Who Quarentines Their Freshwater Fish ?

[Twinklecaz]

I think the trouble for a lot of people is the cost and the space. You're basically setting up another fish tank with all the same costs (and cycling needs unless there's a secret I don't know). For someone like me starting out, been cycling for 67 days it's a very daunting idea and to be honest, I like the fact there are some experienced in this post saying they don't do it. I know that's bad but you can't be surprised if some people look at it that way.

 

[drsquirrel]

Does no one else's LFS quarantine their new stock?

Would you bet your existing stock that their procedure is as good or better than your own? How often is the advice from your lfs as good or better than your own? I know exactly what happens with my tanks & fish, I can't say that for any lfs, or other aquarist for that matter.

Of course, blind faith isn't going to help us much. When the quarantine tanks are on display (and before you say, yes the pipework is separate) you can know for yourself how long they are there for (roughly, depends on how often you visit).

Surely the LFS has more to loose if they infect their entire stock/tanks?
When was the last time you heard of an outbreak in a LFS? (I never have, and im not assuming it's never happened so im curious to know if you or anyone else actually has).

And if home aquarists only QT for 1-2 weeks - isn't that another bet?

I think the trouble for a lot of people is the cost and the space. You're basically setting up another fish tank with all the same costs (and cycling needs unless there's a secret I don't know). For someone like me starting out, been cycling for 67 days it's a very daunting idea and to be honest, I like the fact there are some experienced in this post saying they don't do it. I know that's bad but you can't be surprised if some people look at it that way.

You don't cycle the tank, you cycle the filter.

You can get a cheap filter put it in (treated, obviously) water and pull filter media from your mature tank and have it running almost instantly. Various people run in buckets etc, and don't even need to be that big and could just sit it on the floor, big ugly but up to you. A heater for QT would be cheap and can be seen as an emergency backup for your main tank too.

I don't think many people will say don't do it, it's more... is there *that* much of a need?

 

[Tolak]

It's not just the hardware of a separate system, it's the procedure followed. Can you be sure the employees aren't going to mix up nets, go from quar to stock for sale tanks with wet hands, & so on? One oops & you've cross contaminated a tank or system.

Your chain stores pay what amounts to pennies on the dollar for the fish they sell, privately owned shops don't pay a whole lot more. Business losses get written off. You have to look at it from a business perspective, they are in business to make money. Some loss is expected and anticipated.

I really don't frequent shops, no reason to, as better fish can be found by other means, often cheaper. I do hang out with guys who either frequent or work some of the local shops thought. Last outbreak I heard of was from a guy who works at a shop, early spring, corys with ick, separate air driven filtration for tanks, so each tank is in itself a quar tank. That works unless the tanks on the side get water splashed into them, three tanks total, minimal damage.

Worst was about 3 years ago, whole shop, after a major rearrangement of the whole system & restock. They were asking me where to get Coppersafe in bulk, real messed up situation.


I think much of the need hinges on the investment you have, time, money, or emotional. If these investments are minimal quar is often ignored. Talking with breeders who do it for a living they will often quar for several months, in a separate building.

 

[Gunngee]

Does no one else's LFS quarantine their new stock?

Would you bet your existing stock that their procedure is as good or better than your own? How often is the advice from your lfs as good or better than your own? I know exactly what happens with my tanks & fish, I can't say that for any lfs, or other aquarist for that matter.

Of course, blind faith isn't going to help us much. When the quarantine tanks are on display (and before you say, yes the pipework is separate) you can know for yourself how long they are there for (roughly, depends on how often you visit).

Surely the LFS has more to loose if they infect their entire stock/tanks?
When was the last time you heard of an outbreak in a LFS? (I never have, and im not assuming it's never happened so im curious to know if you or anyone else actually has).

And if home aquarists only QT for 1-2 weeks - isn't that another bet?

I think the trouble for a lot of people is the cost and the space. You're basically setting up another fish tank with all the same costs (and cycling needs unless there's a secret I don't know). For someone like me starting out, been cycling for 67 days it's a very daunting idea and to be honest, I like the fact there are some experienced in this post saying they don't do it. I know that's bad but you can't be surprised if some people look at it that way.

You don't cycle the tank, you cycle the filter.

You can get a cheap filter put it in (treated, obviously) water and pull filter media from your mature tank and have it running almost instantly. Various people run in buckets etc, and don't even need to be that big and could just sit it on the floor, big ugly but up to you. A heater for QT would be cheap and can be seen as an emergency backup for your main tank too.

I don't think many people will say don't do it, it's more... is there *that* much of a need?

Ok, I'm probably opening up a can of worms here but When I started my little 10 gallon tank, I took 25% of the water out of my 20 gallon and put it in the 10 gallon and topped up with de-chlorinated tap water. I used a brand new filter right out of the box stuck it in my 10 gallon and fired it up with new fish. I never had a problem with ammonia. I have also always rinsed the filter in my 20 gallon under the tap and NEVER had a problem. Oh and no I don't quarantine and I've been running my 20 gallon for 5 years and never had a problem but now that I have said that I have just jinxed my self (touching wood repeatedly).

