Loading ...So you Google search for cures on Ick, Velvet, fungus, and internal parasites… while you easily overlook step 1: Setting up a quarantine tank.
Before you purchase any fish, you should have a QT (Quarantine Tank) already setup. This way if any disease becomes known to you, you can apply medication without any hassle.
The pre-QT way of treating fish would have been to catch all the fish in your tank, dump them in a 40-50 gallon tank, and go crazy with medicating them. A reactionary method of eradicating fish disease. A proactive approach would have been with a QT already there. Ready for a parts list? Here you go…
Basic Setup Needs are:
2. Airstone/Powerhead at the water surface
3. Fluorescent Light w/ timer
4. Different sized PVC pipe, cut in different lengths
5. Carbon, but taken out if medicating the tank
6. Minimum 10 gallon tank
7. Ammonia Detector, made by SeaChem
8. Weekly 10%-15% water changes
9. Patience
Note: No gravel/substrate or live rock/dead rock of any sort will be used in this setup. Gravel/rock acts as a sponge when medicating. A no-no.
Carbon is often used to improve water quality and clarity. Once you begin to medicate the animal, you are supposed to take the carbon out. Carbon neutralizes the effectiveness of your medication. The airstone is not necessary as long as your have surface agitation in the QT. This will allow gas exchange, and will oxygenate the QT. This is extremely important if you medicate the tank, as the fish will consume more oxygen during this time.
The PVC is for shelter. It provides hiding area for recently introduced fish or for those which are very shy. Also, water changes are necessary to maintain water quality, as it is the only method to remove nutrients from an enclosed system.
There aren’t any negatives in using this setup. Not only can you assure yourself of having a disease free fish, but you can also teach it to eat prepared foods. This is known in cases with finicky eaters, such as Copperband Butterflies.
So next time you are ready for a fish, ask yourself if you have one of these setups ready. With a little effort, and most importantly money, you are saving yourself from much heartache and frustration. You will quickly find yourself, once you realize how much help this little setup can really be, trying to get other reefers on the bandwagon. You can book it!
Trained by the thirteenth ring master of the Sian Xiuang Coral Temple. Currently is apprenticing the art of Acropora shaping in the ancient tradition of Ninja Fragging. Known as the SPS hero!
I’m not so sure about it…
I prefer putting fishes directly on my tank, and if something goes wrong I add vitamin and garlic into fish food.
I never had problems.
And, as far as I know, in the italian forum I read, this is the preferred method to acclimate new fishes, and I read of so little few problem when acting in this way.
Danilo
http://www.DaniReef.com
I tried that method Dani, and believe me.. it is not good. Trying to catch fish that have velvet on them is not fun, especially when they are dying right in front of your eyes. You cannot treat velvet with garlic and vitamins, only with copper. And you know copper and reef tanks don’t mix well.
I am not completely agreed with the way a QT should be setup using the way it described. First of all, QT (unless it is for corals) should not be setup permanently, therefore all these trickle filter and cycling is not required. QT has to be able to use to treat fishes in and out, that’s it. If you are using a QT for multiple fish holding periods or seperate fish entrance period, you are defeating the purpose of the QT because you are cross-contaminating it.
I would take out (1), (8) and (9). Trickle filter should be replaced with seeded sponge filter – seeded in your display tank. Water changes should be taken directly from your Display tank when you are setting up the QT. QT are setup for each individual quarantine period, not to be setup to run continuously; running continuous with multiple fish in & out = cross contamination. (9) since QT is setup as in/out/taken down when not in use, patience is not needed, but a seeded sponge filter is.
I quarantine on average 50 fishes per month, and to do it properly require some skills and time. I also keep a wide-selection of medication in stock just for those occasions.
Having said that, I am 200% agreed on the importance of setting up QT. Anybody that went through a relationship with Amy (Marine velvet – taken from the scientific name) will know how she can wipe out all fishes in a tank.
I don’t want to be boring…
But I saw many and many fishes passes marine velvet with no problem with natural method…
yes you need a very good tank, with good water values.
Hubert, you misunderstood my post. I never suggested that you should be in and out transferring your fish out of the QT. The QT should be performed once, and to get rid of a disease in your tank. Afterwards, you should only use it if you have a new specimen. This way you can monitor the new fish for any additional disease.
And the trickle filter is a cycled filter from either your tank, or by itself. I should have added that, because you still need some biological filtration.
Dani, could you talk about more how someone could save fish from velvet? I have never seen anyone do it, as AMY is quick to kill.
That’s exactly what I am suggesting against
QT is use once for each individual to be effective, it is not in tent for continuous setup.
Thanks for the link brudda man
>Dani, could you talk about more how someone
>could save fish from velvet? I have never seen
>anyone do it, as AMY is quick to kill.
Hi Vlad.
I searched on internet what you called AMY or Marine Velvet, and I found Oodinium.
Here in Italy, expecially on forum where I’m moderator http://www.acquaportal.it and http://www.acquariofilia.biz we are used to put garlic and baby vitamins on food to heal fish.
If the tank is a good tank, good water values, good acclimatation, good environment, good fish mate, if everything is ok, many fishes heal themselves in a couple of week.
Danilo
http://www.DaniReef.com
Oodinium works really fast, and kills fish within 24 hrs. So I am really curious what vitamins do help fish with Velvet. I personally have battled with Velvet, and nothing worked but copper in a safe tank.
I don’t think so… I saw oodinium for more and more time…
Before killing fishes you see more and more life cycle of oodinium… I don’t understand why you say 24hrs. Isn’t my experience.
For some reason we have different experiences with Oodinium. Like I said, I would like you to share how you accomlished to cure fish with velvet, in more detail if you can.
Hi Vlad, sorry for delay
I’ll try to explain at better of my possibilities.
I think a fish will heal himself naturally in a good environment. And this is what’s happen in nature, right?
From this, I think we have to give to our fishes the best environment ever… like they were in wild.
Yes, this is a technique only for aquarium keepers not for reseller or buyer or vendor.
So, the tank have to be perfect for environment, not only water values, but also fish mates, corals, hiding place, etc
From now we start to add more food than other days, because when one (or more) fishes are sick they need to eat, and consequently we’ll do many water change to mantain water clean.
Into the food we can add vitamins (we use “idroplurivit”, that are baby vitamins sold in pharmacy) and garlic, usually we take only juice of garlic.
Then we put juice of garlic and vitamins into our food for about 5 minutes, and then we give only THE food to our fishes.
This natural method we employ is good, very good, if the environment is equally good, and I remember that the people that follow it, have no casualties (or quite quite a bit) on his population.
I hope to be understandable
Danilo
http://www.DaniReef.com
Thanks Danilo for your input! I think your experience is far more than most in this hobby. You know what type of environment your fish need to be stress and disease free. Unfortunately a lot of people are still figuring that out. So I don’t know if these things would work for a lot of people.
But I do agree that the more natural reef you provide your fish, the better the overall health of the specimens you will get.
Yes, what you’re saying is right.
But for this we have many forum, and I write on italian forum, so when people ask we answer.
I think that medicine are very poor against fish disease, because they’re the same for every disease, and they’re put into water and not into fish… it’s like we want to heal our sickness, every sickness, by smelling something into the air… it’s very weak method. I hope it’s better to hope the fish heal himself in any case.
Danilo
http://www.DaniReef.com
Now I understand what’s the meaning of QT. Thanks for sharing
You are welcome. Thanks for reading!