An Assignment

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‘‘How to Quarantine Saltwater Fish''

Course Title: Quarantine of Aquatic Animals and Health

Certification.
Course code: AAHM-353
Department of Aquatic Animal Health Management
Faculty of Fisheries, Aquaculture and Marine Science.
Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University.

Submitted to:
Sayed Mashequl Bari
Assistant Professor at
Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University
Chairman at
Department of Aquatic Animal Health Management.

Submitted by:
Md. Ruhul Amin
Reg: 18-08943
Level : 3, Semester : ll

Submission Date: 14.06.2021

 How to Quarantine Saltwater Fish

Introduction: Quarantining a fish is to first introduce it to a tank that is not our main display
tank. It is a system set up to monitor and eradicate any problems (eating, personality, and/or
disease) before that fish is added to the rest of the group.Quarantine saltwater fish is an important
skill for keeping a successful saltwater fish tank. When I quarantine saltwater fish, I am really
achieving two things, protecting my current fish, and preventing illness for my new fish.

Necessity of quarantining of saltwater fish:

Now many of us might think quarantining fish is a waste of money and time because as long as I
have a clean aquarium and good water, the fishes may fight off the parasites or infections by
themselves.However, this is not the case. For instance, fishes that I have chosen from online or a
fish store have passed through many different routes to get to me.I probably get the idea that if
the fish is wild-caught, then it is among the top 25% of marine life in the supply chain to have
survived. Usually, plenty of fishes get sick or die during their capture.Quarantining the fish will
allow it to destress, I may adjust it to parameters and food. It will also provide a safe space for
the fish to thrive.However, if I choose not to quarantine the fish, it is quite likely that the fishes
will be dealing with diseases like the saltwater ich. This disease is usually linked to stress.If not
treated properly, it may spread very quickly and possibly wipe out the entire marine life in a
short period. So,undoubtedly it is better to quarantine the fishes rather than risk the exposure of a
deadly disease.

Saltwater fish are not only quarantined to prevent passing on any diseases or parasites to the
other fish in the aquarium but to give them the best chance of survival when adding them to my
main tank.These fish have more than likely been caught in the ocean, transported to an importer
and then survived the journey to our respective country.They are then sent off to wholesaler who
provides pet stores with their stock. We then buy them from a pet store and take them home.If
nothing else, these fish need to recover for an extended period before having the energy and
strength to cope with being put into a main display tank.
When fish are stressed, their immune systems are weakened. If they are then added to a tank that
may have a disease or parasite, then their chances of them having the ability to fighting it off are

not very good. They may also end up succumbing to tank bullies who can be quite ruthless in
establishing their dominance to a newcomer.Another reason to quarantine fish is to get them
used to my tank’s parameters and the type of food I feed my fish. Sometimes I may have to try a
few different types of food, frozen, dried etc. before coming across something they will eat but
with a bit of persistence, they should start eating the food I feed in the main tank.

Essential equipments for quarantine of saltwater fish:

1. Small Aquarium

A 10 gallon or 20 gallon tank should be sufficient for quarantining saltwater fish.I may change
the amount of water used in the tank if necessary. So more water for larger fish or a larger
quantity of fish or less water for smaller or less quantity of fish.

2. Heating

A 100 watt submersible heater suitable for saltwater aquariums.

3. Lighting

This does not have to be a large, expensive outlay by any means. A simple LED light will do for
a qt tank because the fish won’t be in there for a long period of time hopefully! It is important
for me to be able to have a good look and see what condition the fish are in. I need to see if they
are actually eating the food I am providing them and that I am able to spot any effect of diseases
and parasites, such as ich/white spot (Cryptocaryan irritans).

4. Filter
A sponge filter, such as the one below, is sufficient for use in a quarantine tank. This requires
forethought though as it needs to be left in the sump or refugium of the main tank for a minimum
of two weeks before being transferred to the qt tank. The reason for this is that it allows
beneficial bacteria to populate the sponges which helps with the breakdown of ammonia and
nitrites.

Fig:Sponge filter for fish quarantine tank

5. Thermometer

As a qt is generally smaller than the main tank, it’s temperature can fluctuate quite quickly. It is
important to have a reliable thermometer to keep an eye on the water temperature.

6. Hiding Spaces

PVC piping creates great places for fish to hide and destress. Live rock and sand should not be
used as there may be parasites taking refuge in them, defeating the object of the quarantine
process. Parasites would have the perfect opportunity to take hold on a stressed or already
disease struck fish.

PVC piping can be bought at any home depot store.

