Cali Kid Corals

Quarantine System a must?

Can I avoid setting up a quarantine system and purchase from one store that is 100% pest free?

  • Bite the bullet and setup a quarantine system.

    Votes: 8 88.9%
  • 100% pest free stores exist! I'll post the ones that I know.

    Votes: 1 11.1%

  • Total voters
    9
Does anyone else have experience with Dr Reef? I didn’t see numbers but folks say his prices are very reasonable for all the effort that goes in to doing this.

It is very challenging to find a source of healthy fish to rely on in my experience. It‘s the main reason I don’t have many fish. I hate doing QT/treatment enough to just prefer no new fish. But if there is someone doing a good job I can buy from, I’m more than happy to pay a premium for it.

Edit: His prices weren’t showing yesterday on his website but they are today. Very reasonable.
 
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Does anyone else have experience with Dr Reef? I didn’t see numbers but folks say his prices are very reasonable for all the effort that goes in to doing this.

It is very challenging to find a source of healthy fish to rely on in my experience. It‘s the main reason I don’t have many fish. I hate doing QT/treatment enough to just prefer no new fish. But if there is someone doing a good job I can buy from, I’m more than happy to pay a premium for it.
Based on how my other fish were added I decided to do conditioned rather than the full QT option. My conditioned fish was about $18 more than I see them listed elsewhere, then $45 for shipping. It looks like some of the qt fish have about a $40 premium. You can see some of his more commonly available fish in the shop section here:

 
Does anyone else have experience with Dr Reef? I didn’t see numbers but folks say his prices are very reasonable for all the effort that goes in to doing this.

It is very challenging to find a source of healthy fish to rely on in my experience. It‘s the main reason I don’t have many fish. I hate doing QT/treatment enough to just prefer no new fish. But if there is someone doing a good job I can buy from, I’m more than happy to pay a premium for it.

Edit: His prices weren’t showing yesterday on his website but they are today. Very reasonable.
I suggest making a visit to Bay Bridge Aquarium and talk to Michael. Ask him to give you a tour of his QT facility.
 
I put a hippo tang in my tank from aquatic collection. It wasn’t even 24 hours and it died. Also my sail fin tang yellow tang died as well.

These were fish that I was told were quarantined. We will never know if this is the cause but it seems coincidental.

View attachment 26273

So now after this expensive lesson I bought a 10 gallon breeder tank for quarantine.
Where does AC quarantine there fish? I only see them using a UV system.
 
They don't. They keep them in a very low amount of copper to keep things down. Everyone does it apparently....
That was my understanding also. I was surprised to hear about QT at all.

Low level of copper, sometimes combined with slightly lower salinity, and sometimes UV are common.
Ranging from stores like Neptunes/AC to Petco.
Typical to help reduce the spread of disease from fish to fish. Also simple and cheap.
 
Does anyone else have experience with Dr Reef? I didn’t see numbers but folks say his prices are very reasonable for all the effort that goes in to doing this.

It is very challenging to find a source of healthy fish to rely on in my experience. It‘s the main reason I don’t have many fish. I hate doing QT/treatment enough to just prefer no new fish. But if there is someone doing a good job I can buy from, I’m more than happy to pay a premium for it.

Edit: His prices weren’t showing yesterday on his website but they are today. Very reasonable.

I went in on an order @Baykes arranged a month or two (or 3) ago. I am very satisfied with my purchase.
 
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I went in on an order @Baykes arranged a month or two (or 3) ago. I am very satisfied with my purchase.
Curious if you chose quarantined or conditioned, and why. In my mind the whole point of going with a service like his as opposed to all the other options out there is the full quarantine/treatment program.
 
Curious if you chose quarantined or conditioned, and why. In my mind the whole point of going with a service like his as opposed to all the other options out there is the full quarantine/treatment program.
I got conditioned. I’m trying out h2o2 dosing in the main tank because I didn’t QT my original fish.

I found value in dr reef suggesting and then finding my fish. Then he did the initial dips and observation. I had him wait a week with it to see if anything was obvious. I did an h2o2 bath on other fish I got elsewhere, and then did some observation time in a temporary tank. It was nice to just get the fish and put it in the tank knowing it was fairly safe, then my h2o2 dosing would help if anything got through.
 
Curious if you chose quarantined or conditioned, and why. In my mind the whole point of going with a service like his as opposed to all the other options out there is the full quarantine/treatment program.
I went with the full QT offering. Why? As Dr Reef presented it, "conditioned" is ideal for hobbyists who will finish the QT at home. I'm not equipped (or experienced) with the process. I realize how long healthy fish live so the extra time and cost wasn't a determining factor.
 
i can tell you that, were i ever to start my own reef tank again, and it would be a big one, i would set up a qt tank.
fish only tank, not so worried as you can treat fairly easily.
i wouldn't trust any store to do my qt'ing for me. no way they can qt long enough even if they tried

i would also spend a little more on mechanical redundancy. seems almost everyone is susceptible to slight mechanical failures.
 
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