Is a quarantine tank necessary?

[MMacro]

Is a quarantine tank necessary for fish?
Also Is it safe to put the aqueon quiet flow 50 on a 10 gallon or is it too much? I found a new one on amazon that is really cheap.
Thanks!

[JOEYRM7]

I didn't want to be bothered with a quarantine tank. I had fish for years....... Well I started my reef about 4 months ago, obtained 9 fish and watched 5 of them die from ich. Wouldn't you know the last one I purchased was the one that brought it in. Right now I have a qt cycling and will move the remaining 4 and all future purchases into the qt. I was in a rush and now I will have the DT fallow for 10 weeks. Bottom line. Set up a QT

[gaberosenfield]

You will not have a problem setting up a bigger filter than is "necessary" on your tank. There is no such thing as too much extra tank volume. However, you should not necessarily fill the entire filter with chemical media (carbon, phosphate binders, etc...) because you can have too much of those.

Definitely set up a QT. I was lucky with my fish on my last tank that did not have a QT. But I was not so lucky with the corals. I didn't QT my corals and ended up with aiptasia and a butt load of photosynthetic flat worms. Every person who has been in this hobby for very long has had a new addition to their tank bring diseases or pests in if they weren't quarantining. Just save yourself the trouble, money, and heartache and set up a QT and QT properly from the start.

[bnumair]

without QT your playing Russian Roulette.

[MondoBongo]

yes, it is very necessary.

quarantine is a well established practice used to great effect by many reputable institutions like zoos and aquariums to protect their live stock and mitigate the cost and effort required to combat disease in captive specimens.

it is a small expense up front that will save you time, money, and frustration down the road, not to mention helping to ensure the best possible conditions for your animals.

[keepswimming]

Qt = SAVE FISH LIVES! + SAVE YOU MONEY!

Simply put, Set one up and save yourself the heartache! Read up on proper qt procedures also...

[Sugar Magnolia]

Have a look at the sticky about setting up a QT. You'll find it at the top of this forum.

[igot2gats]

It is. It's a fish's vacation to relax, get used to the food you'll be feeding, and just hang out for a few weeks before it goes into your DT.

For the cost of running one, it's a no brainer.

[toblkflys]

Yes! A new addition can bring heartache and cost you more than setting up a small quarantine tank!

[gone fishin]

I didn't want to be bothered with a quarantine tank. I had fish for years....... Well I started my reef about 4 months ago, obtained 9 fish and watched 5 of them die from ich. Wouldn't you know the last one I purchased was the one that brought it in. Right now I have a qt cycling and will move the remaining 4 and all future purchases into the qt. I was in a rush and now I will have the DT fallow for 10 weeks. Bottom line. Set up a QT

There are hundreds of similar posts on this forum. Do a search for ich and see how many threads pop up. You will then know your answer. good luck

[tmz]

Yes.

[snorvich]

Only if you want to be in this hobby more than a short time.

[x1C0DE1x]

How I look at it. Schist happens and its not Gneiss! I don't use a quarantine tank for my fish. I just have 2 clownfish in my tank and I never add any more fish. If I want fish I put them all in at the same time. A quarantine tank setup cost about $50 but I have never wanted one, I don't need one. I suggest that if you plan on adding fish often then you should get one, especially if you want a tang or an angelfish.

Hope everyone get the joke at the beginning!
Geology Rocks!

[Raoul5Duke]

Its like wearing a helmet when you ride a motorcycle, a bike or while skiing. You don't need it till you do and if you don't have it you will wish you did.

[Uncle Salty 05]

I do not quarantine fish and have not had a serious problem in over 17 years.
Every fish I ever quarantined died there.
What I do is keep my parameters good and choose my fish VERY carefully.
When I see a fish I am interested in I stare at it for a long time to make sure there are no visible signs of parasites or illness. If I am still interested, I ask if I can put down a deposit and come back in a week. If the store says no I leave the store never to return (most accept and understand the request). I also ask to see the fish eat both times.

