Due to several threads asking this question I thought it would be useful to have one thread dedicated to quarantine proceedures. Perhaps it would be useful to have pinned for easy access.

Ok. My quarantine proceedure is simply. Isolation and observation for 2-3 weeks. I only treat for symptoms if they occur,

Good idea, Annette!

I come from the train of thought that parasites are ALWAYS present in fish shop tanks. If not always, then 90% of the time. With that in mind, I always treat incoming fish as though there are multiple parasites coming in with them. Luckily, there is a way to treat for 99% of parasites without harming your goldfish. Below is my procedure for safeguarding against future parasitic invasions:



--------At least a ten gallon tank with a filter that pushes 15X's per hour (ten gallon tank would need 150gph to reach this level).

--------Salinity is raised over the course of three days to 0.3% (zero point three percent). The salinity remains at 0.3% for the duration of the one month quarentine period.

--------Prazi treatment is also administered as per the instructions on the bottle. I even double dose it because it is non-toxic at any level.

--------If ergasilus, lernea or some other parasitic copepod is visible anywhere, Dimilin is administered. I double dose this stuff as well, its non-toxic.

All three of these drugs are safe to use with goldfish and are also safe for the bio-filter. so, there is nothing to worry about except keeping the water clean and careful observation.


If after being in quarentine for 1 month and I have not seen any unexplained flashing or scratching, I consider the fish to have a clean bill of health and it can be removed to its permenent tank.

If at some point in the quarentine I see any unexplainable bacterial disorders, I immediately feed medi-gold until it is under control.


After reading just about every single bit of info available to us on the net, I have come to the conclusion that prevention is the VERY best way to keep from having parasite problems. If anyone has ever battled a parasite that you cannot see with the naked eye, you know how utterly helpless you wind up feeling before you can get a definite diagnosis.

I think a good point to my reasoning would be the fact that Rick Hess, a well known dealer in quality goldfish AND co-author of the best book ever written on goldfish, Also suggest treating for new arrivals in the same fashion I have outlined above. That is, unless you happen to own a microscope and are very familiar with all of the possible parasites.......

Hope this helps!


Paul

I was thinking about implementing quarantine without filters. The reason for this is to stop parasites hiding from extermination.

You'd need daily water changes/monitoring, plus an airstone and perhaps zeolite.

I suppose it would be very similar to "bucket-to-bucket" treatment.

Any views?

Slugger

Slugger, I prefer to do medicated treatments without a filter in a tank/tub with regular water changes. It's my theory that the medication will be more efficient if it doesn't have to compete with a host of bacteria found in the filter. Your idea for a quarantine tub without a filter is good too. I have done it that way on occasion if I couldn't rustle up a spare tank.

Toothless, I agree that parasites certainly seem to be a big issue in the US and I would follow your directions if they ever become as wide spread over here. Guess our countries must have different import quarantine proceedures, Kevkoi would know all about that.

I do a 6 week QT. Salt to 0.1% and if nothing crops, its removed. I've taken a wet lab though and can do scrape and scope now. I don't treat unless something crops as a rule. However, I do have appropriate medications on hand in case. At week 4 I generally shift tank water (or pond water) and a companion from the main tank/pond along with. The next week is something of a Exposure period between established fish and newbie. (Mind you both fish should be scoped at this point also)

We worry about the newbie's for good reason, as we all know they are more likely to harbour things then those already established. But, sometimes our tank water and fish established have things we don't see or know, or can be in more abundance then the newbie is used to. If there's a problem, it will break with exposure or the adjustments are made and everythings good to go.

One has to keep in mind that the parasites also "build immunities" as it where, to the medications and treatments used as well.

There are versions of ich and costia that salt doesn't touch out there (crossing over to freshwater though in my opinion, these cases have adapted to freshwater much the same as a Molly or sword can do,IMHO & theory).

Micron filter pads added into the filter's dureing Qt w/treatments would be good if theres a problem.

For removing a fish with a bacterial infection, or the like, I too like to think that the bucket to bucket method is the very best way to go about it. The only drawback is that its labor intensive. The helpfulness of zeolite and sodium thiosulfate make it a lot easier though.

