Quarantine 101

[NicoleC]

There are some calculations for raising and lowering salinity for the purposes of hypo here:
http://www.petsforum.com/personal/tr...osalinity.html

Basically, you do water changes with normal salinity water.

Hypo is 6 weeks, not 6 months. Ambient daytime room light will be fine, but a low wattage light on a timer will be even better. Some fish are very sensitive to the diurnal cycle, and steady "sunrise" and "sunset" times will help reduce stress.

For some fish (like clowns), a small "moonlight" will be helpful so they don't get so startled at the sudden change in light when the lights go on/off. A single blue LED or a small blue nightlight will be perfect for this purpose. The brighter the daylight, the more important this is. If the tank is near a window and getting a natural gradual light cycle, a moonlight is not really required at all.

[djian]

Great thread thus far. Even the picture talk makes me want to go get a pimp camera. I havent used a quarentine yet, but after reading I cant place another animal into the tank without it.

Thanks and I cant wait to read more.
Ian

[TippyToeX]

scuglass - Nicole explained it all perfectly. For this tank, because the room is not used I opted for no light at all. It gets a nice amount of soft evening sunlight. I don't go in there after dark so there is no light flipped on or off. In about two weeks I'll go ahead and out a light above it as well as an LED moon light. To get them use to the display tanks schedule.

djian - Thanks! Really the QT system is such a smart idea. You have the time to be assured of their health and that they are eating well. You can fatten them up so they are nice and strong to be introduced into the display.

I think QT has a bad reputation for some people. They see it as overly sterile and unwelcoming to their fish. It couldn't be further from the truth. It's peaceful, they are without competition. They have all the food and medical care they need. It's a kinder fate after what they have been through (collection, shipping, wholesaler, shipping, LFS, shipping again).

Go to the Photography Forum too for some camera ideas. There are some serious eye candy threads too.

[TippyToeX]

A few new pictures from this afternoon. They are doing really well. I did a water change last night and they didn't even move from their bowl. They just peeked out and looked and didn't mind beyond that.

Now when I get close to the tank the come up to greet me! Amy = breakfast, lunch, and dinner! They are eating like champs too. Every kind of frozen food I have put in there they take. I alternate daily. In the mornings the food might be soaked in garlic or Selcon. At nights it's beta glucan. They take all kinds of flake food too. The only thing they have rejected thus far it pellet food.

I have the salinity at 1.13 right now. Just a little more to go. Then they can park it there.

Tomorrow they have been in QT for one week.

Female, Lucy


Lucy & Charlie (male)




In the last shot you can see how Charlie's fins are much improved!

[melev]

Very nice. You're doing a great job so far.

[NicoleC]

Wow. She is one beautiful babe now, and she's bound to get prettier as she settles in and gets a lot of regular meals.

Clowns are such a joy to have; they have looks and personality.

Love the names. Perfect!

[djian]

Is there any info on QTing corals? Some members in my local reef club ended up with red bugs from another reefer that didnt know they had them and now struggle constitanly to rid of them.
Ian

[TippyToeX]

djian, here is a good article by Steven Pro about how to QT anything. Fish, corals, rock, sand, etc.

An Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure

[andyjd]

fantastic looking fish, and an excellent thread

[scuglass]

i know this is a little off topic but is it possibe to qt a fish shuch as a blue tang(small) in a smalll qt tank or would this strees the fish?

[Puffer Queen]

When you say "small" - how many inches? What size tank were you considering?

Kelly

[scuglass]

1-2 inch blue tang in a 20 gal?

[NicoleC]

IMO, a 30g would be better -- these tiny tangs are very susceptible to losses -- but a 20g will be acceptable for a fish that size (even a tang) for the amount of time involved, and is highly preferrable to introducing the fish without QT.

[scuglass]

so i would be better off with a 30 gal for a qt for my 75 gal but it is unnesssecary to qt a tang?

[Puffer Queen]

Scuglass,

Absolutely quarantine the tang - ALL fish.....anything wet (crabs, hermits, macroalgae, corals, etc) needs to be quarantined.

