How to get new fish and keep them alive...

Sk8r · 05/15/2013, 02:29 PM

1. start your tank with one fish at a time, or a small pair at a time. Wait weeks until the next fish. Be SURE your sandbed can handle it and that you've got your methods down pat.
2. quarantine the full 4 weeks, one fish or pair at a time. The first two weeks is the real danger period for ich, but after that you're just feeding-up the fish and getting it healthy. It's been through an ordeal, getting to you. And there is the remote chance it got exposed just before it was shipped and that ich is in the gills, invisible, so the extra two weeks makes sure.
3. never treat with meds unless you know it definitely has a disease or parasite and even then, be sure WHICH disease or parasite: you can't do two treatments at once.
4. read the sticky on acclimation and NEVER acclimate anything longer than 30 minutes. Best to adjust your qt to the incoming fish's salinity and NOT acclimate.
5. have a jump screen.
6. have an ATO dedicated to your qt tank. And don't trade nets or hands about from tank to tank. Wash and dry thoroughly. No hand creams, either.

tmz · 05/15/2013, 03:55 PM

This is what I do fwiw:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...sh+acclimation

05/15/2013, 02:29 PM	#1
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	How to get new fish and keep them alive... 1. start your tank with one fish at a time, or a small pair at a time. Wait weeks until the next fish. Be SURE your sandbed can handle it and that you've got your methods down pat. 2. quarantine the full 4 weeks, one fish or pair at a time. The first two weeks is the real danger period for ich, but after that you're just feeding-up the fish and getting it healthy. It's been through an ordeal, getting to you. And there is the remote chance it got exposed just before it was shipped and that ich is in the gills, invisible, so the extra two weeks makes sure. 3. never treat with meds unless you know it definitely has a disease or parasite and even then, be sure WHICH disease or parasite: you can't do two treatments at once. 4. read the sticky on acclimation and NEVER acclimate anything longer than 30 minutes. Best to adjust your qt to the incoming fish's salinity and NOT acclimate. 5. have a jump screen. 6. have an ATO dedicated to your qt tank. And don't trade nets or hands about from tank to tank. Wash and dry thoroughly. No hand creams, either. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

05/15/2013, 03:55 PM	#2
tmz ReefKeeping Mag staff Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: West Seneca NY Posts: 27,691	This is what I do fwiw: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...sh+acclimation __________________ Tom Current Tank Info: Tank of the Month , November 2011 : 600gal integrated system: 3 display tanks (120 g, 90g, 89g),several frag/grow out tanks, macroalgae refugia, cryptic zones. 40+ fish, seahorses, sps,lps,leathers, zoanthidae and non photosynthetic corals.