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Quarantine Method (1 Viewer)

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bsatter

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Hi all,

I'm getting near to my first fish purchase.

I've gone cross-eyed trying to review a suitable quarantine method. Tank transfer method vs. copper vs. observe then treat if only needed. Also, Copper powder, coppersafe, vs cupramine. What have you had the most success? Prazi seems to be the other consistent usage across all of the methods. I have plenty of tanks for the ttm. (I'm a long time freshwater guy.) I also have cupramine and copper powder on hand along with a Hanna copper checker.

Thanks!

Billy
 

Tenny

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I would start by treating the fish whether or not you see a disease. Take Ich for example... the fish my have a few parasites, but be healthy enough to not show signs of it at all. Then you bring in another fish later where you had to treat it for something only for it to break out with Ich as soon as it goes into the tank.

Since you already have copper and a checker, I would probably start with it for the fish that can handle copper. Not sure which is best but @Reefahholic is using Copper Powder from what I've seen in his videos.

For fish that you can't treat with copper, TTM may be the only option. Although if you are treating for Ich it's a 72 hour transfer, but Velvet is a 18 hour transfer.

I would also suggest a FW dip for the fish to reduce the parasites to give the fish a better fighting chance while you are treating it.

I also have been advised to use the "triple threat" / "trifecta" of metroplex, kanaplex, and furan-2 (and binding with Seachem Focus). I think AquaZoo off El Dorado sells all of them if you need it in a hurry.

Another good resource is here at Reef2Reef: Medication Compatibility Guide
 

tvu

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There is on R2R. I saved it on my phone as a pic but your can find the thread.

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mittens

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I have a baby hippo for 2 weeks now about an inch in size. She’s been in qt the entire time and is eating like a pig. She’s slowly adjusting to tank life and has been trained to associate me with food. Eating mysis and maybe nori? Never seen her peck at it but it’s gone the next day. Been treated with api gen cure 3 rounds. No signs of any disease. Plan is to get her to eat anything I feed her. Would like to treat with copper for prophylactic tx but I’m relying on prime along with wc to have ammo at bay. Also I already have ich in DT... so would be pointless. Even if I have her gobbling up everything I feed immediately in QT she’s so tiny my other fish would have her hiding the entire tank. Plan - having her in fish acclimating box till she adjusts completely to tank life and inhabitants. I’ve probably spent more time and effort on this fish than all my mushrooms combined. Any tips on getting her in my DT more smoothly would be appreciated, if I’m even able to do this at all.


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My experience is mostly with clowns, but I treat Cupramine and Prazipro simultaneously. Out of the 20+ clownfish in my current systems all of them have been run through QT with Cupramine and Prazipro at the same time. Follow the instructions and dont overdose. Do be warned certain fish such as hippo tangs can react badly to certain medications. I would recommend looking up a medication chart and identifying your fishes susceptibility to medication.
 

Cody

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We should all quarantine so as to avoid unnecessary death and risk. Having said that, in my 10 years doing this, I've only ever met one person that made an attempt to quarantine. It was @reeftopia and he basically runs a public aquarium.
 
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Anyone have thoughts on just running hyposalinity right off the bat? Drop salinity to 1.012 over first 48 hours and let them adjust. Medicate for bacterial if needed. Six weeks of hyposalinity.
 

reefling

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We should all quarantine so as to avoid unnecessary death and risk. Having said that, in my 10 years doing this, I've only ever met one person that made an attempt to quarantine. It was @reeftopia and he basically runs a public aquarium.
James is on point with the QT as well. His tank is not far behind reeftopia tho

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reefling

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Anyone have thoughts on just running hyposalinity right off the bat? Drop salinity to 1.012 over first 48 hours and let them adjust. Medicate for bacterial if needed. Six weeks of hyposalinity.
Hypo can stress them pretty bad and it doesn't even help with the worst fish disease. If you are going to do preventative, it should probably be tank transfer combined with prazi pro, or do copper and then prazi pro.

There is at least one disease none of that will kill, so if that is all you do, you still run a risk. I think I will be starting with prazi pro from now on and observation after that.

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I am started quarantining my fish. If the fish looks or acts sick I am adding Ruby Reef Rally and Kick-ich..


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reefling

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I am started quarantining my fish. If the fish looks or acts sick I am adding Ruby Reef Rally and Kick-ich..


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The best way to kill ich is copper, hypo, or tank transfer. I am not aware of anything else that works, unless you are talking about copper with a more spiffy name.

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I am started quarantining my fish. If the fish looks or acts sick I am adding Ruby Reef Rally and Kick-ich..


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I have some bottles of this stuff, heard mixed feelings on it. A lot of people have said it caused their pH to drop significantly. Any experience?
 
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Hypo can stress them pretty bad and it doesn't even help with the worst fish disease. If you are going to do preventative, it should probably be tank transfer combined with prazi pro, or do copper and then prazi pro.

There is at least one disease none of that will kill, so if that is all you do, you still run a risk. I think I will be starting with prazi pro from now on and observation after that.

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Hypo stresses them if you went drastically from 1.023 to 1.012, but there should be no stress once adjusted to the salinity. I was running PraziPro + Copper, but the copper is harsh and way more stressful on the fish than the salinity and its easier to measure.
 
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The best way to kill ich is copper, hypo, or tank transfer. I am not aware of anything else that works, unless you are talking about copper with a more spiffy name.

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Its not copper, its "reef safe". I do know it causes pH to drop considerably so that points to a couple different directions. Pretty sure it doesn't kill ich it just promotes healthy mucus layer with the Rally and maybe increases beneficial bacteria. Tank still infested with Ich but the fish are fighting it. Then 7 days later it overwhelms the tank again.
 

reefling

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Its not copper, its "reef safe". I do know it causes pH to drop considerably so that points to a couple different directions. Pretty sure it doesn't kill ich it just promotes healthy mucus layer with the Rally and maybe increases beneficial bacteria. Tank still infested with Ich but the fish are fighting it. Then 7 days later it overwhelms the tank again.
Fish will not hang on long. My convict tangs came in with black ich(not really ich at all). That I read you can dose prazi pro to the tank.

If you have a lot of fish, take them all out of the tank and do hypo salinity for, I think it is 3 weeks. I prefer to start a sponge with bacteria to help your qt tank cycle. I have a pureblock in my sump just for that reason. For a lot of fish, go to tractor supply. I get an ammonia alert with the suction cup to make it easier. I prefer not to use copper because it is so time consuming, it is poison to the fish, and you need to keep the level stable.

If you just have a few fish, do tank transfer with 2 10 gallon tanks

Leave the display without fish for 76 days and you are ich free.

You only need hypo a few weeks.

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sneezebeetle

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Hypo stresses them if you went drastically from 1.023 to 1.012, but there should be no stress once adjusted to the salinity. I was running PraziPro + Copper, but the copper is harsh and way more stressful on the fish than the salinity and its easier to measure.
This is the preferred method that Moody Gardens uses on their new critters while they are in the QT building. (Hyposalinity/Hypersalinity)

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