Quarantine and fish loss...

cb684 · Jan 5, 2016

I have lost several fish during quarantine, to the point where I decided to stop quarantining fish. The problem with that decision is that I believe that if I really care about the fish I have in my tank I would not risk introducing a disease. So that gave two options, either I stop adding fish or I only add fish from places that quarantine the fish before selling (and that I trust they do that). I chose the latter.
In my opinion my quarantine tank was not allowing me to receive new fish adequately. Some may have died due to diseases (that I was not able to diagnose), but probably most died of stress and other shipping related causes.
I found this article that is a good start point to understand what may be those shipping related causes, and also possible ways to minimize them.
I hope it helps...
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2004/5/aafeature

miyags · Jan 5, 2016

I QT and treat,no matter what. Do you match the salinity of the new arrivals? Just a thought

cb684 · Jan 5, 2016

miyags said:
Do you match the salinity of the new arrivals?

Most of the fish I quarantined survived but I lost enough that made me question my ability to do it well. I lost more sensitive fish for example 4 yellowtail tamarin wrasses and 2 copperband butterflyfish. I did match the salinity and temperature, but after a few days those fish started to die without any disease that I could identify. I am planning to put together a more robust system that will allow me to deal with more sensitive fish. I would like to be able to keep the salinity around 11ppt what apparently, not only works well to avoid ich, but also may decrease stress on fish.
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2004/11/short

Breakthecycle2 · Jan 5, 2016

How long is the QT set up for? Has ever cycled?

saltyhog · Jan 5, 2016

So how would you know if any of those fish would have fared better if put directly in the DT? It's understandable to blame it on QT but I wonder how often it has anything to do with that.

It has been at least a couple of years since I lost a fish in QT and that fish died within 24 hours of arriving (likely wouldn't have survived no matter what). QT or bust for me.

Breakthecycle2 · Jan 5, 2016

I'm thinking one of two things.

1. Not cycled QT
2. Copper levels are already too high.

cb684 · Jan 5, 2016

I agree. I have no way to know if they would have survived if I added them to my main system. I believe it was not a NH3 spike because tested it, but it could be a false low measurement by the test. The tank was cycled, it was a 30 breeder that I keep a damsel and a few corals (chalices and a couple of acros).
I did not use copper, my plan was to get the fish eating and treat them only if needed. They did not get to eat, they died first.
I also agree that quarantine is a must. The last time I added a fish to my system I got from diver's den and did not quarantined. Unfortunately I have never seen yellow tail tamarin wrasses in diver's den, and they very rarely have copperbands.
I could not find out what went wrong, and that is frustrating.
But I know that system did not have dim lights, the damsel would compete for food, and it was hard to keep an eye in each fish individually. Also because I keep corals in that tank I could not lower the salinity even if I wanted.
So now the plan is to think it through and have a well stablished quarantine system.