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Thread: Quarantine *questions...

  1. #121
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    Default Re: Quarantine *questions...

    Hey Al --- I recently read your incredibly helpful Quarantine post (http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showth...ght=quarantine) and have a question for you. Your original post was in 2002 and I wonder if you still recommend the same protocol that you did then. I'm gearing up for some new Discus and would love to see if any of your recommendations have changed since then. Thank you so much!

  2. #122
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    Default Re: Quarantine *questions...

    okay.. im a little bit hazy on how to 'prepare' a quarantine/hospital tank.

    lets say i have my main tank with my fish, and one displays some symptoms that may require quarantine/medication.

    i plan on having a 20g stored away for this purpose, but do i have to have it cycled and ready? or when i need it, pull it out, fill it with water(aged/up to temp), thow a small sponge filter/heater in there, and proceed quarantine procedures?

    also, i understand increased quantity/water changes are definitely a must. in relation to re-dosing whichever medication, lets say i change 50% of the water daily during qt, do i redose for the full tank amount? or just re-dose for the amount of water changed?

    also, pertaining to juveniles vs adults, is there a certain level of extra precaution i need to take as far as medicating?

    admittedly, in all my years of keeping tanks, both salt and freshwater, ive never quarantined a fish. ive had few sick ones(luckily) and whenever i'd get a sick fish, i would usually dose the whole tank, which obviously cost quite a bit, and typically my fish would die anyways.

  3. #123
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    Default Re: Quarantine *questions...

    anyone care to chime in? lol

  4. #124
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    Default Re: Quarantine *questions...

    Quote Originally Posted by brewmaster15 View Post
    Hi all,
    Just saw this and thought I would update. I do much of what I always have done.. though I do tailor it a bit different depending on the condition the fish come in...

    For those interested..I had done several Discus Disease and Health Presentations over the years... The following are from a few pages of that presentation. HTH, al

    Suggested Quarantine Procedures...
    Receive fish: Place into a clean tank with aged (well aerated/pH stable warm water (85-87F). Use a well cycled bio filter.
    Week One: Many Frequent water changes, observe fish behavior, and treat for anything specifically noted******. Be sure all fish are eating well and passing normal feces.
    Week Two: Prophylactic deworming with Praziquantel for tape worms, several days latter deworm with general dewormer (levamisole) added to water as 24 hour bath
    Week Three: Repeat Levamisole as 24 hour bath
    Week Four: Let rest, nothing but water changes.
    Week Five: Re-dose with Levamisole as 24 hour bath
    Week Six: Quarantine is over if the fish are looking healthy and eating well and are not to be mixed with existing stock. If these are to be mixed with existing stock..add least favorite of existing stock (aka Test fish) to new fishes stock.
    Week Six-Week Eight: Observe new stock and test fish. If all is well, most likely safe to mix all fish.
    **** important note

    Quarantine Common Sense:
    Maintain complete separation of new stock from existing livestock.
    Use separate nets, hoses, buckets, and siphons for each quarantine tank.
    Separate rooms are much safer than in room quarantines.
    Perform all maintenance on new stock’s quarantine tank after you are done with all existing tanks.
    Wash hands and arms thoroughly after working in tanks.
    Maintain optimum water quality, less stress means healthier fish
    Tank should have a fully cycled bio-filter. Quarantining a group of fish is not the time to be cycling a tank!!!
    Be vigilant… catching and treating a problem early on is better than latter when it may be harder or impossible to treat.

    Brews Top 11 Discus Health Issues
    1. Chemical Poisoning: Chlorine, Chloramine, ammonia, nitrite, heavy metals (ex. copper and iron), Medications. Suggested treatment…clean water and lots of it!
    2. Dissolved gases: Low dissolved oxygen or high dissolved C02/nitrogen etc. Suggested treatment ...age and aerate water.
    3. Improper Shipping and Handling Techniques: Suggested treatment…prophylactic screening of suppliers and buying only from reputable ones.
    4. Improper care of Discus at Vendor’s Shop: Suggested treatment…prophylactic screening of suppliers and buying from reputable ones.
    5. Well meaning but inappropriate or inaccurate advice. Suggested course of action…Check references…information abounds in the internet and pet shops, both good and bad info.
    Improper care of Discus on the part of the hobbyist. To keep any fish, a basic knowledge of species requirements and needs exists…Discus require a bit more than basic knowledge. Suggested treatment…Learn as much as you can!!
    7. Poor Tank Hygiene Syndrome: Suggested treatment….Be less stingy with the water changes and maintenance.
    8. “Charlie Brown Christmas Tree Syndrome” A fish that is sickly or poor quality when you buy it isn’t going to miraculously turn into a beautiful specimen. Suggestion..start with obviously healthy stock, not obviously sickly or low grade stock.
    9. Hobbyist Mediated Pandemic: Occurs when a hobbyist recklessly acquires many specimens in a short period of time from multiple sources…mixing these together with existing stock then leads to Immune Overload..aka..sick fish. Suggested treatment….Learn patience and adhere to a sound Quarantine plan!!
    10. Nutritional deficiencies…Largely unknown how this affects Discus specifically.. But what we do know is that every animal needs an adequate diet.. Suggestion…feed a varied diet to your discus of quality foods.

