Against all advice and my better judgement

Kactai · 03/16/2018, 07:22 AM

Hi All,

Do any of you do things the wrong way even though you know it could lead to disaster?

Here’s my story.... it’s a bit of a read.

I’m currently stocking a 180g mixed reef tank and I’ve added 6 fish so far. All about 2 weeks apart and all fish were observed for a decent amount of time at the LFS before purchasing. I used observation and trust in my LFS instead of proper quarantine procedures. So far everything has been great.

That’s one flagrant disregard for all proper advice.

Then last night while we were looking for #7. They had in the most healthy looking vibrant and small powder blue tang I had ever seen. I justified the aqusition by telling myself that they never look that good when they come in and we never see them that small. I knew that if I left him there I may not see another like him for a good while. I watched him graze on the rocks and swim like a king with his fins splayed out majestically. so I got him didn’t QT him and put him in the display.

He’s in with two midnight black clowns, a yellow flanked fairy wrasse, a rare moyeri wrasse, a Swiss guard baslette and a tail spot blenny. He’s #7. I know about powder blues and how tough they can be to keep. I know they are ich magnets and should be quarantined and treated and I know tangs and larger fish should be added last but i risked it all anyways for this fish. I tell myself it’s so that he could have a good home... talk about convincing myself.

This will most likely go the first of two ways. I learn a very harsh lesson and mess up all the process I’ve made with the tank. Way less likely is that everything goes smoothly and I learn that there are no actual rules to this game (worst lesson I could possibly learn).

I have hospital tanks available should the need arise and I have fish traps and medication at the ready.

I want to hear horror stories and success stories from people doing it the wrong way.

Thanks and feel free to blast me for my terrible behaviour. I think I need to hear it so I can change my ways... I’m always trying to improve and i plan to make the best out of the situation I put myself in. Is this the worst thing you’ve heard of? Could I have been more terrible?

Watchm@n · 03/16/2018, 07:30 AM

Hi there...

I think you will get lots of different options on here re whether to QT or not..
Loads of people on here have had success without QT, while others swear by it...
Luck of the draw I guess.

Personally, I haven't been able to QT due to my space limitations. However, if I did have the space, I more than likely would do so.

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

scuzy · 03/16/2018, 10:08 AM

Simple question is how much do you value the lives of other fishes in your tank? For me it's a simple answer and this reason i quarantine all incoming no matter where i get it. You just never know. It's like why do we buy insurance? It's for the what if situations.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Tripod1404 · 03/16/2018, 04:22 PM

Good case nothing happen, you have a happy tank.

Bad case, you get something like Uronema marinum that cannot be get rid of without nuking the tank with bleach and essentially starting over with dead rock and dead sand. You would also need to dispose all the corals and threat the fish with some hard medication.

Borntrippn · 03/16/2018, 10:15 PM

Fingers crossed. Ive had itvgo both ways over the years.

03/16/2018, 07:22 AM	#1
Kactai Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: Sudbury, Ontario, Canada Posts: 66	Against all advice and my better judgement Hi All, Do any of you do things the wrong way even though you know it could lead to disaster? Here’s my story.... it’s a bit of a read. I’m currently stocking a 180g mixed reef tank and I’ve added 6 fish so far. All about 2 weeks apart and all fish were observed for a decent amount of time at the LFS before purchasing. I used observation and trust in my LFS instead of proper quarantine procedures. So far everything has been great. That’s one flagrant disregard for all proper advice. Then last night while we were looking for #7. They had in the most healthy looking vibrant and small powder blue tang I had ever seen. I justified the aqusition by telling myself that they never look that good when they come in and we never see them that small. I knew that if I left him there I may not see another like him for a good while. I watched him graze on the rocks and swim like a king with his fins splayed out majestically. so I got him didn’t QT him and put him in the display. He’s in with two midnight black clowns, a yellow flanked fairy wrasse, a rare moyeri wrasse, a Swiss guard baslette and a tail spot blenny. He’s #7. I know about powder blues and how tough they can be to keep. I know they are ich magnets and should be quarantined and treated and I know tangs and larger fish should be added last but i risked it all anyways for this fish. I tell myself it’s so that he could have a good home... talk about convincing myself. This will most likely go the first of two ways. I learn a very harsh lesson and mess up all the process I’ve made with the tank. Way less likely is that everything goes smoothly and I learn that there are no actual rules to this game (worst lesson I could possibly learn). I have hospital tanks available should the need arise and I have fish traps and medication at the ready. I want to hear horror stories and success stories from people doing it the wrong way. Thanks and feel free to blast me for my terrible behaviour. I think I need to hear it so I can change my ways... I’m always trying to improve and i plan to make the best out of the situation I put myself in. Is this the worst thing you’ve heard of? Could I have been more terrible?

03/16/2018, 07:30 AM	#2
Watchm@n Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2016 Posts: 129	Hi there... I think you will get lots of different options on here re whether to QT or not.. Loads of people on here have had success without QT, while others swear by it... Luck of the draw I guess. Personally, I haven't been able to QT due to my space limitations. However, if I did have the space, I more than likely would do so. Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

03/16/2018, 10:08 AM	#3
scuzy Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 6,499	Simple question is how much do you value the lives of other fishes in your tank? For me it's a simple answer and this reason i quarantine all incoming no matter where i get it. You just never know. It's like why do we buy insurance? It's for the what if situations. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

03/16/2018, 04:22 PM	#4
Tripod1404 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2016 Posts: 1,821	Good case nothing happen, you have a happy tank. Bad case, you get something like Uronema marinum that cannot be get rid of without nuking the tank with bleach and essentially starting over with dead rock and dead sand. You would also need to dispose all the corals and threat the fish with some hard medication.

03/16/2018, 10:15 PM	#5
Borntrippn Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2017 Location: Macedonia. OH. Posts: 81	Fingers crossed. Ive had itvgo both ways over the years.