|
|
|
Starting Member
 
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 10/22/2008 5:35:01 AM
Posts: 183,
Visits: 318
|
|
IMHO...... the most important thing someone in this hobby(new or oldtimer) should have is a quarentine tank.The size could be a 5-10gal. I have seen friends buy and set up a tank and then they call me and the first thing they say is.....I just bought some new fish and now my fish are dieing or are covered with spots or a cotton like stuff. Any time someone asks me what they need to set up a tank, I always tell them 2 tanks and then explain why. I knw some may not be able to afford 2 tanks,but should always try.......What are your veiws on this?;)
Shakespere says...to be or not to be?Fish hobbiests say....To buy or not to buy! 
|
|
|
|
|
Moderator
Group: Moderators
Last Login: Yesterday @ 9:42:33 AM
Posts: 1,514,
Visits: 14,475
|
|
| You are absolutely correct -- a quarantine tank is the best insurance a hobbyist can buy against wiping out a tank. The problem is, q tanks are like going to the gym four days a week -- everyone agrees it is a great thing to do, but very few actually do it. Having thought about this for a long time, mo conclusion is that, since virtually no hobbyists will keep a quarantine tank, they should do two things before they bring any new fish into their tank. 1) Do a 25% water change. The probability is that you haven't been doing regular water changes, and therefore have high nitrates in your tank. Your fish, living in their own sewer, have gotten used to the high nitrates. The new fish you bring from your lfs are coming from conditions where the nitrates are probably pretty low, since most lfs's do regular water changes, if only because they are always removing water when they sell fish. Dumping the lfs fish into your high nitrates tank will shock the new fish, and some of them may die. You will blame the fish store, but the problem is yours, and could be alleviated by doing a 25% water change before adding any new fish. 2) Treat the tank with QuickCure -- formalin and malachite green. I know that many of you out there will yell at me that it is a bad idea to treat fish with chemicals. This is just MHO, but something I've been doing with every tank I have for many years now. QuickCure is the industry standard for treating ick, which is the most common problem fish get. Using it every time you introduce new fish is, in my experience, a good protocol. I would treat once, and then again two days later. Hope this brings out some opinions from other hobbyists.
*************************** Be warned -- everyone at college has a weird roommate. If you don't have a weird roomate -- then you're the weird roommate.
Conan O'Brien, Stuyvesant High School.
|
|
|
|
|
Starting Member
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 10/22/2008 5:35:01 AM
Posts: 183,
Visits: 318
|
|
You put forth sound advice,the more new people who read posts like this will loose less fish and stay with the hobby instead of dropping out.yes a lot of people will jump on you about medication,but if it saves fish(for those who do not have quarantine tanks) it is the second best thing.Personally, I feed the new fish(in a quarantine tank) with medicated flakes as well as regular food for a period of 4 wks.
Shakespere says...to be or not to be?Fish hobbiests say....To buy or not to buy!
|
|
|
|
|
Junior Member
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: Yesterday @ 7:39:47 PM
Posts: 259,
Visits: 606
|
|
| If you recently just purchased a quarantine tank, what is the proper procedure and duration for new fish. I just got an extra tank.
JOHN CHAMPAGNE 55gallon/4wpg t05/pressurized Co2/moderately planted (with the intent of heavily planted) 10goldbarbs,10 olive nerite snails,6 ottos, 2 mollies,three guppies
|
|
|
|
|
Starting Member
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 10/22/2008 5:35:01 AM
Posts: 183,
Visits: 318
|
|
| I use 10gal tank as most of my fish are small when bought.As for procedure it is different for each person, I go with 4 wksor 6 wks,depending how excited I am to get the fish into my main tank. my procedure is as follows.... Day1 reg. flake food Day2 freeze dried or frozen bloodworms Day 3 no food DAy4 medicated flake food(Jungle 2 kinds for different problems) Day5 freeze dried or frozen mesquito larva Day6 ho food Day7 med. flake food Then I start the whole feeding cycle again. This is a 7day cycle that I use,others may do it differently,hope it helps.
Shakespere says...to be or not to be? Fish hobbiests say....To buy or not to buy!
|
|
|
|
|
Moderator
Group: Moderators
Last Login: Yesterday @ 9:42:33 AM
Posts: 1,514,
Visits: 14,475
|
|
| your feeding routine, GGuppy. is excellent. I wish more people would realize that you should not feed your fish for a day or two a week. The procedure with a quarantine tank is to keep the new fish in it for at least 3 weeks, 4 is better. No need to do any medication (other than the first treatment of QuickCure) and just make sure they do not have any problems.
*************************** Be warned -- everyone at college has a weird roommate. If you don't have a weird roomate -- then you're the weird roommate.
Conan O'Brien, Stuyvesant High School.
|
|
|
|
 Posted 8/18/2008 6:18:10 PM |
| | | |