Quarantine New Fish

[Coolysd]

I purchased a Flame Dwarf Gourami last night and he is currently in a QT.
This is the first time I have ever done this with a new fish and the only thing I know about this process is that it's a good idea to do it.
So needless to say I need some guidance like what I am supposed to be looking for and how long before I can transfer him to my main tank.
He is so pretty! Here's a pic for reference. TIA!!

 

[GaryE]

I QT every fish, using a tank that they could live in for good. For wild caught fish, I usually do 3 weeks. Farm raised get 6-8 weeks (that's a mutated farm gourami you have). Fish bred by friends are treated like wilds - they are usually healthy.

You have to study the fish now, and watch for changes. And here comes the TMI part!

Does he carry ich, with salt sprinkle cysts usually starting in his fins? That's the first one. It would show quickly.
Will he develop lumps or larger cysts?
Look up the symptoms of gourami Iridovirus, a serious problem his group carries from farms. Be familiar with it, even if you hopefully never encounter it live.
Does he eat, and is his waste white and stringy (a sign of worms)?
Does he develop a lump near his anus and have little red wormy nematodes hanging out?

Yeah, it's gross, but none of these things are likely. They're what you watch for. I used to specialize in keeping gourami type fish, and even wrote a long out of print book on them, but I never bought the hybrids or modified versions like yours. I do know they sometimes lose colour as they are fed colour enhancing hormones before sale on many farms. When the 'roids wear off, so does some colour intensity.

They aren't the easiest fish to keep - they are a bit delicate.

 

[Kyshiara]

By the way, always be careful with dwarf gourami, they are known to carry disease. I think it's called irovidous or something!

 

[WhistlingBadger]

Gary, do you treat them with anything while QTing, or just observe? I know some people treat all new fish with Paraguard or similar just in case. It isn't natural, but neither is shipping fish through the mail...

 

[GaryE]

I do no treatments. If, for example, I put in med A just in case, and problem B appears, then I have an interaction question. All meds and treatments are crude - we don't have great resources. I keep the meds I might need on hand - an ich treatment with malachite green and formalin (the latter for oodinium parasites), and when I can get it, praziquantel for gutworms. They usually expire unused.
I use no antibiotics for fish. They are illegal over the counter here, but I know the black market sources. I don't use them as I accept the logic behind their being under veterinary control. I think I've lost a lower percentage of new fish since I stopped using antibiotics, as we usually pick the wrong one anyway.

 

[Coolysd]

Thanks so much for your expertise! I only have the 5gal available as a QT. My main tank is a 75gal. Haven't seen any spots, he's eating and seems to be moving around fine, however, this morning there was a long white string hanging out of him that I grabbed with the long tweezers...
I have never medicated a fish before and haven't a clue where to begin.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

I do things a bit differently then Gary.

Wild fish get quarantined for 3 months. Often they come with something that takes some time to manifest. They also tend to lack resistance to the most common tank diseases and may bring with them nasties from the wild to which most of the fish we have in our tanks have little or no natural resistance. For farmed fish in the states I do a one month Q.

Those times are for a continuous period with no issues. If I have to treat a new arrival, the time starts over when and if it is cured.

There are one or two stores and a few breeders from whom I may skip Q, depending on into which tank they are going. I also know a few online seller who actual Q incoming fish for a few weeks before offering them for sale. I may do the same with their fish.

Fish meds are easy to get in the states. this is good and bad. Like Gary I keep a med kit on hand, but mine contains more meds than his:

Antibiotics: Erythromycin or Maracyn (which EM), Furan-2 which is Nitrafurazone a broad spectrum antibiotic.
For worms & intestinal bugs or external parasites, Ich etc.: Flubendazole, Levamisole HCL, Metrodinazole, Prazi Pro and Quick Cure (Formaldehyde + Malachite Green).
For Fungus: Methylene Blue and Maracyn Oxy.
For a host of things, Kosher Rock Salt.

That said I have only had to treat Ich three times in aalmost 23 years and every time it came in on new fish. Twice early on in keeping fish I did not Q and paid the price. The thrid time I lost a bunch of tetras and danios in a Q tank.

I have come to believe there is a secret fish union that we are pretty ignorant about. This requires that fish do certain things. For example:
- If a fish is going to get sick, it must try do so when fish stores are closed and online delivery of meds will be too slow.
- If the fish notice you are trying to catch one of them specifically, as many other fish as possible must swim into the net.
- Under no circumstance should a fish ever poop close to a filter intake.

 

[Coolysd]

Thank you for the info. I will have to get a "med kit".
Mannnnn... never had a clue about any of this... Definitely can be overwhelming for sure!

Looks like one of my Dojos need some kind of med as well. Can you please take a look at my other post and let me know what I need to do?
Thank you!

 

[steveb87]

Only thing I can add is keep all your nets etc away from your main tank, use separate gear for the QT. Wash hands before going to your other tank. From an ex Discus keeper (Paranoid and highly stressed)

 

[Coolysd]

Thanks for the info! I do wash my hands regularly when dealing with the tanks, had not thought about the equipment.

 

[Coolysd]

UPDATE: So I got the Dwarf Gourami on Thursday 12/15. He seemed okay, he was swimming around and eating. Monday morning I got up said good morning to my guys in the 75g and fed them breakfast. I then went to do the same to my new family member in the 5g QT. I put some flakes in and he wasn't moving. He looked like he was just chillin under one if the leaves. I put a net in there and sure enough, he was gone. I know the tank was fully cycled as I had tested it for several days prior to adding the fish and each time amon 0, nitrite 0, nitrate 40, PH 7.8. A couple of times I did see a long white string hanging out of him. I had actually just purchased some API General Cure to treat him but I never got the chance.
Question... Do I now break down the QT and thoroughly clean it out before starting the cycle again? So discouraging. Part of me wants to just shut down the whole operation and be done with the hobby all together...

 

[DoubleDutch]

Sorry to hear. With the DG you probably got you the worst choice you could get. Join the club I'd say. Most DG's are sold sick or even dieing.

Get another species and you will be allright.
A big water change in the QT will do.

Don't use meds if you don't know what your treating. Especially "general" meds are a curse.

 

[Coolysd]

Thanks for the info and encouragement. I will try another kind of fish hopefully will have better luck!

 

[steveb87]

Sorry to hear that. I don't know how other people do there QT but mine is bare so easy to clean and medicate if needed. Not lit over head just room light.

 

[Slaphppy7]

DGs are problematic, as already stated above...sorry for the loss

Good on you for QTing, it's very important