I try to avoid the acclimatizing issue by keeping my quarantine tank at a similar temp to my pond. It's in a screened in room so that's not hard.
Quarantining Fish and a Cycled Pond Views?
- Thread starter Jason
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HTH
Howard
I think this is a good fit for this topic if you don't mind Jason.
I have often wonder how far apart and how hard one has to work at it to do an effective quarenteen. I have an idea of what seems extreme to me but how much less then that is effective?
Surely sharing equipment between the QT and other areas would be bad. What about washing hands and sanitizing etc..
I have often wonder how far apart and how hard one has to work at it to do an effective quarenteen. I have an idea of what seems extreme to me but how much less then that is effective?
Surely sharing equipment between the QT and other areas would be bad. What about washing hands and sanitizing etc..
HTH
Howard
Jason I too use an infrared thermometer. Whey measuring pond water with it aim it at the water around your falls. Surface temperature is often much warmer then the pond in general.
crsublette
coyotes call me Charles
HTH said:
Yeah, I have read of folk, that value their koi in the thousands of dollars, wear plastic gloves and most definitely have 2 of everything, that is one set for the pond and one set for the quarantine tank so to avoid cross contamination and some of these folk quarantine for an entire season or a year. Of course, look at the money they invest into the fish its self and then it will seem more reasonable. There's a point where I think folk's quarantine quality procedures depends on how valuable they view the fish and the potential impact they will have on the pond.
crsublette
coyotes call me Charles
Don't worry about it. If your pH is staying stable and steady, then this is much more important.Jason said:
If I'm allowed to take a guess... The koi keeping pond store guy sounds like he might know a few things due to his recommendation for a lower pH, but, then again, him saying this to a beginner would make me concerned. Depending on your alkalinity level, it is not that easy to lower your pH level; to understand why, then read the hyperlinks within the thread, remedial water chemistry and treatments. For advance fish keepers, they will try to control the pH level and mineral content more precisely so to invoke particular patterns and color, and this is the reason why I think the fella might have recommended a lower pH, that is me assuming the guy actually knows what he is talking about.
If you are impressed by that, you should read about Hanako... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koi#Health.2C_maintenance_and_longevityJason said:
Sadly Hanako is a myth according to most of the western koi experts at least....
Either way though its a great story that creates a president, i;e goldfish or koi that with love and attention to detail Quarentine and are subjest to regular water testing, pond, filter maintenance as well as water changes will like our two oldest live to a ripe old age.
What age is dependant on you the owner.
Skip on any of the above , well I'll say no more.
I will say something though personally I believe the japanese claims about Hanako (why) because in Japan "face" is everything, there is according to the writings about this koi proven providence so no loss of face,why lie about something if face is at risk ???
Another thing I read somewhere, is that the temple koi may be even older than Hanako their welfare being tended by generations of shinto priests believe it "well thats up to you" but it says the same thing either way.
rgrds
Dave
Either way though its a great story that creates a president, i;e goldfish or koi that with love and attention to detail Quarentine and are subjest to regular water testing, pond, filter maintenance as well as water changes will like our two oldest live to a ripe old age.
What age is dependant on you the owner.
Skip on any of the above , well I'll say no more.
I will say something though personally I believe the japanese claims about Hanako (why) because in Japan "face" is everything, there is according to the writings about this koi proven providence so no loss of face,why lie about something if face is at risk ???
Another thing I read somewhere, is that the temple koi may be even older than Hanako their welfare being tended by generations of shinto priests believe it "well thats up to you" but it says the same thing either way.
rgrds
Dave
To me the issue isn't about an animal's value, although if an animal is expensive or valuable I can understand why it would be. As all my fish came from "feeder" tanks, I figure by the time they get to me they've experienced considerable natural selection, and they'd have to be pretty hardy to survive in "feeder" tank conditions. In other words they are the fish equivalent of shelter strays. My concern is avoiding the introduction of a fish with a contagious illness. I figure by careful observation before I buy, and a week's quarantine after, if a fish is sick that will become apparent before it makes it into the pond.
