Quarantine for your fish

In an earlier article Infection has been addressed as one of the six pathogens. One of the preventive measures to prevent infection is to first quarantine the new inhabitants of the pond. However, this requires strict discipline. If the quarantine period is not followed correctly, it becomes ineffective and can even backfire.

Circumstances

A quarantine facility must meet certain requirements. First, I'd like to point out that a Q-tank is different from a treatment tank. In a treatment tank, you treat sick fish. This tank isn't permanent, but is set up when treatment is required. A treatment tank doesn't have a filter because it would be destroyed by the often toxic medication anyway. By frequently changing the water, re-dosing medication, and aerating the tank, you keep the water parameters within tolerance.

A Q-tank is designed for housing new fish or observing fish that have undergone treatment. Ideally, this is a fully functioning mini-pond with a functioning filter and optimal conditions. If you don't have a Q-tank running due to lack of space, set one up at least a few days before the new fish arrive and use some filter material from your pond to give the Q-tank's filter a jump-start. The Q-tank must meet the following requirements:

Water quality : The tank should be large enough, well-filtered, and changed frequently. Regularly monitor the water parameters, as a small biotope is extremely vulnerable in terms of stability.
Stress factors : The tank should be placed in a quiet, preferably dim, vibration-free place, away from children and (domestic) animals.
Housing : The tank should have a dark substrate and sufficient hiding places. There should also be no sharp objects in the tank. Cover the tank with a net to prevent them from jumping out. Ensure the temperature is adjustable with a heater and thermostat.
Material : Make sure that you do not reuse any material from the Q-tank (nets, etc.) for the pond or disinfect it thoroughly first.

The Quarantine Procedure

Adjust the temperature (and if possible the pH) of the Q tank to the conditions under which the new fish are kept at the dealer.
Week 1: Don't collect the fish until they are behaving healthily. Don't take them home until a swab shows no parasites. Place them in the Q tank and give them a week to acclimatize.
Week 2: Use this week to slowly bring the temperature in the Q-tank to that of your pond.
Week 3: Replace 25-50% of the Q-tank with pond water. Remember, this is strictly one-way! Then, add the fish you're least attached to in the pond to the Q-tank.
Week 4: Increase the temperature by 1 to 2 degrees Celsius per day to 22-24 degrees Celsius. Replace 10-20% of the pond water every other day throughout the Q period. This allows the new inhabitants to acclimate to the pond conditions.
Week 5: Observe the fish closely. Look for any unusual behavior.
Week 6: Stress the new fish by holding them above water in a non-watertight koi sock for 30 seconds a few times. This stress increases the risk of developing any existing diseases.
Weeks 8-11: Observe the fish closely. Look for any unusual behavior.
Week 12: Slowly lower the temperature of the Q-tank to that of the pond (maximum 1 degree lower per day).
Week 12: At the end of week 12, if all the fish in the Q-tank have remained healthy, introduce them into the pond at dusk. Cover the pond with a net for the first few days. If necessary, take a few more check swabs first.

Quarantine at the dealer

Some dealers will perform a proper quarantine protocol (including raising the temperature) for you. You must, however, be confident that this has been done correctly. This is slightly less ideal than using your own Q-procedure, as it allows you to tune the Q-tank to the pond's conditions, but it can serve as an alternative to doing it yourself. If you can, do it yourself! There's never a 100% guarantee that everything will go smoothly, but with the correct procedure, you significantly reduce the risks!