Questions & Answers
Should I quarantine a new fish before I place it in my pond?
This is a good question, and one that involves some research into what you have, what you are getting and whom you are buying from. The short answer is "yes, you should quarantine new fish."
You should spend a little more time finding out more about the people you are buying from:
Did they quarantine the fish?
How long have they had the fish?
Has there been any problems with this batch of fish?
Did you do a thorough job of inspecting the fish before you bought it, or was it just the one you fell in love with?
If the fish does infect your existing fish and you lose some or all, how big a problem is this? For some, they just buy a new batch. For others, these are their pets, and they would no more sit by and let them die without trying to save them then they would if their cat or dog got sick. If you are in the latter category and do not have a quarantine tank, call some of your fellow club members. You may find one that has a tank and they would be able to quarantine the new fish for you. However, if you do not have a separate place that is safe and healthy to quarantine the new fish you are likely to make matters worse. Your new fish has been under stress due to being shipped and netted and bagged, etc. If you place the new fish in a quarantine tank that is not properly set up and does not have proper filtration you are subjecting the new fish to additional stress. This additional stress may actually cause the new fish to become sick.
Most pond owners are cognizant of the merits of quarantining fish -- but we suspect a large portion of our pond health problems these days come in on the plants!!! Some of our members have come to the conclusion that it is best to keep plants out of a Koi pond or keep them to an absolute minimum.
Another question that goes along with this is, How long should I quarantine my new fish? The short answer to this is, the more you have invested in your existing pond, the longer you should quarantine the new fish. Remember, once you put it in with your present collection, there is no turning back. If your new fish has something, it will be in the same water with your old fish, and it is likely they all may get it.