Odd quarantine situation

[percula99]

So, to preface this situation let me start by saying I recently had knee replacement surgery followed ten days later by a broken leg, so going down to the dasement where my tank is has not been possible.

I QT everything that goes into my tank for four plus weeks. I even ran my tank fallow for over two months. So how did ich find its way back in? I was able to catch almost every fish and have them in quarantine except for two small chromis. That was now seven weeks ago. I am soon to get the go ahead to start physio and hopefully I can navigate stairs again so I can go see my reef.

So the question is if the chromis are still fine can I consider them quarantined or not? I know conventional thinking says no but what do you think?

[lespaul339]

No they are not quarantined.

[Deinonych]

If the two Chromis remained in the DT, they provided a host for the parasite to continue reproducing (even if they aren't showing symptoms). In order for the DT to be free of parasites, it must remain free of fish hosts for 72 days. Since the Chromis remained in the DT, the fallow period has not even begun yet.

[percula99]

Well I agree with you about the fact the chromis are not properly quarantined yet. How much is enough? There is a theory that no matter how much you quarantine ich will always be present. Anyone heard that one before? I really can't see myself not quarantining again however as there is too much at stake not too. Tearing the tank apart is not an option due to my knees and the amount of corals. Last time I drained the tank and caught the fish when they came out looking for deeper water.

[Deinonych]

There is a theory that no matter how much you quarantine ich will always be present.

That "theory" has no basis in reality. If you have sound quarantine practices and never allow ich to enter your display tank, you won't have infections. Ich is not some magical organism that spontaneously appears in our tanks. It's relatively straightforward to eliminate if you use TTM.

It can be challenging to remove once it enters the display, but removing all fish for 72 days (and treating them in a dedicated QT) should allow the parasite to die off.