The benefits of using a QT tank

[Cliff]

Just a little over two weeks ago, we bought a copperband butterfly fish for our 120 gallon reef tank. My wife and I watched him carefully over a few visits at our SW LFS. He was in the store for over a week. The fish had great coloring, was heating like a hourse, and behaving normally. As the store uses copper and anti-parasitic meds (paraguard I believe) in their fish tanks, I didn’t see us having any problems at all.

But out of habit, I set-up and placed him in our 20 gallon QT tank just as I usally do.

Thank goodness I did

Only after 4 or 5 days of being in the QT tank, he started flashing and then my wife noticed signs of parasites. She treated him with paraguard and he did seam to get better for a day or two, but he then stopped eating and went down-hill really really fast. I just found out tonight we ended up losing him.

I’m really glad I did not just add him to the main tank. I could have lost all my fish and have to wait a really long time before adding any other fish. Whether it’s my fresh water or salt water tanks, I don’t think I will ever add a fish without QT’ing first. This experience just reaffirms that for me.

[octoxpuss]

Same here, I never just add a fish to my main tank. I am religious with QT new fish, unless it is a newly setup tank and they are the first fish in the tank. Thank god you did QT could have been a lot worse, and a lot more expensive.

[SLeen]

thank you for sharing, Cliff. I just bought a small tank to use for QT. I'm a pretty impatient person, and normally wouldn't bother with things like that. But stories like yours remind me that taking the time to do things properly always pays off.

[Cliff]

Thanks Guys

I know Smaug has resently shared a few simular experiances as well which have really reminded me of the improtance of use a QT tank. I can be really impatient as well so it good to remind myself from time to time why it is improtant, or I will be too temped to skip it.

[octoxpuss]

I get really impatient too, Like if I don't add the fish right away I die inside but I just fight the erge. HAHAHA. Sorry about your fish BTW.

[Spidyman]

I think I will break dlown and get a QT after hearing this and other stories in the past. Thanks.

[Stlouisfish]

I got myself a QT after bringing home a fish that infested my tank with ick - couldn't add anymore fish for quite some time because I first had to cycle a filter for the tank which took time. Quarantining is good not only to watch for disease, but it gives the new fish time to settle in and start to eat well. That must have been difficult watching a fish go downhill so quickly - it's true, you can't tell what a fish might be carrying that can show up once it's moved and stressed out.

[desi911]

I am so getting a qt tank as soon as I can.

[Lady Hobbs]

Sorry you lost your new fish, Cliff. But yes, quarantine will save so many from ICK. And if you need to treat for Maracyn, the cost alone is well worth it. Treating 10 gallons is far cheaper than treating 50 gallons.

Good post and very helpful.

My fish all get treated with PaziPro in the qt tank before they ever go in my big tank.

[Wild Turkey]

I can never see enough of these threads. Q! Q! Q! Always! Most of us found out the hard way so learn from our misfortune. lol

It always stinks to lose a fish, but thats losing a fish the right way.. not losing the rest of the tank with it.