Do YOU Quarantine your new zoa's?

[saltman123]

Curious to know if people quarantine their zoanthids always?

In my 2 or 3 years of reef keeping I have QT'd some, and have just dipped others.

Do you guys ALWAYS QT, or do you just dip and keep your fingers crossed?:)

PS - I don't have a crazy show tank or anything, but I definitely don't care to deal with hitchhikers.

Curious to know if you guys wing it and dip, or if you drag out the QT process???

[gflat65]

I dip just about every coral I get. I treat smallish frags different than larger pieces on QT. For frags, I'll dip and hold in a QT for a day or so to inspect. Frags come off of their bases and go onto a new base from my system (or more often, formerly dry). Larger frags or colonies get the dips and QT for at least a month. If I am concerned about a smaller frag, it will get the QT treatment, too.

[saltman123]

Sounds like good precaution, thanks for sharing.

[Henryreef]

I have never QT any of my frags, but i bet if you have the time and money it is best to dip and QT.

[saltman123]

If my tank was worth thousands in live stock like it seems many people do, I would be worried. Mine is small and I don't have a ton going on. Dipping is usually cool, and with time QT is better.

[MUCHO REEF]

All small new arrivals get a serious dip, inspection and hold in 5 gallon tank for a day or so with numerous checks throughout the day and evening. Larger pieces are QT for a week. Have trusted sources who are very diligent on their end with take the proper precautions at keeping predators at bay are a big help as well. I use to QT for a few weeks but cut it back to just a week or so.

Just my 2 cents.

Mucho Reef

[flyyyguy]

QT everything that goes into my tanks for at least a couple of weeks

Whether or not I dip before going into qt depends on what a very close visual inspection turns up, as well as how well the coral shipped. If I dont think it shipped perfectly, I wont dip even if I do find something. I will wait to put more stress on the coral for when I know it can take it.

[IridescentLily]

I was wondering if anyone else quarantined theirs? I plan on doing so but I just wanted some thoughts from folks who have or have not.
What kinds of equipment and things would one have to have in a quarantine tank?

[saltman123]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13755029#post13755029 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by IridescentLily
I was wondering if anyone else quarantined theirs? I plan on doing so but I just wanted some thoughts from folks who have or have not.
What kinds of equipment and things would one have to have in a quarantine tank?

Most people recommend at least a 10 gallon tank, just about any type of light you can get cheap, an sponge filter or a hang on the back filter, heater, and some like to put pvc or pots so the fish can hide.

I have a 5 gallon I use. Search around and you'll find a ton of info.

[Scythanith]

Dip in FWE & Reed Dip, inspection & QT in the frag tank for a month.

That's my rountine. I started doing that after I got these:

http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k99/Scythanith/Tank%20Pics/IMG_7201.jpg

http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k99/Scythanith/Tank%20Pics/IMG_7207.jpg

http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k99/Scythanith/Tank%20Pics/th_MVI_7208.jpg (http://s86.photobucket.com/albums/k99/Scythanith/Tank%20Pics/?action=view&current=MVI_7208.flv)

[Tu Ku]

^ Hahahaha, the background audio of that video made me laugh quite a bit for some reason. It was almost like watching a clip from 2001 a Space Odyssey or something equally as abstract. My girlfriend walked by and gave me a very odd look.

Back on topic, I haven't quarantined any corals yet. My system is still relatively young and I have a couple monti frags, an acro frag, and some various zoas. I had set a 10g quarantine up for fish and have been using it quite a bit. I should certainly start quarantining corals as well.
I'm more concerned about the parameters of my quarantine and my display being different. I suppose that is only negligance on my part but still, it's much easier to maintain a consistent day to day degree of quality in the larger display than it is in the smaller quarantine.

[Reefer07]

I would say adding corals to my tank is a good example of the rest of my life..... risky...
I don't dip any but then again I haven't got any new ones for a while and I only get them from select places.
If I am sketchy about something I just like giving zoos a 30 sec. fresh water dip or something.

[geoxman]

I QT and dip everything. I have seen nudi eggs on black egg crate when I use to have frag tank so I know they can lay them on rock rubble as well. The eggs are much easier to see on a polyp under actinic but on a rock it can be much more difficult to spot. I usually do a dip twice the first week and one the 2nd and one before going in the tank. I also use 2-3 times the suggested amount of FWE and tincture in my FW dip.
Good luck everyone!
PL

[RocknReefr]

As far a Zoos., I don't QT them, if they look healthy and don't have any nuisance algea, nudis., or anything else.

[OceanLover2]

When I get new zoas I look them over carefully, dip them in iodine, do about a 30 second dip in fresh water, and then I look at them again. Then I place them in my reef tank without quarantine. So far, everything has been OK.

I do however quarantine live rock. I'm not a big fan of un-wanted hitchhikers after I got a 14 inch bristle worm in my reef. It made me shudder to put my hands in the water. It was an obsession for a month until I finally caught the sucker.

[Hop]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13755450#post13755450 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Scythanith
Dip in FWE & Reed Dip, inspection & QT in the frag tank for a month.

That's my rountine. I started doing that after I got these:

http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k99/Scythanith/Tank%20Pics/IMG_7201.jpg

http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k99/Scythanith/Tank%20Pics/IMG_7207.jpg

http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k99/Scythanith/Tank%20Pics/th_MVI_7208.jpg (http://s86.photobucket.com/albums/k99/Scythanith/Tank%20Pics/?action=view&current=MVI_7208.flv)

I feel your pain... I dipped and quarantined and yet I still got em:(

http://www.hopsreef.com/pictures/08/11/nudi2.jpg

I've been removing my colonies and dipping them weekly, but there are a few spots that they grew and I can't get remove them. Yesterday I saw one on a group I can't get out of the tank and snapped two pics before I squished it with a pair of tweezers.

