F&S Quarantine Program?

[mdenigris]

Dear F&S,

I've seen references to your quarantine program in some of your responses in this forum. Could you elaborate on these policies?

I have an established reef tank with several specimens that have been with me a long time - as such, I am very careful about adding new livestock.

My LFS will quarantine livestock for me upon request, however, they don’t carry the variety of stock that you do.

Thanks!

 

[dfs/la2]

Mdenigris,

Thank you for your post. All of our fish, inverts, corals, plants, and live rock are shipped directly from the wild, or their breeders, to be held in our aquatic centers. They wait in quarantine, being fed high quality frozen foods, and constantly inspected for illness. If any fish, invert, or coral shows any sign of illness, we medicate as necessary before releasing the specimen for shipment again.

It is important to point out that with all of the protocols we have in place, we still feel strongly that any aquatic life you bring into your home should be quarantined in a separate aquarium before placing these animals in your main aquarium. By quarantining new additions to your tank, you will greatly reduce the likelihood of having problems later on.

Mike S.
LiveAquaria
Drs. Foster and Smith

 

[mdenigris]

Thank you for the quick response. Is there a minimum time you keep the animals before they are eligible for shipment?

-Michael.

 

[dfs/la2]

Mdenigris,

Thank you for your reply. In general, there would not be a set quarantine period for our live animals, as this will vary both among different species and among specimens of the same species. We will contact our Director tomorrow to verify our quarantine timeframe procedures. We will post here once we have further information. We appreciate your patience with this matter.

Nate M.
LiveAquaria
Drs. Foster & Smith

 

[DFS/LA1]

Michael,

Thank you for your question, and I apologize for the delayed response. All of the difficult to acquire and rare fish, corals, and invertebrates offered for sale on the Divers Den (WYSIWYG) section of the LiveAquaria.com web site, are shipped from our Aquaculture Coral Facility here in Rhinelander Wisconsin. This includes all of the corals listed in the Aquacultured Coral section of the site as well. All livestock entering our facility in Rhinelander is monitored, inspected, and if needed medicated for problems. The timeframe for this strict quarantine protocol is a minimum of two weeks before any animal is offered for sale on the site. Fish that are posted on the Divers Den are eating prepared foods and are well adjusted to captive conditions. We administer many different medications and antibiotics to combat specific problems when they are encountered on fish or corals.

The remainder of the aquatic life offered on the LiveAquaria site is shipped from the aquatics center in Los Angeles California. In California, there really isn’t a specific time frame for holding the livestock before the animals are shipped. It varies greatly among the species that are housed. Fish such as Wrasse, Tusks, Anthias, Tangs, Butterflyfish, and a few others are held for many days or weeks before they are selected for shipping, as these species normally take longer than others to acclimate to their new surroundings. The entire staff of aquatic experts in California are well trained and versed in the behavior of fish, and can normally take a good look at a fish or coral and know if it is ready for shipment. We will not ship an animal until it exhibits normal behavior, and is ready for transport to your door. Any animals that show signs of infection or disease are moved to a quarantine room where they are medicated for the specific ailment they may have.

I encourage all hobbyists to quarantine any new animal that you bring into your home. When fish and corals are stressed, their immune system is weakened making them susceptible to infections. Even if animals are acquired from a neighbor or friend, when you net, bag, and transport these species, they are subjected to some form of stress. A quarantine aquarium is the single best investment any hobbyists can make to ensure the well being of the animals that are maintained in our aquariums.

I hope that I have answered your questions, and please feel free to contact us again with any additional questions. Thank you for considering Drs. Foster and Smith’s LiveAquaria.com.

Jaimie Anderson
Manager of LiveAquaria
Drs. Foster and Smith

 

[mdenigris]

Thanks for the thorough answer. I appreciate you taking the time to do so.