How To Quarantine

[Humblefish]

How to Setup a Quarantine Tank
(updated 4-6-2023)​

The following are the essentials:

• Aquarium (10-30 gallons seems to work for most people. A larger QT lets you house more fish and gives you more wiggle room when it comes to ammonia. A smaller QT is cheaper, easier to maintain and can be setup/broken down quickly.)
• Heater & thermometer.
• Small wavemaker, or air pump + air stone / sponge filter (for circulation & dissolved oxygen).
• Saltwater which has been fully dissolved and circulating for at least 24 hours.
• A lid to prevent the fish from jumping out.
• Seachem Ammonia Alert badge.

Simple QT with air pump + sponge filter

​

Recommended equipment:

• Hang On Back (HOB) Power Filter, where “seeded” biomedia (explained below) can be added. AquaClear, Bio-Wheel or Seachem Tidal are all good options. (The links are for mid-sized power filters, but all three brands come in various sizes for small-large QTs.)
• PVC elbows used as “caves” for fish to hide. (Plastic plants that are saltwater safe are also useful.)
• Light (I use these cheap LED fixtures meant for freshwater tanks).
• Titanium Grounding Probe for stray voltage.
• pH and ammonia test kits. (I was told that the Hanna Ammonia Checker works even with copper in the water - more info here.)

A more elaborate QT with HOB power filter, wave maker, PVC elbow, etc.

Rock/Sand in QT​

A small amount of sand is fine, but rock is best avoided as it will absorb medications (especially copper). However, one or two small pieces of live rock may be added to the QT for ammonia control - so long as it is coming from a disease-free tank. The live rock should be removed once a disease is spotted and before medications are used. Henceforth, the live rock must be considered “contaminated” once exposed to a fish disease, and sterilized in a chlorine:water (1:10 ratio) solution.

Quarantine Tank Lid​

Using a lid is very important to prevent fish from jumping out. You can buy (or build) a lid made from glass, acrylic or screen. However, I prefer using egg crate because it is cheap, easy to cut using snips and the holes allow for greater gas exchange (oxygen in the water). But sometimes it is necessary to sew screen under the eggcrate top to prevent small fish from jumping through the holes:

Ammonia Control​

Toxic ammonia, caused by fish urine/poop and uneaten food, needs to be closely monitored in QT. You can use a test kit (so long as no medications are present); or a Seachem Ammonia Alert badge or this Hanna Ammonia Checker works even in the presence of medications. Remember, even the smallest traces of ammonia are toxic!

If no biofilter is being used then performing water changes is your best option for controlling ammonia. In a pinch, you can use an ammonia reducer such as Amquel or Prime to control ammonia for 24-48 hours. **Warning** Some medications (especially ionic copper such as Cupramine) react negatively with ammonia reducers. However, I have verified that Prime is safe to use with Copper Power.

What is a biofilter? For QT purposes, any porous biomedia that allows water to pass through it. This media needs to be "seeded" with live nitrifying bacteria in order to be effective for ammonia control. It can be a simple air driven sponge filter, or glass marbles on the bottom of a QT with flow passing over them. More effective means would be a sponge/foam insert, Seachem Matrix or Fluval Biomax placed inside the aforementioned HOB power filter. Note: The Bio-Wheel itself (below right) is capable of being seeded with bacteria.

​

How do I "seed" the biomedia? In one of two ways:

1. Place it in a high flow area of your DT’s sump (or you can put it behind the rocks) for at least 2-3 months prior to QT. This allows time for enough beneficial bacteria to transfer over.
2. Dose a "bacteria in a bottle" product, such Fritz Turbostart, Dr. Tim's Nitrifying Bacteria, Seachem Stability or Bio-Spira, into the QT at least a week before purchasing fish.

Gas Exchange/Oxygen in QT​

It is crucial to provide sufficient dissolved oxygen in QT, especially when using medications. This can be accomplished by increasing "gas exchange" which means creating ripples at the water's surface by using a power filter or sponge filter, air stones, or pointing a wavemaker upwards (see video below):

​

See also: The Secret to a Healthy Quarantine Aquarium by Felicia McCaulley

Video learning:




PART 2:

Quarantine Strategies & Protocols​

 

[salty joe]

Great info, HumbleFish! Very nicely laid out. Thank you.
I am considering the H2O2/TTM method and am curious why H2O2 is not mentioned in this post. Has H2O2 been proven effective?

