Quarantine or TTM or both?

[ibrat82]

Hi Guys

I’ve been using ttm on all my fish and thankfully I’ve had good success of not having ich in my tank however ttm is very labour intensive and add that with cost of salt gets expensive on every fish.

I’m considering a quarantine tank that’s medicated with copper (preventative treatment ) and have new fish in there for 4 weeks before introducing to dt.

I’m reading that velvet is becoming a serious issue and ttm doesn’t cure velvet so that’s another reason I’m leaning to copper.

I’m wondering what you guys are doing to have the best success with new fish? Copper or ttm?

Also do you guys recommend cupramine or coppersafe?

[pisanoal]

General recommendation would be don't treat for a disease unless you see it. Exceptions are TTM and prazipro. Most people will recommend to TTM all fish with prazipro on 2nd and 4th (I think? been a while since I've acquired any new fish) transfers. Then QT/observe for at least an additional 2 weeks after TTM in a cycled tank. This should show any other diseases which can be treated for then. TTM shouldn't be that expensive for salt. Use 5 gallon buckets or 10 gallon aquariums filled halfway.

Copper can be hard on fish and time consuming to maintain right levels. It requires at least daily testing and careful monitoring of ammonia levels.

[MondoBongo]

General recommendation would be don't treat for a disease unless you see it. Exceptions are TTM and prazipro. Most people will recommend to TTM all fish with prazipro on 2nd and 4th (I think? been a while since I've acquired any new fish) transfers. Then QT/observe for at least an additional 2 weeks after TTM in a cycled tank. This should show any other diseases which can be treated for then. TTM shouldn't be that expensive for salt. Use 5 gallon buckets or 10 gallon aquariums filled halfway.

Copper can be hard on fish and time consuming to maintain right levels. It requires at least daily testing and careful monitoring of ammonia levels.

these are my thoughts.

i've used TTM to great effect on new arrivals, and most tolerate prazi treatments just fine. the exceptions i'm aware of being some wrasse, and super delicate fish like Orange Spotted Fielfish. i've had butterflies, anthias, gobies, etc... all tolerate TTM with prazi very well.

after i do my TTM regimen, i generally place them in to my "grow out" system for 4 - 6 weeks. this is a fully cycled tank with rock and sand that is used as a holding area for new arrivals (usually a 20 long), or the first stop for things like corals or clean up crew. in grow out i get them used to having me feed them, and let them acclimate to a slightly brighter/noisier environment than TTM. i also observe them to make sure there's nothing i missed, no additional concerns, and that they're eating well.

this is especially helpful for introducing new food to new arrivals who might not yet be up to competing with more boisterous fish in the display.

after i'm satisfied with their stay in grow out, they go in to an acclimation box in the DT for at least half a day, sometimes up to 3 days, before they're cut loose in to the DT.

[scooter31707]

The statements are true, but personally I do the above and after the TTM process, they go into the QT where they received a dose of CP which IMO is safer than copper.

[ibrat82]

So far it seems that ttm is more popular than preventative copper treatment

[thegrun]

I also do the same. I suppose a minimum of an 8 week quarantine with only a PraziPro treatment would reduce your risk to nearly zero if the TTM is too intensive for you. I make water changes to my display and use the old tank water for the TTM so it doesn't really affect my salt usage.

[MondoBongo]

I make water changes to my display and use the old tank water for the TTM so it doesn't really affect my salt usage.

this a million times over.

that old DT water is absolutely perfect for QT water changes, rinsing things, or packing up frags.

i re-use as much as i reasonably can.