quarantine fish

[Dark knight]

Can I quarantine marine fish without treatment?

 

[Newsmyrna80]

Absolutely! You can observe in a cycled QT for several weeks. Just be sure to observe long enough for any diseases to present. My protocol for a new fish is tank transfer followed by a month in a QT. I also dose Prazi, usually during TT.

 

[snorvich]

Four weeks minimum, five weeks if coming from a system running copper.

 

[ThRoewer]

Four weeks minimum, five weeks if coming from a system running copper.

5 weeks may not be enough. I had fish showing ich after 6 weeks in QT.

 

[Spar]

5 weeks may not be enough. I had fish showing ich after 6 weeks in QT.

right, but that could even just as easily be 20 weeks if the infestation is small enough. but as you are implying, longer the better.

the underlying point is that with the observation QT method you are choosing the weakest method, BUT at least you are doing something more than 'tossing into the DT' like many people do, making sure the fish is eating and gaining weight, etc. you are still subjecting yourself to high risk of parasites. i've never done the observation route, but if I did, I'd likely do 8 weeks regardless. and at least (even with 4 weeks) you are allowing time enough for things like velvet, brook and other much-worse-than-Ich issues to show.