posted 01-04-2004 07:22 AM           

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hi all i was just wondering how long your should Quarantine fish to make sure that no disease enters my main tank ?
thanks all

[This message has been edited by mightyone_5 (edited 01-04-2004).]

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posted 01-04-2004 06:21 PM         

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i usually keep them in there for 1-2 days depending on where i got them and if they had recently or have sick fish in other tanks. if they had any sick fish id say 2-3 days

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posted 01-04-2004 09:19 PM         

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I have heard to quarantine them for 1-3 day and then I have heard to keep them there for a few weeks. I think that if they don't show any signs for a few days, they should be fine.
Ashley

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posted 01-04-2004 09:49 PM         

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HI, I would leave the fish in quarantine for at least 5 - 7 days even if they do not show any signs of disease. The reason for this is that the water in the tank you bought them from, the water in the quarantine tank, and the tank they are going into are all different. Remember that all of the different elements in the water are measured in "parts per million", so that even what seems to you to be a small change, to your fish it is a large change. By reaclimating them to another tank in less than a week is quite a strain to the fish. I've seen people who go to the pet shop the day fish arrive and buy them right away and take them home. Put them in their tank and wonder why they died for no apparent reason. The reason is this: In shipment they have probably been bagged 25-50 fish in a bag for several hours. The water in that bag is most likely very acidic due to the waste from all of the fish in that bag. Now they are acclimated into a tank at the pet shop which probably has a slightly high to high alkaline content because of continual maintenance to keep from losing fish. Then less than 24 hours later they are taken to a home tank and acclimated into a tank that most likely has a neutral PH since you want to keep several different varieties of fish in the tank. So in less than 24 hours they have been shocked by PH no less than 3 times. So tell me why the fish died? This is not to consider all of the trace elements plus ammonia and nitrite changes that have occured. Maybe this will give you a clear picture why you should wait about a week to purchase fish from your local pet shop and why you should quarantine for about a week.

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