Question for the pros and please do not tell me HOW Im wrong, but rather why Im wrong. I have been doing a lot of reading, AND calling to large aquarium fish stores and heres what I have found. Im not convinced that Ick is defeated or controlled by quarantine. Heres why. From what I have found almost all fish have the possibility of ick just like the human is prone to the cold. Just like stress on a human can cause a breakdown in the immune system, stress can cause ick to a fish. I know this is lame but is the closest analogy I can make. I would almost go as far as to say that ALL fish have ick, just whether or not they have the right conditions around them to set the ick in motion. The whole quarantine thing really makes no sense to me in that you are moving a fish from the person(s) you buy it from, to another set of water conditions and water surroundings, then to yet another set of water conditions and surroundings. Which in my mind only adds one more step to the possibility of the fish stressing and obtaining the ick. I know and realize it’s a parasite, but from all accounts the parasite is “set off” by stress, bad water conditions, etc.
I have never quarantined any fish in Saltwater or Freshwater. However I have observed all of the fish I have ever bought and made sure they seem to be normal in the tank I am getting them from. So far I have in my 4 years not ever had a problem with ick.
I always buy the fish, take 10-15 gallons of my own tank water (AFTER acclimation/floating of 1-2 hours) and let them sit in the water from my tank with Formalin in it. I find this is very effective for me. Also I find that a most if not all of the BIG fish stores that are into SW do this as well and have very little problems.
I would like any and all feedback on this. Preferably not articles….I have read so many articles on this my head is swimming. (no pun). I would just like to hear any feedback on this. Im very curious for sure. Sorry so lengthy.
I have never quarantined any fish in Saltwater or Freshwater. However I have observed all of the fish I have ever bought and made sure they seem to be normal in the tank I am getting them from. So far I have in my 4 years not ever had a problem with ick.
I always buy the fish, take 10-15 gallons of my own tank water (AFTER acclimation/floating of 1-2 hours) and let them sit in the water from my tank with Formalin in it. I find this is very effective for me. Also I find that a most if not all of the BIG fish stores that are into SW do this as well and have very little problems.
I would like any and all feedback on this. Preferably not articles….I have read so many articles on this my head is swimming. (no pun). I would just like to hear any feedback on this. Im very curious for sure. Sorry so lengthy.