Quarantine your fish!

[lkelly]

so would "Asymptomatic Carrier"

Clearly the opening act.

 

[mchambers]

Rachel again

Rachel also has a series of videos on quarantining. Here's the first in the series. No additional rock band names.
[YT]3x3bLc_0SkM[/YT]

 

[dhavalsp]

Chris, so sorry for what happened. It sucks to be in that situation...we all do it.

My hobby is still at a smaller scale. I quarantine in 5 gallon bucket or one of those plastic boxes.
- water from the main tank after large WC.
- do large water changes every second day (given the size of quarantine 'arrangement'
- deworming medication with relatively high temperature (mainly deal with S.american fish)
-2 weeks is the max I have quarantined ( I get impatient)
-water temperature is brought down to main tank temperature before transferring them in

 

[dogofwar]

Thanks for sharing, Chris.

I really, really try to quarantine everything that comes into the fishroom.

It really doesn't need to be much more complicated than putting a new group of fish into their own tank and observing them. If there are fish that obviously need care (emaciated bellies, beat up, ammonia burn, etc.), then they get their own tank or bin.

Never underestimate the benefits of salt, pima/mela fix and a nice quiet, low-light environment to help fish recover.

Alternately, dumping already-stressed fish into a tank with a bunch of fish...and requiring them to fight their way into the pecking order...can cause real problems.

Matt

 

[dhavalsp]

That's a good point Matt!

Basically a Fish is prone to stress due to multiple factors which result due to the change. A perfectly healthy fish can become susceptible to various diseases...Quarantine ensures that you subject the new fish to different sources of stress step by step...first ensure they handle change in water parameters(source) and new food(feeding habit) and light, movement around the aquarium etc...then they deal with other tank mates, pecking order etc...

Just because it cannot be said enough times: ALWAYS QUARANTINE ( one way or the other to the best of your ability and resources)

 

[cabinetmkr39]

I really try to quarantine everything that comes into the fishroom also. I have a 20 gal rubbermaid storage container with a sponge filter and heater with some small plecos to keep up the bio. I tell every new customer who comes to buy fish from my room that they should quarantine as a habit. People spend lots of money and time on there fish and it only takes one to wipe it all out. Also I remind all that they should never dump the fish bag water into your tank just the fish. amazing how many people don't know that little tid bit of info.

 

[Becca]

I usually put a group of new fish in their own tank or (if I'm out of tank space) a rubbermaid bin and dose them with Kordon Fish Protector and give them a dose of either Polyguard or Paraguard.

If nothing comes up after 2 weeks, I start to think about moving them to their destination tank (usually it takes me at least another week to find time to do this). If I lose any or they look suspicious, they stay in quarantine.

I keep a net, bucket, and siphon that I use only on quarantined tanks and I bleach them after each use.

Between batches of fish in QT, I heavily salt the tank and flush it out.

 

[Termato]

I usually put a group of new fish in their own tank or (if I'm out of tank space) a rubbermaid bin and dose them with Kordon Fish Protector and give them a dose of either Polyguard or Paraguard.

If nothing comes up after 2 weeks, I start to think about moving them to their destination tank (usually it takes me at least another week to find time to do this). If I lose any or they look suspicious, they stay in quarantine.

I keep a net, bucket, and siphon that I use only on quarantined tanks and I bleach them after each use.

Between batches of fish in QT, I heavily salt the tank and flush it out.

I have a scenario question. Let's say you have a fish that comes down with a bacterial infection about a week in. How long after treatment is completely do you normally keep the fish in QT?

When you use bleach, do you rinse it thoroughly afterwards and have to let it sit out. I've always been skeptical about using bleach to clean things that go into the aquarium. What's your process like?

I've been relying on hydroplex but it going to get expensive at some point. I'd rather just use it to treat fish than equipment so I'm looking for an alternative like this.

Thanks Becca!

