Quarantine Time

[blackstrat]

I have a Picasso Clown in QT for 6 days now.
He is eating fine and swimming energetically with no visible sickness issues at all evident to the naked eye.
My question is this; how long in qt is long enough to be reasonably safe in adding him to the DT?
I have heard ick showing up after 3 weeks in qt, so...
What are your experiences and thoughts/recommendations?

Many thanks

[EllieSuz]

First of all, congratulations on quarantining. Most beginners get too eager and rush to put livestock in their tank. Sometimes they get away with it, but often they do not. A would quarantine for a minimum of six weeks, preferably eight.

[Phranque]

30 day minimum is pretty much the accepted standard, but longer certainly won't hurt.......

[bnumair]

8 weeks is a normal procedure if ich is a concern.

[YoungREEFA]

Say you buy a 50 to 100 dollar fish, and after 4 weeks he shows signs of ich or something you dont want to place in the tank? isnt it just silly to TRY and cure it and maybe enter the disease into the tank or are you just letting $100 slip out of your pocket? So i like to make the point of make sure you but it healthy at first to minimize the chance of wasting money

[blackstrat]

8 weeks is a normal procedure if ich is a concern.

Ich is no bigger a concern than any other sickness that it might get.

8 weeks huh? Thats a long time.

He is all alone in qt, is that a potential problem for a Clown to be 2 months in isolation?

I don't want him to be maladjusted when he gets to the dt, lol.

[MuffsAbby]

I QT my fish for at least 6 weeks. Once they hit the 6-week mark, I start looking for another fish (I'm currently stocking). If I find one I like, then the "old" fish goes in my DT and the new one goes in QT. If I don't find one, then I leave the old fish in QT for another week or two, until I find a new fish (that way my QT stays cycled). You'll be pleased to hear that, despite having spent 6-8 weeks alone in QT, none of my fish is maladjusted or anti-social. :)

[MrTuskfish]

I QT my fish for at least 6 weeks. Once they hit the 6-week mark, I start looking for another fish (I'm currently stocking). If I find one I like, then the "old" fish goes in my DT and the new one goes in QT. If I don't find one, then I leave the old fish in QT for another week or two, until I find a new fish (that way my QT stays cycled). You'll be pleased to hear that, despite having spent 6-8 weeks alone in QT, none of my fish is maladjusted or anti-social. :)

I QT about 6 weeks too. We're talking about fish. they don't get lonely or miss their friends. Fish in a QT do very well, no bullies, food competitors, etc. Six days isn't even long enough for possible parasites to become visible.

[blackstrat]

I QT about 6 weeks too. We're talking about fish. they don't get lonely or miss their friends. Fish in a QT do very well, no bullies, food competitors, etc. Six days isn't even long enough for possible parasites to become visible.

Yes, I realize 6 days is not enough time to qt.
So then, how much time is the norm for the parasites to become visible?

Thanks everyone for your useful advice & perspectives.

[b0bab0ey]

IMO, prophylactic treatment can equate to a shorter QT period. If you treat with 2 rounds of Prazi, followed by a month in copper, you're good to go in about 6 weeks. If you opt for TT, followed by 2 rounds of Prazi, you should be good in about a month. Assuming, of course, that the fish looks good (symptom free) and is eating.

[blackstrat]

IMO, prophylactic treatment can equate to a shorter QT period. If you treat with 2 rounds of Prazi, followed by a month in copper, you're good to go in about 6 weeks. If you opt for TT, followed by 2 rounds of Prazi, you should be good in about a month. Assuming, of course, that the fish looks good (symptom free) and is eating.

Sorry, what is TT?

[MuffsAbby]

TT = Tank Transfer

[sleepydoc]

I would recommend tank transfer to prophylactically treat for ich. It needs to be done properly and is a bit of work, but not that bad and is safer and less stress for fish than copper.

[blackstrat]

I would recommend tank transfer to prophylactically treat for ich. It needs to be done properly and is a bit of work, but not that bad and is safer and less stress for fish than copper.

I must have missed something.......

But why would anyone do a TT, in lieu of prophylactic treatment for ich
in a QT?

What am I missing?:confused:

[b0bab0ey]

I must have missed something.......

But why would anyone do a TT, in lieu of prophylactic treatment for ich
in a QT?

What am I missing?:confused:

TT effectively treats Ich. You can use it instead of copper. This sticky explains in more detail:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1996525