Quarantine

[Bettarazzi]

I've had my new fish in a quarantine tank since I got them 3 days ago. I was wondering how long they need to be in the QT tank for. I want to use it as a spawning tank What do people do with their new fish? The QT article says 14 days!! OMG I don't think I can wait that long. Not unless I'm handcuffed at the other end of the house. These fish came from Jodi-Lea (don't think they were imported, were they JL?). Surely, it's ok to shorten the QT period.

[splendidbetta]

I wouldn't risk introducing them to your other fish yet, but if you want to breed the new fish to each other, do it now before they start dropping like flies.

[Bettarazzi]

LOL!! But that's the only tank I have spare at the moment. Hmm.... maybe I can construct some kind of separator. I wasn't intending on the new fish to be next in line but I suppose if I really couldn't control myself then I could spawn the new fish instead. So you reckon stick with 14 days as far as quarantine goes?

[boughetto]

i have an unwanted tank from aquaone...i can sell em cheap to u..they are pretty good quality ... :)

[Chuckie]

Jodi-lea has to QT them upon their arrival from overseas so they've been quarantined by her already, and she won't ship unwell fish. they are factors you can take into account if you want to cut the period shorter. what sort of facility were you going to introduce them to, ie, how many other fish will they potentially infect if you don't Qt for the 14 days?

I QT'd guppies I bought last weekend for 7 days before putting them into a tank of betta juveniles (I need the QT tank for my halfbeaks). If there was even the remotest sign of a problem I wouldn't have, but they appear to be fine.

I also always understood that the QT period on importation was 10 days. Maybe I got my wires crossed, if people are saying 14 days.

[Phil]

Lis i think he means once you get new fish home u shouls qt for 14 days. When u compare that to the 7 days most general tropical fish have to be in quarrintine once they enter australia, it seems that anywhere from 7 to 14 days would be ideal.

Im sure that AQIS would of done quite abit of research on periods that fish need to be held for so if you stuck by their guidelines for imports you should be safe. General tropicals inc Bettas - 7 days, Cichlids and gouramis - 14 days and Goldfish - 21 days and obviously to follow these short periods if you notice any diseases u should treat immediately and mabey think of holding them for the reccomended period once they have recoverd just to make sure.

I am having to treat a huge tank of fish now because i didnt qt fish i bought last weekend and ended up transmitting a horrible bacterial infection. I knew better so i am kicking myself :)

[Bettarazzi]

I was going to put the 2 new females into the tank that holds all my other females (6). The male would of course be in a tank all on his own. I think I can wait 7 days since it's already been 3 days.

So the next question is: once the QT tank is vacated, how do you strip it down and kill it? Bleach? Meth blue? I've got a corner box filter in there. I guess I have to start again with that. Do I chuck all the media out? Oh wait, if the fish aren't sick can I safely reuse the water and the filter?

[Phil]

I am using Potassium Permanganate (condys crystals) to steralize stuff. Seems to work.

[y2jdaze]

I've always used bleach, I'm just really careful with it though and make sure I rinse and salt and condition and rinse and rinse and rinse to make sure I get rid of it all. And I always use HOT water along with all that as well. The when I use I always make sure I've added extra water conditioner as well.

[y2jdaze]

I do believe with my recent spate of fishies dropping like flies I'm now going to be fully quarantining any new fish I get!

[Phil]

Yep Bleach/Chlorine is also good. When we use chlorine at work, we treat the tanks at 20mL per 100L. I just prefer PP because it is safe to use with fish and not so critical if there is a residue left in the tank compared to bleach/chlorine.

[y2jdaze]

how would one go about procuring some pp...?

[Chuckie]

Lis i think he means once you get new fish home u shouls qt for 14 days.

yes I know that, but if they have been in QT with Jodi for 10 days and always kept in separate water and then their individual bag, they won't have been able to catch anything else since she QT'd them. So that would mean 4 days would suffice (including the days they were being shipped). Or am i missing something?

So the next question is: once the QT tank is vacated, how do you strip it down and kill it?

No need IMHO - if there's no infection in the fish, there's nothing to kill in the tank. why ruin a lovely cycled tank for no reason?

how would one go about procuring some pp...?

These days it's virtually impossible, as it's been identified as a 'popular bomb making ingredient". You used to be able to get it from produce stores and chemists. Maybe ask your pharmacist.

[Betta_Endeavours]

Since I'm having to wash all my tanks before using them anyway it doesn't wreck anything lol. I use chlorine bleach water and scrub, then empty and dry (using paper towel) and then repeat using tap water only and make sure the tank is dry after each time. I then refill and over age just in case any trace of bleach is there still. So far it's worked fine.

The new fish I'm getting will go out into the shed. So far I've been able to put all the girls into the community tank but might put the imported ones out in a community tank of their own.

[Chuckie]

as well as the rinsing, wiping and refilling, you can add a hefty dose of dechlorinator to the final rinse/soak and that should get rid of any residual bleach.

I take back the "you need only QT for 4 days" comment in light of Jodi's recent post on treatment of recently shipped fish. It's a sticky in the Transhipping and Transporting Live Fish forum.