 

[Humblefish]

Great info, HumbleFish! Very nicely laid out. Thank you.
I am considering the H2O2/TTM method and am curious why H2O2 is not mentioned in this post. Has H2O2 been proven effective?

I still consider H2O2 to be in the experimental stage, although it is showing great promise.

 

[reeksreef]

Thanks for the info, I want to start quarantining new fish that I get but will only have space for 1 tank. After the 30 days is it ok to place them into the tank instead or the 2 week observation? Or do a 90% water change water change on the medicated tank and observe for 2 weeks?

 

[Humblefish]

Thanks for the info, I want to start quarantining new fish that I get but will only have space for 1 tank. After the 30 days is it ok to place them into the tank instead or the 2 week observation? Or do a 90% water change water change on the medicated tank and observe for 2 weeks?

If using just 1 QT here is what I would do:

1. Treat for 30 days in copper: Copper treatment
2. After the 30 days are up, perform large water changes or use Cuprisorb / Polyfilter to remove all the copper from the water.
3. Once the copper is all out begin a 2 week countdown to observe the fish to be sure nothing slipped thru the cracks.
4. During the 2 week observation period treat with prazi in order to deworm: Praziquantel

 

[reeksreef]

If using just 1 QT here is what I would do:

1. Treat for 30 days in copper: Copper treatment
2. After the 30 days are up, perform large water changes or use Cuprisorb / Polyfilter to remove all the copper from the water.
3. Once the copper is all out begin a 2 week countdown to observe the fish to be sure nothing slipped thru the cracks.
4. During the 2 week observation period treat with prazi in order to deworm: Praziquantel

Thank You

 

[rpetersen]

Hey @Humblefish!

Quick question: You mentioned dosing metronidazole concurrently with copper once therapeutic copper is reached. Then, when copper dosing is completed, deworming with Prazipro or API GC in the water column. As API GC has metronidazole in it (I do believe, could be wrong), can I avoid dosing metronidazole during copper treatment? Pros and cons? I gather for wrasses, separating the copper dosing from the de-worming meds might be prudent?

Relatedly, is Prazipro insufficient in your experience as a deworming medicine? I.e., Is metronidazole a necessary ally?!

Many thanks

 

[Dierks]

Hey @rpetersen!

So you will dose both Metro and API GC while they are in the copper. You will want to dose Metro every other day (every 48 Hours) but substitute API GC for 2 of the doses. (6 Days apart) The Prazi takes care of flukes, the metro takes care of Uronema and Brooks and the copper addresses Ich and Velvet. We also will put API GC in their food for 7 days to address any internal issues as like you stated it has metro+prazi. (One of the two meals of the day)

So dosing schedule once you hit the 2.0 (if using Copper Power) is:
Day 2 - Metro -- Start Feeding API GC Lased food
Day 4 - API GC
Day 6 - Metro
Day 8 - Metro -- Last feeding of API GC Lased food
Day 10 - API GC
Day 12 - Metro
Day 20-22ish - Pull out of copper AS LONG AS IT HAS STAYED ABOVE 2.0

Hope that all make sense, also if you haven't use Metro before it smells like fish Farts after you dose it so dont be alarmed and have the fan ready!! 🤔 🐟〰

 

[rpetersen]

Hey @rpetersen!

So you will dose both Metro and API GC while they are in the copper. You will want to dose Metro every other day (every 48 Hours) but substitute API GC for 2 of the doses. (6 Days apart) The Prazi takes care of flukes, the metro takes care of Uronema and Brooks and the copper addresses Ich and Velvet. We also will put API GC in their food for 7 days to address any internal issues as like you stated it has metro+prazi. (One of the two meals of the day)

So dosing schedule once you hit the 2.0 (if using Copper Power) is:
Day 2 - Metro -- Start Feeding API GC Lased food
Day 4 - API GC
Day 6 - Metro
Day 8 - Metro -- Last feeding of API GC Lased food
Day 10 - API GC
Day 12 - Metro
Day 20-22ish - Pull out of copper AS LONG AS IT HAS STAYED ABOVE 2.0

Hope that all make sense, also if you haven't use Metro before it smells like fish Farts after you dose it so dont be alarmed and have the fan ready!! 🤔 🐟〰

Awesome, thank you.

