Quarantine best practice - Snorvich?

[tomlow617]

OK I admit it. I did not quarantine a yellow eye kole. I lost that fish to ich and now a blenny and clown have it.

I am trying to repent.

It looks like best practice for future would be four tanks.

Tank 1 - Water Transfer Method of QT and treatment of ich
Tank 2 - Water Transfer Method of QT and treatment of ich
Tank 3 - Hospital tank - Used for medications and copper, nothing else
Tank 4 - Coral QT - Can I combine w/ 1 & 2 or would transfers **** off coral?

Did I get that right? Although maybe late to the party I do believe in copying best practice.

80 gallons of treatment tanks seems a bit impractical, however I could have 2 of any type up and running at any given time (Hospital tank only running when needed, but not used as a QT.)

Any thoughts on getting approval for four holding tanks from significant other? MP40s can fly below the radar but 4 tanks are well hard to sneak into the house in your bag....

-TL

 

[snorvich]

Best practice quarantine protocol

My suggested protocol is to use tank transfer for all new specimens to insure against cryptocaryon irritans. 12 days and two 20 gallon tanks is all it takes. The two 20 gallon tanks are cleaned and stored after usage.

The initial receiving tank is temp and SG adjusted to the bag water( SG a few points couple of points lower than the bagwater is ok but not higher) This obviates the need for drip acclimation and prolonged stays in bag water where pH can rise and ammonia toxicity can increase once the bag is opened. This is particularly important after prolonged stays in the bag.

During the 12 day tank transfer process ( 3 day stays 4 transfers, move fish on the morning of days 4,7,10,13) observe for other maladies. Since there are no meds to interact with in the transfer tanks which contain freshly mixed salt water aged and aerated overnight , use an ammonia detoxifier during each 3 day period. Bound copper products for example can't be safely used with ammonia detoxifiers as more toxic free copper occurs with lethal copper toxicity,even though total copper measures the same.

If there is reason to suspect infestation with brooklynellosis, velvet or flukes , do a formalin bath before starting treatment with copper for velvet, formalin for brooklynellosis or prazi pro for flukes. This would require a hospital tank which is only used when treatment is indicated.

Since not all maladies will present symptoms in the 12 days( flukes can easily be missed, velvet can take up to 30 days to present), use a larger cycled QT tank for an additional 2 to 4 weeks of observation depending on the condition of the fish with treatment as necessary. This QT tank is up and running all the time.

Most fish receive no medications yet all are effectively prophylactically treated for ich,the most common killer

Ammonia is monitored and has never been an issue during the 3 day stay but a detoxifier is added just in case, The cycled tank takes care of itself.

BTW there is no need to worry about nitrite or nitrate.

 

[tomlow617]

I am confused by make sure the salinity and temp is the same / close and dump them in.

Many things I read say unless you drip acclimate them for 9 hours (exaggeration but you get my point), live stock will die a horrible death.

Seems like a disconnect. What am I missing?

 

[snorvich]

I am confused by make sure the salinity and temp is the same / close and dump them in.

Many things I read say unless you drip acclimate them for 9 hours (exaggeration but you get my point), live stock will die a horrible death.

Seems like a disconnect. What am I missing?

If salinity and temperature are the same no drip acclimation is necessary. Drip acclimation for animals that have been in a shipping bag for a long time can actually be detrimental.