Quarantining new arrivals

[johns120]

I was just advised from Jeff at www.jefffsexoticfish.com that should a new arrival show signs of disease, wait 48 hours from arrival before treating the q-tank with copper. He reported the added stress of being subjected to the copper can be lethal. I learned the hard way. Want to pass it along!
Or am I the only one that did not know this
Good response for Jeff, I did receive store credit.

 

[Len]

Good, sound advice. When it comes anything as potent as copper based medication, I recommend you use it in moderation, and only as a corrective measure. FWIW, I've had and heard of few problems with one-minute freshwater baths, although I personally don't practice this myself. What I recommend is you house your new fish in the QT tank for 2 weeks and observe it carefully. Administer medication only as a response to symptoms. If everything looks good, you can transfer the specimen to its final habitat. Remember that you need to acclimate the fish from the bag to the QT tank AND from the QT tank to the display tank.

 

[johns120]

Actually, What I started to do is place new fish into the refugium section of my sump-a 55 gallon AGA which is 1/3 sump, 2/3 refugium seperated by a piece of acrylic and sealed vertically. This sheet is about 10 inches high and I also have a plastic eggcrate going to the top to allow water flow but no large fish to get to sump. At first sign of any disease I take ten gallons out and place in seperate tank to medicate the fish. I started to quarantine a 5 inch powder blue in a ten gallon and believe it was too stressful. He is much more at peace in the 55, but I dont think he knows about the 120 gallon future home. :roll:

 

[Anonymous]

What I recommend is you house your new fish in the QT tank for 2 weeks and observe it carefully.

I'm sorry but I first read "hose down your new fish" not house your new fish. This sight of some one with a garden hose spraying down a fish flopping around of the front lawn entered my mind.

good info to have. I didn't know about waiting on the copper treatment.

thanks

 

[jwtrojan44]

If you read FAMA, there is an excellent 2 part article on acquiring, quarantining and acclimating new fish, by Terry Bartelme. He outlines a very thorough and lengthy approach from time of purchase to the actual placement of a new fish in the tank. Good stuff.

 

[Deerhunter]

johns120,the only problem with putting the new arivals in your sump is your defeating the whole reason for quarrantying them.If there are any parasites or other unwanteds on the fish you'll be sending them right into your tank and possibly infecting everything.

Just my opinion

 

[Anonymous]

ditto w/deerhunter-use a seperate tank!

 

[johns120]

I certainly understand where you are coming from but I personally believe that I am not defeating the full purpose of quarantining. The purpose of quarantining new fish includes easy treatment of the new arrival if needed, not just preventing the spread of disease. I found that the Powder Blue was under too much strees being in a sterile 10 gal tank. I believe I would have fulfilled a self fullfiling prophecy by causing him to get ich being under so much stress. The objective of placing the fish in the refugium section of the sump has the benefit of a larger environment to spend the next 3 weeks that includes a DSB, live rock and macroalgae. Also, when it does come time to acclimate him to the show tank, the water chemistry will be the same.
I also believe that the parasites are always present, just as germs are with us at all times, we will remain healthy just as the fish in the show tank will so long as our immune system is not jeopardized. I believe my show tank fish will remain healthy even if I do introduce a parasite from a new fish as long as the water quality remains ideal.
This is what I believe. Am I totally off? Please advise :?

 

[Anonymous]

valid points just keep in mind that while 'bugs' are always present, the possible spike in number from a new arrival CAN cause an outbreak.as long as you keep your eyes open,(and it seems like you do)you should be okay,though i still think the best option is an isolated system(if stress is the issue, one way of helping it out is to not put a light on the tank.(i've had it work wonders when recieving shipments- it actually lowered mortality rates a bit!)get a 30 if you can, use the water from your destination tank as the source for the quar.(one way loop only).that way your acclimation issue, at least, is solved.(a day or two before transfer,remove 50% water from the quar.,refilling from the main tank). hope this helps