Tony Thompson
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- Joined
- Jul 17, 2016
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I can envisage how a diverse microbiological environment, that sustains a range of food sources and a correctly balanced diet would be universally agreed as a positive. However, introducing pathogens and parasites in an uncontrolled fashion to an enclosed system containing captive animals, in the belief it will help maintain or increase an animals immune system, IMO advocates negligence.
To suggest as some have, that animals in the wild do not die from pathogens, is just not true. They are regularly documented cases of large die offs of animals directly linked to disease outbreaks. Fortunately these incidents are usually confined by geography. Some times these events have a positive effect on the marine environment, stimulating new diversity due to population control.
As an LFS owner and hobbyist myself for over 30 years, IME, the vast majority of hobbyists don't quarantine their animals. As a matter of biosecurity, all the animals in my store are routinely quarantined for a period of upto 6 weeks and treated for external and internal parasites before being transferred to the display tanks for sale. As a store owner I have a duty of care for these animals and on inspection it is my experience that the vast majority of animals from the major wholesalers carry parasites that would negatively impact the animals well being. I strongly advocate the use of quarantine procedure to my customers and offer advice on treatment for visible signs of ill health.
It breaks my heart when a fellow hobbyist comes to my store for advice on a serious outbreak of a disease in their DT, that is rapidly killing their pets. In most cases its very difficult to diagnose the leading cause or to late to do anything. In many cases this can lead them to giving up the hobby all together.
It is also evident that, Marine Ich (Cryptocaryon irritans) is generally perceived as the main threat to the marine hobbyist. The fact is that although sometimes devastating this particular parasite is not generally considered as a priority by the OIE (World Organisation for Animal Health Organisation). It has been well documented that certain species and animals with a strong immune defence can survive outbreaks of this parasite. However it would be imprudent to use such cases an excuse to ignore the threat.
In conclusion I would like to clarify that I agree that medication and quarantine procedures can induce a stressful state in some animals and in fact can lead in some cases to their demise. However the main reason for quarantine is not necessarily to save the life of a new acquisition, but to protect the whole community within your main display from unnecessary harm.
My advice would be to always quarantine. Surely, its better to lose the one new acquisition than loose the whole tank.
To suggest as some have, that animals in the wild do not die from pathogens, is just not true. They are regularly documented cases of large die offs of animals directly linked to disease outbreaks. Fortunately these incidents are usually confined by geography. Some times these events have a positive effect on the marine environment, stimulating new diversity due to population control.
As an LFS owner and hobbyist myself for over 30 years, IME, the vast majority of hobbyists don't quarantine their animals. As a matter of biosecurity, all the animals in my store are routinely quarantined for a period of upto 6 weeks and treated for external and internal parasites before being transferred to the display tanks for sale. As a store owner I have a duty of care for these animals and on inspection it is my experience that the vast majority of animals from the major wholesalers carry parasites that would negatively impact the animals well being. I strongly advocate the use of quarantine procedure to my customers and offer advice on treatment for visible signs of ill health.
It breaks my heart when a fellow hobbyist comes to my store for advice on a serious outbreak of a disease in their DT, that is rapidly killing their pets. In most cases its very difficult to diagnose the leading cause or to late to do anything. In many cases this can lead them to giving up the hobby all together.
It is also evident that, Marine Ich (Cryptocaryon irritans) is generally perceived as the main threat to the marine hobbyist. The fact is that although sometimes devastating this particular parasite is not generally considered as a priority by the OIE (World Organisation for Animal Health Organisation). It has been well documented that certain species and animals with a strong immune defence can survive outbreaks of this parasite. However it would be imprudent to use such cases an excuse to ignore the threat.
In conclusion I would like to clarify that I agree that medication and quarantine procedures can induce a stressful state in some animals and in fact can lead in some cases to their demise. However the main reason for quarantine is not necessarily to save the life of a new acquisition, but to protect the whole community within your main display from unnecessary harm.
My advice would be to always quarantine. Surely, its better to lose the one new acquisition than loose the whole tank.