Quarantine Treatments?

[JoeFromDC]

Sorry if this question has already been asked and answered, when I get my fish discus from a reputable breeder, is there any recommended precautionary treatment that they should be subjected to during the quarantine process? (Since I am going to be keep this fish separate from my other fish it's not REALLY quarantine, but...)

Thanks,
Joe

[Carol_Roberts]

Quarantine can just be be keeping the discus seperate and observing them. Be sure to use seperate hoses and cleaning equipment. After 4 - 6 weeks add your least favorite discus to the new group in quarantine. Wait a couple of weeks and if no problems all can be mixed.

By the way, I would not recommend buying one fish. The discus will have trouble being alone and trying to fit in to an established tank after quarrantine. For adults get at least two if juveniles get 6.

[JoeFromDC]

Thanks, Carol. And, sorry for the typos - I will be getting 6-8 new fish (as you previously recommended to me), but since these are my first discus, I'll be keeping them by themselves indefinitely.

[edgeguy]

Carol this question has been bouncing around in my head for a while. If you quarantine with no meds added what kind of quarantine is this? If you add a discus from your main tank to this new group can't it cause the new discus to get some disease and die or vice versa. I guess what I am saying is if you are just going to monitor them (not add any meds) why bother with a quarantine tank why not just add to the tank you are going to add to to begin with?

I think Randal has a med quarantine procedure and this makes sense, but I don't like the idea of adding meds unless you need too.

So as you can see quaratine has me in a knot. Any comments would be helpful.

[Carol_Roberts]

Quarantine has two purposes.
1. It allows the new discus to acclimate to thier new home and new water conditions withouth the pressure of resident discus. You can watch them eat and watch feces as they become used to your food and your routine.

2. You can watch them for signs of disease and treat for common fin burns or hex outbreaks after shipping. A rough shipping trip can cause otherwise healthy fish to break down and become sick.

Some fish arrive healthy and stay healthy some don't. I'm not going to gamble and will keep all new fish seperate from my existing stock for 6 weeks. I always keep a few culls to add to the new fish to make sure all is well before mixing fish.

[edgeguy]

Have you ever had a cull die when it is added to the quarantine tank? If so what to you do then. Even if the quarantine discus look healthly in all aspects. Do you treat with meds (and then which ones) or further observe?

Thanks again for allowing me to probe your mind on this issue.

PS. I hope to meet you in person at the ACA convention here in Denver this summer.

[Carol_Roberts]

Personally, I have never had one get sick, but it is good insurance anyway. IF one did become ill I would treat the whole tank for whatever I determined the problem to be.