quarantine

[edd]

I made the mistake of not quarantining fish before, got ick, stressed all fish catching them and they all died in a short time. My dp tank has been fish less for almost 2 months. when you quarantine fish do treat them with copper or hypo salinity or just observe? and how long? thanks

 

[marrone]

Quarantine is just that, basically just leave them in a tank without any medication and the SG at the level of your main tank and watch them for any issues that may happen. If something comes up you then treat with the correct medication.

Basically at least 2 - 4 weeks is good but the longer the better. Quarantine will also give the fish some down time, and a chance to settle in and start to eat before you move it to you MT, which depending upon the other fish can be a very stressful thing.

 

[edd]

If they show no sign after 4 weeks, couldn't they still be carrying the ick parasite? Im just paranoid of getting ick in mt again and having to look at fish less tank.

 

[Domboski]

If they show no sign after 4 weeks, couldn't they still be carrying the ick parasite? Im just paranoid of getting ick in mt again and having to look at fish less tank.

Yes. I treat all of my fish regardless of any signs. However, that is stressful on the fish. How you treat depends on the fish. For example, I do not treat tangs with Copper.

 

[edd]

Yes. I treat all of my fish regardless of any signs. However, that is stressful on the fish. How you treat depends on the fish. For example, I do not treat tangs with Copper.

What treatments do you use?

 

[marrone]

The problem what treating is not all medication works on everything. If you're fish have a type of diseases/parasite that isn't cure/killed by copper then you've done nothing, as you'll still need to future treat the fish. Also the treatment may even make the fish weaker, making it hard to cure when you stop to treat with the correct medication. It's best to wait and see what the fish has, and then treat with the correct medication or method. And lets not forget that unless you're getting the fish directly from the Ocean, or a diver, the fish is most likely being treated with medication all along the way to your LFS.

It's also very important to try and select fish that are good in condition in the first place, not just eating but swimming and acting correctly, and from good sources too.

 

[Domboski]

What treatments do you use?

I try and treat all of my fish with Copper Power and Praziquantel (this eliminates many of the diseases I have issues with like ich and flukes).

I also freshwater dip as a precaution when I move fish from QT to my DT. Sometimes I use Quick Cure as part of that dip.

Bifuran is my med for bacterial issues.

That generally covers me for the things I worry most about.

 

[edd]

thanks for the in put, you both have some good information. I guess i will have to decide.

 

[MikeC]

I try and treat all of my fish with Copper Power and Praziquantel (this eliminates many of the diseases I have issues with like ich and flukes).

I also freshwater dip as a precaution when I move fish from QT to my DT. Sometimes I use Quick Cure as part of that dip.

Bifuran is my med for bacterial issues.

That generally covers me for the things I worry most about.

Dame it's no wonder the fish isn't dead before it gets into the DT with all that treatment lol

On a side note I do believe ick has a 21 day cycle so if your fish isn't stressed out enough after being in a not so ideal 10 gallon Qt tank for a month without proper filtration and you in the tank doing water changes every week stressing the fish out more IMOP you should be better off after the 21 day mark as far as ick goes.