[leebca]

A QUARANTINE PROCESS FOR FISH

There are almost as many different quarantine processes as there are aquarists in the hobby for more than 10 years. About the only thing there are more of are uninformed hobbyists who claim a quarantine is bad for fish, or who don't want to spend the time, or inaccurately claim not all fish can or should be quarantined, or who don't want to spend the $40. for a quarantine kit, or who don't believe it is necessary, or who believe that a healthy fish can survive any disease or parasite.

We, the Old Guard, for the most part know better. I wrote . . .more than 10 years because if you've been in the hobby that long, you've come to realize that performing a quarantine process is essential to good marine husbandry. The smarter aquarists know this from the outset and began using a quarantine process from the first day in the hobby!

What good is a quarantine process? There's a whole list that a quarantine process will:
1) Further acclimate the fish to captive life without being bothered by other fishes;
2) Get the fish to eat without it 'running away' and hiding;
3) Get the fish on the right foods and nutrients;
4) Allow the fish to eat without competition;
5) Give the fish a chance to recognize and become acclimated to the aquarist;
6) Give the fish a chance to heal any capture or travel injury or trauma;
7) Give the fish a chance to recover from any condition or disease;
8) Prepare the fish for a more competitive life in the community/reef tank; and
9) Protect the health of the display tank livestock.

Maybe you can think of more advantages/benefits of a quarantine process? I think the best phrase I have ever seen another person post was, "Quarantine provides a new fish sanctuary."

It may sound corny but ultimately -- The only thing you want to add to the marine system is the fish (as opposed to parasites, pathogens, and disease).

Most aquarists as I do, have an emotional investment with the fishes in the display tank. There is a money investment too. A new fish bringing disease into the display that kills other fish can be a significant loss of monies. But for me the far greater loss is the loss of fish life for failing to protect the display fishes from new arrivals bringing in disease. Ultimately, the quarantine process is a stress reducer not an added stress to a new fish.

Even though only about 1/3 novices and less experienced hobbyists perform a quarantine process, it is a process performed by all marine livestock professionals (e.g., public and private aquarium management).

I can only slightly alter the quarantine process found in this excellent and comprehensive article: An Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure: A Quarantine Tank for Everything by Steven Pro - Reefkeeping.com

I disagree with the above article on one point: Length of time to hold a fish in quarantine. Four weeks is too short of time. I recommend to quarantine no less than 6 weeks. Professionals may quarantine fishes 3 or 4 weeks, but they take scrapings and/or clippings of the fish and perform microscopic examinations to identify the presence or absence of parasites and disease. Since I don't expect the usual marine aquarist to do this, 6 weeks in quarantine is the minimum I recommend.

This post is to outline my quarantine process in the context of the acquisition of a new fish; and to further detail some aspects of my quarantine process. Use it all or as much as you want, if you like what I do. Keep in mind that I can't/won't recommend anything less than this. Let's jump into the water. . .

NOTE: Only quarantine one fish at a time.

The Quarantine process, abbreviated and in outline form:

Equipment and Supplies (The basic setup is often available as a 'special' package)

1. Properly sized bare-bottomed tank (about 5-7 gallons for every inch of fish, longer and shallow for fish like tangs that travel distances); this is the quarantine tank (QT)
2. Lighting (enough for the fish to see their food, at least)
3. Heater
4. Simple Sponge Filter (corner filter) -- one per 15-20 gallons of water; with air pump and air tubing
5. Cleaned PVC piping or plastic decorations so fish can hide
6. A place to put this QT
7. All the usual test kits (at least ammonia, nitrite, and pH (or pH meter - see 8.), optional: alkalinity)
8. Measuring devices: BUY the refractometer (forget using a hydrometer for hyposalinity treatments, which you're likely going to have to do sometime if you stay in this hobby more than a couple of years), thermometer, pH meter (if you can afford $60-80 for a handheld field meter), etc.
9. RO/DI or distilled water and your favorite artificial salt mix. Do not use tap water in the QT or display tank.
10. Treatment equipment and medications according to: Stocking the Marine Fish Medicine Cabinet
11. Optionally, a substrate of clean and pure silica sand is okay. Some silica sands are contaminated with carbonates and they must not be used.

