Quarentine duration

[James McGuire]

I was just wondering why the "normal" duration of quarantine is considered 6 weeks.
Is there a specific disease that incubates in that period of time?
How was this time frame arrived at?
And then to add a tank mate from the display tank and wait another 6 weeks?

Thanks

Pat

[Eddie]

I actually go 4 weeks and 2 with the test fish. Many have their methods. Really it's how good you are with analyzing specific issues. Some people without microscopes will be relying a lot on visible symptoms, where anyone with a scope can check feces regularly to identify internal issues and do scrapes to identify externals. Some people medicate, some don't. It's merely a guideline.


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[ericatdallas]

Eddie, is there a good resource that you know of for identifying signs in fecal matter? I think I have a microscope somewhere around here...

[brewmaster15]

Pat,
There isn't a specific pathogen that is being looked for in that QT period. It can take as long as 6 weeks for parasites to manifest as a problem.....sometimes it takes far less time...an outbreak can occur in days to weeks of receiving new fish.
The longer one waits for QT the less chance there will be a problem that slips by. 6 weeks or longer is my qt. period...and I end it with a test fish and more observation. (add fish from existing stock and wait a few weeks to see what happens)

Eric,
http://www.simplydiscus.com/library/disease_medications/index.shtml you can find some good info there as a start....but I have to warn you... having a microscope and being able to identify a pathogen from a harmless free living organism is something that takes time to develop the skills for... I know far too many hobbyists who are convinced that they need a microscope only to find it gathers dust in a closet...It takes a bit of work at first. I'd suggest a few fish pathology and disease book as well if you are really interested in learning...then head to the fish shop and pick up a few feeder goldfish or guppies, or catch a few wild fish and play around abit.

hth,
al

[ericatdallas]

Pat,
Eric,
http://www.simplydiscus.com/library/disease_medications/index.shtml you can find some good info there as a start....but I have to warn you... having a microscope and being able to identify a pathogen from a harmless free living organism is something that takes time to develop the skills for... I know far too many hobbyists who are convinced that they need a microscope only to find it gathers dust in a closet...It takes a bit of work at first. I'd suggest a few fish pathology and disease book as well if you are really interested in learning...then head to the fish shop and pick up a few feeder goldfish or guppies, or catch a few wild fish and play around abit.


I know... It's something i would like to be able to do, but not something I expect to be able to pick up at first. I figure there would be obvious things (i.e. eggs, worms, etc). Identifying single celled organisms may not be in my skillset in the near future. If anything though, I think the one I have (unless my wife got rid of it) allows me to take pictures. It's not a professional grade one, but I think it might work for identifying the "easy" stuff.

If I have time, I'm going to try to sit in on a microbiology course and a Epidemiology class sometime this year. I'm trying to figure a way to spin it so that I can convince my boss it's work related (it kind of is... but it's outside the scope of my duties).

[James McGuire]

Thank you for the replies. I think I may try Eddie's method.

I just put the little guy that was being bullied in with the new 4 that I received 4 weeks ago. I know I'm going to wait at least another 2 weeks, maybe longer to try to grow them out a bit.

Pat

[Floppy Fin's]

A most interesting thread, and its been many many years since I was in a biology class. What I would like before investing in a microscope, just what particular scope would be most used or affective in this hobby. If doing cultures for fry, or poop smears.

I am interested in either a Bausch & Lomb or a German made unit, IF that is what is needed..
I would be pleased if you all could list your pro's and con's on recommended brands and power specs.
Floppy Fins.

[BobDaniel]

As for disease books, I suggest Dieter Untergasser's Handbook of Fish Disease. It has photos of many discus bugs and a used copy can be had on Amazon. I have bought two or three copies of this book in my life. It's that valuable to me.

[DiscusDrew]

As for disease books, I suggest Dieter Untergasser's Handbook of Fish Disease. It has photos of many discus bugs and a used copy can be had on Amazon. I have bought two or three copies of this book in my life. It's that valuable to me.
+1 this is the book I used to start when I got my scope, it is still being used by me as a valuable resource. Its basic enough that if you're dedicated you can learn yet complex enough to teach you a vast majority of both common benign microorganisms, and common harmful pathogens/parasites. Very important to learn the difference, and I may even venture to say read before you look through a scope, simply because you will be astonished at the amount of moving organisms even in a healthy fishes feces, etc. Al gave some great advice, for anyone starting with a scope it is well worth heeding.

As to the topic, I use the same method Eddie mentioned earlier, and the only thing I would change from the OP's course of action is that I never use a potentially already stressed fish when introducing a fish from existing stock. My reason being, and this is strictly my opinion and just my line of thinking, is that I want to add a fish that has the least likely chance of falling I'll from the transfer.... Remember your looking for harmful diseases that can transfer in either direction. From existing stock to new stock, or visa versa. So I always choose a healthy existing fish, but never my favorite lol.

[Floppy Fin's]

Thanks gentlemen...for your response. You answered my next question without my asking. MUst be ESP...:-)... OK, now on to microscopes.. can you give me some comparative notes between manufacturers for pro's and con's??

[BobDaniel]

I prefer stereo microscopes with a movable stage. Stereo in that it has two eyepieces. Look for models that have several lens...and magnifications of 60X to 1000X. Most of the bugs will be seen at 100X to 400x. Dean Fear got me my first good microscope. He got it used from the college he worked at in Cleveland. The biology students would buy and sell them at a bookstore.

The one I use now is an American Optical Model Fifty. I seem to recall getting it as a broken model off EBay. The electric cord needed replacing....and cost me well less than fifty bucks. J

Just avoid those kiddy toy microscopes,