Quarantine Tank?

How many of you keep a quarantine tank? If so, do you religiously use it? Whether or not you use a Q-tank, how many disease outbreaks have you had? What diseases?

If you vote, please explain!! I am soaking in information and would love your opinion.

I voted that I need to get one. I definitely see how they would be useful and I hate the thought of losing anything due to something I could have possibly prevented.

 

If you search, you'll find this exact poll done a few times... might help with getting some info...

Before I give my opinion, I'm going to distinguish that I am talking about a QT and not a hospital tank.


IMO, a QT is just another layer of stress and IMO stress is the number one evil for our inhabitants. I find QT to be counter productive (obviously, you can hand pick exceptions; just speaking in general).

I'd say you are better off getting livestock from a known good source and keeping the DT healthy. Do a dip if it's really necessary as this will be more effective than QT anyway.

 

I may agree with Peredhil that a true QT is of less value than a hospital tank. I personally quarantine and medicate all new fish for several weeks prior to introduction to my DT. I find it is easier that way to be sure I am not introducing parasites into my DT. Once the fish are in the DT it is very difficult to later remove them, and they can infect your whole system.

 

Good points!

 

I agree they are good points, but to be fair, lot's of folks don't agree with me. There are definitely competing views on this topic.

 

I use a QT tank but only keep fish in it for a week to 10 days. I find after that the ammonia and nitrite levels become more difficult to control and the risks begin to outweigh the benefits. Thank Goodness, I have had no DT outbreaks but have lost several fish in the QT tank (especially early on)