OK, how long does it really take...

[Tigerlily]

to determine whether a new fish in quarantine is healthy?

I am just being impatient, I know. But, I got three fishies almost a week ago, and they are so healthy - and eating well - and active... but would be so much happier swimming in the big tank with their new family...

If they were going to come down with ich or something, wouldn't it have happened in a week?

OK, OK - I'll keep waiting... grrrrrr.....

 

[Allivymar]

Heh I hear ya Tigerlily. Patience may be a virtue but its also a PITA

Give it at LEAST 2 weeks. I usually give my guys 2 weeks, 3 in the case of loaches since they're usually wild caught and may be carrying parasites.

 

[Tigerlily]

I know, I know. You're totally right. I am just dying to see my new guys swimming with "the pack."

Actually, this is the first time I've quarantined new fish (thanks to all the great advice I've received here!). I guess I've just been really lucky up until now to get healthy fish (knock on wood). Also, this is my first community tank since I was a kid and these are really the first fish I've tried to add since I started it up, earlier this year. I guess I'm just extra excited!

In the past I always had goldfish, and when you have only 2 or 3 fish in your tank and they live a really long time, you don't have much reason to quarantine new ones!

Ugh - patience...

 

[Allivymar]

LOL I'm going thru the same thing now.

I FINALLY found yoyo loaches at Petsmart of all places. I've needed some ever since I got a single yoyo at a lfs about a month ago (and had been looking for them since June). I have one lil guy in the QT tank (had 2...one disappeared 2 hours after going into the QT tank) and now this teeny lil thing is alone in there for 3 weeks. Poor bugger. But, while I feel bad for him, I ain't taking a chance on my babies. So, I just sit here watching him and being ALL impatient LOL

 

[madasafish]

If you're into medications... (Some ppl prefer other methods of treatment to medication in order to encourage strong immune resitance in their fish.)

I know that a lot of better-quality fish stores bathe their fish in methylblu or another anti-protozoan medication before adding the fish to the tanks. This isn't really a replacement for proper QTing, but it should ensure that a healthier fish or healthier fish (plural) enter your tank. Plus, if you're treating with Methyblu, you can be almost sure that any free-floating protozoans are dead after roughly a week (enough time for cysts to erupt). Other diseases, of course, take longer to diagnose and treat.

Just a suggestion.

 

[Tigerlily]

Thanks madasafish... As hard as it is to wait, I'd rather avoid using medications on my fish if I can help it! I've only had to treat for ich once, and that was with a single goldfish a long time ago! So, I don't have much experience with medicating my fish and am not really comfortable with it. (And, now that I know about the high heat treatment, I won't even have to use medication for ich anymore either! )

The methylblu is a good idea to keep stored away for future reference though, because you never know what circumstances will occur!