Proper Quarintine Techniques

[michealprater]

In all the years I have kept tanks I never quarintined any fish. I know it was wrong, but now I am doing a new build. This time I am doing all the little things I never did before. So basically. I am looking for general quarintine guidelines.

Please list your quarintine procedure when you get a new fish.

Thanks!

I tried seaching this and could not turn up anything specific.

 

[paulamrein]

What's up Mike, It's a pretty short list of QT procedure and I have had really good success with it. Basiclly, a tank of appropriate size to handle the fish you'll be getting, than personally, I run hyposalinity for 6 to 8 weeks. If a fish still shows signs within the first 2 to 3 weeks it tells me that it is something other than ich, or an ich strain that is resistant to hypo. Then I use coppersafe, again a personal choice. Run that 4 weeks AFTER symptoms have vanished and then slowly raise salinity back up to 1.025. It has to be slow in order to not cause osmotic shock. Also, if corals or other inverts go in before your fish after the cycle period, you will need to add another 6 weeks or so with the tank void of any fish. If you time it right, you should be able to put your first fish in with no delay if you out in the inverts at the same time you START your QT.
As far as the set up it's as simple or as complex as you want it to be,tank, filter, and heater is really all you need. If you are in the St. Peters area (right next to Marine Solutions) you can come over to my house and you can see my set up and I may have a few things that can help you on your way.

 

[michealprater]

Well for quarintine, I have a 46 gallon reef ready corner tank I am going to use, I have a rubbermaid container for a sump, approx 25 gallon, a heater and a Aqua C ev 120 skimmer. I may add a powerhead just for a little movement.

I realize I will need a refractometer to do hypo precisely, what salinity do you use? 1.017?

How long does it take to raise the salinity? Do you go like .001 a day?

If you have to resort to coppersafe, do you drain the tank after you are finished and recycle the tank? Do you have live rock in there? Do you take it out if you use coppersafe?

Sorry for all the questions.

 

[paulamrein]

No problem with the questions I'll take them one at a time:
"what salinity do you use? 1.017?" I personally use 1.009-1.010, some have a hard time with it being that low, but I have never had any problems with that.

"How long does it take to raise the salinity? Do you go like .001 a day?" It's not that slow .002 in a 24 hr period if it was at 1.010 it takes me about a week to bring it up. with the remainder of the salinity raised in the drip acclimation to the tank.

"do you drain the tank after you are finished and recycle the tank?" I never do but you can. you can also dose with TLC if you have ammonia issues and water changes are a must. Though if you find you have some really nasty parasite, you should drain and sterilize with carbon dioxide and than recycle.

"Do you have live rock in there? Do you take it out if you use coppersafe?" No rock or sand as it may interfere with treatment. Rock can absorb meds and it gives a better substrate for the parasite cysts to settle in. Bare bottom and rockless. I have pvc tubing for hide-aways and some use fake coral and plants as well.

 

[michealprater]

How does the tank cycle with nothing for the denitrifing bacteria to populate. Do you use a biowheel or bioballs or something?

 

[paulamrein]

I use both biowheel and bio-balls in the filter container. I have also dosed it with TLC and used the water from the display to start off. Though the water from your display isn't going to have that much bacteria it's still a good practice. Another thing you can do is feed your tank for a week or two, anything to produce ammonia will also initiate bacteria. Ideally, if you have the time you should jack up your ammonia levels in it and let it cycle like any other tank. But, people start out sterile with little problems if they do a water change everyday. Bacteria will grow on anything, some even argue that live rock isn't all that it's cracked up to be.

 

[michealprater]

I would just worry about starting sterile. Obviously the tank is going to cycle with an inhabitant. With the fish being new and stressed, I think this would cause major issues. I think I will cycle mine with food.

 

[paulamrein]

One thing I forgot to mention that I started to but left off on a tangent was that anything going into your system after the 4 weeks before you add any fish to the main display has to stay in isolation from the system for atleast 4 weeks, this will ensure that there are no hitchhiker parasites coming from rock,sand,coral, or other inverts from infecting your display system. They don't have to be treated with anything, just in isolation. If you have a grow out not connected to your main display that would be a good place for it.

 

[Terra Ferma]

Since experiencing some issues in the last 1 1/2 years (I think fish are getting "dirtier") I keep a QT running all year and do the following:

Praziquantel for one week then Nitrofurazone for one week - I reverse the order if the fish has visible bacterial problems. I'm told both Prazi and Nitro can be dosed together which would shave a week off this process.

Second week FW dips as often as possible (depends on the fish) and feeding with Metronidazole laced foods (Jehmco makes a good Metro flake). Sometiimes add Metro to the water as well.

If the fish has ich I hypo it for 3-4 weeks after all this.

IMO having a properly established QT (and not something setup on the quick) is vital to a productive quarantine process.

 

[ref10234]

Sorry to get in your conversation, however I have a question I have started a DT becouse of a ich problem it has been running for 3 days, I had to remove all my fish (6) and am using copper as I do not feel comfortable doing Hypo. I have just done a water change and tested the water the Ammonia is high what is the best way to get it down. I am running a small Aquaclear filter with a sponge and a ammonia remover. Please help as I do not want to lose my fish.

 

[paulamrein]

Depending on the ammonia remover it may be removing the copper as well. There are products that are out there where you can jump start a tank they basically have some of the beneficial bacteria growing.
In this situation you will want to make an assessment of what is going to kill the fish first. Ich, or ammonia. Obviously it will be ammonia, I recommend stopping copper treatment and stabilize the tank first. Frequent small water changes, Also depending on how small the QT is, you may want to continue using the ammonia remover, the only problem depending on which type it can use a bonding agent to bring the various ammonia, nitrite, nitrates to be less toxic, but it can also loose it's bond and release it ten fold back into the water. Water changes are your friend, and with the water being a bit more stable you will have a better chance with treating for parasites. Like the doctors in ER, they have to stop the bleeding and stabilize a patient before they can perform a surgery. (No real experience in a ER, just watch a lot of t.v )

 

[ref10234]

Thank you
I am using a 20gal tank and used 15 gal from my display tank. When you say small water changes would you recommend 10% or less or more?

thanks

 

[tjl116]

not to jump in but i was wondering do you run a skimmer on your QT tank?