I think we need a dedicated QT thread

[William1]

I'm thinking it would be a good idea for one of the senior members, in experience of course, to explain the correct procedures for QT in detail, both from adding new discus to an existing group, and adding new other fish to an existing discus tank, or any scenario actually. Then us wannabes can ask questions and clear up anything we have that is still unclear. A lot of people are getting add on fish and plopping them in a tank with no QT with bad outcomes.
I guess we just need someone to step up and give us the whole scoop. We need A hero fish, who doesn't mind answering questions.
Seems like good idea. Thanks a million, BK

[Keith Perkins]

Have you seen this sticky?

http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?21044-Quarantine-*questions

[Second Hand Pat]

Have you seen this sticky?

http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?21044-Quarantine-*questions

Doesn't get more senior that that lol.

[William1]

Thanks, I finally got around to reading it. I could have just read the last post and that is all I need. If any one wants to read this and bone up on the proper way to QT, I suggest you start at the last post which sums it all up. A lot of worthless drivel on the eight pages before that.
That was helpful and answered almost all my questions. I still have a few though. Let's say I want to add a dozen cardinal tetras to my existing tank which has six 5-6 wild discus in it. Very healthy tank now that I've figured out how to keep it happy and humming along. I have a 56 and all the gear to get it up and going in no time. I'm thinking of trying a heavily planted tank one more time. I could use this tank as my QT tank for the cardinals. No rush to add them to the discus tank. How do I prepare the cardinals? By using the same QT as for discus? With the meds and all? Let's say after six weeks the cardinals are healthy and happy in the QT tank, do I have to take a discus and put him in the QT tank? This is one that bugs me. First off you are taking what is supposedly your weakest fish, stressing him out by moving him, and then putting him alone in a new tank. Sacrificing a large discus for a group of what is probably ten small cardinals by now. That is hard to swallow.
Secondly, what do you do if you put the hero fish in the QT tank with new discus, what do you do with the new if the hero gets sick in the QT tank? Get stuck having two tanks or selling the new ones, or do the new ones need more treatment to get them ready?
Thanks again. I'm not too hip on the hero fish thing. And getting a whole new dedicated maintenance kit together for the QT tank is a bit of a hassle, not too mention it costs money. Not a fortune I guess. I am guessing less than ten percent of keepers follow this strictly. It does make sense I suppose. If you want a new tank setup you have to get new siphons, nets and buckets, no sharing scrubby pads. All to add a dozen cardinal tetras. Thanks a million. Much to ponder.

[brewmaster15]

William,
You could do what most would do... if they are" sure" they have healthy cardinal...they would just add them to the discusand hope for the best. If you qt the cardinals and prophylactically treat them you might kill them. Its a personal call.

The honest on it..anytime you add fish to your tank whether it be discus or cardinals you risk adding something pathogenic. Yes people do it all the time with no issues...until they have an issue. SEE OUR DISEASE BOARD FOR EX.Fish dont always react the same to a pathogen. There is no hard fast answer here...its just one of diminishing the risks with common sense practices used in animal husbandry, aquariums and hatcheries..Quarantine is a firewall to problems.

The hero fish only tells you that you have a problem.dealing with the problem is a whole other issue and at that point should include a fish pathologist because if your hero fish crashes after a 6 week qt...you have a serious problem.

As for cost of a qt set up.. weigh it against a tank of discus, the math should show its not expensive. It may be inconvenient but too often we do whats convenient, when the best course of action was the inconvenient.

20 plus years of helping people keep their discus healthy has showed me alot William. Qt is always a hassel until you deal with having not quarantined....thats the real hassel.
Regards,
Al

[William1]

Excellent follow up. Thanks a million. In my case, I may just make another stab at a planted tank and use that for a QT tank. Get 16 Cardinals and three or four nice cories and see if any issues arise . Typically I'll end up with 11-12 Cardinals out of the 16 to transfer. That's typical, not perfect, but typical. I agree doing a med regimen is a bad idea with these fish. I've had my wild Uatuma blues since May, going on eight months, and they are all big now, 5-6", and have been through a rough patch or three. Not many, but a few, so I think they should be pretty resilient. I'm not in any rush, which is to all concerned an advantage. Thanks again. Have fun!

[Keith Perkins]

Excellent follow up.

No one around here puts it as well as the boss.

[William1]

Yes, thanks again boss. I think I got it now. It might be handy for others to read if you repost just your last post on the attached thread from Keith, but I'm sure you have enough to do already. Some of that stuff before your wrap up was worthy of desperate housewives or something. I'm good.

[Second Hand Pat]

William, I get that you are a "to the point" kind of guy but for many here this place is a community where members talk to each other, get to know each other and sometimes even become friends. Please be aware of this and perhaps a bit patience. :)
Pat

[William1]

I get that. You must not have read the previous eight pages of the sticky thread. Not a lot of camaraderie there. One guy got kicked off the forum by Al after three strikes. His theory was that discus should be subjected to 'the plague' to toughen them up or something, and he was quite adamant and spirited in the defense of his position. If that's what you're into I guess. Seems kind of useless to me. Thank you for the reminder.