When You Quaranteen A Fish,

[saz326]

My theory is:

If a fish is ill, it has picked up or developed something in the main tank. Therefore bugs WILL be present in the main tank (bacteria, virus, worm, parasite etc)

When you isolate a fish in a quaranteen tank & dose up the quaranteen tank with any required medication, should you not still put something in the main tank to kill any background nasties that could affect another fish?



e.g. If 1 fish gets whitespot, chances are some of the white spot bugs will be present in the tank (already fallen off by the time you notice some on the fish) and could infect a second fish. So isolate the fish. Treat in isolation to prevent further spread, and dose the main tank to kill of any residual bugs.

Does half dosing ever kill the bugs off? would people use a half dose of melafix for example to knock background levels of bacteria down if one fish was in isolation with a bacterial infection.?

sarah.

 

[minxfishy]

If it was something like whitespot (using your example) then I wouldnt remove the one fish, I would treat the whole tank.

If it was something like fungus, finrot, pop eye, I would remove fish to QT and just treat it alone, keep a close eye on the main tank though.

 

[loachman]

If it was something like whitespot (using your example) then I wouldnt remove the one fish, I would treat the whole tank.

If it was something like fungus, finrot, pop eye, I would remove fish to QT and just treat it alone, keep a close eye on the main tank though.

I'd agree. For parasites, I'd treat everything. They'll infect any suitable host.

For bacterial (and most fungal) infections, only diseased fish need to be treated IMO. However, it is going to be very important to keep up on water changes and water quality in the main tank.

 

[saz326]

...but if a fish has developed fungus, or bacterial infection the fish has probably either been exposed to unsuitable conditions , been stressed or shocked, or its not been getting correct nutrition. This could also be the case for the remaining fish in the tank, just they havent started showing disease. (or they are on the verge of illness)

So wouldnt it be wise to always treat the main tank. Or always treat any suceptable fish. i.e. give extra vitamins to fish of the same species as that that has shown illness, and dose the tank with stress coat or similar.

..(im not trying to argue - just want to get peoples ideas going)