How Long Would You Quarantine?

[Dillan]

I special ordered some fish thru my LFS. They arrive tomorrow. My quarantine tank is all set up and I can't wait for the shipment to arrive! I haven't purchased fish like this before -- it's just 4 but it's a big deal for me!

Anyway, my question is... :confused: How long would you guys quarantine these fish? I don't know the breeder/hatchery specifically, but I know all the beautiful fish I've seen and bought there over the last year have been clean and healthy. Assuming they're in good shape when they get here, I'm thinking 3 or 4 weeks before I move them in with my other fish. What do you think?

I don't really want to rush the process except... the quarantine tank is only 20 gallons for 4 2.5" fish... and the four in my main tank really need more fish to rock their little world. The pecking of the pecking order is getting intense if you know what I mean!

Curious to hear from people that have had bags of fish shipped to them from a far off breeder...

D

[jeep]

I don't care WHO it is!!! I QT for a minimum of 6 weeks at 88 degrees then add a cull for another 2 weeks. Better safe (or suspicious) than sorry ;)


I don't really want to rush the process except... the quarantine tank is only 20 gallons for 4 2.5" fish...

I once QT's 4 three inch suspicious discus in a 10g tank for 6 months and they turned out to me among the best I own...

[JimmyL]

As long as possible. Don't rush and resist the temptation of adding the new arrival to community tanks too quick. I just finished quarantine some new addition for nearly 6 months. They looked and appeared very healthy and eating well. But they have killed at least 10 test fish. I finally turn them into some expensive winter fertilzer that worth over $800. Not worth to take the risk. They came from a friend who claimed that the exporter had quarantined the fish before shipping and he himself quarantine them for 4 weeks before comming to my tanks. Don't trust anyone including yourself. Be very careful with the imports cause most breeders bought them off from other brokers. Cross contaimination is common.
Jimmy

[Dillan]

OK. I won't rush it... But I don't really understand why such a long quarantine would be necessary. Wouldn't things like parasites show up within a month?

When I had only 3 fish, I bought a 4th from a pet store that imports from Asian breeders. The fish was extremely healthy and robust at first but about a month after he arrived he quit eating, had white poops and... you know the rest. He died from intestinal parasites.

When I saw the symptoms, I treated with metranidozole as advised here but it was too late for him.

A few weeks later, I got 2 more fish and again put them right into my main tank. It wasn't long before one of them started showing symptoms of parasites -- left over from the one that had just died I guess. I treated with metra and altho I did end up losing one fish, all the others suddenly had huge appetites and have never been healthier.

:confused: Instead of such a long quarantine, why not just give a precautionary treatment of metranidozole when they arrive and just quarantine for a few weeks after that?

[oodi]

discusnut,

Tad and I had to euthanize about 40 fish this year, because something didn't show up for 2 to 3 years.

http://forum.simplydiscus.com//showthread.php?t=42165

Judi

[Carol_Roberts]

I also keep new fish seperate for several months . . .

[April]

Have you ever heard of russian roulette? you can shoot the gun 3 times..or 4 times..all good..then..all of a sudden..the next time..wham..disaster.
happens to most. the more you buy..the more places they come from..sooner or later your luck runs out.
yes..they have nice fish at that lfs..but..ive also been in there and they had all these huge ones from a local guy who got ill and couldnt keep his fish. they got in some imports..discus..and guess what? they lost all or most of the fish. all the big ones they had already. can happen from anyone..and remember..huge fishfarm..who have all strains of fish..even plants placed in tanks from a lfs can bring in some pathogens..then bang. dead discus everywhere. take my word for it..even a wet finger sometimes can spread to the next tank . different fish from different places can have different things that innocent fish cant tolerate. and as judi and tad said..some fish can carry somethin for a long time. your fish could have somethin those florida guys cant handle for that matter..
stressed fish get sick and need metro. keep those ones separate..feed when they come up to the top..vacuum any uneaten food and do your wcs..and then..no stress..no sick fish who wont eat and white poo. dont forget those other ones you got were your learning fish..and they may have already been stressed and not well before you ever got them.
takes awhile to see a good discus or not. And..now you know their behaviour etc more..and know what to watch for more.

[April]

one reason to keep the heat up higher..is to keep their metabolism higher..and they eat better..etc. helps them not to get stressed and go off their food.