This is what works for me. I am not advising you to not quarantine, but you can go that route and be successful if you are scrutinous and know what to look for.

[reefwiser]

QT is only necessary if you want to be successful with both fish and corals.
It doesn't have to be setup all the time but a sponge filter in your tank or sump and an extra heater for a 10 gallon tank is all that you need to start out. Then you do a water change on your main tank and then go get your new fish for your QT tank.

[firebirdude]

without QT your playing Russian Roulette.
Its like wearing a helmet when you ride a motorcycle, a bike or while skiing. You don't need it till you do and if you don't have it you will wish you did.

Both perfect.

[ravi197699]

I don't have any qt tank but i do have 2 20 gal tanks that are connected to each other with sump and all it has is culerpa algae, pods and sand. All new fishes I get I add them in these tanks first so that they can hide in plants and eat natural food then I start feeding them mysid, brine and flakes and after sometime once they are settled they go in my display tank....I don't like to use copper but that is just my opinion...

[igot2gats]

Its like wearing a helmet when you ride a motorcycle, a bike or while skiing. You don't need it till you do and if you don't have it you will wish you did.

FTW! This couldn't have summarized it any better.

And for the people who say, "I can't afford one" or "I don't have room for one"...well, honestly....you probably shouldn't be in this hobby.

[MTF7]

From my personal experience I have used a QT and I haven't used a QT. I buy most of my fish from a local petco, I shouldn't but I do because they sometimes have a wider selection then my LFS. My first fish was a diamond goby which showed some signs of ich, unfortunately when I bought him I did not have the time to setup my QT tank and baggy enough time to drip acclimate him any threw him in. About 2-3 weeks later I bought 2 snowflake clowns from the same store and they did not show signs of ich but some of their tank mates did, I had a QT setup for them and I did put them in there for 3 days they looked fine and I got them to eat some mysis. About a week after I put the clowns in my main tank I saw one white spot on one of my clowns. So I decided to garlicify everything I bought garlic f2 pellets which they love and started to soak my my mysis in garlic as well, I also added about 3-4 drops directly to the tank every water change i did. Eventually my fish got over it and no signs of ich since. I recently purchased a coral beauty and at the time I didn't notice that he had fin rot or some type of parasite and unfortunately I did not have the treatments for him and did not notice he had it until it was too late so in that case I did wish I had a QT but also have The right treatments stocked up for treatment.

It is nice to have one and I wish I had one 24/7 but like uncle salty said if you go and watch that fish and stare at him constantly and see how it eats and everything looks to be ok then a QT can be avoided.

[snorvich]

Lack of visible signs of a parasite does not mean a fish does not have a parasite or carry a parasite. It is everyone's choice, of course. I spend a lot of time in the Fish Diseases Forum. Those that do not quarantine can join me there as required.

[tmz]

When I see a fish I am interested in I stare at it for a long time to make sure there are no visible signs of parasites or illness. If I am still interested, I ask if I can put down a deposit and come back in a week. If the store says no I leave the store never to return (most accept and understand the request). I also ask to see the fish eat both times.

This is what works for me. I am not advising you to not quarantine, but you can go that route and be successful if you are scrutinous and know what to look for.
you can go that route and be successful if you are scrutinous and know what to look for.

Maybe you can, but I can't no mater how hard Ive tried . Those are good steps to take whether you qt or not,though.When I visited my friend's lfs for hours a few times a week for many years as was my habit , I had oportunites to watch fish long term before purchasing them and still couldn't . I've watched literally thousands of fish and still couldn't tell anyone that a particular fish no matter how healthy it looked it or how long it was in the lfs tank wouldn't bring ich into an aquarium based on those observations. Tanks in an lfs typically hold transient populations ,replenished as they are sold .It's easy to expose a healthy fish to a parasite in those conditions and take it home before any symptoms show up.