A 20 gallon for a 1-2 inch tang would be adequate for a QT. If you have a choice 20H versus 20L - pick the 20L as this would give the tang more horizontal room to swim.

Best of luck,
Kelly

[Dudester]

Amy (and everyone else), nice thread so far. A few questions, please.

Since this is a "101" course, do you mind commenting on exactly how much volume you're using for your water changes, and how often are you doing it?

Do you intend to clean out the sponge in your HOB filter during the six week quarantine period?

Thanks in advance.

[NicoleC]

In the process of going into and coming out of hypo, you are going to do water changes daily. Otherwise, this is a judgement call based on the bioload and filtering capacity of the QT. You want to keep water quality very high, while minimized stress on the animals from sticking things in the tank to do the changes.

If the tank and filter are established, there's no reason to do really frequent water changes, but you want to keep an eye on parameters so you can intervene if needed.

If treating for ick, siphoning the bottom of the tank daily is highly recommended. That ends up being a 1/2 gallon change per day.

I like to do 10-20% water changes weekly in QT to help maintain high water quality, and rinsing out the filter sponge weekly or more (as needed) in discarded tank water. Since I feed heavily while in QT, I also like to do quick daily siphoning of the bottom whenever the stress levels of the fish permit.

[NicoleC]

P.S. I also run carbon in QT unless it's contraindicated by any medications, and change the carbon weekly.

[TippyToeX]

Nicole said it best. I'll just add what I've done for these two thus far.

Originally posted by Dudester
Since this is a "101" course, do you mind commenting on exactly how much volume you're using for your water changes, and how often are you doing it?

So far I've done anywhere from 1/2 a gallon to a full gallon a day water change. At the end of the day I'll syphon out any waste or uneaten food. Easy as pie, I use ridge small diameter hose (connected to flexible) to get into all the nooks and into their silly little bowl. The salinity of the freshly mixed saltwater I use for the changes lowers and lowers as the days pass. Right now I am at the level I want, 1.009. I started off at 1.022 and it's taken a little over a week (9 days really) to get down to the hypo SG I need. That might seem over cautious but they are doing well so I don't mind.

At this point they get to go 6 weeks before I slowly bring it up to my main tanks 1.025

Do you intend to clean out the sponge in your HOB filter during the six week quarantine period?

No, I'll toss it away. They are cheap enough to replace so I don't bother with sterilizing it after I use it. I know some people don't mind cleaning it out, but it's not for me.

[TippyToeX]

Update on Charlie:

His fins look worse this morning. Lucy might have kicked up a fit at him, I'm not sure. When I observe them they seem to do very well together. Charlie will show he is submissive (that sideways shake they are known for), I've seen him do so a few times. The only times I've seen Lucy nip at him has been when I have fed, and they go for the same bite. Or when I am in front of the tank too long, I think I unnerve her and she tests testy so she will take it out on him.

I'll snap a picture in a little bit.

[NicoleC]

If he is doing the shake, it could indicate maybe they aren't a totally mature pair yet? Or maybe the stress of capture and shipment has weakened their bond so that he feels the need to keep telling her she's boss?

I think you may be right that his fins are the worse for wear because of her, that is, if you don't see any signs of infection on his fins.

[TippyToeX]

I would guess it is the stress of shipment that has weakened them. I really do not know for sure, but it seems/sounds right by watching them. Now that they are getting strong again and fattened up, maybe there is a need to reestablish the relationship.

Here is a super bad picture. Acrylic wasn't clean and he was moving all over the place. Lucy was ticked off with the flash and getting aggravated.



No signs of infection, but that's a good chunk missing.

[NicoleC]

It does look like she did it.

"Yes, honey! Anything you say, darling!"

[TippyToeX]

Poor little guy.

I'll keep an eye on those fins to be sure it heals well.

[scuglass]

another question in one of the articles it metions quarinting live rock. what would u look for during this quartine period? anyprocedures to do ? is the 6 weeks necessary? all i can think of is looking out for hitchhikers? same with corals?