|
DAY
SEVEN
Nothing to do, but watching
them.
Lights
"OFF". |
|
DAY
EIGHT
Change water
(respect the salt ratio).
Add an antibacterial product (respect dosage suggested on
"drug" package) for the second time
Carefully look at fishes to check their temper
Lights
"OFF". |
|
DAY NINE
Nothing to do, just watch
them.
Lights
"OFF" |
|
DAY TEN
Start filtering (for
at leats three days) through activated charcoal to remove traces of
all the drugs still remaining in the tank(s).
Lights "ON". |
|
At this point the
first stage of conditioning is over. Keep fish separated from
others, in their "salted" water for a month or so, then
begin to decrease the salt ratio. Always keep in mind that you
should avoid to decrease the salt concentration too quickly because
this will cause severe vatiations of the electric conductivity. Once
your fishes are swimming in "plain" fresh water again, you
can move them to their final destination (either your show tank or
the breeding tank(s) in your fish room if you happen to have one).
Daily checking of the health status of each specimen (that's
why aquascaping has to be kept to a minimum) is, of course, a must
(still better twice a day). While your fish return to their normal
health it is time to increase the amount of food supplied (also
introduce new foods). You may also start to supply them with two (or
even more) different foods per day!
In case of badly
"infected" fishes it's possible to follow an alternative,
and more "scientific", approach. You can either follow the
above mentioned steps or act as reported in the following lines. My
1999 fishes have, by the way, undergone both procedures: |
|
DAY
ONE (ARRIVAL):
Metronidazole:
pour it in the tank. Should be used at a ratio of 500 mg for 200
liters of water (dissolve it in 1 liter of water and the pour it in
the tank(s) according to size(s).
Copper sulfate (CuSO4):
pour it in the tank in the ratio of 65 mg for 200 liter of water
(dissolve it in 1 liter of water and the pour it in the tank(s)
according to size(s).
Lights "OFF". |
|
DAY TWO:
"Rest" and watch
your pets to detect how they are reacting.
Lights "OFF". |
|
DAY
THREE:
Metronidazole:
pour it in the tank in the ratio of 500 mg for 200 liters of water
(dissolve it in 1 liter of water and the pour it in the tank(s)
according to size(s).
Lights "OFF". |
|
DAY
FOUR:
"Rest" and watch
your pets to detect how they are reacting.
Lights "OFF". |
|
DAY
FIVE:
Heavy water change (about
50% of tank gross capacity).
Lights "OFF". |
|
DAY SIX:
Start filtering
(for at least three days) through activated charcoal to remove any
traces of remaining drugs from the tank.
Lights "OFF". |
|
Once the
treatment(s) is over (no matter which procedure you have followed),
while the quarantine is still running, it's wise to let your
new kids get used to (usual) lighting period of your tanks. This
should also be done stepwise. Remember: when a drug is in use
keeping fishes the dark will diminish their stress level (and also
there are medicines - mostly antibiotics - which are light
sensitive). Again maintain fishes in "salted" water for a
month, then begin to gradually decrease the salt content, to arrive
again to a "plain" fresh water condition. By stating
"plain" freshwater, I refer to the water in your main
tanks. If this water already contains salt then you should keep that
concentration stable in your quarantine tanks, too. This procedure
now allows you to move your fishes to their final destination.
Finally you're done. It has been a long, painstaking, sometimes
bitter (whenever you face a "gone" fellow) job but is
worth doing it. I feel that healthy, wild caught cichlids happily
swimming in their tank(s) is a satisfaction beyond all prizes.
FINAL REMARKS:
The second procedure (the one using antibiotics) has been suggested
by George J. Reclos (my co-author) relying on his own experience as
a pharmacist and immunologist. I'd like to thank him for those -
precious - suggestions!
|
|
[ Back ] [ Up ] [ Next ]
|
