Let's talk about quarantine

[marty9876]

did you quarantine your divers den fish?

i normally do for a week or 2 but never treat.

I always do. Didn't once with an Achilles but that's another story.

 

[LobsterOfJustice]

1.023-1.024 when I checked my shipment 2 weeks ago from Divers Den.

I was referencing regular LA not DD.

 

[Tactics]

I think a lot can be said about how we receive fish that had to be shipped by airplane. I had a good conversation with Koji at Blue Harbor and he uses a very simple method for receiving rare fish.

1) Make up new tank water to match temp/salinity (Don't use DT water as it can have contaminates). A 5 gallon bucket will even do.

2) A simple air stone is enough.

3) The key is to allow the fish time to rebuild it's slime coat. 2 to 3 days should be good.

4) Move to a QT.

I think most people drip acclimate and the fish goes right into the DT or established QT but that may not be as safe as into a tank with freshly made saltwater.

When he packed my fish for the flight from Japan to NYC, he also had some cool shipping tips. He mentioned that he didn't feed my fish pellets for a day or so because the dry food would expand during flight and could cause issues. After putting my fish in 6 bags, he noticed the smallest fish poop and had to undo everything so the water was pure. He feared ammonia problems after the flight. Definitely some cool info from him.

 

[Dr Colliebreath]

Wanted to bump this thread up a year later and get some more responses. I know a lot of people on here are into rare expensive fish and I would love to hear what their QT procedures are.

Does anyone use dither fish in a QT to help shy or delicate fish get comfortable and start eating?

I prefer to quarantine 2 fish at once so there is some competition for food and the fish get prepared for the DT.

 

[Dr Colliebreath]

did you quarantine your divers den fish?

i normally do for a week or 2 but never treat.

I always quarantine them, and I always treat them. Otherwise, the risk to the DT is just too great.

 

[Dr Colliebreath]

1) Make up new tank water to match temp/salinity (Don't use DT water as it can have contaminates). A 5 gallon bucket will even do.

2) A simple air stone is enough.

3) The key is to allow the fish time to rebuild it's slime coat. 2 to 3 days should be good.

4) Move to a QT.

I think most people drip acclimate and the fish goes right into the DT or established QT but that may not be as safe as into a tank with freshly made saltwater.

After I quarantine a fish and move it to a DT, I empty and clean the QT. I always start with fresh saltwater the next time around matched to the temp and salinity of the shipping water. I wouldn't introduce time in a bucket beyond the drip acclimation time.

Towards the end of quarantine, I start introducing DT water so the fish has time gradually to adapt to it.