Actually something else that has been kind of brought up is quarantine tanks and hospital tanks--different things. My QT tank (rubbermaid) is full of LR, macro algae, crabs, ect. My hospital tank is a different rubbermaid that stays dry in case I need it.

I use 40G rubbermaids since I find them a bit easier to have around than a 40G tank and IMO a 10G is WAY too small to QT most any fish.

I also keep a sponge in my DT sump that can be used in the hospital tank as a filter if needed. If you do this though, make sure you "rinse" out the sponge every now and then (I do it every water change) to make sure it doesn't accumulate detritus and large amounts of bacteria that will lead to high nitrates. You just need it to have enough bacteria to keep a hospital tank cycled...although most meds will kill the filter anyways :neutral:

I'm one of those individuals who quarantine everything that is wet. I only have a hospital tank and use it for both quarantine and hospital treatments. It is usually up and running.

My standard quarantine period is 8 weeks for fish, and in that time I do a prophylactic treatment for ick for any tangs (3 weeks with chloroquine phosphate -- I find this much easier on fish than copper or hypo, and it is also highly effective on treating marine velvet -- however, it can be tough to obtain -- it's a human malaria prescription drug), and a 3 hour praziquantel bath for all. If any diseases show up, then other treatment regimes are applied, and the quarantine period is extended.

I have a four foot (72 gallon) tank for this purpose, and use an Aquaclear 110 power filter for biological cycling. A second Aquaclear 110 is running at all times on the display system to keep a filter block seeded. My personal belief is that the biggest killer during quarantine is ammonia spikes, whether because the medication crashed the cycle, or the feeding and defecation rates exceeded the existing cycle's strength.

To counter this, I do a 33% water change every day until I see that the tank has been recycled, and add Amquel+ as needed to detoxify ammonia and nitrite when it's measurable. Through the years, I had a few heartbreaking losses :neutral: before I established this water change regime, sometimes in as short as two days of not keeping a close eye on the ammonia level.

For snails, live rock and such, I use a 4 week quarantine period, in a 10 gallon.

Our tank has been going since April. We didn't quarantine anything, mostly because the idea of caring for another tank was overwhelming. We have added the fish directly to the tank (after acclimating). The only fish that has ever shown signs of ich is the Potter's Angel. The cleaner shrimp are helping to take care of it. It is not totally gone but very reduced. The angel is very patient and will stay still for quite a while. It's very interesting to watch them do what they are meant to do.

Sounds exactly like what I used to do. I actually still have some chloroquine phosphate that I obtained from my uncle. I have found it does a good job if the infection is not too bad. Very easy on the fish as you said.

I just don't have the space anymore for a permanent hospital tank and never had an ich free tank even doing what you described. I never QT'd corals though for more than a week or two.

After learning ich can live for up to three months without a host (possibly longer), I am not convinced there are many ich free tanks out there.

IMO, QT should be used to keep parasites to a minimum but you will always have them in the display. They may not show up often but I think they are in most tanks.

I had two fish in QT today but after watching them freak out and curl up in the corner together, I couldnt do it and added them to the display. They were very happy about that.

If I could go back to having a large QT set up all the time in a basement or something I would QT for a while but I just can't have another tank set up in my small condo.

I get most of my fish when I buy fish for a client. Most of the time, I use my client's tank as a QT for my fish (when it's a new tank). Otherwise, I QT the fish in my little 15 gallons tank.
I get all my fish from a store in Edmonton and can't chose the fish. I am glad they sent me healthy fish.

Generally cleaner shrimp cannot remove ich as it is under the skin and the shrimp cannot get to it. The shrimp are most likely just cleaning dead tissue/scales.

I have a 20 gal QT tank that stays up and running with substrate, live rock and a skimmer. All livestock goes in here except for the occasional coral that I get from a reliable source. Fish stay in QT for at least 2 weeks. If they're eating well and looking healthy after 2 weeks, into the DT they go. If they develop a problem I have a 10 gal treatment tank I set up.

I dont buy sick looking fish and I've never had ick fresh or salt

I have never quarenteened a fish, and have never had Ich in a tank, but I do dip my corals befor I put them in.

Steve

I don't QT new fish, I try to buy ones that look healthy and are eating well. I also have a cleaner wrasse that seems to pick off any ich spots my other fish may have.