7. Ammonia Test Kit/Badge

It is imperative to test ammonia levels regularly as a quarantine tank is only a temporary setup
and has not gone through the proper cycling process.In a display tank, cycling would already
have been completed before the addition of fish or invertebrates.

Fig:Amonia Test kit(Aquarium)

A display tank is also usually much larger than a qt tank. In a larger tank, it is easier to keep
parameters more stable, in a smaller tank, it is much less so.

What does a quarantine tank do?

The quarantine tank, once set up, serves multiple functions. It provides a:

1.A physical barrier between my new saltwater fish and the display tank, preventing
contamination in the first place.
2. A way for me to closely observe and monitor the behavior of the new saltwater fish out in the
open (most newly introduced saltwater fish will hide in the live rock or other ‘structure’ in my
aquarium and only come out once they reach a minimum comfort level—which varies by species
and individual)

3.A way for me to safely treat and remove any threats without the risk of harming any of my
other livestock

4.Recovery place’ for my newly purchased saltwater aquarium fish to eat, gain strength, and
recover from the stresses of shipping and display at the local fish store—and get ready to
compete for food and shelter with the other saltwater fish in my reef tank.

Step-1:Preparing the quarantine tank

Cleaning

In addition to the equipment listed above, I will also need a sponge,but I also may use whatever
sponge I have available–as long as it is brand new as well as soap and chemical-free.

The first step in preparing my new quarantine tank is to clean it out.I don’t want to use harsh
chemicals–or any chemicals at all if I don’t absolutely have to. Soak the tank for several minutes
in clean freshwater to soften up any hard mineral deposits, and scrub it clean with my sponge. I
prefer to clean my tanks outside, weather permitting) so I can splash around a bit and use the
hose to fill the tank quickly.
 Fig:Cleaning Fish Tank

I have hard mineral deposits on the glass that won’t come out with a simple scrubbing and I can
use a razor blade (if the tank walls are made from glass, NOT acrylic). The hard deposits should
scrub right out.

I previously had an infected fish in the tank, consider disinfecting the tank with hyposalinity.
Hyposalinity is a fancy term for a solution with a low concentration of salt. The best low salt
solution is... I guessed it…freshwater.

Saltwater parasites generally don’t survive in freshwater, so I ran my tank for a few days with
fresh water (after scrubbing it out).

Step-2: Settinng up a quarantine tank

Setting up a quarantine tank is fairly straightforward. It is best to find an out-of-the-way location

where my fish can gradually get used to living in my home.

Fig:Set up Quarantine Fish tank

1)I placed the tank on the stand.

2)I filled it with saltwater.

3)I placed the heater in the tank, set the temperature (if needed) to 78 degrees F, and plug the
heater into the power strip.

4)I Connected the sponge filter to the airline and submerge the filter in the water

5)I squeezed the sponge to get out any bubbles and to help keep it from floating up

6)I connected the airline to the air pump and plug it into the power strip

7)I placed a few short lengths of PVC pipe in the tank to give the fish someplace to hide

8)I Put on the lid

9)I plugged lights into a timer and then connect the timer into my power strip

10)I went grab a snack.

Step-3:Cycling

Just because I filled my quarantine tank with salt water doesn’t mean it is ready for my first
saltwater fish. When fish are kept in an aquarium, they release a waste product called ammonia
into the water. Ammonia is toxic and can burn or kill fish. Sometimes, this mysterious death is
called new tank syndrome. To avoid new tank syndrome, I cycle the aquarium before it is ready
for my first fish.I was sure to cycle my tank and confirm the biological filtration is working
properly before adding my first fish.Selecting the best beginner fish for my saltwater aquarium is
an important decision.

Step 4: Adding first fish

Once my quarantine tank has completed cycling and I have picked out the perfect fish for my
aquarium, it is best to acclimate the fish to my aquarium water before dropping them right in the
tank. Place the new fish in a bucket or small plastic container and use a drip acclimator to drip
water from the quarantine tank into the bucket. Once I have dripped enough water into double or
triple the original volume of water, gently scoop my new fish out of the bucket and into
quarantine using a specimen container (or similar plastic container).

It is also important not to add too many fish into the quarantine tank at the same time.

Step-5:Do I feed fish in quarantine?

It is recommended that fish are fed twice per day, once in the morning and once in the
evening.So I give feed to my fish during quarantin. But I clean quickly the unused feed particles.

Step 6:Final stage:

(a) How long do I quarantine my saltwater fish?

