quarentine

[daveycrockett]

Should I have seperate equipment for new arrivals. I know its good to qt them for a couple months but I was using the same hoses, nets, etc.. is that just as bad as putting them together anyway.

[darcy]

I would say yes. Most everyone has different equipment for all tanks. I even wash my hands raw when I have new fish that are in QT, or I make sure to do them last,after all the other fish are done. Better safe than sorry.

Darcy

[korbi_doc]

YES!!!! & Absolutely!!!

Total QT means separated area/room, all supplies, foods, water & any necessary instrumentation needs to be separate. Everything should be totally isolated from your other fishtanks, which is why the QT tank really should be in a separate room, better in a separate facility/building which some commercial folks can do but is not easy for us hobbyists. Ideally, when entering or especially leaving the QT area, one should wash hands, spray shoe bottoms etc to prevent cross contamination. Reason why special clothing is used in isolation units, since anything you touch can act as a fomite & carry organisms to other animals. HTH, Dottie

[Carol_Roberts]

Not only seperate hoses, seperate storage water and seperate pumps too! I keep my QT tank in the kitchen and feed them last. They do not share anything with the other discus. After 4 weeks of good health I stop washing my hands, but continue to use seperate equipment.

Besides . . . it's much quicker to have several siphon hoses going at once and several refill hoses going at the same time all in different areas of the house. Good exercise too . . . . keep a mop handy

[falcon]

I agree with everyone, but how many people can adhere to those strick requirements? Often, people are limited by budget, space, etc. I for one, have one storage container that I fill three tanks from and one pump. I use the pump on the main tank and do the other ones with buckets. Can't imagine having three storage containers. Also, having two tanks in the master bedroom for now, I can't imagine dealing with a storage tank in the closet and added humidity. I guess the point is, some of the setup for an average hobbyst is impractical. I know that in the end, we are the ones asking for advice from you guys that have the strick/proper setup. But if something very contagious hits no setup will eliminate cross contamination. Just my two cents...

falcon

[Carol_Roberts]

I'm just a hobbyist with no dedicated fish room. It's amazing where you can find places to put fish tanks and storage barrels

[jared]

I seriously doubt that the average hobbyist has the freedom even in their own house to pull off what is in that pic. There are many spouses, parents and roomates that are not on the discus bandwagon enough to let there be storage tanks in the tub.JMO
Jared

P.S. Having said that, you on on a level of your own Carol. I salute you. ;D

[CHEWAL]

hi Carol
I salute you great pic better than reading a magazine ;D ;D ;D

Butch in Chicago

[daveycrockett]

Carol your the greatest, my wife would kill me if I did that! ;D Budget and space limit those requirements. Its fine I guess I will just be playing with fire. I hope to be a breeder some day then I would have to get set up better. Then thier will be more at stake. Still kinda scary though. This is gonna bother me now. Thanks guys : ;D ;D ;D

[sonflowerjoela]

everyone keeps talking about Carols pic I don't see any pics in the QT threads??? Why???

[Ardan]

When the software for the forum was upgraded at one point we lost the pics.

hth
Ardan