Current Quarantine Protocol

[Jay Hemdal]

I would probably have to find the best local suppliers. I’m in Orlando, do you happen to recommend anyone in central Florida? I believe WWC and TopShelf are my best best locally but I’m willing to drive a bit for quality.

Would you still recommend dipping? If so which specific ones ?

Sorry, I don’t know the Orlando area. I think you should ask those questions on one of the coral sections here.

 

[kboogie]

I would probably have to find the best local suppliers. I’m in Orlando, do you happen to recommend anyone in central Florida? I believe WWC and TopShelf are my best best locally but I’m willing to drive a bit for quality.

Would you still recommend dipping? If so which specific ones ?

Think of your aquarium health the same way you think of the health of a severely immunocompromised child. For these children, a simple cold could be fatal. What procedures would you want to occur before letting a guest into your home? Would you trust the guest if they said they followed the procedures but you could not verify? That is how you have to view these things. In this hobby, people have to learn the lesson the hard way, typically a very expensive system crash or mass causality event before they take these thing seriously. If possible you want to know the specifics of the quarantine process followed by your suppliers. You want to know the details of the medications or dips they do. Then make sure all of that aligns with a risk tolerance you have.

It is amazing how patience and discipline can avoid many of the "difficulties" in this hobby. Take from those of us who have learned the hard way.

 

[alex37310]

Think of your aquarium health the same way you think of the health of a severely immunocompromised child. For these children, a simple cold could be fatal. What procedures would you want to occur before letting a guest into your home? Would you trust the guest if they said they followed the procedures but you could not verify? That is how you have to view these things. In this hobby, people have to learn the lesson the hard way, typically a very expensive system crash or mass causality event before they take these thing seriously. If possible you want to know the specifics of the quarantine process followed by your suppliers. You want to know the details of the medications or dips they do. Then make sure all of that aligns with a risk tolerance you have.

It is amazing how patience and discipline can avoid many of the "difficulties" in this hobby. Take from those of us who have learned the hard way.

I’m a total believer in 100% quarantine. My only issue is not having the proper lighting to sustain a coral in quarantine.. I have 7g setup and cycled that’s running empty and a 20g in middle of a quanrantine for my new tang. Should I just not get corals until I can afford a light? I ended up getting a zoa from top shelf, I dipped in coral rx pro for 10min

 

[kboogie]

I’m a total believer in 100% quarantine. My only issue is not having the proper lighting to sustain a coral in quarantine.. I have 7g setup and cycled that’s running empty and a 20g in middle of a quanrantine for my new tang. Should I just not get corals until I can afford a light? I ended up getting a zoa from top shelf, I dipped in coral rx pro for 10min

You are living the dilemma faced by most hobbyists. At the end of the day, it is about how important is it to you to "guarantee" you do not introduce pests and infections into your aquarium versus "reducing the likelihood" of introducing pests and infections. This decision is based on many factors including the space you have to quarantine, the budget you have to get the proper equipment to quarantine, and your tolerance for loss of livestock and dealing with the issue associated with not quarantining.

In the most crude way of making this decision, you could ask yourself "Can I afford the necessary equipment and do I have the space to setup proper quarantine?" If the answer is yes then you quarantine. If the answer is no, then you take the steps to reduce the likelihood of infections or pests. That includes buying from reputable stores, doing dips with products like Coral RX Pro, and closely observing the item prior to purchase. Just make sure if you go down the path it is not a substitute for a full quarantine it is only a risk reduction activity.

After losing over $5K in fish from a velvet outbreak that would have not occurred if I followed a full quarantine regimen, I'm am firmly in the quarantine camp. I'm so much in that camp, that I passed up a great deal on the ideal Asfur Angelfish because my quarantine tank is currently full with 5 Bimacs and a Purple Tang. I'll just have to hope another one at the right price shows up again.

 

[pocketsand]

in tanking a tank fallow, i was able to catch my last remaining fish and get him in a newly setup qt (a red headed salon wrasse). He seems healthy and happy in there but this tank is new and totally uncycled. In this case, what would you guys suggest for cycling? I have some sump LR but don't really want to be using LR in this due to the absorption and other issues noted in this thread. I am considering some bio balls and Fritz 900 but have no experience with the Frtiz 900. Thoughts?

 

[Jay Hemdal]

in tanking a tank fallow, i was able to catch my last remaining fish and get him in a newly setup qt (a red headed salon wrasse). He seems healthy and happy in there but this tank is new and totally uncycled. In this case, what would you guys suggest for cycling? I have some sump LR but don't really want to be using LR in this due to the absorption and other issues noted in this thread. I am considering some bio balls and Fritz 900 but have no experience with the Frtiz 900. Thoughts?

That’s a tough call - I always avoid setting up tanks on the fly, I keep a sponge filter in the main tank for use in the QT.
You’re correct, live rock will absorb copper.
Fritzyme and bioballs will work, but you need to confirm that it is by monitoring the ammonia daily and adding more if the ammonia rises.