[Note what's not on this list: carbonate substrate, powerheads, circulating pumps, skimmer, UV, ozone unit, landscaping, and carbonate containing rocks (live or otherwise)]

Preparation

The sponge filter should be in the display system (e.g., sump) and running all the time to be seeded with nitrifying bacteria to be the biological filter for the QT. It takes about 4 to 8 weeks for the sponge to be ready to serve as the QT biological filter.

Starting the QT

1. Fill QT with water from the display tank or make up fresh saltwater.
2. Start bio-filter (add sponge from display tank to QT and run it).
3. Tests: ammonia, nitrite, pH, specific gravity, and temperature of the QT water.
4. Make adjustments as needed.
5. The QT is ready for use.

Prepare and keep on hand saltwater made from artificial salts -- all future water changes will use this water not display tank water.

[NOTE: if the QT will not be used within a couple of days, the aquarist should keep the biological filter going by adding food to the QT and not removing it (see After Use below). Just before fish is added, siphon off any leftover foods and detritus. Just before adding fish, perform again the above (and 1. below) series of water quality tests.]

In Use Procedures

1. Monitor and test for ammonia, nitrite, pH, specific gravity and temperature daily.
2. Hold water quality constant and good.
   (IF the biological/sponge filter was not seeded or it stops working during a treatment, control ammonia and nitrites by large water changes OR use chemical absorbents (e.g., Algone) so long as the chemicals won't and don't interfere with any medication. Make water changes whenever any ammonia is detected; make water changes when 0.05 ppm or more nitrite is detected when quarantine is performed on fish.)
3. Make adjustments to water daily to hold water test results in their proper range and to keep them steady (Make adjustments more often (2-3 times per day) if the biological filter is not or stops functioning.)
4. Remove uneaten foods 1 hour after each feeding time.
5. Make 50% or larger water changes every week or more frequently -- assuming no treatment is being administered. Follow good water change techniques: how do I do a water change? (If a treatment is administered, change water according to medication instructions. If water changes are needed during treatment and the treatment isn't over, medication must be added back to the QT water to keep medication at a constant, recommended concentration.)

After Use

The QT can remain running, with food (0.5 gram frozen food per 20 gallons) added every other day to keep the biological filter running,
OR
Return sponge filter to display tank system (e.g., sump) and keep it running until needed again.
Tare down the QT; wash and rinse it out thoroughly; let dry; store so that it can't/won't be contaminated or gather dust.

Things Not To Do/Use
1. Don't use live rock in a QT. It may seem like a 'short cut' for a biological filter, but you won't be able to treat the fish with medications -- it will turn the live rock into base rock. (See What is Live Rock, Anyway? )
2. Don't use any carbon or general absorbing media -- it will interfere with any medication you might want to administer.
3. Avoid the use of any 'high-end' filtration system. Stick with a simple sponge filter. The benefits include: easy to move it into and from the display system for keeping it alive; it has no intake to injure a fish; it gently moves the water's surface; and doesn't create too much of a current. Your best control over water quality will be testing and making water changes. HOWEVER, if you do have to use a medication in the QT, then you might need carbon to remove the medication.
4. Don't count upon any of those products that say they will start your tank's biological filter by adding bacteria. They usually won't help you and since you may be using medication, they definitely won't be able to help. When you use medication, many of the bacteria will die or just fail to come out of their dormant state.
5. Don't attempt to quarantine multiple fishes.
5.a If you would like a pair of anemonefishes, for instance, either use two quarantine tanks or quarantine them one at a time. There's no rush and there's absolutely no need to put them into your display at the same time.
5.b One problem with putting multiple fishes through the same quarantine is that one fish can have a disease and give it to the rest. Now you're treating fish that weren't ill to begin with. Or. . .The nightmare: Every fish in the QT can have a different disease or condition and they require different treatments. It's not worth the trouble, risk, or likely loss.
5.c Another problem is that putting multiple fishes through quarantine defeats many of the above listed benefits of using a quarantine process. Check out that list. Which of the listed benefits of using a quarantine process would be lost if multiple fishes were in the QT?
6. Don't assume everything is fine. Keep checking the water quality and especially pH. A water change can mend a world of hurts!

