# Quarantine Tank - observation or preventive medication?



## Midland (Jan 26, 2015)

Hi All,


I will be adding some fish to my tank in the next little while and am setting up a quarantine tank. Some online sources say to use a variety of medications in order to prevent any possible spread of disease and others say just to use observation. Just wondering what people here think is the best way to proceed? Plus, I was wondering how long you think is appropriate? Medicated tanks seem to be recommending 3 - 6 weeks while observation only tanks are recommending 3 - 9 weeks (depending on which online source you are reading).

My QT will have a heater, power head, hang on filter with bio balls and sponge and I will use the water from the display tank. The filter will be running for several weeks on my sump to get it cycled. 

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.


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## corpusse (Jan 3, 2011)

IMO The absolute best way is to first use the tank transfer method and transfer the fish 5 times every 72hrs taking only the fish, new heater, pump ect. Allow other equipment to dry for 24hrs and 100% no ich will follow. The tank transfer seems to be very easy on the fish. I'm currently transferring all of mine between kiddie pools and they are unfazed. For tangs though I prefer to treat with copper but that's mostly a personal preference.

After this observation for 30 days with possible treatment of prazipro if you suspect flukes or internal parasites. 

I used to just observe my fish for 4-6 weeks and treat with prazipro and copper if ich was visible. Problem is fish can have ich and it's not visible on them. 

For corals and inverts 72 days in a fishless system will ensure they have no ich on them and will also give you time to remove any other pests, red bugs, nudis, aiptasia ect.


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## Midland (Jan 26, 2015)

corpusse said:


> IMO The absolute best way is to first use the tank transfer method and transfer the fish 5 times every 72hrs taking only the fish, new heater, pump ect. Allow other equipment to dry for 24hrs and 100% no ich will follow. The tank transfer seems to be very easy on the fish. I'm currently transferring all of mine between kiddie pools and they are unfazed. For tangs though I prefer to treat with copper but that's mostly a personal preference.
> 
> After this observation for 30 days with possible treatment of prazipro if you suspect flukes or internal parasites.
> 
> ...


Thanks corpusse. I had not heard of the tank transfer method so after reading your comment I did a little research. If anyone else is interested here is a good read on the tank transfer method.

http://www.reefnation.com/tank-transfer-cs-marine-ich-cryptocaron-irritans/


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## mr.wilson (Dec 29, 2012)

The transfer method works well for parasites, as it breaks the life cycle, but medications are also necessary. As long as it is your system water, there will be manageable stress on the fish. Never use a net to catch the fish as this breaks dorsal spines and removes scales, making fish viable hosts for parasites and secondary bacterial infections. 

I would use copper on all fish that can tolerate it. Chloroquine phosphate is very effective, but virtually impossible to find in the hobby locally (legally). Metronidazole (Flagyl) is available from a Seachem. You can add it to the water or to the food. It is a protozoacide, so it will treat uronema (red band, or chromis disease), amyloodinium (velvet), cryptocaryon (ich), and various internal parasites that cause fish to stop eating and get skinny. Note* the fish need to be eating for this to work.

Another approach is hyposalinity (lowering salinity to <1.012 for three weeks). This is a parasite treatment so flukes will be treated as well as many of the above pathogens. Parasites typically have a 10-14 day life cycle so a 21 day QT minimum is recommended. Remember to balance the stress n a fish with QT conditions and duration. In other words, overcrowding, poor water quality and a stressful environment may be harder on a fish than the pathogen it is hosting. 

None of these treatments will address bacterial infections, which are quite common. Neomycin is an effective antibiotic that doesn't adversely affect nitrifying bacteria (water quality). Some antibiotics like nitrofurazone work well in high doses for a one hour treatment, then the fish is moved to clean drug-free water to recoup. 

A proactive approach will yield the best results.


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## fesso clown (Nov 15, 2011)

After 4+ months fallow and endless reading on the Fish Disease forum on Reef Central I have what I think is a good protocol in place. 

