*YOUR* Quarantine Process?

[Its Hutch]

Do you quarantine new fish and/or plants? What is your quarantine process? Do you feed or fast? Meds? Do you have a dedicated QT tank? What size tank do you use? etc.

Also how many fish have you lost in quarantine? Any special success stories or maybe a failure?

 

I have quarantined all of my fish before going into a show tank. I quarantine in small groups of 6-8 in a 10g QT tank. The QT tank has gravel and some fake decorations as well as a sponge filter. I feed for 3 days to ensure the fish will eat and eat one of the foods I have on hand before fasting. On day 4, I begin fasting and on day 5 I start the Med Trio. The fish will fast for 5 days during the entire med process. Day 10, I do a 50% water change and slowly start feeding again. I observe the fish for roughly 4 to 7 more days until everyone appears happy and healthy and are eating and pooping. This method has worked and I havent seen any unhealthy/sick fish in my show tank. I have lost 2 fish while in quarantine. I lost 1 otocinclus from a group of 6 and I also lost 1 Rasbora Het. that was part of a group of 6. I also throw all new plants in the QT tank as I do not want "pest" snails in my show tanks. If buying from a local hobbyist, I also use Irene's alum dip on the plants to assist in keeping snails out. I like snails and keep nerite snails just dont want any that may breed of out of control as I feed heavy. 

This is the process I use and am curious to read how others do it or do not. 

[H.K.Luterman]

My quarantine tank is a plastic bin that I marked 10 gallons on the side (it holds 18 gal in total). I only set it up when I need it, and when not in use, I keep the filter sponges seeded in another tank. I keep the bottom bare for ease of vacuuming. I keep it ugly, and always set it up out of sight in a spare room. I'll usually put in some pest snails to act as janitors.

I typically don't medicate until I see a reason to. My quarantine period is always 2 weeks minimum (if I trust where I purchased the fish), and 3 weeks minimum if I got it somewhere else. So far, I've had a good success rate, I've only lost a few fish. One was my first case of epistylis ever, and I thought it was ich. Another was an unknown cause - lost 1 in a group of 6 upside down cats. Yet another was from an injury to a catfish inflicted by one of my bichirs, and was probably a lost cause (I did my best to try to save it). I've successfully treated ich multiple times and a few bacterial type infections over the years, but I don't consider myself a pro by any means in diagnosing/treating this stuff.

I keep Ich X, Prazi Pro and the API powder meds (General Cure, Erythromycin, etc) in my supply cabinet. All fish usually get a round of Prazi Pro for internal parasites if I do dose anything.

 

[Guppysnail]

Tank size depends on fish size for me bare bottom lots of fast growing stem plants I don’t mind destroying 

med trio has become a must

my thing I have had success with is I feed generously from minute one and prior to introducing meds.   My thought process fish come to me weakened by stress transport lack of food during this process and/or at pet stores.  Most fish naturally have some bacteria/parasites but are not affected for the most part if they are very healthy.  I feed them up so they have the resources to fight whatever ails them and become ready for further stress of community introduction.

 

i am retired so have the time to test my tank every couple hours and do many many repeat water changes to keep the tank safe.  I find they thrive and are active and never hide / display stress or fear from minute one of being community introduced this way.  Almost as if they feel strong and confident if one can ascribe human emotion 

 

[Sandra the fish rookie]

This forum has taught me how to QT and how important it is. I have only had 1 fish die in QT and I think it was stress related due to shipping because there was not evidence of disease. 

I have a 10G in my husbands office. Its bare bottom but I was struggling to keep it cycled (even using seeded sponge filters) so I added some pest snails, and some plants in tiny terracotta pots to keep some kind of life in there. If I have to use salt, or have to net fish out to add to my display tanks I can easily take everything out put the plants into an dechlorinated bucket of water and put them back in when done. 

I observe and feed high quality food the first week, use the ACO trio starting the second week and depending on the type of fish may complete a full round of deworming with Paracleanse. I then will observe and feed an additional week. IF they have had NO signs of disease AT ALL I move them to the display. IF they have disease, I treat according to what they are displaying or come to the forum to ask for advise... 

I keep the QT UGLY.. so I am not tempted to turn it into another display tank..LOL... I can always just buy another NEW tank for that.. haha

[Guppysnail]

@H.K.Luterman @Sandra the fish rookie You two convinced me.  Every new fish I’ve bought an appropriate size “qt” tank. Every tank became a display. I broke down and bought a heavy duty ugly tote today 🙂