How long do you QT new fish?

[Headrush]

I know this should probably be in a different forum section, but I'm mostly interested in SA/CA cichlids so I'll start it here

Some of you may have read previously that I had purchased a couple fish and introduced a bacterial infection to my 90 gallon set-up. I lost 3 fish total to bloat (Dropsy?) before Maracyn Plus saved the day. I went to a "bargain shop" in town last night and grabbed a 29 x 11 x 11 tank to use as a Quarantine tank for any new fish I buy (strange size I know but it should be perfect).

My question is, how long do you normally QT a new fish? Is a week enough time? I am also wondering if I should go ahead and treat new fish as if they are sick? Not sure this is a good idea (Medicating a potentially healthy fish)?

any recommendations?

 

[importracer]

I have never QT fish in my 20+ years of fish keeping....lol....But a week of treatment in a hospital tank will be good enough...Keep the treated fish in the QT for another week....Feeding and doing two, maybe three 25% water changes in the last week of rehab....

 

[tunerX]

If you QT with 85 degree temps, salt, and/or copper. Then about 5-7 days. If you want to do it naturally then 3-4 weeks.

 

[Headrush]

isn't it a good idea to QT new fish?

Guess I'm gun shy now...Once bitten...

 

[Gourami Swami]

Its a good ideam but im lazy and in my 10+ years of fishkeeping I have only QT'd feeders.

 

[killerfish]

dpends what type of fish and how it looks if its in good condition and its active then not long mabye a few days but if its beat up or sick QT it untill its better

feeders are different they get atleast 2 weeks longer if from a bad place parasites can be harder to look for and take longer to treat

 

[bolty]

add me to the "NEVER Q.T A FISH"

 

[ShadowStryder]

I always quarantine fish minimal of two weeks. I also treat with a parasitic med, this gives enough time to kill parasites that will fall off and rehost. I will never add a fish to an established system. ( unless it comes from someone trusted) I have quarantined wild caught for as long as 4-5 weeks.

If a fish has an internal health issue, especially if just delivered to the lfs, I may take a week or two for that condition to show itself. By then it is to late, you have already exposed a possible health risk to your system.

Better to treat one small quarantine than to treat one monster setup!

 

[Gr8KarmaSF]

2 weeks min.

 

[Mystix212]

I dont quarentine fish. I more or less buy fish that I've observed for quite some time in the LFS and ask whats the history of the tank etc. If I see a fish I want, but it is in a tank with a history of ich in the last 2 months, I'll wait some more time or keep searching.