 

[dogofwar]

I remove the sponge filter (and sterilize it separately), dump some bleach (a cap or two) in the tank and let it sit overnight. Next day (or so) I drain the tank, re-fill and double dechlor.

Done and done. Ready for new critters.

Matt

 

[Termato]

I remove the sponge filter (and sterilize it separately), dump some bleach (a cap or two) in the tank and let it sit overnight. Next day (or so) I drain the tank, re-fill and double dechlor.

Done and done. Ready for new critters.

Matt

That's too simple not to do. Thanks Matt!

 

[Becca]

I have a scenario question. Let's say you have a fish that comes down with a bacterial infection about a week in. How long after treatment is completely do you normally keep the fish in QT?

When you use bleach, do you rinse it thoroughly afterwards and have to let it sit out. I've always been skeptical about using bleach to clean things that go into the aquarium. What's your process like?

I've been relying on hydroplex but it going to get expensive at some point. I'd rather just use it to treat fish than equipment so I'm looking for an alternative like this.

Thanks Becca!

I looked up hydroplex - reviews aren't great and there's no information on the active ingredients, so it's not something I'd have great faith in without a lot of people telling me it's as good as you say.

When I bleach something I let it sit overnight, rinse it thoroughly, then rinse it in water with a heavy dose of dechlorinator.

If I have fish with a bacterial infection that is external (fin rot, body slime) my general rule is that they have to be healthy for 2 weeks before I'll add them to a tank.

If it's an internal infection or something I can't identify and it is spreading quickly and killing fish, I euthanize the whole QT tank. It is pretty rare that I have fish come in with that kind of infection, though. I do not like, and given that I am pregnant, should avoid, treating fish with heavy-duty antibiotics. I will do it if something I am heavily invested in comes down with a bacterial infection, but it's not something I take lightly. A lot of the chemicals we use in the aquarium hobby are not safe for use in humans/not safe for use or exposure during pregnancy, while nursing, etc. I don't find that fish usually survive internal bacterial infections, regardless of what they're treated with, because it is hard to ID what the infection is and what will treat it and, especially in small fish, by the time we notice, it's too late.

When I have something come up in an established tank, I will usually try to pull the fish that is showing signs of trouble. I had a round of "Neon Tetra Disease" hit the 150 a couple of years ago. Every couple of weeks I'd lose a blue tetra, but every month or so I found myself losing a cichlid (they can get it). The problem was most evident in the blue tetras and fish contract the disease by nipping other fish with it. Blue tetras nip constantly, cichlids nibble at the ailing fish once it slows down or dies... I pulled all of the blue tetras and euthanized them. I haven't lost a fish in that tank to disease since.

I don't like euthanizing fish, but I also have to consider things like cross-contamination, the health costs (for me and a fish) of harsh treatments, and whether I am just guessing in the dark at what the problem might be. I think I've gotten better at weighing risks/benefits over time, but it's still not easy.

 

[Termato]

I looked up hydroplex - reviews aren't great and there's no information on the active ingredients, so it's not something I'd have great faith in without a lot of people telling me it's as good as you say.

When I bleach something I let it sit overnight, rinse it thoroughly, then rinse it in water with a heavy dose of dechlorinator.

I've found lists of active ingredients for hydroplex but it's nothing crazy. Seems to be mostly herbal ingredients. It has worked great for external parasites but doesn't seem like a catch all remedy. Disinfecting with it has proved to work for some things but, like you do, I don't mix my nets/siphons to find out the hard way. I'll be using bleach from now on. Sounds like a good catch all solution.

Wow, this is such good information. Thank you for taking to time to write it all. It will come in handy in the future. Euthanizing isn't easy, I agree. I've only had to do it a hand full of times and it's never an easy choice.

Thanks Becca!

 

[MDB_fish_newbie]

im getting fish in the mail tomorrow. it will be a first time for me doing a quarantine. Im wondering if its normal to put diff types of fish into the same QT tank. The fish are all from the same source. It will be pretty cramped in a 10 g for all of them, im contemplating picking up another 10g at the fish store tonight.