Would it be sufficient to simplify a bit and:
#1. Dose copper for 2-3 weeks at 2ppm
#2. Remove copper from water
#3. Dose API GC in the water column on two occasions 5-7 days apart (with a 25% water change) and feed medicated API GC food throughout?

I'm thinking prudent for wrasses as they are sensitive, and I've got more coming.

I guess my question is, why separate metro and API GC? Is the concern overdosing praziquantel?

Farts - my students will be delighted

@Dierks @Humblefish

 

[Dierks]

@rpetersen You must move then fish out of the tank that you have been using if you are going to go just over the 2 weeks. This is Key to shortening the process...

You need to address the Uronema and the Brooks and that is where the Metro comes into play. You can tweak your idea a bit by doing the following:

#1. Dose copper for 2-3 weeks at 2ppm
#2. Dose Metro every other day for 10 days (4-5 Treatments)
#3. Remove copper from water Change Tanks to a fresh Tank with new water
#4. Dose API GC in the water column on two occasions 5-7 days apart (with a 25% water change) and feed medicated API GC food throughout? -- Might as well do this during the 2-3 weeks in the copper, the sooner you can get them out of the medicated soup/water the better.

For wrasse's its not the metro that will do the harm, its the parizi.. For some wrasses they do not enjoy that medication at all! Also the sooner you can get a wrasse out of copper the better as well. So the schedule I provided is the best "Shortcut" we have except if you are dealing with Wrasse's I would suggest only going until day 16 in copper, the rest of the schedule stays the same.

I guess my question is, why separate metro and API GC? Is the concern overdosing praziquantel?
@Dierks @Humblefish

Because you need to dose Metro more times, for it to be effective. (4-5 times - Unless you are using Pharmaceutical Grade Metro) And you got it, Prazi is the issue, also flukes are wiped out after the first dose, but their eggs aren't so that is why we hit them 2 times with that to kill off anything that had hatched 5-7 day days later. Also, you don't need to do the water changes if you do the schedule provided, unless the water is starting to look bad. The medications only last 48 hours...

 

[rpetersen]

@rpetersen You must move then fish out of the tank that you have been using if you are going to go just over the 2 weeks. This is Key to shortening the process...

You need to address the Uronema and the Brooks and that is where the Metro comes into play. You can tweak your idea a bit by doing the following:

#1. Dose copper for 2-3 weeks at 2ppm
#2. Dose Metro every other day for 10 days (4-5 Treatments)
#3. Remove copper from water Change Tanks to a fresh Tank with new water
#4. Dose API GC in the water column on two occasions 5-7 days apart (with a 25% water change) and feed medicated API GC food throughout? -- Might as well do this during the 2-3 weeks in the copper, the sooner you can get them out of the medicated soup/water the better.

For wrasse's its not the metro that will do the harm, its the parizi.. For some wrasses they do not enjoy that medication at all! Also the sooner you can get a wrasse out of copper the better as well. So the schedule I provided is the best "Shortcut" we have except if you are dealing with Wrasse's I would suggest only going until day 16 in copper, the rest of the schedule stays the same.

Because you need to dose Metro more times, for it to be effective. (4-5 times - Unless you are using Pharmaceutical Grade Metro) And you got it, Prazi is the issue, also flukes are wiped out after the first dose, but there eggs aren't so that is why we hit them 2 times with that to kill off anything that had hatched 5-7 day days later. Also, you don't need to do the water changes if you do the schedule provided, unless the water is starting to look bad. The medications only last 48 hours...

