>There are two ways of looking at the usefulness of quarantine tanks. Firstly
>the experience may be stressful enough to bring out any "dormant" diseases
>e.g. TB
Thanks Bruce, I had never looked at it this way.
>or on the other hand it can give you a chance to feed up the new
>fish with extra live food etc and improve its condition. The quarantine tank
>can still have some nylon mops and/or plastic plants for security and
>perhpas you have a few small other species of rainbowfish that are
>expendable if nesessary to add to your quarantine tank for company.
>I have no doubts that a single fish will survive the "loneliness" of a
>quarantine tank for a month.
and Ed Romana wrote:
>Although I think that sometimes catching an established fish
>is more traumatic, than say, a weekly 35% water change with
>100% gravel vacuuming, I agree with Bruce that a one month
>stay in a quarantine tank the fish by itself is ok.
>And also that plastic plants or other decorations
>are a good way to provide a good fish environment,
>live plants do not do well in a medicated tank.
>My 10 gal quarantine tank has a piece of river wood
>so that the fish can find the dark environment they
>sometimes prefer when they are sick.
I have a few large Ceratopteris floating in the hospital/quarantine tank,
with the roots reaching to the bottom so they can hide between or behind.
I will also put some wood or rocks in it.
>Somehow I seem to think that that female praecox is better
>off in your quarantine tank than in the store.
:) Thanks for your confidence in me! I'm just being extra careful now with
the praecox here. When I bought my first praecox about 6 months ago,
(in a petshop I didn't know 90 minutes from here, praecox are normally
not sold overhere) the salesman told me that they were 'Dutch bred' praecox
and a bit sensitive, they would already get sick if I fed them anything
other than flake food. I never heard something odd like this, I ignored
the remark, I still don't think that the frozen food I feed could cause
diseases or parasites. But it's clear now that they are poor quality.
For example one I have is a mutant without first dorsal fin, abnormally
shaped anal fin and 'sloppy' scale pattern. Until recently I thought this
was just a coincedence, but now I think it says something about the rest.
Best regards,
Hugo Hoekstra