How to QT new fish?

[graveyardworm]

I know these questions have been asked a million times, and I could easily search and find the answers, but I thought it may be beneficial for the newbies here to read and ask questions. As well as I will have questions. I dont feel that I have ever 100% correctly QT'd a new addition. So I'm going to try it now.

I just bought a yellow Coris wrasse, and two firefish, these are small fish about two inches long each. I have a 10 gal QT tank set up with some light, a small powerhead, and a piece of LR from my sump. I'm just about done acclimating them.

My first question is how long should I wait before trying to feed them, and my second question is how long should I wait before I begin hyposalinity, I plan to drop the salinity to 1.009? Third question is how long should I maintain the salinity at that level?

For those interested here is an article to read about QT.

[KAZEKY]

I have Found this article long time ago from Scott Fellman it may help you

Setting Up and Using the Quarantine Tank

Setting up is a very simple process. Several days before the arrival of your new animals, fill the aquarium with water from your main system. Introduce the filter, plug in the heater, and you’re ready to go. (Here’s a tip: If you keep your filter sponge or other quarantine tank filter media in your main system’s sump when the quarantine tank is not running, you will always have a filter that is fully colonized by beneficial bacteria at all times.)

Following a proper dip/bath procedure (see www.wetwebmedia.com/dips_baths.htm), which is in itself a simple procedure, introduce your fishes to the quarantine aquarium. I highly recommend refraining from running the tank lights, if present, for at least the first 24 hours to give the new fishes a chance to settle in after a rough journey. In fact, ambient room light is usually fine.

It’s a good idea to wait overnight before attempting to feed your new arrivals, as they are usually not inclined to eat right off the bat. Besides, cleanliness in the quarantine tank is of utmost importance. Any uneaten food should be promptly siphoned from the tank to avoid pollution.

The quarantine tank’s water chemical parameters (pH, etc.) and temperature should approximate these found in your main system. Some hobbyists like to run their quarantine tank at a lower specific gravity (as low as 1.010) to assist in eliminating parasites, but I like to keep the quarantine tank at a "normal" specific gravity (1.022 – 1.026). Since you are working with a smaller volume of water in most cases, it’s important to follow a diligent schedule of small water changes. Assuming that your main system is healthy, you can utilize water from the main tank to replace the water in your quarantine tank. Since it is the water that your new charges will eventually be living in, I can’t think of a better use for wastewater from your main system’s routine water changes (you are doing regular water changes, aren’t you?). The quarantine period should last 21 days.

During the quarantine period, observe your fishes daily and be sure to keep a keen eye out for any potential infection. Obvious signs of illness, such as rapid respiration, open sores, fungus, etc. require recognition and quick action on the part of the aquarist. As you will find, the quarantine tank presents a perfect environment to treat fish diseases before they can spread to your main system. See elsewhere on the wetwebmedia site for information on the recognition, diagnosis, and treatment of various afflictions that can affect your fishes.

What do you do if your fishes do become ill during the quarantine period? Two things: First, take the appropriate actions to treat your fishes, and second, congratulate yourself on having the foresight to utilize quarantine procedures with your fishes! Unfortunate though it may be, you will receive the best possible lesson on why quarantine is so important.

Keep in mind that, should disease rear its ugly head during quarantine, you’ll need to reset the clock for another 21 days after you have successfully eradicated the ailment. There would be absolutely no point in rushing to add your newly cured fishes to your main system at that stage of the game. Patience is truly a virtue with quarantine, and it will, reward you and your fishes handsomely.

Should you acquire more new fishes while you are in the middle of the quarantine period (this never happens, right?), you have two options: either add the new fishes to the quarantine tank (after appropriate prophylactic dips/baths) and reset the calendar for 21 more days, OR you can set up a new quarantine tank! Either way, you have to stick to the 21-day rule. It’s that important.

In addition to being an invaluable aid in the prevention of disease in your main system, the quarantine tank provides a perfect environment for newly-received fishes to "toughen up" and rest after the long ordeal of capture, shipping, and handling. Your fish will be refreshed, well fed, and most important of all, healthy after a stay in your quarantine tank.