Thanks! I've been reading about this for months and things are starting to come together. In effect, I've been relying on API GC (with metro in it) for two doses. It sounds like this is NOT enough metro to get at Uronema and Brookynella. I only have one QT tank, so I'm looking at:

#1. H2O2 dip for 30 mins in QT saltwater (or RODI water) on arrival
#2. Dose copper for 2-4 weeks (16 days for wrasses) at 2 ppm (ramp up slow for wrasses). Feed medicated API GC for a few weeks during this period.
#3. Dose metro every other day for 4-5 treatments (no water changes needed, assuming no ammonia spikes etc.)
#4. Big water change + carbon to remove praziquantel.
#5. Dose Prazipro (or API GC) into the water column 5-7 days apart (or for quick turnover, carbon + big water change as only active ~24 hours in the water). Be careful not to exceed prazipro target levels.
#6. Big water change + carbon = happy watchful waiting period. The longer the better.

 

[Dierks]

If you only have one QT tank then here is your schedule:

The H202 Dip has a lot of promise to remove external issues such as Brooks and Uronema so that might be the secret weapon but we dont know until the tests have been done. (Humblefish is working on this now/soon) So you MIGHT be able to get away with just the 2 doses of API GC but we dont know for sure...

If you want to be 100% sure that everything has been caught you will have to do the following:

EDIT: Corrected a couple things on the schedule for no confusion.
Day 1- Drop fish into 1.0 Copper Power
Day 2- Raise Copper power to 1.35
Day 3 - Raise Copper power to 1.70
Day 4 - Raise Copper Power to 2.0
Day 6 - Metro -- Start Feeding API GC Lased food (Once a Day)
Day 8 - API GC
Day 10 - Metro
Day 12 - Metro
Day 14 - API GC
Day 16 - Metro
Edit: Day 20 - Last feeding of API GC Lased food (Once a Day)
Day 30 - Pull out of copper AS LONG AS IT HAS STAYED ABOVE 2.0

Onto the Two Weeks of observation

NOTE: You can also (And I now Suggest This) do your medicated laced foods in your Two week observation period after you pull all the copper out of the water. This is easier on the fish as they are stuck in the medicated soup we put them through.

The reason we get away with the "Shortcut" is because you don't have to wait out the ich and velvet trophonts, (egg like sacks that release free swimmers that then attach to the fish) but if you have to do it all in one tank (I highly suggest getting the 2nd tank so you can take the shortcut as its quicker and easier on the fish) then you MUST go the full 30 days to make sure all the ich and Velvet has hatched and been killed by the copper.

Its a lot to take in and the first time I did it it felt overwhelming, but if you stick to the schedule you will be just fine! I am sure @Humblefish will be on in the morning and he will provide his expertise. But you got this!!

 

[rpetersen]

If you only have one QT tank then here is your schedule:

The H202 Dip has a lot of promiss to remove external issues such as Brooks and Uronema so that might be the secret weapon but we dont know until the tests have been done. (Humblefish is working on this now/soon) So you MIGHT be able to get away with just the 2 doses of API GC but we dont know for sure...

If you want to be 100% sure that everything has been caught you will have to do the following:

Day 1- Drop fish into 1.0 Copper Power
Day 2- Raise Copper power to 1.35
Day 3 - Raise Copper power to 1.70
Day 4 - Raise Copper Power to 2.0
Day 6 - Metro -- Start Feeding API GC Lased food
Day 8 - API GC
Day 10 - Metro
Day 12 - Metro -- Last feeding of API GC Lased food
Day 14 - API GC
Day 16 - Metro
Day 30 - Pull out of copper AS LONG AS IT HAS STAYED ABOVE 2.0

The reason we get away with the "Shortcut" is because you don't have to wait out the ich and velvet trophonts, (egg like sacks that realease free swimmers that then attach to the fish) but if you have to do it all in one tank (I highly suggest getting the 2nd tank so you can take the shortcut as its quicker and easier on the fish) then you MUST go the full 30 days to make sure all the ich and Velvet has hatched and been killed by the copper.

Its a lot to take in and the first time I did it it felt overwhelming, but if you stick to the schedule you will be just fine! I am sure @Humblefish will be on in the morning and he will provide his expertise. But you got this!!

Haha, thanks mate! This is concise and super helpful.

The only lingering sliver is mixing copper and praziquantel concurrently for reef sensitive fish... I'll digest all this and formalize something

 

[Humblefish]

The only lingering sliver is mixing copper and praziquantel concurrently for reef sensitive fish...

