Quarantine 101

[TippyToeX]

Still, going UP is the more stressful change. I wouldn't do that more than .001 or .002 per day.

That I can do. Better safe then sorry. They are doing so well, why mess with a good thing.

With Marc's help I got some better pictures taken. Some came out a little dull but I'll keep working on it.

Female

Female again

Male

Male again

 

[melev]

They look good to me. Are you in Macro mode, or are you shooting from a distance with the zoom?

 

[Nagel]

Bah, I suggested the flash first!

Much better pics though, they look like the happy couple..

 

[NicoleC]

They look pretty good -- they will be a gorgeous pair when they are conditioned!

Maybe it was the female was picking on the male and shredding his fins due to stress?

 

[TippyToeX]

They look good to me. Are you in Macro mode, or are you shooting from a distance with the zoom?

Thos were taken in macro mode. I got as close to the acrylic as I could without freaking them out. Good?

Maybe it was the female was picking on the male and shredding his fins due to stress?

I think you are quite right. As I sat in front of the tank taking photos I could see they did not enjoy my company so close . Most of all the female. Who after a while chased the male out of the bowl with a nip.

I'll need to keep my distance and let them adjust.

 

[melev]

Yes, they are just fine. It is tricky getting pictures of fish. In this specific application, it is easier for the camera to focus on the lip of that bowl. To get the fish to look sharp even though they are in the background a little, you'd have to lower the f/stop from 2.8 to 5.6 or even 7. (I'd normally say raise it up, but someone will correct me.) The reason is you are increasing the depth of field so that more is in focus than just the lip of the bowl.

If I find my fish are too bright, I'll back up a couple of feet or lower the intensity of the flash (internal camera setting). But like I said, your pictures looked good to me.

In my thread, you can see a picture of the Copperband butterfly I took this evening. No flash, hand-held in macro mode. It wasn't an ideal (perpendicular) angle but it came out okay.

 

[scuglass]

good thread ill be following along

 

[kwl1763]

Nice Amy,

I have to agree I totally agree with hypo as a preventative. For every fish I buy it goes into hypo for 4 weeks no matter what!

Sure way to prevent introducing ICH. I have never lost a fish in my hypo quarentine period. I have had some die real quick after introduction before I started hypo but not after.

I get them eating and observe closely for any signs of brook, worms etc for about a week at full salinity then lower it over 3-4 days, 1.009 for 4 weeks then back up over the next week. It's like a six week process but I have had great success with it even on difficult fish like powder blues and the like!

 

[TippyToeX]

Thanks again for the camera help Marc. I hope to take some more photos tomorrow.

Thanks scuglass & Keith.

Keith, that is great to hear that you are so faithful to QTing your fish. :thumbsup: It really is the best thing we can do for them after what they go through.

 

[scuglass]

when bringing the salinity back to normal after the 4 weeks of hypo how do u go about doing this? adding higher salt content water ? also during this 6 month period is there a light on or arround the tank? may bee a nightlight

 

[NicoleC]

There are some calculations for raising and lowering salinity for the purposes of hypo here:
http://www.petsforum.com/personal/trevor-jones/hyposalinity.html

Basically, you do water changes with normal salinity water.

Hypo is 6 weeks, not 6 months. Ambient daytime room light will be fine, but a low wattage light on a timer will be even better. Some fish are very sensitive to the diurnal cycle, and steady "sunrise" and "sunset" times will help reduce stress.

For some fish (like clowns), a small "moonlight" will be helpful so they don't get so startled at the sudden change in light when the lights go on/off. A single blue LED or a small blue nightlight will be perfect for this purpose. The brighter the daylight, the more important this is. If the tank is near a window and getting a natural gradual light cycle, a moonlight is not really required at all.

 

[djian]

Great thread thus far. Even the picture talk makes me want to go get a pimp camera. I havent used a quarentine yet, but after reading I cant place another animal into the tank without it.

Thanks and I cant wait to read more.
Ian

 

[TippyToeX]

scuglass - Nicole explained it all perfectly. For this tank, because the room is not used I opted for no light at all. It gets a nice amount of soft evening sunlight. I don't go in there after dark so there is no light flipped on or off. In about two weeks I'll go ahead and out a light above it as well as an LED moon light. To get them use to the display tanks schedule.

djian - Thanks! Really the QT system is such a smart idea. You have the time to be assured of their health and that they are eating well. You can fatten them up so they are nice and strong to be introduced into the display.

I think QT has a bad reputation for some people. They see it as overly sterile and unwelcoming to their fish. It couldn't be further from the truth. It's peaceful, they are without competition. They have all the food and medical care they need. It's a kinder fate after what they have been through (collection, shipping, wholesaler, shipping, LFS, shipping again).

Go to the Photography Forum too for some camera ideas. There are some serious eye candy threads too.

 

[TippyToeX]

A few new pictures from this afternoon. They are doing really well. I did a water change last night and they didn't even move from their bowl. They just peeked out and looked and didn't mind beyond that.

Now when I get close to the tank the come up to greet me! Amy = breakfast, lunch, and dinner! :lol: They are eating like champs too. Every kind of frozen food I have put in there they take. I alternate daily. In the mornings the food might be soaked in garlic or Selcon. At nights it's beta glucan. They take all kinds of flake food too. The only thing they have rejected thus far it pellet food.

I have the salinity at 1.13 right now. Just a little more to go. Then they can park it there.

Tomorrow they have been in QT for one week.

Female, Lucy

Lucy & Charlie (male)

In the last shot you can see how Charlie's fins are much improved!

 

[melev]

Very nice. You're doing a great job so far.

 

[NicoleC]

Wow. She is one beautiful babe now, and she's bound to get prettier as she settles in and gets a lot of regular meals.

Clowns are such a joy to have; they have looks and personality.

Love the names. Perfect!

 

[djian]

Is there any info on QTing corals? Some members in my local reef club ended up with red bugs from another reefer that didnt know they had them and now struggle constitanly to rid of them.
Ian

 

[TippyToeX]

djian, here is a good article by Steven Pro about how to QT anything. Fish, corals, rock, sand, etc.

An Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure

 

[andyjd]

fantastic looking fish, and an excellent thread

 

[scuglass]

i know this is a little off topic but is it possibe to qt a fish shuch as a blue tang(small) in a smalll qt tank or would this strees the fish?