Quarantine tank or...

[andrepeixoto]

I have a quarantine 10 gal tank setup for new fish, but waiting 4-5 weeks can be stressful for me and for the fish

Today a lost my Orange Spotted Goby, he was in its 3rd week on the quarantine, he wasn't happy on the last week, I could see it, hyper ventilating not eating much, but didn't want to take the risk to add him to the main tank.

So, what are the best practices for a successful quarantine tank? Should I use copper on it or not? There is a better alternative for it?

Thanks

 

[woodnaquanut]

First, sorry for your loss.

Hotly debated subject!

Do you treat in QT? I do. If the fish doesn't seem to have any external issues (Ich, flashing, etc) then I start with PraziPro. If I'm at all worried about Ich, I'll start with a dose of chloroquine phosphate then do the Prazi.

I'm not a big fan of copper. It's easy to either under dose (doesn't cure) or over dose (kills!). Chloroquine gets Ich, Velvet and brook and seems to be safe for all except wrasses. Tank transfer is a good, no meds method for Ich if you don't want to use chloroquine.

The tank should be cycled. I use a HOB filter and keep sponges in a clean tank to have cycled media. I usually use a bare bottom tank with some PVC fittings for hiding places. For something like the goby, I'd add a small container of sand to make it a bit more natural.

If you have the space, put the tank in a quiet room without bright lights.

Getting the fish to eat is very important. Most fish I see at the LFS look starved. Offer different frozen or live foods to get them stronger. Black worms, mysis & brine shrimp are all good starters. I have no faith in garlic unless the fish comes from the Italian coast!

 

[swk]

Quarantine tank or...

I like general cure, by Api as well. It's praziquantel mixed with metronidazole. These 2 meds work very well together.

Another great med I used to use with Wild tanganyikan cichlids is nitrofuracin green. It is a wonderfully effective broad spectrum med that covers many bases and is generally very well tolerated. It can be found on the FFF (Florida tropical Fish Farmers) website, as can many other fantastic meds.

Good for you on QT'ing your fish. I've never done it since I switched to saltwater and I'm sure it's gonna bite me in the rear if I don't change my methods....

I don't suggest anyone do what I do, but - I will only get fish from quality marine and pick them up from the lfs BEFORE they go into their system. Once temp acclimated I give them a lengthy FW dip in aged tap water with ph about 8.2. After that they recover in my tank water for about 30 min and in the tank they go. I try to introduce at night to limit curiosity from the other inhabitants. Again, I don't recommend anyone doing this but I've been lucky so far and I have no more room for fish.