Time to talk about quarantine tanks.

[TRITON1]

Since I started school again, I dont have a tank, but I do alot of thinking about my next one . One thing I have been thinking about it quarantining, as I never did it on my old tank, but have lost a few fish in the past that I probaly wouldnt have had I done so. However, being into sciences I have trouble visualizing quarantining as an effective way to keep bad "_____" out. It seem that there is always a way for something, be it bacteria, fungi, parasite, to get it the tank. For example I imagine most people wouldnt quarantine a cleaner shrimp (so there goes that water from the fish store into the tank) or macro algae (again more water). It seem no matter how meticulous you are something can always get in a spoil your results.

It seems to me the best alternative would be a hospital tank (much like how people dip corals) for ones fish prior to putting them in the display. Is there an effective medicine to treat all fish with prior to putting them into the display to get rid of the common pests like Ich and worms? Hypo seems like too much of a pain and copper seems like too much a problem when it comes to transfering the fish back to the reef (how do you effectively remove the copper?). I'd like to see what kind of prophylactic medicines people use, if any, to treat their fish prior to putting them in their displays. I imagine there has to be something to "dip" fish in much like people "dip" corals.

I know public aquariums have strict quarantine protocols so if you have any experience there please chime in.

 

[Steven Pro]

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-10/sp/feature/index.php

 

[TRITON1]

dp

 

[TRITON1]

Thanks Steve. That article basically sums of all my questions. I do have some things I would like elaborated on if you have time.

Do you utilize dips? (methylene blue/fresh water) at all in your quarantine process (as many of the articles you linked to do encourage it). If so, do you dip upon arival or after acclimation?

Concerning the use of medicine, how do you get rid of copper once you feel it is neccessary to use (when would you consider it necessary) so you dont cross contaminated your display tank? Would a poly filter effectively remove the Cu?

Suppose you wanted to prophylax all the fish for Ich, would hyposalinity be the best way to do this? It seems to me using some sort of medicine would be more effective and prevent any mistakes (miscalibrated refractometer, user error, evap loss ect) that could disrupt treatment with hypo. What medicine would you suggest using if hypo is not an option?

Thanks for the help....learning alot.

 

[Steven Pro]

I do freshwater dip most of my fish upon arrival.

Removing copper is quite easy. A combination of water changes and activated carbon should do the trick. Poly Filters work too.

As of late, I have been using copper instead of hyposalinity.

 

[Posidion]

Also a new product out there called "Cuprisorb" it comes in a media bag and removes copper first then other heavy metals as well. my self and friends are still expirimenting with box of free samples from manufacturer. Promising thus far.

 

[billsreef]

Cuprisorb has been around since the '80's

 

[manuelink]

thanks steven pro! i will show your link on all-reefs.com
if it is no problem!

 

[Steven Pro]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14081751#post14081751 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by manuelink
thanks steven pro! i will show your link on all-reefs.com
if it is no problem!

Feel free.

 

[tmz]

Nice article Steve. I've read it several times/

I also favor copper over hyposalinity for a variety of reasons. Time,effectiveness and the fact that it treats velvet too are among them.

Do you think it is necessary to be concerned about nitrite in a marine quarantine tank given the abundance of chloride in salt water ? From what I've researched elsewhere it takes at least 50ppm to have any effect on marine fish( a European flounder) and for the most part its 300ppm or so before any poisoning effects occur.The test kit I have only goes up to 1 ppm.

BTW ,another reason to use a quarantine tank is for acclimation and not just for peace and quiet and feeding .

You can adjust the specific gravity of the quarantine tank to match or at least approximate the bag water sg ( which you can learn from the shipper or lfs) and then raise it up slowly over a week or so( at about .001 per day) thus lessening stress and the possibility of osmotic shock.
This also provides a way to remove the fish from the bag water quickly after temperature acclimation of 15 to 20 minutes via floating in the closed bag. Removing the fish from the bag water quickly can be critical to prevent ammonia toxicity exposure particularly when the fish has been confined for a long period of time as is the case with most shipped fish. The accumulated CO2 in the bag lowers the ph. This is good since at lower ph the ammonia is mostly less toxic ammonium. However, once the bag is opened the ammonium may speciate to free and more toxic ammonia rapidly as the CO2 blows off into the air and the ph rises.

 

[Steven Pro]

I have read much the same regarding nitrite, that it should not be dangerous for marine fish until it gets very high.

 

[mdrc]

formalin works great for almost every thing a quick 1 hour dip and your done, i use it in the fish store very often for new arrivals and its works great

 

[tcmfish]

Prazipro (praziquantel) is another good one for flukes.

 

[tcmfish]

One question...

When using a sponge filter from your display tank and adding it to a medicated QT how doesn't the meds kill off the bacteria?

 

[billsreef]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14251125#post14251125 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by tcmfish
One question...

When using a sponge filter from your display tank and adding it to a medicated QT how doesn't the meds kill off the bacteria?

It depends on what meds are being used. Most antitbiotics for instance will effect the biofilter, while prazi won't.