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.
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.