Blue Spotted Jawfish (Opistognathus rosenblatti) Quarantine Question

[nightOwl]

For those that have kept these in the past how long if any time did you keep the fish in quarantine and what was your setup? I am looking to purchase one soon and was thinking about how long I should keep it isolated before introducing it to general population. In the pass I have just introduced them in the tank without any issues since they seemed stressed in the sparse quarantine tank with only PVC pipe to hide in.

Thanks

 

[Dr Colliebreath]

I expect the fish will be better off if the qt has a 4" deep container with some sand and a piece of rock so it can create a burrow. Shouldn't be too hard to do. Also, they jump so make sure the qt is completely covered. Eggcrate isn't enough as they can get through the holes.

 

[Bluespot22]

I had mine in QT for 6 weeks when I treated for ich. I put in a container with sand so he could make a burrow, but he seemed to like the PVC pipes I added better.

 

[Monkeyfish]

What type of display is he going to be put in? I believe that these fish do better in lower temps.

 

[nightOwl]

I expect the fish will be better off if the qt has a 4" deep container with some sand and a piece of rock so it can create a burrow. Shouldn't be too hard to do. Also, they jump so make sure the qt is completely covered. Eggcrate isn't enough as they can get through the holes.

Dr Colliebreath - Thanks for the suggestion of putting sand in a container it never dawned on me to do that. The QT tank will be covered with the 1/4" netting from BRS so hopefully that will keep them in.

I had mine in QT for 6 weeks when I treated for ich. I put in a container with sand so he could make a burrow, but he seemed to like the PVC pipes I added better.

Bluespot22 - How did you treat for ich did you use hyper salinity??? or some chemical based treatment?

What type of display is he going to be put in? I believe that these fish do better in lower temps.

Monkeyfish - He is going in my reef display.

 

[Bluespot22]

I treated using copper. He came out of it just fine and is doing well in my 120.

 

[prickles]

I would not suggest putting a blue spot in your tank unless you have medicated EVERY fish in your tank and are as certain as possible that ich does not exist in your system. In my experience, they last virtually no time at all in a tank that has ich in it. They will contract it quickly even if they don't have it going in.
Also they don't randomly jump out, they target holes in your top. If you have a hole they can fit through, they will find it. Mine regularly jump onto the eurobracing and flop themselves back into the tank. Overflow covers are also essential unless you want to do alot of fishing in your sump.
My current bluespots have been with me for almost 3 years. The quarantine procedure they went through was 1 week metronidazole, 4 weeks coppersafe, 1 week prazipro, 15 min formalin. They did not use the sand in containers that I put in the QT, nor the small pvc structures I built. They just sat under rocks and seemed okay with it. I have not yet lost a bluespot while in QT.

 

[reppo13]

I would not suggest putting a blue spot in your tank unless you have medicated EVERY fish in your tank and are as certain as possible that ich does not exist in your system. In my experience, they last virtually no time at all in a tank that has ich in it. They will contract it quickly even if they don't have it going in.
Also they don't randomly jump out, they target holes in your top. If you have a hole they can fit through, they will find it. Mine regularly jump onto the eurobracing and flop themselves back into the tank. Overflow covers are also essential unless you want to do alot of fishing in your sump.
My current bluespots have been with me for almost 3 years. The quarantine procedure they went through was 1 week metronidazole, 4 weeks coppersafe, 1 week prazipro, 15 min formalin. They did not use the sand in containers that I put in the QT, nor the small pvc structures I built. They just sat under rocks and seemed okay with it. I have not yet lost a bluespot while in QT.

I QT'd my last BSJF like this and everything worked out great. I lost him years back to a heat spike. On another note, if your BSJF "regularly jumps" its not good. IMO, that signals extreme stress in the fact that your fish doesnt feel safe in your tank. I didnt QT my second BSJF at all, straight to the DT and I've had mine for just over 4 1/2 years. Mine used to try to jump two years ago but has since found and stayed in a single burrow with two entrances for 2 1/2 years. He doesn't roam around at night anymore, and covers his burrow entrances at night with shells and sand. The only time I see him at night is when hes just out of the burrow eating amphipods.

 

[prickles]

I guess regular jumping is the wrong word. They have done it, and I have seen it. I don't know how often they do. One of them has gone into his mating dance and colors dozens of times, so I doubt he's that stressed. No babies yet though...I assume one or more of the others is female or he wouldn't dress up.

 

[nightOwl]

reppo13, prickles, Bluespot22
Thanks for the feedback on how you qt'ed your fish. I will soon be setting up my QT tank. So this information is very valuable.

I guess regular jumping is the wrong word. They have done it, and I have seen it. I don't know how often they do. One of them has gone into his mating dance and colors dozens of times, so I doubt he's that stressed. No babies yet though...I assume one or more of the others is female or he wouldn't dress up.

Did you get a mated pair and if so from where? How big is your tank? I noticed you said one or more of the others is female.

 

[prickles]

I had 3 of them until my recent tank move and lost one to jumping in the move. I know one is male because he changes color, and I assume the other two are/were female because they don't try to kill each other. My tank is a 300g.

 

[nightOwl]

Thanks prickles!