Quarantine tank

Nilet699

Having just put my first fish into quarantine, neon blue dwarf gouramis, I just realised I had some questions regarding this tank;

1/ what should be in the tank?
At current I am using a 60ltr tank with 3 smallish pieces of bog wood, a fresh cabomba plant, and some off cuts of another cabomba that had grown too tall. I read, I think that it should be a bare tank-this was possibly for a hopical tank- but I reckonedthat this wouldn't really be a good idea... more hiding places.... happier fish.

2/ Apple snails.
The tank was previously used by who I bought it from for breeding these. I decided to keep the larger substrate alive and wet when purchasing for one the bacteria and 2 to keep any little snails alive in it due to the recent import ban on these to the E.U. so I could sell them later. im hoping these will be fine in a quarantine tank??

There was more but I'm working and have forgot for now!

fish monger

Many people have an aquarium that doubles as a quarantine and a hospital tank. A lot of the time, these tanks have no substrate, some plants, and a hiding place or two. This provides easy maintenance and clean up after any diseases and medications. The thing that concerns me about having permanent inhabitants is that they would be subjected to all of the diseases and medications. Snails are sensitive to many of the common medications used to cure fish ailments. So I know this is a bummer, but I'd try to find another way to save your snails. Good luck.

Nilet699

Hmm this might not be so bad. Now I'll just have to buy a lil 5 gallon for the snails I suppose. The Mrs is against me buying anymore tanks...but Loves the snails so I might get away with this one. I'll then just have to transfer as many as poss - lettuce - and any that remain if/when a fish gets sick will just have to man up I suppose

I did technically want to turn this tank into a barb tank when I had used it to quarantine all fish for bigger tank and then just pick up a bare glass tank for like 10quid off eBay for a hospital tank which could live in a cupboard till needed with few plastic plants in it and fake wood for hiding..... as I GUESSED if it was a hospital tank it wouldn't need a filter etc... or anything other then hiding places, and could be maintained with regular water changes during the treatment phase.........?????

fish monger

I think you'd want a filter in there. Just a cheap one to keep a little water moving and naturally a heater. We don't need to make it a show tank, but it should have good conditions during the quarantine and hospital sessions.

Nilet699

The quarantine and hospital would be 2 diff tanks.

Would a filter even maintain bacteria with nothing in the hospital tank?
Would it just be better to have the hospital tank as just an empty planted tank where the plants did all the work?

Byron

I consider "hospital tank" and "quarantine tank" as quite different things, but I readily admit many others do not differentiate.

For a hospital, a bare tank with no substrate or plants is best. A heater is needed (often treatment may involve warmth). A filter is a good idea, and a simple sponge attached to an air pump is what I use, the sponge only used in this tank; this will not remove most medications like carbons and such will. And I only use this tank for diseased fish undergoing treatment, so it is normally dry. When a fish needs to be isolated, I use water from that tank to fill the 10g hospital tank about 2/3 and then net in the fish. I usually toss in a floating plants; this adds bacteria plus it calms the fish. Most fish will be highly stressed in bare tanks. Whether or not you use some sort of decor, like a resin imitation branch or similar, to settle the fish is up to you, but bear in mind it may have to be discarded; I now use one of these artificial stump/branch things, and that can be cleaned in boiling water and bleach without worry; completely air drying gets rid of the bleach.

I keep a 20g planted tank running permanently, and new fish acquisitions go into this; a 15g or 10g can work, unless the fish are initially too large of course. Many will say they should be in the bare tank, but knowing how bare tanks do stress fish I stick with this method, and it has worked for me. All being well, no treatment may be necessary. Ich is usually the most common problem, and that can be treated easily, even if it kills the plants though in my experience it never has. There is not the slightest doubt in my mind that new fish will settle down faster in such a tank. I keep them in this for 4-5 weeks, sometimes 3 months, depending upon circumstances. The latter for fish that may be difficult to get feeding, and the smaller confines plus no other fish allows you to have better luck getting them to eat. Then when they go in the main tank, they are healthy, well fed, and can adjust better to the new environment.

Byron.

Nilet699

This is basically what I'm thinking. I don't want my quarantine tank and hospital tank to be one and the same. Ever.

The quarantine for new fish only and a separate hospital.

And that's the reason I was thinking plastic for the hospital Byron, basically so I could clean them any which way I want etc after with no worries.

Any chance you could throw up a pic of that filter you use? Im pretty sure I can imagine, but still

Byron

In the hospital tank I use a Hydro, they come in various sizes. I have a 10g tank but the filter is actually the 20g, but that doesn't matter. It is easy to connect up since I have an air pump running constantly for 3 other sponge-filter tanks with a multi-valve and a line for this tank when needed.

Attached Images

Hydro sponge filters.jpg (38.6 KB, 23 views)

Nilet699

Ok so one of these is kept dry until needed? You throw in any bacteria starter etc or just leave as is? Thanks for the pic

Byron

No. I use water from the tank [and I know, there is no bacteria in that, but it prevents shocking the fish even more] and I toss in a floating plant or two as bacteria will be on the leaves. And one fish in a 10g 2/3 full is not going to be in too much trouble.