How many of you QT your fish from Japan instead of the your dealer doing it?

[aquitori]

How many of you would rather qt your fish straight outta the box from japan?

[koibooi]

I have recently comissioned two new ponds so now I can QT all my own purchases. Our water temperature never goes below 18Celcius but I did install a heater on the small covered pond in case I need it somewhere in the future.

[CarolinaGirl]

I don't care who my new fish comes from.....I QT every koi that comes on to my property even if the dealer already did it.

[Jeff Speck]

I have done it. Really depends on your relationship with the dealer and how stressed the shipment is upon arrival. You're going to quarantine anyway, so sometimes I think they are better off seperated from all those other stressed out fish. There is occasionally a little bit of bacterial roulette in dealer quarantine, and I don't mind avoiding that.

On the other hand, if I was a dealer I don't think I would allow it.

[cindy]

Rule #1 - trust no one

QT QT QT

Even if the dealer did qt, you need your fish in a smaller area to watch and treat.

[Russell Peters]

We always insist that our customers QT their Koi after we do.

[cocoyboy]

Under 14" I have a Q-tank/hospital tank ready for fish straight out of the box or even after the dealer QT's them. I would rather have both the dealer and I QT them just to check twice for critters.
Anything bigger than 14" I rely on the dealer for all around QT protocal.

[KoiCop]

We QT all incoming fish just to be sure.

Never had a problem pop up in QT, though, due to our dealer doing a fine job of QT and treatment.

Frankly, there are many reasons to QT and no reasons not to.

After all, this is a serious board -- and serious fish deserve serious protocols.

[Bob Winkler]

I would rather qt all koi than have it done elsewhere. If problems occur, and they have in the past for me, then I have no one to blame but myself. Fish coming with an extra "leg" to us have the added chance of getting lost in transit, missing a flight, being weaker due to the extra time, even if that doesn't happen. But I still prefer to get the home.

Incidentally, we have lost several koi over the years both at the dealer during quarantine, and just after getting to us alive. So it can happen to anybody. We have friends here in Colorado who have given us money to pick out a fish or two for them in Japan or on a koi trip in the US over the years, and then quarantine them also, since their ponds are not heated. I learned that it is a difficult process, and even more worrisome when it is someone else's koi. It costs stomach lining and heart muscle. sometimes it is fairly straight forward also, but how to predict?

So I have a tremendous amount of respect and appreciation for the dealers, the effort required, and the risks they take for incoming koi, not to mention for already sold koi. It is difficult, and they don't need the responsibility if they don't have to.

[Auntiesue]

I'm considering this altenative personally. There are pros and cons to Q yourself as Bob has explained. I think it would be an advantage to the Koi if the keeper has a proper Q-tank, but once the fish is received at the dealer's location, would you recommend a resting period or rebag and ship asap?