SPS QT question

[lrasser]

I currently have a 29 Biocube equipped with a 150w MH so it should make a perfect SPS qt tank. I'm currently using it for hypo on a few fish for a friend and I personally have a 6 line wrasse in the tank. My debate is if I should leave the 6 line wrasse in the tank when converting it to an SPS frag/QT. I have a separate frag tank they will go into after a qt period.

my issues:

6 line will help with pests and also provide nutrients in the tank to help keep bacteria levels up.

vs

Keeping a 6 line could promote ich if frags have a cyst on it. This could cause the ich to get into main display after transferring frags into the display.


This has me torn. The 6 line can go into the DT if that's what decided so no loss there. I almost feel like it's choosing between healthy SPS or fish. Easier to replace fish then SPS colonies. Just curious to see if any of you have some experiences with this.

:iamwithst

 

[jackson6745]

Sixlines get aggressive. Get rid of him while you can. A yellow coris is a better choice for pest removal and it's peaceful.

"Keeping a 6 line could promote ich if frags have a cyst on it. This could cause the ich to get into main display after transferring frags into the display."

This is kind of out there. Where did you get this info from?

 

[fredro]

I currently have a 29 Biocube equipped with a 150w MH so it should make a perfect SPS qt tank.

* 28gal JBJ Nanocube

 

[lrasser]

Rich

I'm not sure what you mean by where did you get this info? What info would that be? That you should QT everything? That six lines eat most pests? Also my six line is far from aggressive and even if he was I'm sure he would be on the bottom of that list in my DT. I completely understand keeping the six line in the QT could promote ich. That's why I stated that in my original post. My question to people is which is the lesser of the two evils? The ich and loose fish or the pests and loose coral? That's the question I was asking. With regards to ich I'm at the point of just giving up with it. I've gone fishless twice in the past year and treated once with copper and once with hypo. Both treatments went great and then after introducing them back after 8-12 weeks it back in a few days. Right now i'm between treating some of them again and finding new homes or just seeing who survives. and YES I qt everything and properly. I've been doing this close to 15 years and this is the first time i've had to deal with this.

 

[jackson6745]

I mean the line that I quoted from you. What do you mean a 6 line can promote ich if a frag has a cyst on it? Never heard anything like that before. Curious about it. Where did you read that? I'd like to read more about it. My first thought is that it's an absurd theory, but I learned to keep an open mind

A sixline is aggressive with other fish. Since it may possibly go in a display, I suggested the yellow coris as a better alternative. I've seen too many nasty sixlines, and people that wish they were out of their tanks

 

[marrone]

I think what he means is if the frag has an ich spore on it, then having a fish in the tank would give the Ich a host, and once infected, it would create even more Ich, which he could possibly introduce into his MT by putting the frag into it. So it has nothing to do wit ha 6-line but just a fish in general.

 

[lrasser]

correct. Sorry Rich. What I mean is that there are benefits to both. The six line will eat all the bugs and keep them out of my DT when i bring the frags over. This will help reduce SPS losses and keep bacteria levels more stable. The issue your questioning i believe is the cyst cycle of ich. This is the stage where it forms almost a cocoon/egg type encrustation. This is the part of the ich cycle that had to have been created by the Devil himself. Once the cocoons hatch they must find a host within 24hrs (fish only) or they die and that's the end of them. The problem is the cyst can survive on average 4 weeks without a host before hatching. Some strains can survive 8+ This is why you need to go 8 weeks fishless. This allows them to all hatch and die. Those cyst can be transported through LR, Frags etc. They will attach to almost anything. By leaving frags in QT without a fish for 4+ weeks you can greatly reduce these cyst from making it to your DT since they will most likely hatch and die.

 

[jackson6745]

Thanks for the explanation. I honestly never read that before. If that's the case, maybe a fishless qt would be better? You can manipulate nutrient and bacterial growth with amino additives. Something like aqua vitro fuel or acropower would keep things from starving.

 

[lrasser]

That's were I am the novice. I've never kept an SPS fish-less tank. My main concern is too low nutrients. I'm thinking a fire shrimp, hermits and snails could keep most off it in check. Any inverts would work fine and not be prone to ich. It would just be a matter of finding the right combo. I'll look up the ones you suggested. I'm thinking even some oyster feast 1-2 times a week plus a few scraps for the cleaners could keep things in check.

 

[ValorG]

Honestly I think theres ich in most tanks. As long as the fish are healthy and water is clean the fish will not get it. So I think keeping a fish in your qt is fine, but that's just me.