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Hey All... I was thinking of trying this method to safe guard the existing fish community against new fishes with diseases and bacteria. I had a sort of holocaust this week after a rogue danio I introduced.

When I bring the fish home, Im considering having a 'de-contamination' tank where I will monitor the new fish for 2-3 days prior to introducing him to the main community tank. If he shows no abnormality then, I assume he's 'clean' and then can put him in the new tank.. Anyone suggest I even adding some mehtly blue or magic disease killer formula to this quarantine tank?


I also will pay good attention to the dealer's tank I buy my fish from. I make sure there are no dead fish in the tank and also the general condition of the fish Im getting.
Many thanks!



Hobbyists

A "quarantine tank" is highly recommended to prevent disease introduction into your aquaria, and is often mentioned in fish books. It's a good idea if you have the resources to do it.

Remember these few things for quarantine:
1. The fish tank should have a properly cycled biological filter. This can be done by sticking a filter pad in your existing tank and letting bacteria grow on it, then transferring the filter pad to your quarantine tank.
2. Some diseases, especially ich, may take a few weeks before it actually shows up and is cleared. 2-3 days is rather short.
3. You don't need to add anything to a quarantine tank like medicine unless the fish actually shows a sign of disease. Of course, if the fish showed signs of disease already, you probably shouldn't have bought that fish in the first place. Many different maladies that affect fish require different medications, so there isn't anything that you can simply add that will take care of anything; just think of all the different medicines people have for treating different things.

TBH, I do not use a quarantine tank, and I expect many people don't simply due to the extra work it takes. On one hand I always make sure that the fish I'm getting look in general health at the store before purchase. On the other hand, I've been extremely lucky.

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The aquarist is one who must learn the ways of the biologist, the chemist, and the veterinarian.

Thanks alot Shingami.. Yes I do have a starter kit tank when I first got into aquariums.. And I dont usually have use for it.. Its a 1.5 gallon tank and will work great. I have noted your comment about the biological.. Will do as you said. I may even put a small size filter into the quaratine tank too!



Hobbyists

I do use a QT tank and the way I do it is to keep a box filter running in another tank. I keep the tank empty and put away until I need it. I don't have gravel, it setup as a glass bottom tank. I clean everything that I put it with a 20% bleach water solution and dechlor. before putting it away. When I need it I get it set it up with 50% dirty water,an air stone,heater and the box filter, finally a peace of DW. If I can I try andset it up the day before so I can get the water temp good. I do add pimaflex and melfix to the tank. I keep the fish in there for at least 3 weeks (about how long the wife will not say anything about another tank)longer if I can. I been getting into collecting wild tropicals,this now becomes very important. Even fish i buy online or local get QTed. I added some fish ounce to a tank and woke up to find everyone dead. If you treat a QT tank Like a QT tank and not another tank. Set it up when you need it and put it away when you don't it's really not that much additional work. I'm using a 20 gal tank, and when I put it away I put everything inside of it so I know I have it and i know where it is. Just thought I let you know what I do

Djrichie
"So Long, and Thanks For All The Fish" Douglas Adams