Okay to add 2 Shubunkins to my pond with Koi and Comets?

[addy1]

Ponding is like beekeeping ask 10 beekeepers what to do and you get 15 this way only answers.

I am a casual ponder, don't do qt, don't do alot that is suggested, my pond does fine. So far. Very seldom add fish, they make enough of their own.

Bees, can't be casual, with the mites, diseases, beetles that have invaded from other countries. I read ask learn then do what works for us, our climate, our bees.

Same with ponding read ask learn do what works for you.

 

[bettasngoldfish]

Nobody likes to quarantine (the extra work involved) and to be honest I think the people who do are the ones who didn't do it in the past and learned the hard way that it is necessary.

Sooner or later if someone keeps adding new fish without quarantine a disaster is bound to happen.

 

[addy1]

Nobody likes to quarantine (the extra work involved) and to be honest I think the people who do are the ones who didn't do it in the past and learned the hard way that it is necessary.

Sooner or later if someone keeps adding new fish without quarantine a disaster is bound to happen.

It might and if it does it will be that person's mess to clean up.
So far I have never had a problem, so far.

 

[EricV]

Do any of you have personal experience with something showing up in quarantine in week 3 or 4 or 6 that you are *sure* came along with the fish and wasn't something caught *in* the QT?

It would seem to me the the QT is a more stressful environment for a fish than the pond, so there should be a "sweet spot" where catching something new becomes more likely than flushing out something old.

 

[bettasngoldfish]

It might and if it does it will be that person's mess to clean up.
So far I have never had a problem, so far.

I wasn't directing my comment at you personally addy, I was just saying in general

 

[addy1]

I wasn't directing my comment at you personally addy, I was just saying in general

Oh I never thought you were. Didn't cross my mind to take it that way.

 

[bettasngoldfish]

Do any of you have personal experience with something showing up in quarantine in week 3 or 4 or 6 that you are *sure* came along with the fish and wasn't something caught *in* the QT?

It would seem to me the the QT is a more stressful environment for a fish than the pond, so there should be a "sweet spot" where catching something new becomes more likely than flushing out something old.

I'm not exactly sure why you would think that quarantine would be stressful or that a fish would "catch" something from quarantine.

And in answer to your question yes, many times when you buy new fish you can't see that they are ill or have brought along parasites with them. Being in quarantine gives you a chance to observe and not put the rest of your healthy stock in danger of infection and or death.

 

[EricV]

I'm not exactly sure why you would think that quarantine would be stressful or that a fish would "catch" something from quarantine.

And in answer to your question yes, many times when you buy new fish you can't see that they are ill or have brought along parasites with them. Being in quarantine gives you a chance to observe and not put the rest of your healthy stock in danger of infection and or death.

I don't mean catch something from quarantine specifically, but just catch something in general that the fish did not bring with them from the store. Animals get sick.

What I'm trying to get at is "Is 4 weeks really better than 2 weeks or 1 week?" Is 6 weeks any better than 4? If a quarantined fish showed signs of something at 5 weeks, how would you know it was really related to where the fish came from and not just "one of those things?"

In my previous experience with tropical fish, I never really saw issues after a week, lets say.

 

[bettasngoldfish]

What I'm trying to get at is "Is 4 weeks really better than 2 weeks or 1 week?" Is 6 weeks any better than 4? If a quarantined fish showed signs of something at 5 weeks, how would you know it was really related to where the fish came from and not just "one of those things?"

In my previous experience with tropical fish, I never really saw issues after a week, lets say.

I understand now

Honestly in my own experience with any new goldfish I have had in quarantine if they had any issues they came up in the first week. Those fish were then treated and kept in quarantine for another 2-3 weeks (for a total of 4 weeks in quarantine) I have had good luck so far that way.

Many people who keep koi will tell you to keep them in quarantine at least 4 weeks and even better to leave them for 6 weeks (I personally don't have koi)

 

[Mmathis]

@Jersey_Marine To QT or not to QT is an issue that will go on and on, I suppose. I was taken aback by your request for help that suddenly turned into a 360 -- that "sticker shock" reaction. I didn't QT for the first year, and the first time or so I did, it was a chore. Now I QT all new fish. It becomes just another part of the routine. They might be "just fish", but we get attached to them, and I would be devastated if I did something (or didn't do something) that caused them harm. That's why I went into such detail giving you information you requested. Not blaming you for your choice. Just, again, taken aback by your response.

 

[EricV]

I understand now

Honestly in my own experience with any new goldfish I have had in quarantine if they had any issues they came up in the first week. Those fish were then treated and kept in quarantine for another 2-3 weeks (for a total of 4 weeks in quarantine) I have had good luck so far that way.

Many people who keep koi will tell you to keep them in quarantine at least 4 weeks and even better to leave them for 6 weeks (I personally don't have koi)

True enough. I could definitely see someone with $10k+ of koi making a different decision than someone with a couple hundred bucks in goldfish.

 

[bettasngoldfish]

True enough. I could definitely see someone with $10k+ of koi making a different decision than someone with a couple hundred bucks in goldfish.

Oh yea, Amazing how much some Koi can cost

 

[Mmathis]

Oh yea, Amazing how much some Koi can cost

Unreal, but I've spent more than I ever said I would on a few gold fish, too.....

 

[bettasngoldfish]

Unreal, but I've spent more than I ever said I would on a few gold fish, too.....

Yes, That does happen too

Cost doesn't always play a factor in my critters. One of my very favorite fancy telescope eye goldfish was given to me for free (she was a large fancy goldfish for sale at petsmart but was injured and missing an eye) I had actually seen her for sale and thought she was just beautiful. I left the store without her but continued to think about her....when I went back to see if she was still there she was gone from the sale tank but when I inquired about her I was told she was in the back room in the quarantine tank. Long story short I was able to adopt her I have had her for 5 or 6 years now, love her to death.