Everyone needs a good QT system. Many have spoke on this time and time again. Lately there have been several threads from people in trouble needing help because of no QT system. And it really hurts to see people going through this.
The QT system needs to be a separate system, on it's own filter, and as far away from the main pond as possible. It should also have some kind of heater, so new purchases can be heat cycled. And in times when fish need to be medicated, you can raise the water temp to help the medication process.
One thing very important for a QT system is sacrificial fish, or Canaries. Fish that are known KHV free. These fish live year round in the QT system. They are never introduced to the main pond, but kept in the QT system, as a sacrificial fish for QT-ing new purchases, and to keep the filter of the QT system cycled.
For this purpose it's best to get ugly fish, fish that are so ugly you would never be tempted to move them to your main pond.
So I would like to help if I can. I have many not only Ugly, but "But Ugly" fish left over from this summer. Mostly 8 to 10 inches. All have been batch blood tested for KHV before leaving Japan, then QT-ed in Hawaii, re blood tested again in Hawaii before being shipped to me. Then I heat cycled them in my own QT system with my own sacrificial fish. This all took place this spring. So everything humanly possible has been done to ensure these fish are KHV free.
I am willing to give these fish away, FREE, to use in your QT tank as sacrificial fish. all you have to do is pay shipping. But these are for your QT tank, not pretty fish for your main pond. and they will be the Ugliest fish I can send, and I would hope this is what they are used for.
Anyone interested pm me.
What an excellent service to provide!
This is my opinion. It is worth exactly what you paid for it.
That's really nice of you Steve!
This is a Great idea! Thank You Steve for your generous offer. An idea - If I may - To add to this - If you have an established healthy pond, that is mature and handling your fish load, confirmed by vital water parameter testing, you can swipe some bio-media from the filter and replace it with new. Take the "seasoned" bio-media from the pond to "seed" your new QT's bio-filtration. If you have time before adding the "fugly fish", and this must be done with no fish in the QT, you can add a few drops of house hold ammonia ( if your not sure what kind to use just ask ) and spike the the waters ammonia level to just .25ppm. After 24 hours test the ammonia levels, their should be none or a noticeable decrease in the level. This is a fishless cycle. Once the QT is in cycle then add the ugly fish to keep the bio-media fed.
Q-Now what do you do with your ugly fish if you need to use the QT?
A-when you set up the initial QT add a second filter with fresh media and some of the seeded media from the pond and run 2 filters in this QT and have a spare QT tank or whatever your using available. You grab the spare filter from the set up QT and move it to the spare. Add the sick or QT fish to the spare set up with as much pond water as you can spare, then top up your pond with fresh water. This way the QT is still established and can be "multiplied" again in the future. Keep in mind that a number of anti-bacterial medications may kill the "good" bacteria in your QT bio-filters media.
Just a thought and suggestion. I actually have done this when I had multiple fish tanks. It's just a back up to the back up.
Trust, but verify!
Thanks, Steve, that is very kind of you. I don't yet have a big enough QT to sustain 8" fish, but soon I will. Can you estimate shipping charges to 29670?
just so folks now how generous this is...having a fish KHV tested is not cheap!
a Q tank makes it much easier to deal with ill fish and is a good thing to have per chance one of your fish becomes ill.
But care for ill or hurt members of your existing pond is not the only reason for having a quarinteen, a QT with a known KHV free canary fish so you can be carefull not to infect your priceless(monetary or emotionally) collection with new addtions to the pond is invaluable! having a KHV free koi for your new aquisitions to spend time with gives Ol ButtUgly a chance to be exsposed to the virus and show the illness should the new guys have it. Therefore, Ol B.Ugly is not only keeping the filters cycled he is sacrificing himself for your whole pond!
I didn't know that's what they where for. I usually keep new fish in QT 6 months.
Trust, but verify!
that is good Squid
but after deciiding that your fish are parasite free, are healthy enough to handle any "bugs"(all ponds have "bugs") your home waters have and have no bactera infections, which would show up in a couple months, how do you know if they do not carry KHV?
by putting them through temperature changes which would cause the virus to break out, and introducing them to a "clean" koi, causing the canary to become ill...... not full proof but other than testing the koi it is the best we have
Steve, I'm working out filtration on a QT right now, should have it fully up within the week. I am looking forward to these QT fish, thanks again.
Just let me know when your ready.Originally Posted by hewhoisatpeace
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