Fasting Fish During Quarantine?

[PineSong]

I'm reading up on quarantining new fish as it's been more than a decade since I've done it and I'm planning to start a new tank from scratch, probably with fish from multiple sources.

In the Co-op article "How to Quarantine Fish the Easy Way" in the description of proactively treating fish, it says to let the 3 meds soak in the water for seven days without feeding the fish. 

I would have thought that 7 days without food would kill small fish like the ones I am planning (gourami, platies) especially if they've been kept in suboptimal conditions--I'm wondering if I should feed them up for a week or more before starting the meds to increase the odds they survive fasting that long? What do you all do?

 

 

 

 

 

[Colu]

If there under weight when you get them I would feed them up for a week before using the med trio

Edited June 28, 2021 by Colu

[Andy's Fish Den]

I don't feed the first day I have them in QT, but will feed after, and observe to make sure they are eating. Of course, want to state though, everything gets one dose of Ich-X, I don't use any other meds unless I see something that I need to use them for. For me quarantine is observe the fish, and make sure they are eating good. 

[ARMYVET]

The idea of not feeding the fish is to try to maintain the best water quality as possible.  If your QT has I cycled filter in it as in you removed a sponge filter from your main tank and put it in the QT tank then you can feed just fine.  

Most people do not have dedicated cycled ready QT tanks running so its usually pieced together last min.  I have an outdoor pond that I run 3 sponge filters in.  When I need to QT new fish I pull one and put in a tank and walla ...instant cycled tank ready for the fish.  Use the med trio for a week....give them a week off the meds in week 2 and in week 3 a second round of deworming.  If everything looks great.  In they go...if there is any question at all week 4 is rest again and week 5 is meds...rinse and repeat as necessary until i feel they are good to go.

The worming part is tricky....it takes multiple deworming treatments t ensure they are worm free.  The first round kills the live worms but not the eggs.  Round 2 and sometimes round 3 is to ensure there are no stragglers from eggs.

 

[Guppysnail]

I feed after an hour or two of hitting qt with Livebearers as soon as they settle down a bit. They are usually underfed and the excess stress ramps up their metabolism. I feed heavily for 3 days before meds so they have the calories to burn to fight whatever ails them.  I actually feed during the treatment with or without a cycled filter and do excess testing and water changes add more meds as appropriate but that is because I’m retired and have the time to do so. 7 days they will be fine but I agree it’s a judgement call if they are underweight or in rough shape they may need all the resources they can get. 

[PineSong]

Whew! Thank you so much, all. I will take all of your experience into consideration. I do have established filter media to put in the QT tank, and good number of already rooted plants I can toss in to help with water quality and stress, so I think I'll be okay to feed them at least a bit after the first day of meds. I'll keep my eye on the water quality. 

My previous experience with meds and QT was big goldfish, so I'm a little nervous planning for these much smaller species, and I feel better now.

[laritheloud]

I keep my QT tank cycled (with snails) and I have lots of floating plants, so I feed after the first 24 hours and throughout treatment while monitoring my parameters. I don't have the heart to stop feeding unless I feel they need the digestive rest -- and I routinely leave Sundays as a fasting day for all my tanks.