Advice Wanted: What Would YOU Do?

[Ava333]

So, after taking stocking advice into consideration, and changing my mind on the way I wanted to stock (not many Peacocks/Haps now), I ended up ordering the following for the 6' 125 gallon tank:
Cyno. Lion Mara Rocks 1M/4F
Met. Elongatus Chailosi Chitande 1M/4F
Met. Zebra Manda 2M/5F
So, that's 17 fish total and I don't have a QT big enough to handle that many for a month!
They will be here in 3 days! Yay!!! I'll add them to my current stock of Met. Greshakei Albino 1M/4F, Rusty 1M/4F, 2 really small syno's and one 2" Dragon's Blood Peacock.

Here's my question: Usually, when new fish come in, I treat profilacly with API general cure for 2 doses just to make sure they don't have any parasites (Hex) hiding away. (I know that this practice is not smiled apon by everyone.) However, because they are coming from such a SUPER reputable seller, I kinda hate to do it. Should I skip my normal routine? Someone please reply and tell me what you would do.

[Ron]

So, that's 17 fish total and I don't have a QT big enough to handle that many for a month!

Should I skip my normal routine? Someone please reply and tell me what you would do.

Well, what other option is there? It sounds like you only have 1 option. You need 2 to have a choice.

[Ava333]

Thank you for posting! I should have been more clear. I have a 10 gallon and can borrow a 20 gallon for a week (but no longer). So I can dose with API and keep them out of the main tank for a week but that's it. I do NOT have the option of Quarantining them for a month.

But the seller has such a great reputation that I kinda feel that the API could possibly be skipped. So, I 'm asking if anyone would skip/dose anyways based on the sellers great reputation?

[greg y]

I would stick to your normal routeen, maybe shorten QT time a bit. I'm not familar with general cure but I know some folks feed a metro food to all new fish in QT, or there are other non harsh meds like seachem's polyguard and paraguard etc..

Qt tank can be a storage tote, if a proper aquarium isn't available.

I'd be a little concerned with adding all those fish to your 125g at once, basically doubling your fish over night, might be better to spread out that process over a couple weeks.

Imho

[Ava333]

Thank you for posting! That's a good idea about spreading out the introduction. I was wondering if introducing that many new & unsettled fish could cause a problem. I have 3 species coming. The Zebra Manda are the smallest and the least aggressive so I'll start with them. (I have 3 running filters in other tanks that I can steal filter media from if needed. But spreading it out will help some.)

[Regalblue]

ALWAYS quarantine

[Steve]

I agree that quarantine is a good practice, but with reading what you posted I think it's pointless in this case. All you have for QT is a 10g tank and can barrow a 20g tank for no longer than one week. And you have 17 fish. First off that's a lot of fish to put into a 10g and a 20g, so you may be looking at causing stress which would have the opposite effect and could cause issues/sickness. And you can only use the 20g for one week, one week is not long enough to notice signs of most illnesses unless they are full blown at time of arrival and defiantly not even half the time it takes to treat most illness.

IMO I would add to the small stock you have and just treat with a general med like Prazi-pro to be on the safe side and then keep a close eye on them. That's what I just did a few weeks ago. I lost 90% of my stock to a power strip fail and only 3 fish survived. When I brought home about 15 new fish from the auction I had no room to QT that many fish so I added right to the tank with the 3 I had left in there. I kept a close eye on them and did see the first sign of ich. But since I was watching them 3-4 times per day for signs of sickness I was able to catch it right away, started treating, and it never got to full blown ich and is now completely gone.

So while I do agree with Blair that QT is the best route, I think since you don't have the tanks to do it properly this time then it might be best to just go the route I did.

[Ava333]

Thank you both for posting! I am still learning with cichlids and all advice is appreciated. I think I have a game-plan now. I was able to acquire another 20 gallon & heater today. And I get to borrow the other one for a month. I CAN NOW QT!!! (3 tanks)

I plan an keeping each of the 3 species in their own tank for quarantine. After, a few weeks I plan on adding 1 species to the main tank at a time, with a week or so to get established before anything else is added. Zebra Amanda's first because they are the smallest, then the Elongatus Chalosi, and finally the Lions. (That might change after observing them.) Thankfully all fish range from 1.5" to 2" so that might keep aggression down. I still plan on 2 doses of paracite guard before they hit the main tank just to be safe. But now that I can properly QT, without overcrowding and stressing the fish, I am very relived.

Thank you all for your help. And a big thanks to Steve. Until this afternoon, that would have been the way I would have needed to go. I'm sorry about your fish. Thank you for sharing. I'm honestly worried about something similar here, as I'm close to the coast and it's hurricane season. I ordered Java fern and Anubias, I just hope I ordered enough (8 medium plants).

[Steve]

Don't take what I suggested at the holy. Blair has much more experience and many more years in fish keeping than I. I'm just giving you my own exp lately, and what I personally did is all. So just telling you what I personally would do, but might not be the right advice though I've been wrong more than once.

[Ava333]

When your looking at bringing in 17 fish, 3 different species, and not enough QT room....It was solid advice. And I appreciate it.

I have to ask, who is Blair? Like what member name? I'm fairly new to the site.

[Regalblue]

Steve is referring to me, my name is Blair.

As Greg stated above...  storage totes work great in a pinch & usually offer more space, a better footprint & about half the price of a glass tank.   You could even return the tote after you use it. (Although I don't condone that type of behavior )

[Ava333]

😂 Lol. A tote would have worked just fine. I'll use the 20 gallon as a baby tank later.😍

Well it's nice to meet you both. Blair, I love your emogie.

[Mastiffman]

 You could place them in the main tank with the rest. Lower the tank water to 50% or even 35%, remove all décor, keep the lighting off, clean the filters and substrate before you get the new fish and use something call Nitrofuracin Green along with Metronidozole. Acclimate you new fish in the tank water while doing the water change and add them back in right before filling the tank. The NG is an broad spectrum Anit-Bacterial, Anti-Fungal, Anti-Microbial and Anti-Protozoan medication that can be used at full dose daily for a week along with a full dose of Metronidazole (1/4 tspn/ 41g or 1 tspn/ 164g) every 8 hours (metro deactivates after 8hours) or 12hours if you can't do ever 8hrs.

 I've used this a few times with wonderful success!  It's not harsh and will give you peace of mind. You can add the décor back in the week after, after removing 50% of the water and then fill the tank after you've placed the décor back in. You should be good to go after that...

 Hope this helps.

[Ava333]

Thank you for posting Mastiffman. By the time I read this (tonight), I had already dosed with Metro twice. All fish seem to be doing GREAT, so I think I'll hold off on any more meds. However, I'll see if I can find the other med you mentioned, as I most likely will order some more females.

The Zebra Manda are showing NO aggression. The Elongatus Chailosi chase a little every once in a while, but only enough to move the other fish out of it's way. The Lion Mara Rocks are a little testy in the 20 gallon long tank, but a few homemade dividers fixed that. I can't wait to get everyone settled into the main tank! ❤️

Thank you all for posting!

[Mastiffman]

My pleasure. Hope it goes well.