[roxy25]

I dip all my corals but I do not QT yet. Iwill have a OT up soon, I plan to build a frag tank so this is why I will have a QT.

[Jeff]

I dip but dont qt. I trust my coral dips.

[stevensun]

gflat65, do you care to share how you dip new corals other than zoanthids? I dip all the zoa frags but do not qt them yet although I think I will in the near future. Right now dipping newly acquired corals has become sort of a habit but I'm a bit hesitant about dipping LPS or yumas mainly because of the uncertainty about how they'll take fresh water. I think there's still a slight possibility that zoa pests might be introduced along with corals other than zoa.

[viodea]

1. Does dipping mean dip in fresh OI water or with chemical?
2. Why do people keep saying acclimation is very import but dipping in fresh water is ok? The difference between water in any 2 tanks is way lower than a tank water and fresh water.

[roxy25]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13790242#post13790242 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by viodea
1. Does dipping mean dip in fresh OI water or with chemical?
2. Why do people keep saying acclimation is very import but dipping in fresh water is ok? The difference between water in any 2 tanks is way lower than a tank water and fresh water.

Well Honestly I do not acclimate really , after I do my Lugols dip I just place corals in my tank. Some times I place some of my tank water in the container the new coral is in but its rare.

I know some may say I should not do that but nothing has happened so far with any of my zoas.

[gflat65]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13788154#post13788154 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by stevensun
gflat65, do you care to share how you dip new corals other than zoanthids? I dip all the zoa frags but do not qt them yet although I think I will in the near future. Right now dipping newly acquired corals has become sort of a habit but I'm a bit hesitant about dipping LPS or yumas mainly because of the uncertainty about how they'll take fresh water. I think there's still a slight possibility that zoa pests might be introduced along with corals other than zoa.

I tend to ramble a little anyway, but I apologize in advance on this one if it gets out of hand. I'm just getting my brain back from sinus surgery recovery:D. It's not all firing correctly yet;).

My normal receiving treatment is that I'll float the bags for temp acclimation. That gives me time to figure out how much I want to do to the rest. I am hesitant about dipping some things like rics, sponges, and gorgonans, etc., largely because I figure they aren't likely to have as many nasty pests. For the things I'm a little leary of dipping, I'll either finally decide to do a TMPCC dip (in salt water), or put them in a tank that isn't connected to any of my displays so I can watch them for a week or two (I have tanks all over the house;)).

All things get the TMPCC dip (except for a few exceptions as listed above that get QT'd for a week or two and close inspection). I tend to grossly overdose TMPCC on hard corals, but get closer to the recommended dosing for soft corals. It's only undocumented anecdotal experience, but softies don't seem to like the TMPCC bath as much as SPS. SPS might brown out after the dips, but will return to color is they are healthy/unstressed to begin with. I forgot two large Symphyllia wilsoni's in a TMNPCC di[p for two hours a week or so ago, and oddly, they were fine the next morning. Most SPS I've forgotten in the dip don't make it past about 45 minutes.

Most things that get the TMPCC get QT'd as well, unless I can work in a thorough inspection after the dip. Smaller frags are easier to do good inspections at dip time than larger frags. All frags come off of the bases they are on, down to the tissue, where I can (diamond bandsaw comes in handy for this). By removing th bases, you reduce the possibility of unseen pests and eggs making it into the tank, as well as unwanted nuisance algaes. Since I can't do this with zoas as well, they all get QT'd, unless they are under 10 polyps (and I can inspect).

If I suspect that I have some zoas with a pest, I'll do a freshwater/Lugols dip. I use RODI water warmed in a bowl floating in the tank I plan to put the zoas in after inspection. I typically overdose Lugol's to 5-8 drops per gallon (probably more...). The frags go in, wait 10-15 minutes and start inspecting. A clamp on light can be helpful to add a lot of semi directed light on the frags. Tweezers and toothpicks help pull the egg sacks off. If I find any eggs or nudis, etc., all zoas in that system are kept in QT until I haven't seen any in several dips.

This may be anal, and I'm sure I cut corners from time to time, but when you've had the bad ones, you really don't want them again. Nuisance algaes have now been added to my list of nasties... If the bases can't be cut off, they get tthe toothbrush...

[SIR PATRICK]

I dip anytime I get zoas/palys from an unknown source. I also dip when after inpection, I see any possible reason to. For the most part, I only get zoas from trusted sources. If the zoa comes from a source I know nothing about, I dip vigorously before adding to the display. All zoas even from trusted sources are thouroughly inspected before the bag is even floated in the display.

[Fats71]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13768582#post13768582 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Hop
I feel your pain... I dipped and quarantined and yet I still got em:(

http://www.hopsreef.com/pictures/08/11/nudi2.jpg

I've been removing my colonies and dipping them weekly, but there are a few spots that they grew and I can't get remove them. Yesterday I saw one on a group I can't get out of the tank and snapped two pics before I squished it with a pair of tweezers.
What is it

[MUCHO REEF]

A nudibranch, they consume zoanthids.

[scottsdalreefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13827006#post13827006 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Fats71
What is it

Is it friend or foe? Looks kinda cool if they are foe what do they do to your tank?