[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

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.

__________________________________________________
Yahoo! - We Remember
9-11: A tribute to the more than 3,000 lives lost
http://dir.remember.yahoo.com/tribute