Fish im getting in:
4- geo steindachneri, not sure of the exact size but they are sexed.. 1M 3FM
1- 3" Red shoulder Heros sp. rotkeil
10- dwarf neon rainbowfish, Melanotaenia praecox, not sure of the size either. They were the only rainbows on the site that did not give an option for size..

any thoughts?

 

[Termato]

im getting fish in the mail tomorrow. it will be a first time for me doing a quarantine. Im wondering if its normal to put diff types of fish into the same QT tank. The fish are all from the same source. It will be pretty cramped in a 10 g for all of them, im contemplating picking up another 10g at the fish store tonight.

Fish im getting in:
4- geo steindachneri, not sure of the exact size but they are sexed.. 1M 3FM
1- 3" Red shoulder Heros sp. rotkeil
10- dwarf neon rainbowfish, Melanotaenia praecox, not sure of the size either. They were the only rainbows on the site that did not give an option for size..

any thoughts?

I usually like to QT different species in separate tanks just in case one species caries something others don't. It usually minimizes risk. I once had tiger barbs that I QT'ed with otos. The otos developed ick the second day and because of that...so did the barbs. You can't always help it, but if you can, I'd try to separate them just for that reason. Also, depending on the fish, it could add stress having other company in the tank. Specifically fish who like peaceful environments and very active or aggressive fish being kept together.

At the very least, I'd try and separate the rainbows from the other ones.

 

[MDB_fish_newbie]

I usually like to QT different species in separate tanks just in case one species caries something others don't. It usually minimizes risk. I once had tiger barbs that I QT'ed with otos. The otos developed ick the second day and because of that...so did the barbs. You can't always help it, but if you can, I'd try to separate them just for that reason. Also, depending on the fish, it could add stress having other company in the tank. Specifically fish who like peaceful environments and very active or aggressive fish being kept together.

At the very least, I'd try and separate the rainbows from the other ones.

if i do get another 10g i was going to put the cichlids separate from the rainbows like u suggested. dang i really need a rack of 10g they are so useful. thanks for the advice i will see what i can do..

 

[Becca]

Sterlite plastic bins (the clear ones) are cheap and can be purchased at any target (lid included). I like them, in part, because they're clear, so it's easier to see into them. They are not as clear as glass, but they make great last-minute QT and fry bins and stack for easy storage. You can even store unused equipment in them.

You may have noticed at BFD that several hobbyist-sellers had their fish out in bins like this. It's not the best display, but it sure makes for easy transport.

 

[MDB_fish_newbie]

Sterlite plastic bins (the clear ones) are cheap and can be purchased at any target (lid included). I like them, in part, because they're clear, so it's easier to see into them. They are not as clear as glass, but they make great last-minute QT and fry bins and stack for easy storage. You can even store unused equipment in them.

You may have noticed at BFD that several hobbyist-sellers had their fish out in bins like this. It's not the best display, but it sure makes for easy transport.

wow your so right. i even watched that video on this thread and it mentioned that. I totally blanked today when it actually mattered to remember. so when setting it up as a qt all i would have to do is poke a hole for an air line and call it done. If i didn't have a demon cat i might be able to not use the lid..... fish might still jump out tho 0.o

Thankss Becca that will save me big time in money and space..... and i can have more of them =]]] !!

not only that but the pet store target and the safeway are all nxt to eachother so i can do all my shopping at once lol. Going to whip out the grill on this beautiful warm winter day and cook up some steaks...

 

[MDB_fish_newbie]

Thx again Becca I got four 15L containers with lids for 11 dollars

 

[Forester]

Thx again Becca I got four 15L containers with lids for 11 dollars

Just remember, 15L is just under 4 gallons, so the temp and the water quality will not be as stable as a larger container.

 

[MDB_fish_newbie]

That's true I didn't 5hink of that