Dragonette quarantine question

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#1
So I am planning on getting a pair of Dragonette or pipe fish and will quarantine but the food issue has been raised. I will do copepods reactors and culture them. The issue is if the Dragonette gets ICH and I have to use copper/coppermine how will I keep some copepods for the day? If I train them to frozen will that be enough or even if I offer Baby brine shrimp will they live long enough in copper? or even white worm or Micro worms?
 

reefes pieces

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#2
I'm not 100% sure on this but I believe dragonettes do not tolerate copper very well. I found this out after losing one to a copper treatment. Sucks cuz the mandarin was eating pellets too. But dragonettes are pretty disease resistant due to their thick mucous coatings. I think your best option might be tank transfer method if ich shows itself. They'll do fine if they take to frozen as long as there isn't competition.
 
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#3
Apparently they are not that prone to ich since they have a pretty heavy slime coat. Doesn't mean they can't get it. I would feel comfortable putting them in a qt without meds and treat if you see fit
 
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#7
So should they be the first fish or last fish? Even if they are resistant to ICH can they carry it and continue the cycle? Don't want to go through quarantining all the animals then add the mandarin and see it infect the other animals
 
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#8
Well, technically ich isn't going to be carried by them unless they're slime coat is truly damaged. They're a stinky fish. So, if you want to pull yours out of the water (delicately) by hand it will stink, and so will your hand, and it should be a sign that it is just fine.

I only add a dragonette after i see pods of all kinds, mysid shrimp, etc, in my refugium. So last is the best choice in my book.
 
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#10
Well, technically ich isn't going to be carried by them unless they're slime coat is truly damaged. They're a stinky fish. So, if you want to pull yours out of the water (delicately) by hand it will stink, and so will your hand, and it should be a sign that it is just fine.

I only add a dragonette after i see pods of all kinds, mysid shrimp, etc, in my refugium. So last is the best choice in my book.
Got it. I am going to have a huge refugium for my tank even if I ad first it will be months before I add any fish. Thanks for the info. I will smell them from now on to see if they sink before I buy to know there coat is nice and healthy
 
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#11
I've kept several Dragonets over the years, and never QT'd any of them. Even last year when I accidentally brought Velvet into my tank, the Mandarin never got sick. Same with Ich. They are extremely resistant! Even the ones I got from Tongs over the years went straight in the DT. Even from the dirtiest system I would never QT a Dragonet. They have a very thick slime coat that really protects them from parasites.
 

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