Let's gather all the information needed to properly quarantine new fish so they are less likely to introduce diseases into your established tank. We need pertinent info such tank size required, filtration, lighting, length of time to QT, different types of QT processes, medications, etc. I'll update this first post as new information is posted so that everyone can see it here. Thanks for all your help! :top:
How to quarantine fish
- Thread starter pookstreet
- Start date
Well, I'll start. My quarantine is a 40 breeder with a whisper hob filter rated for up to 60 gallons. I have a air stone in there to increase the oxygen level since I'm housing 9 fish right now. 20% water changes weekly. I plan to quarantine for 4 weeks but I have to leave the display tank fallow for 8 weeks. I'm treating for marine velvet using cupramine, which is supposed to be easier on fish than other copper treatments. So far I've only lost the bicolor blenny, which was new, and also might have been sensitive to the cupramine. Wish me luck
Deven
Deven
I have a 60g Qt tank, I run copper in it 24/7 and it is BB w/California red rock for decoration. I use Cupramine to a level of 0.04 and keep the fish in there for 6 weeks. My salinity is 1.020 and my temp is 82F. I use a HOB Magnum 250 w/Ceramic bio-media and a Euro-Reef RS5-2 protein skimmer for filtration. The tank has a 20g sump and has two heaters that keep the temperature stable. I do not use any carbon unless I want to remove/lower the Copper.
I feed heavily 2x per day ans I alternate Spectrum non-medicated anti parasitic food, Nori, Freeze dried plankton, high quality flakes.
HTH
I feed heavily 2x per day ans I alternate Spectrum non-medicated anti parasitic food, Nori, Freeze dried plankton, high quality flakes.
HTH
Last edited:
I use a small tank 10 or 20 gal because I add fish to my tank very low and not often and I like to get my fishes small as i can hence the smaller space. I also add sand and rock to tank so that they can a place to retreat to if they like to lower their stress level which is highly recomment with reptiles helps them feel more secure. I believe it is better to have animals in a more confine space lower stress to a degree ie 6inch fish in a 5 gal tank is more harm then good.
I also doing a detail look at the LFS for disease and illness goes a long way to provent picking up a fish that is sick but doesn't show signs of illness. Don't just look at the fish your interested in but illness from its tankmate or even other tanks if they share the same water.
There is also some fish like Regal Angel and Moorish idol where QT does more harm then good when direct to tank is better. When picking out a fish that is touchy I like to know was is touchy point mainly with feeding that I can see with most fish like the regal. When I got my regal I didn't have any problem with it not eatting. When I found a regal that I like and looked health. I asked the LFS to feed it to see if it would eat and went to that shop 3 days in a row to see it get feed and on the 3rd day I picked it up and it ate each visit. When I got it home it also eat every time I feed my fish from the first 2 days in the tank.
I also doing a detail look at the LFS for disease and illness goes a long way to provent picking up a fish that is sick but doesn't show signs of illness. Don't just look at the fish your interested in but illness from its tankmate or even other tanks if they share the same water.
There is also some fish like Regal Angel and Moorish idol where QT does more harm then good when direct to tank is better. When picking out a fish that is touchy I like to know was is touchy point mainly with feeding that I can see with most fish like the regal. When I got my regal I didn't have any problem with it not eatting. When I found a regal that I like and looked health. I asked the LFS to feed it to see if it would eat and went to that shop 3 days in a row to see it get feed and on the 3rd day I picked it up and it ate each visit. When I got it home it also eat every time I feed my fish from the first 2 days in the tank.
My QT is a 10 gallon with a HOB filter and a small amount of LR with salinity 1.023 and 82 degrees and I do a 20% weekly WC. I do not use copper treatments, rather formalin/malachite green and only when I'm actually medicating fish. Otherwise I run carbon in the HOB. Have only lost one sixline to treatment so far. The small tank suits me since I do not ever have more than a few small fish in there at once and I have no room.
I also agree with d34532, inspecting fish closely before purchase can go a long way. I will leave the store and return a week later to make sure the fish is in the same condition, eating and not in decline before purchase.
I also agree with d34532, inspecting fish closely before purchase can go a long way. I will leave the store and return a week later to make sure the fish is in the same condition, eating and not in decline before purchase.
There is a very good thread on ReefCentral right now about the rash of flukes going around. Reading it made me a believer on quarentine and preventive medicine, I'd hate to have some of the issues these folks have had...
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1260067
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1260067
People should QT their fish or other wise don't blame the store you got it. Thier bussiness is to sell fish and stuff not to provide 100% pest and disease fish where each fish is all QT by themself for 8 weeks it goes on for sell. We all spend a lot of money on our hobby why not take the time to pervent a out break or wipe out.
there's a great post by lee on reef frontiers on this process.
personally this is what i do:
upon receipt of fish:
-Acclimate with Warner Marine Acclimax into a 10g QT tank
-Flow kept minimum, protein skimmer and carbon running with 0 bio filtration in the tank
-Wait till the fish are feeding heartily, with good quality food soaked in Warner Marine hufa/vita
-After a week of observation, if I see ich, I proceed with copper and Melafix. If no ich, I proceed with Melafix. At this time I also use Seachem Focus to treat internal infections of the fish.
-After a month and the fish are feeding strong etc, I then acclimate them to the main tank using acclimax again.
personally this is what i do:
upon receipt of fish:
-Acclimate with Warner Marine Acclimax into a 10g QT tank
-Flow kept minimum, protein skimmer and carbon running with 0 bio filtration in the tank
-Wait till the fish are feeding heartily, with good quality food soaked in Warner Marine hufa/vita
-After a week of observation, if I see ich, I proceed with copper and Melafix. If no ich, I proceed with Melafix. At this time I also use Seachem Focus to treat internal infections of the fish.
-After a month and the fish are feeding strong etc, I then acclimate them to the main tank using acclimax again.
I too use qt setups before putting fish into my dt's
i have two setups right now one is a 55 gal with bioballs and sump and heater second one is the same as the first but is a 60 gal.I keep all the meds on hand, when i first aquire the fish it is given a freshwater bath for ten mins then introduced into qt for a min of 4 weeks if anything arrises i can treat accordingly. i have two tanks for the reason if i need to hypo something i can with one of the tanks and keep the other one at 1.023, i hypo at 1.009.
i have two setups right now one is a 55 gal with bioballs and sump and heater second one is the same as the first but is a 60 gal.I keep all the meds on hand, when i first aquire the fish it is given a freshwater bath for ten mins then introduced into qt for a min of 4 weeks if anything arrises i can treat accordingly. i have two tanks for the reason if i need to hypo something i can with one of the tanks and keep the other one at 1.023, i hypo at 1.009.
