Fish QT Question

[Zach W]

I have an IM fusion 20 that has been up and running for 2 1/2 months and do not have any fish or coral currently in the system. I will be getting my first fish next week though. I live in an apartment and do not have a QT tank nor do I have room to get one. Can I use my display as a QT tank since there is not coral in there currently? I will have a CUC from reef cleaners in the tank.

 

I am planning on stocking two ocellaris clowns and a pink streaked wrasse. Is it a terrible idea to introduce them all at once and treat the display as a QT before I add any corals? So if a problem arises I can treat the tank with medications. I don't know if medications stick around and you cannot do this or how that works but without having the option for a QT tank this thought popped into my head. Thanks for the advise!

[jesseatam]

If you plan on using the tank as a full on reef tank in the future you wouldn't be able to treat with copper. The main worry about introducing all those fish at once would be the massive bioload increase from 0 to 3 fish .

[1891Bro]

8 hours ago, Zach W said:

I have an IM fusion 20 that has been up and running for 2 1/2 months and do not have any fish or coral currently in the system. I will be getting my first fish next week though. I live in an apartment and do not have a QT tank nor do I have room to get one. Can I use my display as a QT tank since there is not coral in there currently? I will have a CUC from reef cleaners in the tank.

 

I am planning on stocking two ocellaris clowns and a pink streaked wrasse. Is it a terrible idea to introduce them all at once and treat the display as a QT before I add any corals? So if a problem arises I can treat the tank with medications. I don't know if medications stick around and you cannot do this or how that works but without having the option for a QT tank this thought popped into my head. Thanks for the advise!

Rock and sand will absorb copper and you won’t ever to be able to use that rock and sand with coral and inverts afterwards. You can qt in a five gallon bucket with a pvc fitting or two a heater and some cheapo pump or powerhead. 

 

Edit: Shitty part about the bucket is it makes observation more difficult cause you can only see through the top. Plenty of info about cheap and easy QT setups out there. There’s this google thing I keep hearing about, might be worth a shot. Also I’m a dump-n-go kinda guy so there’s that to consider alongside any advice I offer. 

[A Little Blue]

Don’t use your main tank for quarantine/treatment. 

Do you have any good LFS near you that sells fish on your list? 

[FISHnChix]

Nope you r screwed if u plan on having a reef no meds in the tank.. however most just chance it. Worst case your fish get a disease if they can't fight it off they die and you leave your tabk fish less for 8 weeks.. corals will be fine .. so that's the reality of reefing... not bad but the reality is there...

[1891Bro]

2 minutes ago, Weikel said:

Nope you r screwed if u plan on having a reef no meds in the tank.. however most just chance it. Worst case your fish get a disease if they can't fight it off they die and you leave your tabk fish less for 8 weeks.. corals will be fine .. so that's the reality of reefing... not bad but the reality is there...

Fish are the cheap part anyway. 

[Tamberav]

13 hours ago, Zach W said:

I have an IM fusion 20 that has been up and running for 2 1/2 months and do not have any fish or coral currently in the system. I will be getting my first fish next week though. I live in an apartment and do not have a QT tank nor do I have room to get one. Can I use my display as a QT tank since there is not coral in there currently? I will have a CUC from reef cleaners in the tank.

 

I am planning on stocking two ocellaris clowns and a pink streaked wrasse. Is it a terrible idea to introduce them all at once and treat the display as a QT before I add any corals? So if a problem arises I can treat the tank with medications. I don't know if medications stick around and you cannot do this or how that works but without having the option for a QT tank this thought popped into my head. Thanks for the advise!

 

You could just sign up for Diver's Den alerts and buy a pygmy wrasse off there, then with the same purchase grab the clownfish from ORA (they are shipped directly from ORA). 

 

The clownfish will never have been exposed to wild fish and come disease free. The pygmy will have been observed and QT/treated for 2 weeks minumum. They also come with a 2 week money back guarantee and depending what type of clownfish you want, you probably hit free shipping. 

 

The pygmy's are not that uncommon in Diver's Den but will take some patience... they will show up though.

 

https://www.liveaquaria.com/divers-den/category/3/
 

 

Yeah its 3 fish at once but many ppl add 2 clowns at once and I doubt the pygmy will be what does the tank in. I would just make sure it is established first. 

 

 

[Zach W]

Thanks everyone! That was my concern but I wasn’t sure so I figured I’d ask. 

 

@1891Bro why google when I can get multiple opinions from people like you on here!? Haha the all knowing google can’t give me that 

 

@A Little Blue I do have a good LFS that I will be getting the clowns from. I guess I just thought most people still recommended QT even from a good store. 

 

@Tamberav thanks for the info on Divers Den, I will keep my eyes open for a wrasse on there! 

[A Little Blue]

5 hours ago, Zach W said:

tle Blue I do have a good LFS that I will be getting the clowns from. I guess I just thought most people still recommended QT

I asked because you can talk to the owner/manager to hold/quarantine fish you pick for you. Explain your situation and concerns and see if you can work something out. Most LFS are helpful with meeting your needs if they care about long term relationship. You can bring your own fish food and see if the fish you selected is eating. See how active it is (I usually pick the most active, fat, bold fish from the bunch. Not talking about the size tho as I usually pick juveniles). If you don’t see anything you like, you can order ORA Clowns with confidence (can be pricey tho).