@Litzi - You might also consider that because the feeders have already encountered so much stress, by the time they get to you they are barely clinging to life. Since they are feeders, they're not expected to live much longer by the stores.
In my case, I by rosy-red minnows from the stores for my pond (in the wild, they come from further North, and are well suited for a much harsher climate). I actually just bought another 50 last Friday, which were put into a QT tank, and I think there might still be 20 alive. The water conditions in my QT tank are going to be better than what the store had them in, and since its in the same city, the water chemistry will be identical. Even so, when I buy a batch of these guys, most never survive the first week. After 2 years of introducing several batches of these fish to my pond, I only have about 2 dozen that have survived. They were aggressively breeding last Summer, but I never saw any babies survive (maybe I'll try a breeder bucket for them this year also).
My point is, just because the feeders survived getting to you, does not mean you shouldn't try to minimize subjecting them to any further stress.
In my case, I by rosy-red minnows from the stores for my pond (in the wild, they come from further North, and are well suited for a much harsher climate). I actually just bought another 50 last Friday, which were put into a QT tank, and I think there might still be 20 alive. The water conditions in my QT tank are going to be better than what the store had them in, and since its in the same city, the water chemistry will be identical. Even so, when I buy a batch of these guys, most never survive the first week. After 2 years of introducing several batches of these fish to my pond, I only have about 2 dozen that have survived. They were aggressively breeding last Summer, but I never saw any babies survive (maybe I'll try a breeder bucket for them this year also).
My point is, just because the feeders survived getting to you, does not mean you shouldn't try to minimize subjecting them to any further stress.
I have a question for those that may know... when you quarantine and then place fish in main pond or tank. Do you use add the water that the fish had come in and put into pond? If so aren't there organisms still in that water that are now transferred to your main even if you didn't see signs of illness? Do you do a complete water change in your quarantine tank after each purchase? Again are you not possibly transporting harmful organisms into the main? Am just seeing both sides of the discussion here..Is the same practice done if say you got fish from someone you know or do you recommend the same if you sold or gave away fish?
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Wow, Crsublette, I did not know that it can affect a fish's color! I learn something new everyday on here!crsublette said:
Shdwdrgn, Thats is absolutely CRAZY, I bet that fish would be worth MILLIONS to some body these days!
crsublette
coyotes call me Charles
don't ask said:
Whether you quarantine or not is a personal decision unless you know exactly what you're looking for in the fish physiology for illness. I know many folk that still quarantine their fish, even after they are bought from very respectable breeders, to simply observe the fish to make sure the fish gets acclimated to the pond water without problem and that the transit of the fish did not cause any problems. It is easier to treat them while they're in quarantine rather than when they are in the pond since there is less water to treat and you can simply just observe them better.
Personally, after I have floated the bag for a while, which that particular article referenced by Howard was very interesting, then I just cut various slits in the bag to let the water drain while I am slowing adding new QT water into the holey bag. After about 10 seconds of this, then the old water should be rinsed out of the bag and I put the bag in the QT so to allow the fish to gently swim out. I do not allow the old bag water to enter the QT. I do my best to avoid using nets, if I can avoid it.
After I get done with the water in the QT, yes, then I drain the QT. QT's are very easy to quickly cycle with a fishless cycle if the desire is to get a bio-filter up running fast.
It is definitely a learning experience to better understand the fish when you are capable of QT'n them.
I am simply using a 100 gallon galvanize tank that I got from the farm supply store. Supposedly, with some folk, there are reservations against using a galvanized tank, but I have not yet read of nor seen any problems about using it.
Please help. I just acquired 4 large KOI 20"+. I have a large pond with approx. 90 fish up and running 8 years. What is the best way to introduce these new fish to my pond.