    And finally…… Number 11!!!!


    11. Gill flukes, external and internal protozoans, nematodes, bacterial infections, viruses, “plagues”etc…..

    Why is this one listed last in a talk about Discus Diseases and health you may ask?…

    Because! If you pay attention to the first 10 conditions mentioned you may not even need to worry about number 11! A healthy fish that has all its needs taken care of and is not stressed has an innate advantage when dealing with diseases and illness..
    This is good information. I will go with this. Thanks Al!

  5. #125
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    Default Re: Quarantine *questions...

    Quote Originally Posted by brewmaster15 View Post
    Hi all,
    *I know many of us have posted on this in the past, or *seen posts on it. *Heres my question though. * *What is your quaranteen procedure for new fish? *When this post is done here, I'll move it the disease section, so the more detail the better....it may help someone out in the *future...

    Heres my QT procedure....
    1. No matter who the breeder, or seller is. I isolate the fish a minimum of 6 weeks. *All equipment is dedicated *to the QT setup.
    2. When I first receive the fish *They are *dipped in methylene blue and placed in a tank that has *salt at *concentration of 1-2 tablespoons /10 gal. This helps them deal with stress.
    3. If there are any signs of bacteria or fungus, they get an increase in the salt to 1 tablespoon/ 1 gal water + furan 2 until the probelm clears.
    4. dewormed *with a tape worm specific medicine-praziquantel

    Once eating....
    5 fed *medicated gel food containing panacur * for 1week, longer if I suspect worms.
    6. fed a medicated food, with metronidazole to deal with internal protozoans

    7. externals parasite are dealt with using formalin , fluke tabs, *clout, or potassium Permanganate.

    8. *I ALWAYS *Assume Flukes...the gift that keeps on giving... currently I have found 3 weeks *of treatment with Flubendazole *or prazi to be the most effective, and safest treatment .

    at the end of 6 weeks *I take a cull from my other tanks and add it to the QT *tank This tells me if the new fish are safe *to mix with mine, and tells me if mine are safe to mix with them.

    *I'd be real interested to see what you all do and why?

    take care,
    al
    Al, I like your suggestions but I plan on ordering 5 juvenile Discus soon (2 - 2.5"). My question: is it safe for Discus that young?

  6. #126
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    Adam

    Default Re: Quarantine *questions...

    Old thread but full of good information. I have related question regarding quarantine... obviously most of the times we quarantine fish (discus) and this post has tones about it... but how you quarantine snails? I just bought some assassin snails to help me little bit with other little guys in my tank... have them currently in quarantine tank... but my question is what am I looking for in terms of snails? ... and what the treatment would be like? The same as fish?

    Appreciate any advise.

  7. #127
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    Default Re: Quarantine *questions...

    Unfortunately snails are not something you can really treat. The most you can do is keep them separate a few days to be sure they are alive and well before adding..

    Snails also pose a problem as they often act as secondary hosts for parasites that infect fish and mammals. Its just the nature of the beast.
    AquaticSuppliers.com Freeze Dried BlackWorms and other foods your Discus will Love!!!


    >>>>>I am a science guy.. show me the science minus the BS

    Al Sabetta
    Simplydiscus LLC Owner
    Aquaticsuppliers.com


    I take Pics.. click here for my Flickr images

  8. #128
    Administrator brewmaster15's Avatar
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    Default Re: Quarantine *questions...

    Adam,
    I should also add that most snails tolerate metronidazole and praziquantel so in theory you could treat them with that to deal with potential parasites. Some medications like fritz paracleanse have both meds. Im not really sure how effective or safe these meds are with snails.
    Al
    AquaticSuppliers.com Freeze Dried BlackWorms and other foods your Discus will Love!!!


    >>>>>I am a science guy.. show me the science minus the BS

    Al Sabetta
    Simplydiscus LLC Owner
    Aquaticsuppliers.com


    I take Pics.. click here for my Flickr images

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