Do You Use A Quarantine Tank

[BBrain]

Okay, all the expert advice is that we should never put a new fish straight into a tank that already has fish in it. We are supposed to protect our existing fish, by keeping new fish in a separate, quarantine tank, for 2 or 3 weeks, to watch for and treat any possible diseases.

I'm just curious how many people actually quarantine their new fish. I don't, because I'm just getting back into fish keeping, and have only the one, established tank so far. BUT.....I just bought another tank yesterday (15 gallon). It will be used for a quarantine tank for new fish, and a hospital tank when not in quarantine duty.

 

[kramers]

I was until recently when my quarantine tank got put back into commision as a full time tank. I know it's not a science, but I usually try to get fish from a reputable seller and the fish are very active and lively. You know, the ones that are bound and determined to not be caught by the net and are putting up a healthy fight. But if there is any doubt as to their health, meds are used.

 

[SamUK]

u should!


but i dont.


i dont have room for a part-time tank.

 

[cane76]

i do i got a 2x1x1 quarantine/hospital tank.i learned the hard way by getting ich from a newcomer and losing fish i voted sometimes coz its not allways possible to quarantine big fish due to the small size of the tank.

 

[Nauplii]

I wish i could say yes... But i dont. This is one because i dont have the money for another tank and 2 because ive not got the space and 3.parents

 

[Gazoo]

I never have.

I'm it's like insurance though: it's not until you get burnt you think about it.

 

[Fishkeeper2004]

I know you should, but at the moment I don't. I always get my fish from the same 2 LFS, so I feel I can trust them as healthy suppliers. However, this is not an excuse, the real reason is lack of space to put a quarentine tank..

 

[Qays]

My fish shop Always quarantines their fish.

 

[GoldfishAttentionSpan]

I don't, as I don't have an extra tank. I may have an extra 5 gallon coming my way, but having an extra tank just screams to have fish in it, and I doubt I will be able to resist putting fish in it.

I know thats no excuse, and I really wish I had so many tanks it didn't bother me to have an extra empty one, but I don't, so I just hope for the best.

 

[Tolak]

I quar everything, no matter where they come from. I've pissed off a few breeders in the club by quaring their fish. When they start to cry, I tell them that I'll put their fish in with a bunch of others right now, provided they come over to do daily water changes & remed if something comes up. They shut up fast.

You can get a rubbermaid bin for under $5, a cheap heater for under $10, and a sponge filter for $5 or less. For under $20, you have a quar setup. The fish in your main tank are probably worth more than that, and if you don't have room for a storage bin you'd better get rid of your tank. You will need that room the next time you buy a couple of loaves of bread or some other small item. You do not need a tank with a stand & a full complement of decos for quar.

Buying from the same shop or 2, or trusting a shop's quar procedure is playing with fire. Some diseases take a while to show up, and some are nearly always present, and can overtake a fish's immune system when they are stressed. Catching, bagging, transporting, and putting a fish in a new tank is stressful.

Folks who don't quar new fish do provide the needed money flow to the lfs. They sell more fish. When they need more fish I sell them some. Breeding keeps me out of trouble. If it weren't for all the tanks, I'd probably be into fast cars & wild women. Thank you all the folks withou quar tanks, you are keeping my life reasonably safe & sane.

 

[BBrain]

I don't, as I don't have an extra tank. I may have an extra 5 gallon coming my way, but having an extra tank just screams to have fish in it, and I doubt I will be able to resist putting fish in it.

I hear ya. How about this idea:
Set up a sort of all-purpose extra tank, with heater and filter. No gravel or live plants, but some plastic plants and maybe a clay flower pot or ornament for fish shelter. Stock it with a fish or two. Pick a species that is interesting enough in such a bare bones tank, and is also hardy enough to handle being moved into your main tank, if and when you need to quarantine new fish, or medicate existing fish. Maybe a nice male Betta splendens? Maybe also a Corydoras paleatus, to help keep the tank clean?


Tolak, good post!

 

[Arfie]

I used to, then my tank became a permanent tank full of endlers.

I then had another one setup which I started using, I actually had a load of new fish from various sources, so they all went in my QT tank and were going to stay in until the newest fish had been in a month.

After 3 weeks, the brown stuff hit the fan, a nasty outbreak of ich hit very quickly followed by finrot and fungus and wiped all bar 1 fish out in the space of 4 days (in a tank with a matured filter and 25% water changes twice per week). The entire contents of the tank were binned and the tank and equipment sat in steralising fluid for a couple of days, it's also been dry for over a month now.

I will never add new fish to a tank without them going in qt for a month from now on Had those fish been in my main tanks they could have wiped me out. I also now have a UV, but not got around to wiring that up yet

Arfie

 

[Fishy412]

i dont, but if you can then you should

 

[Chri$]

I should - but don't have the room

 

[Paul_MTS]

anything under 15" I can quarantine but over that and it goes straight in the tank.

Most fish I have to grow on a bit so they'll go into kind of quantine to get up to size before meeting the others.

Always have a UV laying about though and plenty of meds for anything that may come up.