Quarantine Practices

[Craigdillman]

Hey all just almost done battling a nasty ich out break in my tank. The whole 9 yards netting all the fish QT, hypo... all the good stuff.... Only 5 fish made it out of the ich/treatment ordeal out of 15. and now after 8 isn weeks they are ready to go back into the main

Ich fooled me once and now I'm on the fool me twice shame on me part


So onto the Question

Im Planning on setting up a more permeant Qt tank to restock the main tank. I got a 30 gallon or 55gallon that ill be setting up and cycling and got a few months to figure out everything (Thailand for holidays for all of march Booyeah)

What do you guys do for QT?
Do you prophylactically do hypo or copper ? Or watch and see ?I'm not one to bomb copper/hypo on healthy fish if not needed
How long do you Qt new fish before adding ?
How many fish would be ok at a time say in the 30g?


Thanks
Craig Dillman

[asylumdown]

I have a tank transfer set up in my basement. I've lost fish to hypo, and lost fish to copper, but I've never lost a fish to the tank transfer. I do it prophylactically with every fish that comes in, and I dose Prazipro for two of the 3 days transfers.

[Craigdillman]

Ok I think that's what I'm going to look at setting up when I get back, seems to be the least harsh on the fish and I'm with you I lost a few fish in hypo that I don't think was needed and that i don't think the ich got weather it was the hypo it self or maybe ammonia spikes

[hillegom]

Originally Posted by asylumdown

I have a tank transfer set up in my basement. I've lost fish to hypo, and lost fish to copper, but I've never lost a fish to the tank transfer. I do it prophylactically with every fish that comes in, and I dose Prazipro for two of the 3 days transfers.

+ 1
I have been down that route as well, so tank transfer is all I do now

http://atj.net.au/marineaquaria/3daytransfer.html

[Craigdillman]

So you think if i picked up another 30 gallon or 20 gallon that would work?

Or is 30 gallon over kill and i could just get 2 20 gallons ?

or get a 20 gallon and only fill the 30 gallon with 20 gallons of water?



Also how many fish would you do at one time with this method? 3-4 at a time i assume?

[hillegom]

If the fish are small, I have used two 5 gal pails. (20 liters)
Again, it depends on the size of fish. You would not put a 4" tang into a 5 gal pail.
On the last day in the "tank" I feed a lot, and before bedtime, I put a black plastic bag over the tank. Then in the morning when its still dark in the tank I transfer.

[Craigdillman]

Ah ok, well i think i will set up a couple tanks either 2 20gallons or 2 29 gallons

[Myka]

Chloroquine phosphate is another good medication to consider instead of hypo or copper.

[asylumdown]

I've been happy with my 15 gallon tanks for the transfer because:

a) they almost fit in my laundry room sink and are super easy to clean out

b) they don't take up a lot of space. I have both of them in the place I used to have my 40 gallon QT tank

c) 5 gallons doesn't give you much room for error in terms of feeding and ammonia control, 15 gallons is a little more forgiving.

and d) saves a bunch o' money on salt. You'd go through twice as much salt doing a transfer protocol using 30 gallon tanks.

I don't buy large fish as a general rule (I'd rather they get large in my tank!), but I did do the TT protocol on a medium sized copper band and two smaller fish at the same time and 15 gallons didn't seem to be a problem for them. Having a smaller footprint seemed to make it easier for the CBB to figure out how to eat prepared food, is it wasn't so dispersed.

[Craigdillman]

Yea thats a good idea thats what i was worried about 30 gallons is a lot of WCs