Attention all quarantine / hospital tank users...

[tacks]

I would like to know the methods used when moving your fish to the main tank. Such as netting, trapping, acclimating, etc...
I was able to lure my Coral Beauty into a large tuperware. However, I currently have a good sized Naso in there and was wondering, how many of you just use a net to remove the fish from the Q tank?

 

[pufferlover]

I use nets for all fish except Puffs in which case I use a large plastic pitcher or bucket (depending on Puffs size). If the question is will useing a net ruin the net or cause it to harbor a disease it is possible (I always use very hot water to rinse and let it dry completely for a few days before using it again in any other tank). There are liquids available that are supposed to sterilize nets by soaking them in it. I do believe trapping with a container is better all around but from a qt tank ot ht tank to main tank you really don't want any of that water to get in main tank so the net does do that part better.

 

[tacks]

I'm not using meds in my quarantine tank. Just basically observation. Then if need be, I'll medicate. With my Coral Beauty, I acclimated for about a half an hour to adjust the PH and then just basically submerged the container and let him swim out.
Just trying to get some ideas. I'm sure you (Pufferlover) use the real soft nets??

 

[beth]

Well, I think the net issue is more of a concern that netting will cause fish injury as well as extreme stress when you remove a fish from water.
The best thing to do is to capture in tank and contain in a deadicated container if at all possible. Using this method ensures that the fish is not entangled in the net [which does happen a lot] and is never removed from water.

 

[pufferlover]

The nets I try to buy are the ones that are softer and claim to be less able to catch spines and gill spikes. I have more nets then I care to think of and yet have a couple I almost always use when I need a net. I think it becomes a what are you more comfortable using. A container can end up being a dash around the tank, swearing type experience but with my puffs I have found they became use to that method and really do not fight me much once I corner them (now thats the hard part especially in a 125 gallon tank. The container is only bad in my eyes when you want to avoid adding one tanks water to another but then you can pour most out just before dumping the fish. I had one cleaner wrasse that I had to move and as a gamble I put a little plastic cup (hate to say this but one used for human specimins of urine-get them at my lfs he uses them for selling the blackworms) in the tank and darn if the wrasse didn't swim right in and out it came (odds of that being done again are nill tho).

 

[tacks]

Yeah, wow, what ARE the odds?? That's cool.
Puffer, today my wife just happen to be looking over my shoulder and she saw all your tanks. She was amazed!!!!! All the trouble I HAD with my one... LOL
[ August 07, 2001: Message edited by: Tacks ]

 

[pufferlover]

tacks; If you knew all the problems I have you would be thankful you have one. I always have said that with SW the more tanks the worse the odds. Actually I have spurts and mostly my problems are the smaller tanks (thats to be expected) if I could only stop buying fish (but then I can't stop smoking either). Take care.

 

[playtime]

I use a soft net but before hand, I scoop out some tank water using 1 specific tup. bowl so that I can place the netted fish, net and all in the bowl. it seems to be working pretty well. The great thing is that i haven't had a need to place anyone already in my display's into the hospital. Everyone is in good health and they don't seem to get as stressed out when I do make changes like changing tanks last week. everyone did great with little stress. I used the netting and bowl thing during that as well. It may not work for others, but it does for me.
playtime

 

[pufferlover]

playtime; Your way is just another good way to do things. If the fish is not stressed that is the key. How one gets it out or moved is the main thing, and your way is fine. The main times I stay away from nets is with fish that have cheek spines or side quills such as Porks and Tassled Filefish. But there are many new nets that say they will not catch those types of things. I definetly agree that if you can keep the fish in water it is much better in the end (although I realize not always possible to do so).