
Crimzy is a lawyer............

 

[crimzy]

Originally Posted by Ohioguy06
Crimzy is a lawyer............

Oh no... I've been exposed.

 

[1journeyman]

Focus...

 

[lion_crazz]

It is refreshing to see two people debate something on here without someone getting upset or making a derogatory comment to the other person. It is nice when both people are able to put thier side of the argument down and the thread is not cluttered with criticism and childish remarks.

 

[jon321]

I think it can also depend on what fish you have. Something like a mandarin, anthias, idol, and other delicate feeders I would never qt. The reason is because getting suitable foods into a qt tank would be a nightmare and Im a believer that a stocked tank of aggressive feeders can trigger feeding in delicate species through "teaching" and "mimicing" if you will, also large quanities of healthy live rock simply are not found in a qt tank.
I never have and never will qt fish before adding to a FO tank, I also just watch them at the lfs and if a fish looks healthy at the lfs, 9 times out of 10 it will recoup from any stress on its own without qt. Reef tank is completely different as removing a single sick fish can be next to impossible.
I guess what Im getting at, do I think qt have its place? yes, only good can come out of using one, is it necessary? by no means, I have never had a disease infestation caused by a new addition in 9 years of marine fishkeeping, but at the same time, it only takes once.
my 2 cents.
Jon

 

[unleashed]

I have to admite i have not been big on the quarntine of new arrivals either do i feel its wize do so ?yes I do but like everyone else said the larger types of fish are much harder to qt I got my first battle of ich this yr after placing a panther grouper into my tank luckily and it was a fowlr tank so i coppersafed the entire tank all 125 gal of it.I have lost a few fish due to not qaurentining them anthias's of course but who knows the thirst batch i bought didnt last long either and i did not quarentine them all of my other fish were fine and still going strong .if i accuall y had to get another larger tank for a quarentine to hold all my fish during a treatment i would have to buy another 125 thats not going to happen.so if by chance my tanks get ich i either use kickick in my reef or coppersafe in my agressive .for bacterial problems i use melafix and pimafix.which i dose my tanks for 3 days with when i introduce them anyways to reduce stress .any time i have not added the melafix for a new arrival and waited fo signs of illness those fish have died within one week of purchase.all others i have kept for yrs or still have them.unless something in my tank killed them