How long to quarantine?

[Rerstad]

Had my blue spot in QT for two weeks now. Doing well, although it seems lethargic/depressed. I can feed it mysis soaked in Selcon and garlic from a turkey baster, but the rest of the time it just sits there. It's in a QT w/ PVC pipe, but I added a container of sand and rubble. Fish wouldn't swim onto it on its own, so I gently moved it there with the net. It dug a hole and was there for a day, but then swam out onto the bare bottom again. After a few days I move it back onto the sand/rubble. Within hours it was on the bare bottom again.

How long do I keep it in quarantine? I assume it will be happier/more active in the DT.

Thanks,

Rich

 

[jpsika08]

Rich, minimum and recommended time would be Six Weeks, within these weeks you will and can detect any disease or illness on the fish.
Less than this time you can jeopardize your DT fish with unwanted creeps.

 

[PSU4ME]

Hi Rich,
Good advice from Juan......6-8 weeks is the recommended range and that's if everything looks good.....if something is "fishy" (no pun intended) then you should keep him in QT until you're satisfied.

Getting Ich in your display tank is the last thing you want.......

Kudos to you for QT'ing though!

 

[sasquatch]

these are a low temperature fish, whats the qt at?

 

[Rerstad]

Keeping QT at about 74. I understand the value of taking it slow, but I get concerned about stress from staying in the "boring" isolation that is not anything like their native habitat. Had a blue tang that spent its whole quarantine period laying on its side under the PVC pipe, sneaking out only to nab a piece of food. It was developing HLLE by the time I moved it to the DT. It has become active (and chubby) since then and most signs of HLLE are gone. Just trying to strike the right balance here and not rush nor drag things out more than is healthy.

 

[sasquatch]

Why not ask Lee for a stress method to try, if it passes the stress test your done, fish that may be harboring ich will usually present with a drop in temp, ask Lee if he has a thing to try