How to quarantine this year

[myswtsins]

Last year I tried adding some new shubunkins to the pond and of course I quarantined first. First batch was 10 2-3" guys in a 100g preformed pond with a DIY filter filled with some mature media from the main pond and filled with (and WC'd with) the main pond water. Main pond water readings are perfect btw, no ammonia, nitrite or nitrates (or phosphates, iron or copper for that matter) due to all the plants. They all looked great when they went in, photographed them all, examined them etc. Then they came down with something, after talking with you guys best guess was a parasite most likely Costia. End result was only 3 survived and are still alive and well in the main pond today. Having apparently beaten the Costia and it being long enough without a host that they should have died I wanted to try another batch. Was told 10 2" fish in 100g was way too many (even for QT with daily water changes) so I only got 6 this time which also got sick and I ended up with only 1 who survived (after an extra long QT with at least 4 weeks of no symptoms) but he passed away shortly after adding to the main pond. Then the season was over and I was done.

Now I still want to add more fish to my pond. 5k pond with 20 goldfish most of which are stunted due to their previous owner. But just not sure how I want to approach QT this time. I have a 30g aquarium inside I could use for QT with what like 2 or 3 fish at a time? It is currently holding some mollys so it is cycled which is nice. But will being in an aquarium when they are used to black tubs stress them out? Or I can try the 100g pond again. The pond was definitely visited by some sort of animal which stole a couple fish the first night which prompted me to add netting immediately and tried to remove the netting another night. So I think that stress was not helping the sick fish. BTW no fish have ever gone missing from the main pond, I think that is due to the steep sides and depth vs the 100g which is shallower and has plant shelves built in.

So I'm just looking for some feedback as to what I should do, or what would you do OR what do you do for QT?

 

[Meyer Jordan]

Are you still using the same source for your new fish?

 

[myswtsins]

Are you still using the same source for your new fish?

No, different source.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

I would use the 30G aquarium inside for several reasons-
1) You will be able to maintain a stable temperature.
2) You will be better able to visually monitor the fish.
3) If medication is needed, it will require less and dosage can also be more exact.

This all hinges on having adequate biofiltration and flow rate.

 

[myswtsins]

I would use the 30G aquarium inside for several reasons-
1) You will be able to maintain a stable temperature.
2) You will be better able to visually monitor the fish.
3) If medication is needed, it will require less and dosage can also be more exact.

This all hinges on having adequate biofiltration and flow rate.

Thank you for your input! I have 6 2.5" mollys, 6 week old babies and a couple snails in the 30g with a sponge filter and an aquaclear 30 now. It is cycled. Does 2, maybe 3, 2-3" shubs seem like a reasonable swap? I know goldfish are thicker with a higher bio-load so a 50% decrease in numbers seems safe to me.

Edit: i plan to remove all the livestock from the 30g prior to adding the shubs of course

 

[Mmathis]

Did you break down your old QT set-up and thoroughly clean (sterilize?) everything after the initial outbreak? And that would include not using the same plants, etc.

 

[myswtsins]

No I did not. Since the out break was beaten and things like parasites can always be present anyways I was told it was more beneficial to keep the good bacteria for the next batch. I think I will sterilize in the future though.

 

[Gordo33]

. Was told 10 2" fish in 100g was way too many (even for QT with daily water change

I am surprised by this statement . 100 gal with proper filtration and normaL maintanence routine should be adequate for 4-5 X the number you had in there if the fish were only 2 inches.
For the 30 gal with a sponge filter and an aquaclear you can easily quarantine 6. 2-3 inch shubunkins. Number and amount of water changes will be dependent on the build up of Nitrates. Assuming a cycled tank and your media is handling the ammonia produced by the fish.
I would not consider the 30 gal a proper quarantine tank if it is not sterilized first. The live stock in there maybe immune to whatever parisites currently exist in the tank. Your new fish may not. I would use the bio media from your current pond and place it in the aquaclear.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

No I did not. Since the out break was beaten and things like parasites can always be present anyways I was told it was more beneficial to keep the good bacteria for the next batch. I think I will sterilize in the future though.

Sterilizing will help only against bacterial pathogens, no effect on parasites or virus. Since all of the 3 pathogen groups are omnipresent, I would follow the first advice.

 

[myswtsins]

I am surprised by this statement . 100 gal with proper filtration and normaL maintanence routine should be adequate for 4-5 X the number you had in there if the fish were only 2 inches.
For the 30 gal with a sponge filter and an aquaclear you can easily quarantine 6. 2-3 inch shubunkins. Number and amount of water changes will be dependent on the build up of Nitrates. Assuming a cycled tank and your media is handling the ammonia produced by the fish.
I would not consider the 30 gal a proper quarantine tank if it is not sterilized first. The live stock in there maybe immune to whatever parisites currently exist in the tank. Your new fish may not. I would use the bio media from your current pond and place it in the aquaclear.

I was surprised too and believed it to be an excuse for why their fish were dying on me but figured getting less the second time couldn't hurt anyways.
Thank you. I think I will try 3, no need to push it, I can do another batch or 2 after this before the end of the season (if everything goes well that is).

Sterilizing will help only against bacterial pathogens, no effect on parasites or virus. Since all of the 3 pathogen groups are omnipresent, I would follow the first advice.

Thank you for all your input!

 

[Faebinder]

10 are not too many but if a costia outbreak happens then you gotta treat everything including the pond. Pathogens can live in the pond without fish cause of fish material that may still be present or other live carriers.

 

[myswtsins]

10 are not too many but if a costia outbreak happens then you gotta treat everything including the pond. Pathogens can live in the pond without fish cause of fish material that may still be present or other live carriers.

Thank you. I will keep that in mind next time (hoping there is never another costia outbreak though).