Quarantine

The ability to isolate new fish is PRICELESS and comes eventually to all hobbyists sooner, or later.

The ability to treat ANY fish in a separate, smaller and more peaceful aquarium is PRICELESS and will save fish. As you kind of figured-out from the book, water quality needs to be quite-good to heal and recover fish. AND, if you recall the discussion of certain medications, you know it’s better to treat fish AWAY from your beneficial ‘fish-pee-reducing-germs’.

For a new-fish Quarantine, the secret-sauce is the ability for fish to manifest illness BEFORE they are in the General Population. BEFORE they can transmit a disease to the main group of fish. And are EASIER TO TREAT in a smaller, more sparse facility than say, a well-planted, delicate system.

In Quarantine, new fish can be treated with several medications (salt) (prazi) to PREVENT them from getting sick in the first place.

A Quarantine for fish under 12″

It might very well be worth it to look at the 300 gallon structural foam Rubbermaid Stock Tank at 300 gallons available in person at Tractor Supply – , and which runs about $249 ( https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/rubbermaid-structural-foam-stock-tanks-300-gal-capacity )

A net is imperative, and they make a good net for the beds of pickup trucks. Also, one for preventing cats from jumping off your porch. (Amazon.com) ( The best choice is a “pet netting for balcony” = https://amzn.to/4ejWFpW )

You need a filter and for 300 gallons you could make this one: ( https://www.savingsickfish.org/five-gallon-bucket-filter-poor-mans-best-filtration-under-1000-gallons/ )

Or buy three of these and run them off a stout air pump. ( Sponge filter x 3 https://amzn.to/45lmi5G )

#BIOSEED THE TANK ( https://www.savingsickfish.org/bioseeding/ ) To establish the cycle.

In Quarantine which should be 21 days at or higher than 74 DF – Treat with API General Cure

And, feed medicated food. Koi Market has a good one. So does Vicki (hers is better).

To sustain the PH in the quarantine tank, you should use this Neutral Regulator: (Seachem Neutral Regulator) (Functions well as a dechlorinator so don’t bother buying that too).

Finally, in case you need to heat the tank to keep it above 74dF – or if you suspect Koi Herpes Virus (KHV) and want to hit 84dF – These type heaters work extremely well at about $39-$40. DO not buy a heater over 1000W or you will have “kicked breakers” at inopportune times!

Other stuff you may need:

Lighting: Really bright LED lights if the tank is indoors will allow you to sustain Water Sprite, Frogbit, Wisteria or just grow algae to curb nitrate accumulation: BRIGHT LIGHTS LED Cheap Fecida is a good name at the moment. VIVOSUN also.

Besides whatever you feed Koi or Goldfish in quarantine, for example medicated food:

ALSO feed the super “easy to eat” Tropical Fish Crisps =AND= freeze dried Krill to give the fish as much strength and immune support as possible.

Tetra Color Crisps Cheap (7 ounces or so) All the best “crisps” for quarantine

Freeze Dried Krill Reasonable Price

A couple last points:

Besides a net, the fish in quarantine need some “hide” or protection to make them feel secure. I like to put a couple blocks on the bottom of the tank and then put a giant paver on top of those, so the fish have sort of a cave / hide to be in. I would NOT do this if the fish were over 12″ because those fish may buffet themselves against the block or paver. But smaller, more agile fish are fine that way. Also, it’s only a week or two with decent light that these blocks and pavers get slimed and algaed and are no longer abrasive.

And Frogbit is my favorite floating PLANT cover but Wisteria, Water Sprite, Duckweed, Water Hyacinth and Water Lettuce are also excellent, and that sort of depends on WHERE tf you are in the country.

Finally, if you wanna use styrofoam as a floating cover for the new fish to shoal and hide under: Make it with 8-10″ pieces floating as a grouping or pod. If you put a big 2-3 foot piece of styrofoam on the surface, a weaker fish can jump up on that and not find an edge fast enough to survive it. If it jumps up on a 10″ piece of foam, and cannot get to the edge, it wasn’t going to live anyway.

Quarantine should be 21 days at 74 dF.
Keep the fishes’ nets away from your main collection.
If you use salt just know that you may kill some plants wherever you use salt.
Aeration should be HIGH in quarantine.

Frogbit is my new favorite water surface cover for shade, protection, nitrate consumption, hiding.

How Long Should Quarantine Be?

Quarantine should be at LEAST 7 days if the water is above 70DF
Quarantine should be at LEAST 14 days if the water is between 60-70DF
If the water is under 60DF you should not mix fish until the water is ABOVE 60DF and then observe the recommendations written above.

How BIG Should Quarantine Be?

The same rules apply in quarantine as they do in the main tank. Smaller Quarantine facilities are only even possible MAINLY because you aren’t putting ALL the inches-of-fish in quarantine. If the system is cycled and “ready to go” a quarantine can house 1″ of fish in 10 gallons of water. Well aerated, pH stabilized with a possible ‘tip of the hat’ to some preventative medications. Or at least, having those on hand in the event that a fish seems unwell.