My protocol:
-Tank transfer all fish directly from LFS for ich 
-After TTM I QT for a minimum of 30 days to observe for Velvet/Brook/Bacteria infections and treat if necessary
-While in QT I will do 2x prophylactic rounds of Parzipro for worms + flukes


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## noy (Nov 19, 2012)

everyone has their own routine but here's mine for what its worth. Think you just have to develop a protocol you are comfortable with.

1) Freshwater dip for immediate relief against some parasites after purchase.

2) QT tank for a couple days w/o any meds to get the fish eating food. Use your tank water if its convenient. 

3) Cupramine for 2 weeks.

4) QT for another week (or so) w/o meds under close observation for parasites, bacteria. If there are bacterial infections - I use Furan-2. If i suspect internal issues i would use prazipro. 

5) Final FW dip before putting it into display.

I used to use hypo but its just too much work and you can put a fish through a hypo routine and still get ich. Hypo is a 6-8 week process.

Never tried the fish transfer routine but it seems like a lot of stress to put fish through - i would concerned with the fish eating. I probably lost more fish from them refusing to eat than parasites.

All my fish have been through copper treatments - never seen any adverse effects.

For gobies/blennies/mandarins - i just do FW dips and watch them for a week or so - no meds unless i see something.


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## corpusse (Jan 3, 2011)

mr.wilson said:


> Never use a net to catch the fish as this breaks dorsal spines and removes scales, making fish viable hosts for parasites and secondary bacterial infections.


A net is the only way I've never lost a fish.

I've tried using a trap but my beloved red velvet wrasse got so scared in the trap he just banged into it until he knocked himself out and likely suffered brain damage he was dead about an hour later. Draining the tank to catch fish also cost me another fairy wrasse I had for more than 5 years as he just flopped on the rocks until he too gave himself brain damage and killed himself. I know people suggest a colender but I'd be afraid it's too hard and they will knock themselves out on that too. To me getting a fish caught and them getting a bacterial infection is preferable to brain damage and or instant death.


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## fesso clown (Nov 15, 2011)

The preferred way to catch fish over on Reef Central for TTM is using a plastic strainer. 









I am using a similar ones to this and I am TTMing using 5 gallon buckets. I put the strainer in before the fish before the transfers and just lift it and the fish out.

TTM is actually not very stressful on the fish at all. Just make sure the temp and salinity match.

I am 100% certain that my tank is ich free so I am using tank water for my transfers and replacing with NSW.

BTW. regarding Chloroquine phosphate.... it is available as NLF Ich Shield Powder (not the food) the powder IS Chloroquine phosphate.


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## Midland (Jan 26, 2015)

Thank one and all for the help. Very informative. 

Noy: You said for gobies/blennies/mandarines you don't use meds. Is there a reason why? I will be mainly buying small gobies (such as sharknose) plus hopefully a mandarine. Are they more sensitive to medication?

Feso: thanks for the strainer idea - had not thought of that. I will try to find one the size of a bucket and use that. The TTM and parzipro sound like the direction I will be heading in.

Eric


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## noy (Nov 19, 2012)

Midland said:


> Thank one and all for the help. Very informative.
> 
> Noy: You said for gobies/blennies/mandarines you don't use meds. Is there a reason why? I will be mainly buying small gobies (such as sharknose) plus hopefully a mandarine. Are they more sensitive to medication?
> 
> ...


gobies/mandarins/blennies have slime coats that are very resistant to ich. Most don't fare well at all with copper (and other strong meds).

with the little guys you can get a couple of these

http://www.petsandponds.com/en/aquarium-supplies/c6804/p17658025.html

and hang it so the box sits in the water (don't use the plumbing) and do tank transfer using 2 of them. Keep the lid on - a lot of little guys are jumpers. Run an airstone if you are concerned (or the fish are a bit bigger). I usually just use one and watch them for a few days.


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## Midland (Jan 26, 2015)

Thanks Noy, considering they are primarily what I will be buying it is good to know that.


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## fesso clown (Nov 15, 2011)

an airstone is a must. I dispose of them and the tubing between transfers.


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