Just QT'd My New Corals

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mharrison86

Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Joined
Feb 21, 2006
Messages
31
Location
Brandywine, MD
I just received my Beginner Coral Pack from LiveAquaria and placed them in my QT. The pack includes: a Green Button Polyp, a Yellow Colony Polyp, a Hairy Mushroom and a Bullseye mushroom.

I'm familiar with the length of time that you should QT fish but I'm not sure how long I should QT corals. BTW, the light on the QT is only a 25w NO light. How long should I keep them in the QT? What should I look for while they are in there? Should I start some kind of preventative treatment? If so, what should I use?

Thanks!
 
Are you pleased with them? Can you post a pic? About time length and preventative sorry but I'll let the well experienced people answer that.
Mike
 
Unfortunately, I can't. I need a new digital camera. I did expect to see a larger group of the yellow colony polyps. Overall, I guess I'm happy with them.
 
mharrison86,

Did someone tell you you need to QT corals? I see no need for it. The key is to drip acclimate them over sevel hours (2-4) to allow them to adjust to any variation between the water they came in and your water. Then just add them to main being careful not to expose any to air.

HTH,
 
I thought that everything needs to be Qt'd. I have read that on this and other message boards that fish, inverts and corals should be put in a QT. They say there is a chance that parasites can be introduced via corals into your display tank. Because of that, I put them in a QT.

Is that not correct?


Mike
 
I really don't want to have to QT them but I thought that is what I was supposed to do. Any other opinions? Should I QT corals?

Mike
 
Don't bother...yes I suppose there is a chance that a parasite could hitch hike in, but corals do not host parasites, so this is very unlikely. As mentioned above with all inverts from snails to corals drip acclimate and then introduce them to the main. QT is likely to cause more stress to the coral for the due to lack of lighting and difficulty maintaining high water quality in a small QT setup.

Now with all fish (mandarin dragonettes one exception) QT is the safe bet.

HTH,
 
In my opinion it is a good idea to QT corals. There are a lot of undesirable organisms that can come with coral frags. Flatworms, Mantis Shrimp, and Cirolanid Isopods to name a few. Also, after Ich falls off its host, it goes thru a stage where it will encapsulate itself in a cyst. These cysts could potentially be brought in on frags.
HTH
 
Well if you decide to QT then you will need to do something about the lighting. IMO, placing a coral under only 25w for 6-8 weeks while in QT will do more harm to the corals than the likelyhood of anything hitchhiling along will do assuming you tank is already healthy.

Again, IMO not needed and not worth the time and effort.
 
What size is your QT tank. I got a spare 4x65w Orbit. It's 4' long though.
On QTing corals, I never have, but some swear by it. Ask Revtree sometime about his experience. It was a bad one if I rememeber correctly.

I believe the chance of introducing parasites into the main with new coral is 20x less (just my guess/opinion) than with fish. Also, hopefully you've never had copper in that tank. That'd be bad.

If I did QT coral, I probably wouldn't leave'm in there for more than about a week. Just my opinion though.
 
Yeah, I have read articles and message board post stating that QTing them is a must. So, I just assumed that most people did.

I have a 46 gal QT tank. I have never used any medications in this tank. I was only planning on leaving them in the QT for about a week. Probably less now, since a lot of people don't think that it is necessary. I used some eggcrate to raise the corals high so that they are closer to the light.

I did find some kind of crab looking hitchhiker crawling on one of the corals. I don't know what it was but I removed it.


Mike
 
I have never QT any of my corals. IMO, it is not needed and they sould be under the proper lighting as soon as possible. Just do a proper acclimation
 
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