QT Suggestion
Quarantining ANY new fish is vital -- not only for the safety of your CURRENT fish, but, also for the safety of your NEW fish!
It is a well known fact that shipping is an extremely stressful process for any fish. When a fish is stressed, the stress compromises the fishes immune system. When the fish has a compromised immune system, the fish is more susceptible to secondary bacterial infections. Bacterial infections that a well acclimated fish could easily combat without issue.
Green Water Ranchu spends hundreds of dollars a year on fish medications, and treats bi-annually, or more, as needed. Try as we might to keep our goldfish as healthy as possible, there is always a chance that the fish could contract an illness in transit to you due to the fish’s immunities dropping during shipping, which will then allow an opportunity for dormant bacteria, pathogens and/or opportunistic parasites that remain ever present within the water column to attack, and infect the fish.
New fish can also develop health issues if thrown directly into a new environment with other fish because the new fish may have not been exposed to what “new” bacterium that may be present in your water, or that already live with the types of fish that you may keep -- bacteria that your fish have no issue fighting off naturally because they are already well established, and have fully adjusted to your water parameters.
If you receive a fish from me, I strongly urge you to quarantine my fish in an unoccupied, and sterile tank for a MINIMUM of 60 days. This gives you the opportunity to acclimate your fish to the water parameters in your area by performing small, regular water changes, in addition to giving you the opportunity to spot and treat any illnesses that may arise in the fish you received during that acclimation period, without the risk of passing any illness to your current fish.
For the reasons mentioned above, It is my opinion that quarantining new fish is NOT optional!
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Medications GWR Recommends:
A good fish keeper should always be prepared with a variety of medications should you ever need any. I personally keep medications on hand at all times, and here are a few that I recommend
Erythromycin
- Erythromycin is an antibiotic that exerts a bactericidal action on gram-positive and some gram-negative bacteria in fish. This fish antibiotic is useful for control of some common bacterial diseases in fish including Aeromonas, Pseudomonas genera, and Mycobacterial group (Gill diseases and Chondrococcus).
- Praziquantel, in fish, is a drug used as anti-worm medication. It prevents newly hatched insect larvae (worms) from growing or multiplying in the fish's body.
Metronidazole is an antibiotic that is used for parasitic and bacterial infections in fish. It is effective against anaerobic bacteria (bacteria that grow only where there is no oxygen). This fish antibiotic exerts a bactericidal action on gram-positive and some gram-negative bacteria in fish. It is useful for control of some common bacterial diseases in fish, including diseases caused by bacteria such as Aeromonas, Pseudomonas, and Mycobacterial (Gill diseases and Chondrococcus). This fish medication is also used to control diseases caused by parasites, including diseases caused by organisms such as Cryptocaryon irritans, Ichthyophthirius multifiliis, and Hexamita.
Metronidazole is effective against anaerobic bacteria (the type of bacteria that grows only where no oxygen is present).
- Magnesium sulfate, commonly known as Epsom salt, is a mineral. It works by replacing magnesium in the body and increasing water in the intestines. In fish, magnesium sulfate can be used orally as a laxative to relieve occasional constipation.
Sodium Chloride- Commonly know as Salt. Salt has been used for decades as a pretty effective treatment against many diseases, particularly protozoan infections in pond fish such as Chilodonella, Trichodina and Costia, but can also treat some other pathogens, such as gill and skin flukes. Unlike many medications on the market, Sodium Chloride rarely has an adverse effect on filtration, and can either be used as a longer-term low-dose 'bath' or in higher-doses for a short-term 'dip'.
Broad Spectrum Disease Treatment
- There are many other different varieties of Broad Spectrum Disease Treatment medications on the market, but, my personal favorite is Kordon Rid Ich Plus.
Foods GWR Recommends During Quarantine:
Most people have a set type of foods they like to feed their fish during quarantine. It is my opinion that what ever foods that you like to feed your fish, is the absolute best food for your fish. However, if you are looking for some recommendations of foods that you think would be good to feed your fish during their quarantine period, I do have a few suggestions that I personally like to use.
*Please take the following suggestions with a grain of salt. The suggestions below are what I personally like to use with my fish, and may not be "the best" or most affordable solution available.
- NLS Thera+A is a balanced diet packed with garlic (which contains allicin compounds) and especially suited to feeding during periods of stress such as the quarantine of new fish, during disease recovery, and for fry before and after netting and movement. Garlic helps to optimize the immune system and protect against parasites, however, Thera+A is a non-medicated fish food and should not be used as a replacement for standard disease treatment. Please note that there is nothing medicated about this food, however, it is "jam packed" with garlic, which has allicin in it, which is supposed to bolster a fish's immunities.
There are scientific studies that suggest the amount of garlic required to repel parasites and such is astronomical, and impossible to achieve in a single pelleted fish food, but, I like to believe that if you feed this food exclusively to your fish, the amount of allicin within garlic will build up in the fish and certainly improves the overall health of the fish eating it. Similar to how garlic in dog foods repels fleas.
Repashy (that has been medicated)
- For anyone that has followed me for a while will know that my absolute favorite food to feed my Ranchu is Repashy. For those of you that do not know what Repashy is; Repashy is a Gel Food Pre-Mix. You mix the dry food powder with boiling water, and it will solidify into a gelatin food as it cools. Once the food cools, and sets completely, you can then cut it up into size appropriate pieces and feed it to your fish. The best part of this food is that you can add all kinds of ingredients to it, like freeze dried artemia, daphnia, or bloodworms, as well as medications -- which makes any Repashy Gel Food a PERFECT food for quarantine periods.
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Medicated foods should NEVER be fed as a daily beyond treatment or used as a staple diet under any circumstance. Please follow the recommended feeding frequency outlined on the packaging of the product.
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Because of circumstances beyond our control (water sourcing, water parameters, fish husbandry, etc..), When the fish arrive alive to you, Green Water Ranchu is no longer responsible for the fish.
Be responsible, Please quarantine!
