Quarantine

[fishlover0815]

I read articles that says quarantine is really important and I understand that... But is it nescessary to quarantine for that long? And how do I know if the fish is not sick? Or is there a quicker way to quarantine the fish? I heard you can put them in fresh water for a little bit and it will be fine... I'm really confused about this whole quarantine thing...

 

[silverado61]

Repost this in the "Fish disease & treatment" and you'll get a faster response from Beth, our resident medical expert.

 

[lmforbis]

You need to quarantine long enough for the disease to show up that is typically 30 days. Just like people it can take a while from exposure to the disease until symptoms occur (the incubation period).
When I quarantine my fish I us the tank transfer method where I move the fish from one tank to another every 3 days. I then sterilize the first tank and get it ready for the next transfer. This goes on for 2 weeks (five transfers total). This method allows me to out run the life cycle of the ich parasite. After transfer 2 and 4 I treat with PraziPro to deal with worms. After the two weeks of transfers the fish stays in QT tank for another 15 days. If it looks good I move it to my display if a disease shows I treat appropriately.

 

[beth]

Min. QT would be 3 weeks. By then you will be able to tell if the fish has parasites or is ill. There pictures here of fish with the most common illness or problems which you can reference as a guide as you observe your fish in QT. Observing is key. To do that, I'd recommend looking at your fish using a magnifying glass at least a couple times a day. Most important is to have good water and environmental conditions for the fish in QT, preferably QT-ing only 1 fish at a time to minimize stress.