When the 21 days are up, and your new fishes have been introduced to their new home, you can break down and thoroughly clean the quarantine system. Be sure that none of the equipment from your quarantine tank comes in contact with your main system before it has been cleaned, particularly if you were utilizing copper or other therapeutic agents in the tank. Your sponge filter or other filter media may then be sterilized and placed back in the sump of your main system to re-colonize beneficial, ready for your next new arrivals.

Hopefully, you are now convinced of the value of the quarantine tank, and the piece of mind and other benefits it provides. Such a simple concept, yet an invaluable tool. The quarantine tank is used at all public aquariums as a first line of defense against the introduction of disease. Aquarists at public aquariums cannot afford the risk of infecting their entire population of fishes, neither should you. Quarantine should become an integral part of YOUR fish keeping procedures.

by Scott Fellman

kazeky

[graveyardworm]

Thanks Kazeky, that does answer one question regarding feeding. Steven Pro's and Scott Feldman's writings have some minor inconsistencies which is to be expected after all QT'ing is not a perfected science. I think I'll stick with Steven's suggestion to maintain the QT for a month minimum, as this hasnt failed me yet. Neither article discusses hyposalinity much, so that question is still up in the air. I know I've read that 1.009 is the recommended salinity, but I'm not sure for how long, and how long after the fish is introduced to QT can I start this process? Also how quickly can I safely drop the salinity? Then how quickly can I raise it back to 1.025?

[graveyardworm]

Here are some pics,

The first one is of most of the tank.



The second is a closer shot of the fish, kinda blurry cause my wife had been using the camera and got finger prints on the lens. I'll get some better ones later.

[itz frank]

good thread. very helpful.

[Steven Pro]

Hyposalinity in the presence of liverock is a bad idea. The treatment will kill much of what makes the rock "live". While this is bad for the liverock, it is also bad for the fish as the die-off can produce deadly amounts of ammonia.

[graveyardworm]

Thanks Steven, I'll be removing the LR in that case and substituting with PVC. I'm under the impression that if ich is present it may never show up on the fish so I intend to treat with hyposalinity regardless. Am I correct in thinking that 1.009 SG is a good number for this? How quickly would you recommend I drop the SG, for how long, and how quickly should I raise it back up?

[graveyardworm]

Also since I was counting on the LR for my biofiltration I'll now add a hang on type filter and allow it to get some bacteria established on the filter prior to removing the LR.

[graveyardworm]

Still waiting for some answers if anyone would like to jump in.

[Prometheus]

There's a few QT threads right now. Here's the articles referenced in some of the others.

Part 1
and
Part 2

14 days in hypo. VERY slow return to normal specific gravity.

[graveyardworm]

Missed the ich articles, Thanks.

[graveyardworm]

I just got home from work and noticed some kind of white stuff on the wrasses mouth, and his mouth doesnt close. So I'm beginning the hypo treatment. I've got a small tank biowheel filter which has been on since Sunday, I've got some 8.3 buffer. So I think I'm ready.

[flinka]

I find the QT to be a good time to acclimate your new arrivals to the different foods you will be feeding them. Just be careful of too much food waste accumulating on the bottom if there is a food they don't take to.

[graveyardworm]

Thanks, I have been feeding them each night with a little of the mix of foods that my current displays get fed.

[graveyardworm]

Found this article in the fish disease forum. It gives a really good description of how to use hyposalinty.

Hyposalinity

[graveyardworm]

I've spent some more time observing the wrasse, and now I'm not so certain that it is ich or any disease for that matter. It now looks more like he swam into something and smacked his nose pretty hard. I can see alot of blood in the vessels around his mouth plus the inability to close it. Not sure if he'll make it through the night, but we'll see. He also didnt eat tonight,but he's plump so he does have some reserves. The first step of the hypo is done. I'm now at 1.020, down from 1.026. Tomorrow morning I'll lower it further to 1.015. So far the PH is unaffected, and is at 8.1.

[graveyardworm]

As predicted the wrasse didnt make it through the night. The tank is now at 1.009, the remaining firefish seem fine, and are eating. The PH did drop to 7.8 from 8.1 so I've buffered it up to 8.2, and I will continue to monitor it through the process.