Test for bacteria/parasites(help)

[LunaLaFee]

Since I'm a diver, i tend to find very interesting things under the water.. The problem is that i cant bring anything before i check it for pathogen bacterias and parasites and I'm asking for help in findin an efficient and dependable way to make sure that it is safe to put an organism into the MAIN aquarium.

Ps. I'm not talkin about fish. I mean sponges, anemones etc. Just how to check the water :question:

 

[Bifferwine]

I do not know of any tests for bacteria, parasites or pathogens in the water, sorry.

 

[yote]

A quarantine tank and a microscope is about as good as it gets for bacteria and parasites.

 

[marcah]

I dont know of any either, sorry. I would quarantine then move them to the display after a short while..Just remember anything that comes out of the ocean, once it hits our tanks cant go back...

 

[Waddi]

+1 Everyone

 

[cvcdrk]

I dont know of any either, sorry. I would quarantine then move them to the display after a short while..Just remember anything that comes out of the ocean, once it hits our tanks cant go back...

I don't live near the ocean so this is interesting to me.
Why is this true?

 

[Bifferwine]

They can pick up stuff from the other animals or rock in the tank that are not native to their environment, so you run the risk of introducing strange diseases, pests or parasites back into the ocean with them if you put them back. Think smallpox and the Indians!

 

[cvcdrk]

That makes sense.

 

[LunaLaFee]

Yea ive got a good microscope but some "bad"organisms look so similar to the "good" ones that its hard to tell :(
And ive got a quarantine tank.

I once brought an "infected sponge". It seemed so healthy though.. but anyway - it died and i was away just for a couple of hours and it started to pour a toxin into the tank.. everything died immediately :( Thats why im tryin to find somethin trustworthy :(

 

[cvcdrk]

Seems to me that if you don't want to risk it you should just buy the livestock from a reputable place.
I imagine it would be very rewarding to go out and find your own things to add to your tank but if you're that concerned about introducing things to the tank (and there doesn't seem to be much way to discern if it's dangerous) then just spend the $15-$30 on the nice things you want and get some piece of mind.

 

[LunaLaFee]

yea i guess ill just leave my main tank as it is, and eventually bring somethin to the other aquarium for a couple of weeks just to check if everythin is ok :)

I was wonderin if there are such test bcuz i talked to a marine biologist about my previous tank. I told him about the pathogen i had and he asked my what kind of pathogen was it? And i was like - hey , how was i supposed to check it? And it was true.. theres no way to check it... u can only guess - usin a microscope.He just wanted to show off i guess.. nah... If he was that good he wouldn be workin as a seller in a pet shop .xD

 

[JohnVH]

I don't know of any testing for bacteria or parasites. What about a freshwater dip or a coral dip? I would still quarantine anything from the wild. This I know I am going through a quarantine procedure now myself.

 

[LunaLaFee]

Yes, that's right. I think i will quarantine for some time and then eventually dip the coral :) (thanks for remindin me of the "coral dippin' " :P )