(b)Monitor my fish in quarantine

I wanted to monitor the fish in my quarantine tank for at least 30 days. 30 days is really the bare
minimum and is still a little bit risky. If anyone have patience,he/she can wait.Still, since
parasites like saltwater ich have a lifecycle of about 28 days (depending on the temperature and a
few other variables), I can have a reasonable assurance that the coast is clear if I monitor my fish
in quarantine for a full 30 days and observe no parasites, or infected behaviors like shimmering,
scratching, etc.

While monitoring my fish in quarantine, I also test the water to check ammonia, nitrites, and
nitrates.

If my tank is properly cycled and the biological filter is working properly, anyone should detect
no ammonia or nitrites. If anyone test for and discover ammonia, take relatively immediate
action and need to do a partial water change to lower the toxin concentration.

Periodically check the pH, temperature, and specific gravity to make sure the important reef
aquarium water parameters are stable and normal in my tank.

Feed the fish with small meals a few times each day–take the time to watch the feeding closely to
ensure my fish is active, healthy, and eating properly. Immediately clean up any uneaten
food.Visually inspect and observe the fish to look for parasites, cuts, scrapes, and any signs of
injury or infection.

Medicating

Transporting or moving fish is a stressful time, and often leads to disease. Fish commonly
contract bacterial infections, fungal infections or parasitic infections after coming home, and we
don't want to spread these to our other fish. In addition, an isolated sick fish is much more
economical, quicker and easier to medicate than one in a large display tank. Many common fish
medications, such as copper or formalin based, are detrimental to other tank inhabitants as well
as biological filtration.

Observations

Going to properly use a quarantine tank set up,I have to be sure that I maintain my livestock in
quarantine for the full amount of time and are absolutely positive that the fish has had no
symptoms during that time.

Benefits Of Quarantining

Other than minimizing the spread of potential infectious diseases, quarantine tanks have many
benefits.A quarantine tank can be used to put and treat diseased, sick, weak, or harassed fishes
that have to be taken away from the main aquarium. So, the tank also doubles up as a treatment
tank for the fishes.Another advantage is if by chance, a fish gets affected by a disease, it makes
much more sense to put it in the quarantine tank because we can control the potency of
medications in the tank than treating it the main aquarium.Several medications are known for
disrupting the biological filter of the main aquarium and even damaging it all together. However,
in the quarantine tank, we can treat the fish without harming the biological filter base of an
aquarium.
Most of the time, new fishes are stressed because of their capture and transportation, and this can
bring on illness and disease. The quarantine tank allows the fish to de-stress and recover as well
as adjust and acclimate to the new surroundings.Fishes that are already in the main aquarium
might make it hard for the new fishes to adjust. It’s already tough enough for the new ones to get
used to a new environment.

Moreover, if the pressure of shipping or transport weakens fish, it’ll be much more difficult for
them to get rid of aggressors. So, by keeping the fish in the quarantine tank, it will regain its
strength and be able to defend themselves properly.

Conclusion

Knowing how to quarantine saltwater fish is a key difference between preventing illnesses from
happening, and trying to handle them as they show up. If we maintain a good quarantine routine
from the beginning, its possible we never see illnesses or parasite show in our tank.Giving our
fish a perfect environment to thrive.After this circumstance, we should need to create the
awareness of the benefits and importance of quarantine of fish.That's why we may easily handle
these several prominent diseases by following this process.

References:

1.https://www.google.com/url?
sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://theaquariumadviser.com/quarantine-

tank/&ved=2ahUKEwiWv9vAt5bxAhViLqYKHfaDA5M4KBAWMAR6BAgHEAI&usg=AOv
Vaw0qWkzz6goaXKxLJfAr3tYK

2.https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://expertaquarist.com/how-to-
quarantine-saltwater-
fish/&ved=2ahUKEwjc4amGt5bxAhXRGaYKHWSEDY84HhAWMAN6BAgBEAI&usg=AOv
Vaw1-yf7I9W6nbz0T1_x4dvlH

3.https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://bestfish.com/saltwater-fish-
quarantine-replacement-policy-special-orders-
requests/&ved=2ahUKEwjez42GtZbxAhVSIqYKHW9ODN84FBAWMAV6BAgIEAI&usg=A
OvVaw3DUvUE8BqihENe4cp7eBwL

4.https://www.google.com/url?
sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.thesaltyside.com/how-to-quarantine-saltwater-
fish/&ved=2ahUKEwjez42GtZbxAhVSIqYKHW9ODN84FBAWMAZ6BAgJEAI&usg=AOvV
aw1bwZXbuSD4VoAzjEWRB4SU

5.https://reefs.com/

6.www.saltwateraquariumblog.com › ...

Quarantine tank setup - Saltwater Aquarium Blog

7.www.thatpetplace.com › articles › q...

Setting up a Quarantine Tank - That Pet Place