I have never lost a fish to the tank transfer method and/ or a carefuly established qt tank.

[tmz]

There is plenty of good help and inforamtion on the Fish Disease forum. This thread of mine may also be of interest to some:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2185929&highlight=fish+acclimation+and+quarantine

[Moorepower]

I would say get a QT tank. My fish just got ich from a new tank mate and half of the fish died.

[Uncle Salty 05]

When I see a fish I am interested in I stare at it for a long time to make sure there are no visible signs of parasites or illness. If I am still interested, I ask if I can put down a deposit and come back in a week. If the store says no I leave the store never to return (most accept and understand the request). I also ask to see the fish eat both times.

This is what works for me. I am not advising you to not quarantine, but you can go that route and be successful if you are scrutinous and know what to look for.
you can go that route and be successful if you are scrutinous and know what to look for.

Maybe you can, but I can't no mater how hard Ive tried . Those are good steps to take whether you qt or not,though.When I visited my friend's lfs for hours a few times a week for many years as was my habit , I had oportunites to watch fish long term before purchasing them and still couldn't . I've watched literally thousands of fish and still couldn't tell anyone that a particular fish no matter how healthy it looked it or how long it was in the lfs tank wouldn't bring ich into an aquarium based on those observations. Tanks in an lfs typically hold transient populations ,replenished as they are sold .It's easy to expose a healthy fish to a parasite in those conditions and take it home before any symptoms show up.

I have never lost a fish to the tank transfer method and/ or a carefuly established qt tank.

If a fish looks healthy and stays that way after a week in the deplorable water quality of a LFS, even if it is carrying ich when it is transfered to my tank which has considerably better quality water and definitely more hiding spots to feel safe in, If I feed it well it can overcome any ich it may be carrying.
I have yet to have a problem using this method.
As I said I do not recommend this to beginners, but it is what works for me.

[sponger0]

IS QT nesessary?? Honestly no. Is it highly recommended? Absolutely.

Each time you buy a new fish you have the chance to introduce a disease into your tank.

Ich is the most common, and has caused people to sell their tanks. Ich isnt always visible until after you get them settled in a tank. In the fish store, they dont have time to fully settle in.

Next up is Velvet. Well velvet can knock out your whole livestock in just a few days. It happened to a local reefer to me, took out 20+ anthias including the ones that were $150 a pop.

These diseases cant be treated in a DT. Must be treated in a QT.

Also, it gives your new fish a chance to settle in and you can figure out feeding habits. Whether or not you like to think so, I believe it also gives the chance for your fish to get use to their new owner. Whenever I QT'd a new fish, at first they are skiddish, but after a few weeks in there, they would be waiting for food everytime I walk past.

For those who dont QT, and never got anything, consider yourself lucky lol. I got ich with my very first saltwater fish purchase.

[Uncle Salty 05]

IS QT nesessary?? Honestly no. Is it highly recommended? Absolutely.

Each time you buy a new fish you have the chance to introduce a disease into your tank.

Ich is the most common, and has caused people to sell their tanks. Ich isnt always visible until after you get them settled in a tank. In the fish store, they dont have time to fully settle in.

Next up is Velvet. Well velvet can knock out your whole livestock in just a few days. It happened to a local reefer to me, took out 20+ anthias including the ones that were $150 a pop.

These diseases cant be treated in a DT. Must be treated in a QT.

Also, it gives your new fish a chance to settle in and you can figure out feeding habits. Whether or not you like to think so, I believe it also gives the chance for your fish to get use to their new owner. Whenever I QT'd a new fish, at first they are skiddish, but after a few weeks in there, they would be waiting for food everytime I walk past.

For those who dont QT, and never got anything, consider yourself lucky lol. I got ich with my very first saltwater fish purchase.

All of the above is 100% true.
With that said, a healthy fish that is feed a good balanced diet and kept in water with the correct parameters that does not fall prey to bullies already in the tank has very little chance of succumbing to ich.