QT tanks. Seriously, WTF??

globaldesigns · #1 10-26-2009, 03:57 PM

I don't quarantine anything... and must say that I haven't had any real issues. I guess I am just lucky.

Lance · #2 10-26-2009, 04:37 PM

IMO removing a sick fish from the DT is not a bad idea. Firstly it may stop the spread of illness to other fish. Secondly, the ailing fish will probably get picked on by others. Thirdly, if the fish is ill it is already stressed, and at least by placing it in a QT you can treat it appropriately.

kien · #3 10-26-2009, 04:46 PM

QT'ing is one of those religeous debates. Some swear by them some swear against them. If we polled we'd probably find it a 50/50 debate. QT'ing has never worked for me for any illnesses I've contracted so I gave up on it years ago..

A few years ago I used to have yellow striped snapper that swam very quickly round and round the tank. He would actually swim very close to rocks and my urchin. One day He got popeye, I suspected that he hit his eye on something, like maybe the urchin or a rock and it got infected. I left him in there. No one else got it. His eye eventually fell out and he lived with one eye for a year until he outgrew my tank and I sold him. One eye Willy is still alive and well in a buddy's predator tank.

sphelps · #4 10-26-2009, 04:46 PM

Quarantines can be useful for new purchases to help them adapt to aquarium life and allow for initial observation to prevent disease and pests from entering the display. However the quarantine still needs to be of adequate size for whatever species and fully established, meaning it runs all the time and not just setup when you need it. Removing fish from the display to a quarantine should be a last resort.

Popeye is not usually a killer, more than likely the stress involved caused the fish not to eat and then moving it put the stress level over the top resulting in death. I've seen popeye many times, I just leave it alone. More often than not the fish recovers completely, worst case is they loose vision in the one eye but still survive, very rarely do I see a fish die from it and if this is the case it's usually a result from no longer being able to compete for food with the new disability.

mike31154 · #5 10-26-2009, 04:47 PM

I have tempted fate by not quarantining new additions but have been fortunate so far. Haven't added anything in quite some time now, so figure I'm safe. However, one of the first inhabitants of my system over two and a half years ago has recently developed two bulbous, cancerous looking growths on his caudal fin, close to where it merges into the body. Started as one little ball now there are two fairly large growths. It's a Blue Devil Damsel, despised by many but supposedly very hardy. I've always liked the electric blue colour and despite his occasional aggression, I never had any real problems with him. Most of his tank mates now outmuscle him anyhow, so he's not much of a problem at all.

So what do I do with this guy? Although I have the equipment to set up a QT, I highly doubt I can catch him so it's unlikely I'll be able to quarantine him anyway. Really don't relish the idea of tearing the rockwork apart to try and capture the dude. Other than these ugly growths on the fin, he acts perfectly normal, eats well, swims well, no behavioural changes whatsoever since he's developed this disease. I am somewhat concerned that whatever he has may end up infecting other fish, but so far no sign of that either.

banditpowdercoat · #6 10-26-2009, 05:03 PM

I don't have a QY+TR either. Just lost 5 fish due to an Ick outbreak in one tank, and possibly the same in the other?? 5 fish in one tank, 1 in the other, and a 2nd came down with white spots (regal Tang) but the spots have dissapeared. I dunno if a QT tank would have helped? I too agree on the added stress of catching(which can be stress on owner too) and the new tank. Is not the best for the fish. Making the present aquarium as peacefull as can be, removing bullies, lights out, etc. Problem is treating with chemicals in a DT. I am soo petrified of killing my inverts and corals too, that I don't use anything.

christyf5 · #7 10-26-2009, 05:43 PM

Well his eyes were soo poofed out I was worried he'd lose both of them if he survived. They were both severely swollen.

Anyway, I don't think I've ever lost a fish if I QT on the way in (which I don't, haven't in years anyways due to lack of space) it was just a matter of do I take him out now and try to help him, or let him be in the tank possibly getting stuck in the rocks to rot if he croaks?

Oh well, I suppose I could have treated the whole tank. From what I read it was poor water quality that likely triggered it (although I'm not really sure wth that means). I have rampant green cyano and the cure for it is the same as what was supposed to cure the fish: erythromycin.

fishytime · #8 10-26-2009, 05:57 PM

Sorry about your fish Christy

. We grossly underestimate the stress putting a net to a fish causes. I compare it to hooking the fish with a rod and reel. Conservationists and wildlife officers have long known that a small percentage of properly released game fish die from a build up of stress induced lactic acid. Fish simply cant get rid of LA like warm blooded creatures. When you go in and try and net a fish you are not only stressing your "target" fish, but every other fish in the tank as well. Then if your fish survives the QT treatment process, you stress him out again catching him and putting him back in the display.

christyf5 · #9 10-26-2009, 07:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fishytime

Sorry about your fish Christy

. We grossly underestimate the stress putting a net to a fish causes. I compare it to hooking the fish with a rod and reel. Conservationists and wildlife officers have long known that a small percentage of properly released game fish die from a build up of stress induced lactic acid. Fish simply cant get rid of LA like warm blooded creatures. When you go in and try and net a fish you are not only stressing your "target" fish, but every other fish in the tank as well. Then if your fish survives the QT treatment process, you stress him out again catching him and putting him back in the display.

Oh I totally agree, however in this case he was just laying there. The process of netting the fish (from the outside observer) was fairly easy and uneventful. However, he perked up after transfer to the QT and looked quite stressed before eventually settling down (into eventual death I suppose). I dunno, sometimes I believe that QT tanks are just ammonia factories and I really believe that between the ammonia (I didn't test it) and the stress of the new environment likely caused his demise. Then again, he was just laying there in the display tank too. Ultimately we can only speculate.

fishoholic · #10 10-26-2009, 08:19 PM

I have mixed feelings, for most things I suspect QT is more stressful on the fish then the QT med.'s or hypo is good for them. I lost a tang that was eating and looking ok and was 2 years old but he had ich. My other fish were stressing him out so a freind agreed to take him after the ich was gone. I Qt'd him and did a hypo treatment for a few weeks, the fish was stressed out the whole time and towards the end he stopped eating. The last day of QT and we were going to take him to our friends tank I came home from work to a dead fish

On the other hand if I had started QT earlier (or QT'd new fish in the first place) when I went through the marine velevt I most likely would of been able to save most of my fish. Instead I left it too long (because I didn't like QT) and had most of my fish die.