First Fish

[Piggy]

Do you need to put them in quaratine or can you just add them to your tank of live rock and clean up crew? Plus how long should you wait after you add the clean up crew?

 

[Bifferwine]

For your first fish, you don't need to quarantine them if they are the only things in the tank. But keep in mind, if they do get sick and you need to treat them with copper, and you treat your main tank with copper, you will kill all your inverts and not be able to add inverts in the future. So I would still recommend quarantining them, in case you need to treat with copper.

You don't need to wait long after adding the cleaner crew, you can add fish as soon as your tank is done cycling.

 

[HAWKS12thMAN]

Q tank every new fish, inverts no

 

[reeffreak]

Its always best to QT all new fish but many don't.
Since,its the first fish-I think you should be okay.You can add inverts and fish as soon as the tank has completely cycled(zero ammonia and nitrite).Take it slowly and don't add to many at once....Best of luck

 

[poolshark181]

i didnt qt my first fish, but then again, my lfs is awesome, and 99% of their fish are really healthy.

 

[Piggy]

All I have in my tank are snails,hermits, and shimps. Plus live rock of course.

 

[Bifferwine]

Then I would quarantine your new fish. If they do get sick, you won't be able to treat them with the inverts in there.

 

[hibye]

i dont qt my fish because my lfs has huge uv sterilazion

 

[Bifferwine]

Just because your LFS uses UV sterilization doesn't mean that the fish won't get stressed or sick from moving to your tank.

 

[winyfrog]

You should QT all new fish, to help prevent disease in your display.
as Biff said UV doesn't mean your fish won't stress or get sick when you bring it home..

 

[Doc]

yup. UV doesn't kill Oodinium (velvet) which has killed my entire tank about a year and a half ago. I would QT any new fish for about a week just to be safe. I don't have a QT tank, but my LFS has one that I use that is treated with copper. If you do treat your QT with copper or bring home a fish in a bag that has copper treated water, make sure you don't add that water directly in your display tank. Inverts and copper don't mix. Good Luck... and be patient. Wait at least a week between adding fish to make sure the bioload can catch up.

-Dr Marco :sfish:

 

[Doc]

oops, double post

 

[Piggy]

Is a 20 Gal big enough? I think thats what it is?

 

[Bifferwine]

A 20 gallon is fine for a QT. I think most people use a 10 gallon tank. You don't need any fancy equipment, just a small heater, a small HOB filter, no substrate, no live rock, just a couple pieces of PVC for fish to hide in. The more simple it is, the easier it is to clean it and disinfect it between uses or if you have a sick fish.

 

[HAWKS12thMAN]

I bought an eclipse 12 gallon and its awesome. Threw a pice of live rock, sand and 3" pcv pipe in it.

 

[RigoSharon]

nice hawks...is an addiction isn it??

 

[Piggy]

I tried to find the thread on what all the abbreviations mean but I couldn't find it. I'm being stupid but what is a HOB filter? Got my QT tank all set up except for that. Also once I do add the filter system do I need to wait for that tank to cycle?

 

[Doc]

HOB = hang on the back (filter). If youare just starting your tank, then yes you will cycle - plan for 3-4 weeks to complete a cycle. If you are changing filtration and have already cycled once, adding a different filtration system will not cause a new cycle.

-Dr Marco :sfish:

 

[Piggy]

It"s been set up for awhile with a filter running. I need to remember to write things down when I do them. I do test the water and everyhing test ok.

 

[Piggy]

How many fish should I get the first time? I know I would like a clown. Plus I would like a blennie. Not sure what else