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Re: The Great Quarantine Debate of 2002
Erika gave very good reasons why one ought to set up a nice
tank on a permanent basis to serve as a quarantine tank for
new fish. She said, in part:
> We can't
> prevent losses due to transmission from commercial
> breeder to LFS, but we
> can break the chain of transmission from LFS to our
> homes.
>
> Of course, if your fish are being quarantined under
> stressful conditions,
> then the quarantine will probably do more harm than
good.
> (At least to the
> new fish - it will still spare your existing fish!)
> Thus, anyone who wants
> to travel down the quarantine road is beholden to set
up
> a quarantine tank
> that's a nice place to live.
>
> Forget the bare-tank-with-sponge-filter. (As far as
I'm
> concerned, nothing
> should have to live in a bare tank unless it's
undergoing
> medication.) Set
> up a nice tank of appropriate size, and add some
plants
> (I'm sure you've all
> got plenty of clippings). Use sturdy, undemanding
plants
> like Java fern and
> wisteria, so you don't have to worry about CO2 or
> super-bright lighting. If
> you like, nominate a few peaceful but inexpensive fish
to
> serve as
> quarantine tank minders, to maintain the bacterial
cycle
> during those times
> when the tank would otherwise stand empty. Otherwise
> just assume that the
> plants will do an end-run around the cycling process
when
> new fish are
> added.
But Erika, once I have the tank set up nicely for fish, how
on Earth do I resist the temptation to start stocking the
tank and making it just another one of my planted fish
tanks? ;-) I mean, it will be sitting there with gravel
and plants and lighting to keep the plants healthy, and so
on . . .just begging me to to add at least one (more) nice
looking fish. I can buy the hardware, plants and fish, but
where do I get that willpower stuff?
Scott H.
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