Every medication you combine increases potential side effects, but IME copper + metro (or GC) is typically well tolerated. Now, if you combine copper + Prazipro there is the risk of a bacterial bloom (cloudy water) due to the Oxybispropanol it contains. Therefore it is absolutely imperative to increase gas exchange (e.g. point a powerhead towards the surface of the water) when mixing any other medication with Prazipro.

Other than that, it looks like @Dierks has everything very well covered here.

 

[rpetersen]

Every medication you combine increases potential side effects, but IME copper + metro (or GC) is typically well tolerated. Now, if you combine copper + Prazipro there is the risk of a bacterial bloom (cloudy water) due to the Oxybispropanol it contains. Therefore it is absolutely imperative to increase gas exchange (e.g. point a powerhead towards the surface of the water) when mixing any other medication with Prazipro.

Other than that, it looks like @Dierks has everything very well covered here.

Thanks @Humblefish and @Dierks
Going to apply this knowledge moving forward... possibly with an H2O2 dip up front

 

[Constellation]

Hey @rpetersen!

So you will dose both Metro and API GC while they are in the copper. You will want to dose Metro every other day (every 48 Hours) but substitute API GC for 2 of the doses. (6 Days apart) The Prazi takes care of flukes, the metro takes care of Uronema and Brooks and the copper addresses Ich and Velvet. We also will put API GC in their food for 7 days to address any internal issues as like you stated it has metro+prazi. (One of the two meals of the day)

So dosing schedule once you hit the 2.0 (if using Copper Power) is:
Day 2 - Metro -- Start Feeding API GC Lased food
Day 4 - API GC
Day 6 - Metro
Day 8 - Metro -- Last feeding of API GC Lased food
Day 10 - API GC
Day 12 - Metro
Day 20-22ish - Pull out of copper AS LONG AS IT HAS STAYED ABOVE 2.0

Hope that all make sense, also if you haven't use Metro before it smells like fish Farts after you dose it so dont be alarmed and have the fan ready!! 🤔 🐟〰

Dierks or @Humblefish - Do you do any water changes during this time?

 

[Quicklynx]

Dierks or @Humblefish - Do you do any water changes during this time?

From what I'm reading you are only doing a water change if you absolutely have to, ie. Ammonia spike.

I have a 75g QT and I'm battling ammonia. Two large water changes so far. Hoping the 2nd time was the charm. Once it stabilizes I can officially start quarantine.

 

[Quicklynx]

This is great information. It looks like my Triggers may have contracted Brooks somehow.

As of right now I don't have the proper medications, (need the Seachem metro) but I'll probably use the 30 day schedule on copper, metro, GC.

Overall, once all treatment is complete, there will be a good amount of observation time.

Since my Eels don't really take well to meds I'm going to move them and all my inverts into the DT first, and want a full 76 days to ensure nothing is alive and hosting. I will use the black Molly method to ensure my Eels are not carriers of ich.

I don't believe the Brooks my Triggers have could've passed into any of my other tanks running right now, but if it somehow did I assume the Eels, with their mucous coats, Brooks wouldn't be able to latch on at all, and really after they're isolated in the DT for 6 weeks it would an be dead by then.

 

[Dierks]

Dierks or @Humblefish - Do you do any water changes during this time?

Nope, I dont do any water changes, in fact what I do is let the water evaporate while the fish are in my QT's (I made my QT lids from this so there is evaporation

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That way they go from 1.022 (That is what they come in from the wholesaler) to 1.025 in the 17 days they are in my copper tanks. Just make sure that you are giving 48 Hrs before you re-dose any medications.

 

[Dierks]

From what I'm reading you are only doing a water change if you absolutely have to, ie. Ammonia spike.

I have a 75g QT and I'm battling ammonia. Two large water changes so far. Hoping the 2nd time was the charm. Once it stabilizes I can officially start quarantine.

You got it, My Hang on the back filters have sponges in them that have been in there for a while. I also give my tanks a boost with This:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002DGK8G/?tag=humblefish-20

It really is AWESOME stuff!! Keeps my tank in really good shape, I dose it about 12-18 Hours before I put fish in the tank.