Aggressive Quarantine Treatment Tank

Most aquarium fish diseases, injuries and parasitic outbreaks are stress related, created during collection and shipping. Many of these problems may not make themselves evident until after the new specimen is brought home from the LFS and placed in a tank. The most common problems are:

• External Parasites (Oodinium & Cryptocaryon)
• Intestinal Parasites (Nematode and Protozoan)
• Bacterial Infection
• Physical Injuries

In order to avoid infecting their show tanks with unwanted pests and diseases, many aquarists choose to hold their new fish arrivals in a quarantine tank (QT) for up to six weeks before transferring them to the show tank. The reasoning behind the "quarantine for six weeks" method is the belief that Oodinium or Saltwater Ich (the most frequent and feared tank invader) will either bloom, in which case it can be treated, or not make itself evident, in which case the fish is believed to be free from infestation and therefore safe to introduce into the show tank. This "wait and see" method could be described as a passive method of quarantine, until a problem arises.

Another line of thinking is to use an "aggressive quarantine" in which potential problems with new fish arrivals are treated before they appear. Think of it as preventive medicine. Why put your new fish in a 1.024 SG environment and wait six weeks for something to happen before acting when you could be aggressively quarantining at 1.010 SG (Hyposalinity or Osmotic Shock) and treating for bacterial infections, Ich and other potential problems before they become evident?

An example of aggressive quarantining for early treatment of Ich (Oodinium & Cryptocaryon), external bacterial infections (Popeye, surface & fin infections) and intestinal parasites would be:

• Establish QT @ 1.010 SG (Hyposalinity or Osmotic Shock level).
• Add Amquel (or other ammonia neutralizer) to QT daily.
• Feed appropriate food daily.
• Perform near complete water changes between treatments.
• Treat QT with Nitrofurazone or other gram negative/positive antibiotic (for external infections i.e. Popeye, red fins, surface sores). 4 days
• Treat for external parasites (Oodinium, Cryptocaryon). 5 days
• Treat for intestinal parasites (nematode and protozoan). 5 days

Both methods have their advantages and disadvantages.

Passive Quarantine (six weeks):

• PROS:
• Time tested method of detecting problems.
• Less invasive (Treats only detected problems).
• Less expensive (not buying unused treatments).
• CONS:
• Takes six weeks.
• May not expose potential problems (latent external/internal parasites).
• Does not treat potential problems.
• Potential wait for proper treatment after it shows up.

Aggressive Quarantine:

• PROS:
• Short (approximately two weeks).
• Thorough (treats most potential problems).
• Less likely to pass a problem to your show tank.
• Takes full advantage of a Fast & Cheap QT.
• CONS:
• Potentially higher cost (purchasing a number of products).

Most experienced SW aquarists would agree that the treatment products needed to pursue an aggressive quarantine/treatment tank method would be found in their aquarium first aid kit in anticipation of treating outbreaks of any of the potential problems expected in the passive quarantine method.

What do you need to add to your first-aid kit for saltwater aquariums for an aggressive quarantine tank? Not all that much, actually. You probably have all of the products already.

• Nitrofurazone or other gram negative/positive antibiotic.
• Marex or other treatment for both Oodinium and Cryptocaryon.
• Internal parasite treatment for Nematodes and Protozoa's.
• Amquel (or other ammonia neutralizer).

The Aggressive Quarantine method may not suit everyone's idea of what quarantining is all about, but for those who want to get their new fish into their show tanks ASAP, it is a method that should be considered.