A QT Question.

[OCDP]

Ok, so with the new tank coming and all... I had said that I MAY QT my current fish. Problem is, what do I QT them for!? They do not have any ick, or any other VISIBLE parasites. They all eat, and act normally. Yet, everytime I add a new fish I get ick. Most have fought it off, some haven't.

My question is, if I setup the new tank, and use the 20g to QT the existing fish, do I treat them? Or leave them be ? Is the main purpose of doing so to leave my new tank fallow for 6 weeks to ensure the ick has died off?

I'm a little confused. However, I may not have the space to setup a QT, therefore, please don't give me a hard time about it. I will obviously try my hardest to set one up.. but, it's not a gurantee quite yet. I'll know once I get the new tank home.

Thanks guys,

[christyf5]

Most people quarantine fish regardless of whether they have a disease or not. I thought the purpose of quarantining fish was because if they are going to get a disease, it would be much easier on the fish to get it in the quarantine tank where you can easily treat it. Basically the QT is a "watch and wait for something to happen" area then when it does you don't have to try to catch the fish to treat it.

[OCDP]

Yeah, perhaps I should have clarified.

Everytime I add a new fish, it gets ick, although none of my current fish get ick.

The reason I want to QT is because I am sick of adding a new fish that gets ick. I do everything by the books, drip acclimate, etc, etc...

So, I wanted to remove my current fish and leave the tank fallow... is that all I would need to do?

Sorry for the confusion.

[Delphinus]

This might be a question of perspectives. But to me "quarantine" implies action on a newcomer which may be introducing hitchhikers of a sort. I.e., you QT a new arrival into an environment.

So. Being that you already have your fish, and you've had them a while, and they're healthy, there's no need, in my view, to QT them all of a sudden.

But. !! It depends on how you're going to do the tank switch-over. If you move your rock and fish in one day, you haven't "introduced" anything new (except stress). However, if you buy new rock and let your new tank cycle before you start moving over the livestock, then, although this will likely be far less stressful on you and your livestock, you've introduced the new rock, and thus from THAT perspective, there may be an advantage to "QT'ing" your new rock (but not so your fish that you already have).

Just my $0.02....

PS. (Edit - I just saw your second post). You've kind of hit the nail on the head. Any "new" fish gets ick. This is basically because, it's probably coming in with that new fish. (Stress in the store, sharing a tank with other stressed fish, etc.) So you would need to QT that NEW fish before introducing into your tank. But if your current fish are healthy, then I wouldn't be thinking of them as culprits for that ick you see on the newcomer. It's come in with the newcomer, even if the newcomer didn't appear to have ick at the store. Hope this rambling makes sense.

[christyf5]

So by leaving the tank fallow you will stop the ick cycle. Yet every time you add a new fish, it gets ick. Seems like a waste of time leaving the tank fallow to me. If you add a new fish and it gets ick, it seems to me that it would be smarter to QT the fish and treat it right away with whatever treatment you choose. That way the fish gets ick in the QT tank and you don't have to remove it and by treating it right away it doesn't languish with ick.

Most likely the reason the new fish get ick and the fish you already have don't, is because of stress or perhaps where you are purchasing the fish from? Just a thought.

[BMW Rider]

It is possible that your tank has ick all the time and the fish are resistant to it, so there is no real major outbreak. When you add a new fish, it is weak and stressed, thus the ick finds it to be an easy host. I would suggest then since you are setting up a new tank, move all the sand rock coral etc. into it and keep it fishless for 6 weeks. Meanwhile, keep the fish in a QT tank and treat them for ick to make sure they are 100% free of it. When you reintroduce them to the new tank, it will now be ick free also, having been kept fallow. Thereafter, any new fish should be kept in QT to ensure the ick is never reintroduced, plus they will have time to get over the stress of handling before they are put into the tank.

[hawk]

It is possible that your tank has ick all the time and the fish are resistant to it, so there is no real major outbreak. When you add a new fish, it is weak and stressed, thus the ick finds it to be an easy host. I would suggest then since you are setting up a new tank, move all the sand rock coral etc. into it and keep it fishless for 6 weeks. Meanwhile, keep the fish in a QT tank and treat them for ick to make sure they are 100% free of it. When you reintroduce them to the new tank, it will now be ick free also, having been kept fallow. Thereafter, any new fish should be kept in QT to ensure the ick is never reintroduced, plus they will have time to get over the stress of handling before they are put into the tank.

OCDP, if you're sick of your fish getting ick, follow BMW Rider's plan. It will save you alot of frustration down the road.

[OCDP]

Christy, the LFS's I shop at are great, it's not a problem with the LFS. Obviously every fish we buy gets stressed from being moved to and from...........:confused: So, in that sense.. what can ya do? I try my best at keeping stress to a minimal.

BMW has it right. Thanks Ed, Tony,... I will do my very best at finding a spot for a QT tank.

[Bartman]

BMW has it right. Thanks Ed, Tony,... I will do my very best at finding a spot for a QT tank.

Yes he does. Since your tank has had Ick and has never been fishless (is that a word?) then it has Ick now. If your fish are healthy you may not see it on them but a new, stressed fish makes a great host. Only 6+ weeks without a host will rid your tank if Ick. A QT will help make sure it doesn't get brought back in after that.

[OCDP]

Thanks Scott,

I will definitely do my best at finding a spot for a QT tank. Our house just is not fish tank friendly... at all. Nor are my parents :razz:

[Bartman]

You may have some other options. I didn't read how big your new tank was going to be or when it was coming. Also, I don't know what corals you have. What are you planning to transfer to the new tank?

[OCDP]

You may have some other options. I didn't read how big your new tank was going to be or when it was coming. Also, I don't know what corals you have. What are you planning to transfer to the new tank?


My new tank will be a 50g cube (24x24x20) I keep lots of corals, LPS, softies, SPS (majority) I plan on transferring everything by the end of April or sooner.. that's the goal anyhow ;)