Why you should quarantine new fish
This article has been generously donated to InfoBarrel for Charities.
Whenever you buy a new pet fish, it is very important that you should take measure to quarantine it in a different isolation tank before you add the fish or introduce to your existing established tank. Most people will often overlook on this important aspect while some do not even care. Below is the long list of reasons why you should do so.
Fish that you can see sold in the aquarium pet shops mostly come from farms located far away. Certain tropical fish species even came as far as South East Asia in containers and when they arrive at port, the fish in bags were then transported to wholesaler warehouses. During the transportation period, the fish were subjected to harsh and dirty water condition, which is usually a result of accumulation of waste, and it was during this critical period that bacteria start to proliferate.
Certain unscrupulous suppliers will even overstuff the fish in bags in order to save cost and thus, you will often find that most of these poor little creatures will actually die before they even made it to the pet shop. Those that managed to survive most probably were at their early stage of developing aquarium fish disease and thus, it is very important to ensure that they are fine. Therefore as a new owner, it is your role to ensure that you quarantine the fish before you mix them to your healthy stock.
Believe me, bacteria and viruses are everywhere and even exist on the body of the fish itself but the reason why your pet doesn't fall sick even when it comes into contact with the pathogen is because the strong immune system of the fish prevents it from falling sick. However, once the fish is under stress, as what happens during transportation, its own immune system starts to deteriorate and it was during this period that disease breakout will occur.
Quarantine is also an important step toward introduction of the new fish to its new environment. Fish that are new to a tank were often lethargic or become shy and most of the time, you will see them hiding. Just like humans, fish can also recognize the new place and therefore quarantine is the best time for you to make them feel at home.
Water from different residential areas will also have varying organic and mineral contents and this means that your pet will need to adjust itself to suit the new environment. Having a quarantine period will allow you to train them to live with the new condition and finally it is also the chance for you to heal any wound and injury that they suffer before they are released to the main tank.
Fish that you can see sold in the aquarium pet shops mostly come from farms located far away. Certain tropical fish species even came as far as South East Asia in containers and when they arrive at port, the fish in bags were then transported to wholesaler warehouses. During the transportation period, the fish were subjected to harsh and dirty water condition, which is usually a result of accumulation of waste, and it was during this critical period that bacteria start to proliferate.
Certain unscrupulous suppliers will even overstuff the fish in bags in order to save cost and thus, you will often find that most of these poor little creatures will actually die before they even made it to the pet shop. Those that managed to survive most probably were at their early stage of developing aquarium fish disease and thus, it is very important to ensure that they are fine. Therefore as a new owner, it is your role to ensure that you quarantine the fish before you mix them to your healthy stock.
Believe me, bacteria and viruses are everywhere and even exist on the body of the fish itself but the reason why your pet doesn't fall sick even when it comes into contact with the pathogen is because the strong immune system of the fish prevents it from falling sick. However, once the fish is under stress, as what happens during transportation, its own immune system starts to deteriorate and it was during this period that disease breakout will occur.
Quarantine is also an important step toward introduction of the new fish to its new environment. Fish that are new to a tank were often lethargic or become shy and most of the time, you will see them hiding. Just like humans, fish can also recognize the new place and therefore quarantine is the best time for you to make them feel at home.
Water from different residential areas will also have varying organic and mineral contents and this means that your pet will need to adjust itself to suit the new environment. Having a quarantine period will allow you to train them to live with the new condition and finally it is also the chance for you to heal any wound and injury that they suffer before they are released to the main tank.
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Comments
It is good to add a bit of salt to the water to quarantine the fish. The salt will kill those bacteria residing in the fins of the new fish.
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