How to quarentine

[hope]

Hi, I am getting ready to add some fish to my bare bottom discus tank (when they are a year old in August/September) and I need some advice/knowledge. I want to add some neons and rummy nose tetras, also a couple rams I have in the tropical tank and BN's. I plan on adding the reccommended sand - just a thin layer, and a few branches. Eventually more discus down the road. I will keep to the recommended 1 discus per 10 gallon rule.

I understand that I will set up a seperate tank for the new fish before adding them, but I don't understand what else - ie: do I somehow try to duplicate the water, or just set it up seperately? I don't understand how keeping them seperate will ensure they don't pass disease to each other - eventually they are in the same tank, so I must be missing something important. What keeps the new fish from passing disease in 6 weeks when they go into the discus tank? If I am missing a "how to quarentine" thread can you let me know?

Thanks so much!

[rickztahone]

Hi, I am getting ready to add some fish to my bare bottom discus tank (when they are a year old in August/September) and I need some advice/knowledge. I want to add some neons and rummy nose tetras, also a couple rams I have in the tropical tank and BN's. I plan on adding the reccommended sand - just a thin layer, and a few branches. Eventually more discus down the road. I will keep to the recommended 1 discus per 10 gallon rule.

I understand that I will set up a seperate tank for the new fish before adding them, but I don't understand what else - ie: do I somehow try to duplicate the water, or just set it up seperately? I don't understand how keeping them seperate will ensure they don't pass disease to each other - eventually they are in the same tank, so I must be missing something important. What keeps the new fish from passing disease in 6 weeks when they go into the discus tank? If I am missing a "how to quarentine" thread can you let me know?

Thanks so much!

quarantine has more to do with observation above all. in the recommended 6 weeks you would see any problems that might arise rather than it happening in your main tank. try to match water parameters with the QT so when you do make the transfer the fish do not get too stressed. keep a close eye on the QT fish

[hope]

thanks. So -it's more to be sure that the source they come from is ok. So - this means I could add the rams/neons from my tropical tank at any time if they've been there a long time, right? Maybe let them adjust in a 10-gallon with water from the discus tank (temp) for a couple days first? I can also put in a little filter media to help with beneficial bacteria...

It sounds easier than I am making it. I'm making it harder than it has to be. Funny now that I am adding the first fish to the first discus I have ever owned, I'm chicken! :o

[Eddie]

thanks. So -it's more to be sure that the source they come from is ok. So - this means I could add the rams/neons from my tropical tank at any time if they've been there a long time, right? Maybe let them adjust in a 10-gallon with water from the discus tank (temp) for a couple days first? I can also put in a little filter media to help with beneficial bacteria...

It sounds easier than I am making it. I'm making it harder than it has to be. Funny now that I am adding the first fish to the first discus I have ever owned, I'm chicken! :o

Another way to do it, is add one (hero) discus the tank with the others and see how it fairs. If after 3 or 4 weeks the fish is not belly up, you can add all the rest of the fish with the discus.

Hero: He-row; A discus that is expendable, not growing properly, stunted or runted.

:D

[hope]

that's what I'll do... I think I read that before but forgot. I hate to do it - kind of "sacrifice", but it's better than taking a chance with all 7. I'll post some new pictures soon. I'm so proud of them, I know they are not "perfect" but pretty darn good for my first batch, if I say so myself. All from good stock, good advice and too much time on my hands....

[mmorris]

If you've had the rams/neons for a while in your community tank then I see no point in adding a sacrificial lamb (hero?:confused:) to the community tank you already have going. Poor Peanut! I'm guessing you share hoses, buckets, nets etc. so anything that could be spread, would be spread by now. What temp are the rams/neons, etc. at now? Like you said, I'd adjust the temp upwards slowly. When you buy new fish, make sure to completely isolate their tank in another room, and don't share anything - keep buckets, hoses, nets, thermometers, everything, strictly separate for a month - then move poor Peanut in.

[hope]

okay. I actually have one more SS that never grew, and stayed kind of dark. I can't sacrifice Peanut - I just can't :(.

I am only going to buy and add a couple schools of neone and rummy noses, I'll buy them from Exotics so they should be as healthy as one can get from a LFS. I'll follow QT directions above.

The only other fish won't be added till next year - will be any you hatch and sell to me, Martha:D:D I want to raise some sapphires and albinos! Then sell a few and keep the rest!

[mmorris]

I want to raise some sapphires and albinos! Then sell a few and keep the rest!
So do I!!!!!!! :smash:


If you are buying, you might want to consider cardinals rather than neons. Cardinals can take the heat better than neons.

[Eddie]

The Hero thing is really amazing because if that fish gets ill, you can still try to recover that one fish, and you've saved the rest. Now...if you just take the chance and move them all, thats a big gamble. I like to look at it as more of a Hero fish than a sacrificial lamb.

I don't really see sharing equipment/hoses/buckets as a safe gauge to prove one group of fish should be fine with another. Not everything can be transmitted in this manner. Just my opinion

Eddie

[seanyuki]

Just sharing....

One of our trusted friend in SD mentioned this.

quote

Hello all,

Many Times I have been asked by my customers about Quarantine and how they should treat their new discus from me so I thought I would write down my thoughts and recommendations here.

First let me start by saying that I always carefully acclimate all my newly imported fish and try to the best of my ability to get them all eating and well rested for the journey from my tanks to yours. You should expect that you will receive these discus from me in a healthy condition.

But, once you get them it is your responsibility to ensure that they stay healthy and have a chance to get acclimated to your water, maintenance routine, and eventually, your existing stock...this is one reason why Quarantining new arrivals is so important...it gives you the opportunity to inspect your fish and be sure that they are healthy and well rested after their travel, and it allows the fish to get used to you and their new environment.

How to quarantine is something that is debated often, and there are no hard fast rules but some general suggestions based on what is often recommended here at SimplyDiscus by experienced hobbyists:

1) Never introduce new fish to existing stock without quarantine first. We suggest setting up a separate tank, with all separate equipment and maintaining separation from existing stock for 4-6 weeks.

2) Carefully observe fish for any problems in that time frame and deal with any issues as they arise...some will recommend prophylactically treating new fish for worms or other parasites...that is a personal choice...but we do not recommend any prophylactic treatment for possible bacterial issues...only treat these when they are confirmed. Seek qualified advice if you are not comfortable with dealing with medications.

3)MAINTAIN QUARANTINE... be careful not to accidentally break QT by using the same equipment and hoses between existing stock and QT tanks...thoroughly wash hands as well.

4) If possible, your QT tank should be in a separate room and be set up with a cycled biofilter that is derived from a fishless cycle...or at least from a tank that you know has not had any issues in the last few months.

5) When introducing new stock, take one of your least favorite existing stock(this might sound mean but there's no other way to accomplish this without adding at least one "old" fish to your new additions), and add it to the QT tank...observe for the next 2 weeks...if there is no issues that develops in the QT, then you may try to mix the groups of fish.

You can never predict what will happen when you mix two groups of fish...one or both groups may get sick, even if they looked fine before the introduction...the above are suggestions to minimize potential issues.

Although I will always strive to provide healthy stock, should you have any issues I would like to hear from you as soon as possible. I can not control what happens if you do not quarantine new stock or what happens when you mix new stock, but I want you all to know that I will do my best to help you resolve any issues that may arise.

We are also blessed with an excellent group of experienced hobbyists here at SimplyDiscus.com that can offer advice and suggestions on Quarantine and health issues.

Unquote

[mmorris]

Who are you quoting, Francis?

[hope]

thanks so much for all of the excellent advice! I will follow every bit of it.