Quarantine Process
Our Fish Quarantine Process
At Wish List Aquatics, our goal is to provide customers with healthy, conditioned marine fish that have gone through a thorough quarantine process before being offered as Quarantined Fish.
Quarantine is much more than simply keeping a fish in a separate aquarium for a few weeks. Our process includes acclimation, preventative treatment, parasite management, careful observation, proper nutrition, and monitoring each fish's behavior and overall condition.
While no quarantine process can guarantee that a fish will never develop a health issue, we take extensive steps to greatly reduce the risk of introducing common marine fish diseases and parasites into your aquarium.
1. Arrival & Initial Assessment
When new fish arrive, they are carefully inspected before entering our quarantine system.
We look for:
- Overall body condition
- Breathing rate
- Swimming behavior
- Fin and body damage
- Cloudy or damaged eyes
- Excess mucus
- Visible parasites or spots
- Signs of bacterial infection
- Signs of stress or shipping damage
Fish are acclimated to the quarantine system with particular attention given to temperature and salinity differences.
New arrivals are monitored closely because the first several days after shipping can be one of the most stressful periods for a marine fish.
2. External Parasite & Disease Prevention
When appropriate, incoming fish may receive additional preventative treatment based on the species, condition of the fish, source, and symptoms observed.
This can include treatment aimed at common external diseases such as:
- Brooklynella
- Uronema
- Other external protozoan parasites
Formalin-based treatment may be utilized when appropriate as part of our incoming-fish protocol or when a particular condition warrants it.
Because different species tolerate medications and treatments differently, not every fish is treated identically. Treatment is adjusted when necessary for sensitive species.
3. Copper Treatment
Fish that are appropriate candidates for copper treatment are gradually brought to a therapeutic concentration of Copper Power.
Our typical therapeutic target is approximately:
2.5 ppm Copper Power
Rather than relying solely on the amount of medication added, the actual copper concentration in the quarantine system is tested and monitored.
Copper treatment is used to target several of the most serious parasites encountered in marine aquariums, including:
- Marine Ich – Cryptocaryon irritans
- Marine Velvet – Amyloodinium ocellatum
Copper levels are monitored throughout treatment to ensure they remain within the intended therapeutic range.
Whenever possible, fish are observed for appetite and medication tolerance as the copper concentration is increased.
4. Internal Parasite & Infection Management
Quarantine also gives us an opportunity to watch for problems that copper alone does not address.
Depending upon the fish and its condition, additional medications may be used when warranted.
This may include medications such as MetroPlex or other appropriate antibiotics/antimicrobials when symptoms suggest an internal, bacterial, or protozoan issue requiring additional treatment.
We do not believe in simply throwing every available medication at every fish. Treatment decisions are made based upon the fish, symptoms, species sensitivity, and response to previous treatment.
5. Fluke & Worm Treatment
Copper does not treat flukes and many internal worms.
Our quarantine process therefore includes treatment for these parasites when appropriate, typically utilizing a praziquantel-based medication such as PraziPro.
Praziquantel is commonly used to address:
- Gill flukes
- Skin flukes
- Tapeworms
- Certain other internal worms
Fish continue to be observed for symptoms such as scratching, flashing, rapid breathing, head shaking, loss of appetite, or abnormal behavior that could indicate an ongoing problem.
6. Feeding & Conditioning
Medication is only one part of quarantine.
One of our biggest priorities is getting each fish eating consistently and maintaining or improving its body condition.
Depending on the species, fish may be offered a variety of appropriate foods, including frozen, prepared, pellet, algae-based, and other foods suited to their natural diet.
During quarantine we pay close attention to:
- Appetite
- Body weight
- Belly/body condition
- Ability to compete for food
- Normal swimming behavior
- Interaction with other fish
- Overall activity level
A fish simply surviving medication is not our goal.
We want fish to be eating, active, and conditioned for life in an aquarium before they leave our care.
7. Water Quality & Daily Observation
Quarantine systems require careful management because medications, feeding, and higher fish densities can quickly affect water quality.
Throughout quarantine we monitor the fish as well as the environment.
This includes attention to:
- Temperature
- Salinity
- Copper concentration during treatment
- Ammonia and general water quality
- Oxygenation
- Fish behavior
- Respiration
- Appetite
- Physical appearance
Water changes and system maintenance are performed as necessary while maintaining the appropriate medication concentration during active treatment.
8. Observation
Medication treatment is not the only measure of whether a fish is ready.
Fish are continually observed for signs of disease or abnormal behavior.
We specifically watch for:
- White spots
- Dust-like coating
- Excessive mucus
- Cloudy eyes
- Fin deterioration
- Skin lesions
- Scratching or flashing
- Rapid breathing
- Loss of appetite
- Lethargy
- Abnormal swimming
- Unexplained weight loss
If a problem develops, the fish may receive additional treatment and its quarantine period may be extended.
We would rather keep a fish longer than knowingly send out a fish that we do not believe is ready.
9. Ready for Its New Home
Before a fish is sold as a Wish List Aquatics Quarantined Fish, our goal is for it to have:
✓ Completed the appropriate quarantine/treatment protocol
✓ Been treated for the major parasites addressed by our protocol
✓ Demonstrated a consistent feeding response
✓ Maintained acceptable body condition
✓ Shown normal swimming and behavior
✓ Shown no obvious active signs of disease at the time of sale
Customers are always encouraged to ask us about a particular fish, including what it is eating, how it behaved during quarantine, and what treatments it received.
What Does "Quarantined" Mean?
When Wish List Aquatics lists a fish as Quarantined, it means that fish has gone through our established quarantine and treatment process rather than simply being held for a few days after arrival.
However, no quarantine protocol can provide a 100% guarantee that a fish is completely free of every possible parasite, pathogen, or future illness.
Aquariums are living biological systems, and moving a fish creates additional stress. We therefore still recommend proper acclimation, maintaining excellent water quality, and carefully observing every new addition after bringing it home.
The Wish List Aquatics Difference
We understand how devastating diseases such as marine velvet, ich, Brooklynella, Uronema, and flukes can be in an established aquarium.
That is why we put significant time, medication, tank space, feeding, testing, and daily care into our quarantined fish.