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FAQs on Freshwater Freshwater Quarantine
Related Articles:
Environmental Disease,
FW Disease Troubleshooting,
Freshwater Diseases,
Choose Your Weapon: Freshwater Fish Disease Treatment Options by Neale Monks,
Related FAQs:
Environmental Disease 1,
Environmental Disease 2,
Environmental Disease 3,
Environmental Disease 4,
Cycling Trouble-Fixing, &
Toxic Situations,
Popeye/Exophthalmia,
Nutritional Disease,
Aquarium Maintenance,
Establishing Nutrient Cycling,
African Cichlid Disease 1,
Cichlid Disease,
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Nerite snails in isolation tank; resisting parasite transfer
1/27/19
is there a way to medicate snails in an isolation tank to make sure they
are disease and parasite free?
Gerald
<Not really. Isolating snails for 4-6 weeks is a good way to ensure
they're not carrying waterborne parasites (such as Whitespot) that might
affect fish rather than the snails themselves. Since those parasites
will complete their life cycle within such a time period, in the absence
of a fish host, such snails should be "free" of the waterborne stages
that might be stuck to their shells. But if you're talking about
parasites that live within the snails, parasitising them, and then
potentially infecting fish, there aren't any available medications to
help here. Those snail-borne parasites of economic concern (such as
Bilharzia) are preventing by exterminating snails rather than treating
them. Hope this helps, Neale.>
Quarantine tank: cycled or uncycled?
12/16/13
Cycling a Quarantine Tank
Hello, I have a 20-gallon QT. I have always kept it cycled by keeping 2
small goldfish in it at all times (although right now it is housing my 4
1/2-month-old fry, who is almost big enough to be put in my 36 gallon
with my smaller fish). When I need to use it as a QT for a new or sick
goldfish, I remove the fish that are in there and put them in one of my
other two cycled tanks. I keep only goldfish and mystery snails.
Recently I read something on another goldfish site that would imply I
have been doing this all wrong. I was told that a QT should not be kept
cycled, and should only be set up when needed and then santitized and
taken down when it is no longer needed to prevent contamination. They
said 100% daily water changes or the bucket-to-bucket method should be
employed while the fish is in QT to maintain clean and ammonia-free
water.
I am just curious about your opinion on this, as I have always seen and
received helpful and sound advice from the WWM crew! Thank you,
Amand
< You are to be congratulated for having a QT tank. This is a big
mistake that many aquarists make by not having one. I agree with the
goldfish site.
When you get a new fish they are usually stressed and are subject to
diseases. If a fish was to become sick in the QT and a medication was
needed, the medication will usually affect the nitrifying bacteria thus
making the cycled tank pretty useless. I am aware that many medications
claim not to affect the bacteria but I have found that they do.-Chuck>
Re: Quarantine tank: cycled or uncycled?
Cycling a QT II 12/17/13
Thank you very much, Chuck. I have heard differing opinions on the
matter and the argument about medications affecting the beneficial
bacteria is a good one. The other argument for keeping a QT tank
uncycled I have heard is that any pathogens or parasites brought in by
previous fish could remain in the tank if it is not taken down and
sanitized after each use. I just wanted to get a second opinion.
My plan is to get two large Sterilite tubs, add a sponge filter and do
the bucket-to-bucket method for my next QT. Does this sound like a good
idea?
< No. You need to be able to adequately observe the new fish in detail
to catch any early signs of problems. These tubs do not offer the
clarity needed to see the fish. I would recommend a bare 10 gallon tank.
Most medications are prepackaged for dosages of 10 gallon increments. A
bare tank should be pretty close to 10 gallons. A bare bottom also
lets you see leftover food and fish waste so it can be siphoned out
every day while doing water changes. A heater is needed to bring the
water temp at least up to 82 F to treat Ich in a timely manner. A light
is needed so you can see the fish. Use an airstone to oxygenate the
water. You don't need a filter.
You want to see the waste and take it out of the tank every day. I would
use a 4 inch piece of PVC pipe in the tank for fish to hide but can
still be observed through the ends of the tube. Hope this helps. Chuck>
This is what the other site recommended.
I fully support the use of QT tanks, and wish they were better promoted
and used by pet stores. They are so important for ensuring that nothing
gets into your main tank that you don't want in there, among many other
reasons.
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