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by Jamie Beyer, Water Garden Consultant
* You play Russian roulette with the health of your fish if you do not heed the advice of quarantining newly acquired fish.
* No matter how healthy a fish looks, it can still be a "Typhoid Mary" and be carrying a disease or parasite.
* All fish and plant retailers could potentially have diseases and parasites. They are constantly bringing in new fish and plants from many sources. Any one of them could infect the retailer's facility without their knowledge. The fish have also been stressed which, in itself, can cause a disease or parasitic outbreak.
* If you should infect your existing population of fish, it is much more difficult to treat the whole water garden. Treating a 100 gallon quarantine tub is obviously cheaper than treating a 5000 gallon pond. It is also easier to observe the fish for stress and how a disease is progressing.
* The horror of seeing your favorite Koi or calico shubunkin die due to not quarantining will long be remembered.
* When adding fish or plants to a pond that does not already have an existing population of fish.
* When you know the history of the fish. For example, your buddy raised a bunch of goldfish and he is willing to part with some of them. Of course, you ask if he/she has had any problems before you accept.
* When you are adding them to an existing population of low quality or not valued fish.
* The quarantine tank can be a 20 gal or larger aquarium, "kiddy" swimming pool, stock tank (available at farm stores and Menards), or a tub for a container water garden (this can be set-up later as a water garden or nursery for pond plants).
* Need an air pump (like that used for an aquarium) equipped with an air stone. A small water pump will also work. One that has an output of 70 to 140 gph. The air pump is preferred, if you have a choice. This is to keep the water well aerated while the quarantine is in progress.
* Fill with your pond water or water that has been properly conditioned. It is important that if your hands or nets have been in your "new" fish water, that you wash them before working in your existing pond.
* Add pickling or canning salt (this is pure salt) at the rate of 1#/100 gallons. This would be the same as 10 teaspoons/10 gallons. If the fish show signs of disease then up this dosage to 3#/100 gallons (or 30 teaspoons/10 gallons). Do this over two to three days. It too much of a shock to up the dosage in a couple of hours.
* The container needs to be covered with 1 x 1 inch welded wire or something similar. This keeps the fish from jumping out as well as keeping predators from dining on a captive population of fish.
* Set it up in the shade or keep water plants in it. Adding some filamentous algae (string algae) works great for quarantine set-ups. The algae works very effectively as a veggie filter. The Grid filter, water hyacinths, or water lettuce will also work very well for this purpose.
* When adding the fish, you need to properly acclimate them to their new tank. Of course, float the bag in the tank (out of the sun). This acclimates them to temperature of the water they are in. You also want to acclimate them to the chemistry of the tank water. You do this at the same time you are floating the bag, by adding "a little" tank water to the fish bag. Do this every 15 minutes until you have tripled the volume of the bag. This should be accomplished over an hour or so. After this period, you net the fish out of the bag and let loose in the tank. Do not add the bag water to the tank. This reduces the chances of releasing parasites that are free swimming in the bag.
* Minimum of two weeks - this is the absolute minimum. Six weeks is ideal.
* Most disease organisms and parasites will show themselves by the two-week period. However, there are a few that take longer to manifest themselves and the six-week period takes care of these.
* Do not feed the fish for the first two weeks. They will be spooked anyway and may not want to eat. Your fish can easily go two weeks without eating and not be harmed. If the tank is outside, some natural foods will be available to the fish. After two weeks, you can start feeding a little. There must not be ANY uneaten food left in the tank after the fish have been fed. If you have plants and/or you have a good biological filter running on the system will help keep your water quality in good condition. For tanks without any kind of plants or filter, make a 20% water change after two to three weeks.
* The fish will most likely quit eating (but not always).
* May not beg for food. This can also indicate that conditions in the tank or pond are not ideal for the fish. Spooked fish will also not beg for food.
* The fish may be "listless". This means the fish will not act normal by lying on the bottom or hanging in the corner -- away from the other fish.
* May visibly see ulcers or spots that are white, black, or red.
* Up the amount of salt that is added to the tank, as mentioned before.
* Very important to identify the disease or parasite before any kind of treatment is started (except for the salt).
* A lot of treatments are stressful to the fish and if it does not work on the "bug" then the fish suffers from the disease and the medication.
* Feed a medicated food if the fish are still eating.
* A lot of aquatic plants are sold out of fishless ponds. This means that fish diseases should not be present. It would not be necessary in this situation to treat or quarantine plants.
* However, to be on the safe side and in situations where fish are present in the ponds where the plants came from, then you treat the plants with the following treatments:
_ Simply place the plants in a quarantine tank like the fish and keep them there for 2 weeks.
- Or you can dip the plants in 37 % formalin solution. Mix at a rate of 2-3 cc per 10 gallons. Your veterinarian or pharmacy may have formalin of this concentration.
- Immerse the plants completely (even floating plants) for 3 to 5 hours.
_ Every 30 minutes stir the plants in the formalin dip or simply place an airstone in the dip tank.
_ Rinse the plants in regular tap water after the dip and place in your pond.