Qt tanks. What do you think?

[AaronW]

Evening AA (aquatics anonymous lol).

I just thought I'd get a discussion going about the topic of quarantine tanks.

I would say that my knowledge of aquatic care is at an advanced freshwater level.

I have 2 planted tanks. A 10g and 50g.


I understand that as a saltwater hobbyist, quarantine tanks are absolutely critical to the overall well being of a saltwater setup. ESPECIALLY if you are a reefer.

That being said. I do not own a quarantine tank for my setups. Overall results of have been hit and miss.

So what about us freshwater folks?

Lately I've been thinking about new fish for my main 50g.

My tank is going wonderfully and all my fish are doing great btw.

Now back to the subject of qt. Do you guys ever risk new fish without qt? I'm personally against new fish with out. But about you? What's been your experience? Any advice to any new members?

 

[Fresh2o]

Got burned last time I added fish without QT. From petsmart. Ich. Vowed not to add fish unless I QT first.

Sadly it has been 15 months since I added any fish

Now I have added shrimp to my shrimp tank in the last few months. But that is an invert only tank.

 

[Brookster123]

I just added some Cory's to my 20 a few weeks ago, ended up losing 3 neons and a cpd shortly after. Related? I don't know. Anyways I just got some cardinals and a ram, in the qt they went, had to set it up on top if my fridge but it hd to be done..

 

[BBradbury]

Quarantine Tanks

Hello A...

Never kept one in the 10 years I've been in the water keeping hobby. If you know your fish source and use some simple guidelines selecting new fish, I don't think you need a separate tank. I also use a bit of standard aquarium salt in all my planted tanks and change a lot of tank water frequently. I believe it keeps most fish pathogens in a dormant state while keeping the fish a bit healthier. The chances of a parasite infecting a healthy fish in pure water conditions is extremely remote.

Just an opinion though.

B

 

[AaronW]

Hello A...

Never kept one in the 10 years I've been in the water keeping hobby. If you know your fish source and use some simple guidelines selecting new fish, I don't think you need a separate tank. I also use a bit of standard aquarium salt in all my planted tanks and change a lot of tank water frequently. I believe it keeps most fish pathogens in a dormant state while keeping the fish a bit healthier. The chances of a parasite infecting a healthy fish in pure water conditions is extremely remote.

Just an opinion though.

B

If you could share come of those guidelines with us that'd be cool!

15 months is a while.

I'm hesitant as well about new fish. All my fish are perfectly healthy and happy so I don't compromise that.

 

[BBradbury]

Choosing Healthy Fish

If you could share come of those guidelines with us that'd be cool!

15 months is a while.

I'm hesitant as well about new fish. All my fish are perfectly healthy and happy so I don't compromise that.

Hello again A...

You can look this stuff up on the internet, but descriptions are pretty detailed and I don't need to spend hours in the pet shop looking at all the fish. I have certain fish I keep, so I just look for those. My list is pretty simple. I look for a clean tank with no dead fish or plants. I look for fish with clear skin, no blemishes, good color, good fins and clear eyes. Is the fish active and social with the others? That's essentially it. The process takes just a few minutes.

B

 

[Delapool]

I had cardinal tetras and a small angelfish in QT. Usual problems over summer with temperature. After about a week though the tetras decamped to the bath tub instead, talk about a stressed out lot keeping an eye on the angelfish.

 

[Luananeko]

I keep a QT tank on hand, but I rarely use it for newcomers. Its mostly used as a hospital tank in the rare cases something happens. This is a tank that I only set up as needed and it used to be one of my older tanks before I upgraded.

I second the vote that as long as you know your source and choose wisely that you can get away without QT in freshwater. The one qualifier is that if you're adding wild-caught fish you can often have "carriers" where they carry a disease or parasite but are not sick from it. In this case it can be helpful to run them through a dose of PraziPro and fungicide treatments before adding them to the display tank. Trying to catch a sick fish in or treat a display tank can really be a pain and expensive to boot.

 

[Brookster123]

Take into mind not everyone has access to a Lfs/lps that has decent/good stock, I am very fortunate to have a highly specialized, healthy and knowledgable store with in an hour, most people are restricted to "big chains" with horrible stock, and advice. Qt is a must in these cases.

 

[Delapool]

Good point, I usually keep an eye on the lfs tank for a week or so as they don't turn them over that quick (well that's my excuse for being in there). Even still, last trip to actually buy them, the fish looked really crappy. Went elsewhere.

 

[Luananeko]

Take into mind not everyone has access to a Lfs/lps that has decent/good stock, I am very fortunate to have a highly specialized, healthy and knowledgable store with in an hour, most people are restricted to "big chains" with horrible stock, and advice. Qt is a must in these cases.

Very good point... I'm a little spoiled in that I have two good places near me (one being Wet Spot, for those who know them from Aquabid) so I can usually be pretty confident in the fish quality... If all you have nearby is big chain stores and such then a QT is a must.

 

[Kushgodrex]

I always QT. Countless times have I not qt and gotten ich even if the fish looks completely healthy.

 

[mrvincent]

I use my first aquarium (10g) as QT, and I would buy one if I didn't have my 10g. QT is optimal !!!!!

Remove a lot of pain when it come to treat ick or other diseases...


When you add a new fishs, they are stressed and it stress your other inhabitants. At this point they become very vulnerable to ich.

 

[Kushgodrex]

The old saying better safe than sorry

 

[AaronW]

I always QT. Countless times have I not qt and gotten ich even if the fish looks completely healthy.

Same here. Which is why I don't add any new fish really. The only extra tank I have is a 50 gallon. Lol not gonna use that for qt.

Hmm but I'm seriously getting a 10 or 20 g for qt

 

[DragonFish71]

I always QT and I do it for a few months now. I used to do it for a few weeks until we had a bad run with callamanus worms and I found out it takes longer for the fish to show symptoms. I keep a couple of filters going on some of the tanks and I have some 10g tanks cleaned and ready.

 

[AaronW]

Ouch! Worms are a pain. Never dealt with them. But I hear they're brutal. Anyhow so do you keep a qt running 24/7? Or just when you need it.

 

[Rivers2k]

Great in theory I am all for them. But I don't have one. I bought one and told my self I would start QTing after a bout with IP's on a new fish. But it turned into a fry tank which is slowly turning into a display tank.

QT tanks are for people with more room and more tank buying opportunities than I have.

 

[mrvincent]

IMO QT is not an option for me.

I run my tank 24/7, if I don't have anything to QT or to breed, then I take the betta of my GF and put it in there to keep cycle.

 

[DragonFish71]

Ouch! Worms are a pain. Never dealt with them. But I hear they're brutal. Anyhow so do you keep a qt running 24/7? Or just when you need it.

Just when I need it. I keep the filters going on other established tanks so they're ready to go.