Quarantine Question

[Nikki]

I have had two clowns quarantined for four days and my ammonia, nitrite and nitrate are all on the rise. I am new to this hobby and know it is important to cycle the main tank, but relied on the advice of my fish store that said to add Bio Spira with the fish and that this would negate the need for a cycling period. These are my first fish and in the display tank I only have some LR and the ammonia, nitrite and nitrate are all sitting at 0. I am considering moving the clowns, is this a wise idea?

The ammonia is at 0.25, the nitrites at 0.5 (up from 0.25 yesterday) and the nitrate is at 20 (up from 10 yesterday). Any help is appreciated!

Thanks,
Nikki

[CSeaSee]

I'm a little confused... you have two tanks (one QT and one display), the clowns are in the QT, and there are no fish in the display tank? Is this correct? Which tank did you add the Bio Spira to?

[Nikki]

Yes that is alll correct. These are my first fish to be introduced to my display tank. I added the Bio Spira to the QT tank.

Regards,
Nikki

[CSeaSee]

You may consider a partial water change in your QT tank to bring down your values... as far as moving them to the display tank... someone's probably going to jump all over me for this, but my philosophy on the QT tank was to prevent the established fish from getting sick. It's my understanding that most fish harbor a small amount of ich, although if they are healthy, they won't show symptoms. I know that there are latent forms of ich in my display tank, because from time to time I'll see a spot or two on my tang, but I haven't had an ich-related fatality for at least two years. Moving them over right now may not be a terrible idea, but if there's nothing in the display tank to infect, then there's less risk. Obviously, keeping them in QT is the better idea, but if that means they'll die, or become weakened by poor water conditions to the point where the QT tank is doing more harm than good, I'd move them. Anyone else have an opinion?

[Reefland]

I think since they are your first fish moving them over to get them out of a toxic situation is your best bet. If ICH appears on them after moved over you can treat them later in Q and not have any worries of them infecting another fish.

[Nikki]

Moving them now then, thanks for the advice!

Regards,
Nikki