 

[roadmaster]

I think we have all made mistakes that may or may not have resulted in unnecessary problems.
Quarantine tanks, or simple plastic tubs also result in way less problems. Problems ,often result in new hobbyists becoming discouraged.
If quarantine tanks are not ones personal preference, then in my view,,, it's not a question of IF at some point they will expierience problems up to and including dead stock,,, It's only a question of when.
In the interest of new hobbyists,, It is in my view much better to suggest safest approach rather than stating what one may get away with or ones personal preference.
When I began keeping fish in early 1970's ,I single handedly, murdered untold numbers of fish due in large part to ignorance and a lack of information or mis-information. If I am able to help someone,, anyone,, avoid some of the mistakes I have made then I am pleased. I may not be as tactful or as warm and fuzzy as some would like,, But then that is not my aim. I have little interest in emotional aspect of this hobby for the most part,and choose to train my efforts on sharing information that as mentioned,,,hopefully saves others from failing.

 

[JoshuaA]

Can I ask...

What do people do when the fish you want... say 3 individual fish are all from 3 individual stores? Do you only get one at a time or?

We just completed a fish-less cycle and we only narrowly managed to get the 3 fish we wanted to start off with from the the one store, the rest at 1 or 2 of them but not all 3. First fish in as well, they're looking happy now but I have a 2nd tank running (cycling though, producing Nitrites/Nitrate but pretty slow on the Ammonia breakdown) ready for when we buy some more fish. We will quarantine our fish in there before introducing into the main tank. The problem with this though is the fact that I would actually like to use the same filter/tank after the main tank has been fully stocked.

If one of our fishes under quaratine did happen to have an illness which cleared or killed the fish, would this be easily transferred over to a bunch of fish say a week or two down the line which I introduced to the tank even after a 100% water change/sand cleaning?

 

[aly_starh]

Well, i learnt the hard way. I brought a new bettas which wiped out 5 others They caught Columnaris.

The males i have now are all in there own tanks, not a big divided tank. And the females i brought are all from the same breeder and they are in a sorority.

So, nope i dont quarantine my fish, although i should. I didnt quarantine these fish as they were all from the same breeder.

But i will start quarantining new fish if i buy more. But it will most likely be male bettas which will be in there own tanks anyway.

edited to elaborate

 

[drsquirrel]

Can I ask...

What do people do when the fish you want... say 3 individual fish are all from 3 individual stores? Do you only get one at a time or?

We just completed a fish-less cycle and we only narrowly managed to get the 3 fish we wanted to start off with from the the one store, the rest at 1 or 2 of them but not all 3. First fish in as well, they're looking happy now but I have a 2nd tank running (cycling though, producing Nitrites/Nitrate but pretty slow on the Ammonia breakdown) ready for when we buy some more fish. We will quarantine our fish in there before introducing into the main tank. The problem with this though is the fact that I would actually like to use the same filter/tank after the main tank has been fully stocked.

If one of our fishes under quaratine did happen to have an illness which cleared or killed the fish, would this be easily transferred over to a bunch of fish say a week or two down the line which I introduced to the tank even after a 100% water change/sand cleaning?

Put your second filter into your main tank and let that cycle (you cycle the filter not the water). Then you can just prepare the spare tank quickly for QT.

If a fish gets sick in your QT tank, dump the sponge and use a new one in your main tank to seed for the next time.

 

[JoshuaA]

Put your second filter into your main tank and let that cycle (you cycle the filter not the water). Then you can just prepare the spare tank quickly for QT.

If a fish gets sick in your QT tank, dump the sponge and use a new one in your main tank to seed for the next time.

We have a filter/heater/light in each tank, so the 2nd tank combination is going through a fish-less cycle (adding 4ppm). I have seeded the 2nd filter of the first filter from the first tank (Which went through a fish-less and is now stocking fish).

The tank which is now cycling is currently producing and reducing Nitrites but not at a significant pace. We will be using it to quarantine Panda Cory when we buy them sometime in the future when its ready. What I was wondering is if the fish died off from an illness would we have to ditch/severely clean the filter media? In case it was harbouring the disease or parasite?

 

[coldcazzie]

To answer the original question - yes I do. Currently I have 4 (tiny) lace gouramis sitting in quarantine, where they'll stay for at least the next month, which I bought from pets at home so there was never an question about quar them as P@H dont quar their fish.
It only took me half an hr to set up the tank - it's been empty for a few months as I've had no spare cash, but I put water in and heater on before I left the house, then when I got back I cut a sponge in half from my main tank, put it in a filter in my QT and plopped in a ceramic tube thing and some plastic plants and then drip acclimatised the fish. The acclimation took longer than the actual setting up of the tank!
My QT is just a dinky 18x10x10 tank, no light and a little 25w heater in it - sits in my kitchen empty til I need it. Would rather have that than a whole tank of dead fish. I have not quarantined in the past and sometimes it's been ok, sometimes it hasnt. The fact that it hasnt has taught me to always be careful - Id rather replace a small batch of fish than my whole tank, and Id rather medicate my QT than my main tank - 18x10x10 compared to 48x16x16 - its a big difference!