# Quarantine and shrimps. Sort of newb question



## 12273 (Nov 3, 2012)

Ok so....... 

I want a pistol and goby badly. However, I want to quarantine unless I'm buying from a hobbyist and LFS is always an option I'll just have to set up a QT system. 

I understand the fish should be kept in the QT and maybe some preventive meds given like ick and maybe prazipro just to be safe. Seed the tank. Get heater, simple filter and pump in some air. Done. 

Now, what about inverts ? I don't get it. Pretty much all the meds say not Invert safe and at the same time everyone and everywhere says anything wet can carry disease and ick into a tank and contaminate the system. So how on earth would someone QT a shrimp and medicate? Disease and ick I'm assuming can lay dormant and the fish can carry diseases indefinitely if left untreated and cured. 

So does this not seem like a waste of time to QT without meds ? As far as stress for the fish I'd assume a QT with nothing in it and the transfer process from store to QT to display tank would be stressful on the inhabitants of the QT and essentially render the QT process useless and risk disease and sickness to flare up once again. 

Not sure what to do here 

I don't understand how folks do it 


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## corpusse (Jan 3, 2011)

What you should do and what I'd probably do if I still had many systems and this was going in my main reef would be tank transfer the goby then have the goby and shrimp in their own QT tank for 72 days. This is long enough to ensure they don't have ich and anything else would likely show by then. Prazipro is basically reef safe and that includes inverts should there be any internal parasites.

What I'd do now that I only have one reef tank and limited space is isolate the shrimp in it's own qt and tank transfer the goby then at the end of tank transfer either treat with praziopro together (just for simplicity not because the shrimp needs it). Then add them to the tank. 

In an ideal world everything wet should be in QT for 72 days and I have gotten ich from a coral before but the odds of it happening are slim. Really it depends how lucky you feel and how much money you have in livestock. Ich is hardly the worst thing but by watching out for it you end up catching everything else in that time frame as well.


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## szl (Sep 18, 2015)

aquaman1 said:


> Ok so.......
> 
> I want a pistol and goby badly. However, I want to quarantine unless I'm buying from a hobbyist and LFS is always an option I'll just have to set up a QT system.
> 
> ...


The reason you want to QT the shrimp, is because while it cannot be infected with ich, it can carry it... One stage of the ich cycle, (not certain of the name) can be on ANYTHING wet, meaning, rock, corals, frag plugs, macro algae, nets, etc. This includes shrimps, snails, crabs and other critters who cannot be infected directly but can be carriers.

So you want to QT the shrimp long enough to make sure that the parasite has run its life cycle. If the parasite has no fish to infect it will die out after roughly 72 days.

I would recommend QT seperately, in case there is ich. If there is ich, you have to set up a second QT for your shrimp because now there is a chance he is now carrying it.

Alternatively, you can do TTM on both of them at the same time and you should be clear.


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## Bassick (Nov 19, 2014)

It has always been my understanding that shrimp cannot be infected or carry ich.


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## 12273 (Nov 3, 2012)

Wow. Thanks for the info guys ! So some meds are ok for disease and shrimp. I might do that. But as far as icy goes copper is deadly to inverts I've read. What is TTM? This is crazy! Lol. Wish someone had a pair I can buy that is clean . Oh well. I'll save one at LFS  


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## twobytwo (Oct 25, 2014)

aquaman1 said:


> What is TTM?


Tank Transfer Method.
http://www.reef2reef.com/threads/tank-transfer-method.192655/

Some people like it... personally I don't lol. I prefer a QT - no treatment for a few days to make sure the fish is comfortable and eating, then treated with Cupramine and PraziPro



aquaman1 said:


> Wish someone had a pair I can buy that is clean .


It's good practice to QT EVERYTHING. I only trust myself. I've received fish/corals from good friends and still QT. nothing personal, but you are your last line of defence if something does exist.

You can set up a 10-20g tank with a heater and small filter for under $50.


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## szl (Sep 18, 2015)

Bassick said:


> It has always been my understanding that shrimp cannot be infected or carry ich.


They cannot be infected as ich only hosts fish, but it can be on anything in an aquarium that is wet.

When the white spots you see on the fish fall off, then can rest on anything, including CUC members. In that sense they can carry it.


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## 12273 (Nov 3, 2012)

Well folks I appreciate all the help and advice .

I had a like new 10 gallon downstairs and filled it with my premixed aged SW and added my heater and a crappy HOB filter with just the foam for debris. I will add my sponges that are in display tank and place in QT tanks once at temp. They've been in my tank for a year at least so should be teaming with bacteria









It has a canopy and light (LED) built in . Little cheap thing but does the trick.

Now as for the evaporation what to do? I'm NOT buying a ATO for this LOL. So just monitor and top off accordingly ? I marked where the water line is for 35 salinity and guess I can just use a jug to pour in.

72 days seems crazy ha ha ha. But I guess better than killing my happy clowns with some LFS disease .

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## szl (Sep 18, 2015)

For evaporation, do exactly what u said. mark it on the tank with a marker and just top off daily


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## 12273 (Nov 3, 2012)

I'd also like to add that I'm probably gonna add a container with sand it and some tiny little cpvc elbows for hiding. Seeing as how I want the thing to live in sand not trying to suck glass for a borrow LOL 


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## 12273 (Nov 3, 2012)

Added my sponges from display in QT tank and a container of sand. Tomorrow gonna get some clay pots and some pvc elbows and wait probably another week. I'll test parameters and see how it's doing but I wanna give the bacteria a chance to settle in the HOB filter and the sand. 

Ill admit I've been BAD for QT as this time I'm doing right. Gonna take my time and commit to this process. I know patience is key here with this hobby so I think keeping this thread going will be therapeutic for me LOL and maybe help another member new or experienced. 

I'll be medicating with prazipro in the second month and probably do a few doses but not till the fish is settled and eating . 

If some Scientist can invent a all-in-one safe and effective medication for quarantine process that person would be a billionaire with all us aquarists Ha Ha ha 


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## Crayon (Apr 13, 2014)

Two things to consider:
Ammonia is your biggest enemy with a small tank qt with hardly any bio filter. I know you have a sponge, etc., but clean the tank of all waste daily and do not over feed. Do water changes religiously.
Second, to treat anything delicate, like inverts, start with a 1/4 dose and gradually build up. I have treated boxfish with copper, formalin and prazi (not at the same time) by doing this. I'm not suggesting using copper on inverts, just saying you can build up tolerance, over a few days, and that will help improve your chances for success.

And one last point, ich and most parasites are not always visible to the naked eye. Just cause you can't see it doesn't mean it's not there.


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## willijack (Nov 7, 2015)

I'm in the same boat as you. Will be watching your thread closely...


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