As for quarentine for new, relatively healthy arrivals, a cycled tank with lots of aeration is usually the best route to go. Sterilization can be done at any time, should the need arise.

Paul

Thanks so much for this pinned thread!

How much prophylactic medication would you add if you did a QT on a fish that came from a breeder - even with health certificates? Any at all? Or just plain salt QT?

Are you talking about your Dandy's frogmouth?

I understand you said they had been quarantined after import for a minimum for 5 weeks and had a skin scrape done. Dandy's has an excellent reputation - perhaps you could just isolate and observe for a 2-3 weeks.

Annette is spot on there!

Recieving a high quality golddfish from a reputable breeder/dealer usually ensures that the fish i indeed parasite free. But, given that ANYTHING can happen, quarentine is still needed.

I think that a 0.3% salt solution (or a little less, depending on preferences) should suffice during quarentine. 3-4 weeks of that and you see no outward signs of parasites and I would say your little one does indeed have a clean bill of health.....


Frogmouth???? Is this some new breed that I have yet to see? Do tell.........

Good Idea Annette!!
PAUL: All the info you posted will sure come in handy dandy next time I need to QT a fish...Also when I get pebbles her new buddy too!! I am triyng to hold back but it's getting hard, it's been bout a week and a half so I think I am in the clear now....
ANNETTE: Thanks for pinning this one!! I am sure it will be a big hit for everyone on here and everything is explained very clearly and easy to understand, but of course I am sure that I will be asking oodles of questions if I need to QT anytime soon.....



Thanx Guys.....

I wouldn't chance it. Go the full month. It is very commonly known that a fish can be a host to a prasite without EVER showing a single symptom. Once in the tank with other fish, the parasites will quickly invede ANY fish that has any sort of compromised immune system. I have seen a bedraggled, parasite ridden fish in the same tank as a perfectly healthy looking specemin. In short, parasites are advantagous, the exploit every advantage they have......

Good luck and be strong!

Paul

Yea, I still have not heard from them, though .



My lips are sealed until I get my fish! JK - I will post something on it for you later.


FroggyD - hang in there! I'm waiting too - GN is sick again.

(Would anyone mind taking a look at this - I posted in Disease Discussion...No replies yet - I don't want to wind up in 911! Thanks).

I am more worried at this point that a new fish would get sick from GN since he seems to be having recurring bouts of something that is obviously lingering...

Ahh Grahmm I am sorry to hear that GN is sick....I will go take a look but I am sure that Toothy the Fish Doc will be around shortly....He is awesome with those things.....
Toothy I will take your advice on the waiting a month thing but I am telling ya it's hard to do......

Not trying to dig up an old post or anything, But i figured it was ok since it is pinned?

I usually put my tropicals in a 5 gallon tub with a small filter and heater for about 2 weeks, if all is well, then get put in the 10 gallon. I have not yet got a quarentine takn for my GF, but because of my ich outbreak, my salt is at .3% and will stay that way for at least 2 weeks before i am sure that the ich is gone.


But i have a question. WHen it comes to the anti-fungus meds i had to use in my tropical tank, and rid-ich+ for my goldfish tank, how come it says to take the carbon out of the filter?

Carbon will remove impurities and meds from the water, so if you don't take the carbon out it will absorb all the medication and the fish won't get much. Carbon is pretty useless in a tank anyway unless you are trying to remove meds, so it is often best to take it out of your filter anyway and save it for times when you need to take meds out.

I presently have 2 Orandas (bought from the same tank) in quarantine. I have purchased a product from my LFS called PraziPro. The instructions are pretty vague. 5cc per 20 gallon H2O for 7 days. What does that mean. 5cc's a day for each of the 7 days? Or just 5cc one time and change water after 7 days. Also, It foams up the water and turns it a kind of tea like color. I don't like it. I'm just doing it as a prophylaxis, I have no evidence of flukes, but these fish were in a tank with Tadpoles, which I thought was odd. What else should I treat them for?