How the quarantine process fits into the acquisition of a new fish:

1. Aquarist has fish (in a bag in a box; or a bag in a bag).
2. Acclimate the fish to its new water according to: It Was Acclimation, I know. . .
3. Give the fish a freshwater dip according to: Freshwater Dip for Marine Fishes
4. Place fish into QT & follow above general QT procedure.
5. De-worm all eating fishes in quarantine. (See below reference).
6. Treat certain fishes for anticipated diseases. See the 'Post Acclimation' recommendations of this reference: It Was Acclimation, I know. . .
7. Closely monitor fish for signs of injury, illness, parasites, infections, etc.
8. Perform any needed treatment.
9. Get the fish starting to eat: Food Presentation
10. Feed proper foods with vitamins and supplements according to: Feeding Marine Fish and Fish Nutrition
11. If fish does not require treatment, continue to monitor the fish in the QT for 6 weeks.
12. If fish was treated, then hold fish in QT for 4-6 weeks AFTER the cure is finished and the medication (if any) was removed from the QT water.
13. After the QT time, the fish is bagged and acclimated to the display tank water according to: It Was Acclimation, I know. . . (NOTE: this could be a shorted/abbreviated acclimation IF the QT water is very close in quality and chemistries as the display tank water).
14. ENJOY YOUR HEALTHY FISH IN ITS NEW HOME!

I have done the above (or a version of the above) for more than 35 years now. For over 35 years my display tanks have been free of parasites, disease microbes, flukes, intestinal worms, etc., etc. Together with reduced stress: Stress (and the Single Marine Fish) the fish live a long and healthy life (oldest one is now 19 years old). The above may look daunting or arduous, but it was written in great detail for those who enjoy the details. Once the aquarist has the equipment, it is an easy process. Doing this has a great payback!

Feel free to ask for any explanation for why I do any of the above, or ask if you have any questions.

[vaporize]

Lee, I am not sure if you mentioned in somewhere in your other post, but I thought deworm/deparasite fish for internal parasite would be an appropiate topic with acclimation process.

Just wondering what type of products / methods you would recommned for removing internal parasite for newly arrived fish. I remembered seeing somewhere that 70% of the wild caught fish have internal parasite of somes sort. The industrial standard is to use drugs such as metro... and para.... mixed with food and feed 3 consective days.

Are there any other ways to get those meds or are there any commerical product you would recommend?

[leebca]

I think you'll get answers after reading this post:
Strange Excrement from Fish -or- How to be a Super Pooper Snooper

If you have questions after reading that, just ask.

[RHINO13]

Hello leebca, I am a newbie and am about to set up my first saltwater tank soon (its only a 46 gal). I hope it will end up a reef tank in the long run, and thinking of setting up a 15 gal QT. My question is,do you have 2 separate QT's 1 for fish and 1 for inverts? The reason I ask is because I know you treat with copper based meds with the one with fish?

Thanks,
RHINO

[leebca]

A very important and good question!

The quarantine 'rule' for all marine livestock is one per quarantine. You never want to combine anything in quarantine. One 'bunch' of Live Rock, or one invertebrate, or one fish. ONE is the key.

Not only because you treat different conditions with chemicals (like copper) that the others can't handle, but also because one of the reasons for quarantine is to make the fish feel safe. The fish is safe when it is alone and has a place it can hide. Another reason for quarantine is to get the fish or marine life to eat what you want it to. This you don't accomplish if there are other life forms present competing for its food.

Congratulations on setting up a quarantine tank. That shows good sense!

[RHINO13]

Thanks Lee, im wondering of I use the QT for one fish and have to treat the fish with copper based meds, would this tank only be good for fish in the future.Or would I be able to use this same tank to QT inverts(one at a time) or corals?The reason I ask is because I have been told that copper adsorbs to all surfaces of the tank even the glass?

Thank you very much,
RHINO

[leebca]

You have been told the truth. A glass QT will absorb some copper onto its surface and becomes a 'hospital tank' after such use. It can be made back into a quarantine tank suitable for invertebrates if you go through a cleaning and rinsing process to remove or significantly reduce the amount of copper absorbed.

However, after any disease and treatment, I'd recommend the QT by cleaned and prepared for the next guest using that same or similar cleaning process.

[RHINO13]

Sweet, thanks for the quick response Lee.
I know this cleaning and rinsing process all to well.
Cant wait to get my tank up and running to let everyone know how it worked out in the long run.

Thanks Lee