quarantine tank?

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flvol77

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I have seen a lot of advice on a quarantine tank.

I just set up my main tank - added about 50 to 60% of my fish to it, obviously I will be adding more fish but I want to quarantine them.

I have a Fluval Chi 5 gallon tank, can I use it? I have it up and running, I have seen a lot of people say don't even worry about the bio filter just do daily water changes?

Just trying to learn a little more on the subject and get some advice.

I am not buying big fish and I will not be adding by two or three fish at a time so I was thinking the 5 gallon tank should work fine. Also I have read a lot of people say get a bubbler? I assume that is if the fish have ick?

Thanks for the help as always.
 
Right now, your new tank is basically functioning as a qt as your fish are all new. Just something to keep in mind here. For future fish, the 5g should be fine as a qt as long as you are only using it for few (or less) fish at a time and keeping a very close eye on the parameters. If its cycled already, that's great! Make sure you are dosing a bit of ammonia to keep it cycled.

A few things to keep in mind when using it as a qt. Do not use the same equipment from your main tank on the qt- if you do, sterilize it in a bleach solution between tanks so you do not risk transferring any disease. As a 5g is small, you can keep a separate bucket for this for wcs. Wash your hands between tanks. The longer you can qt, the better. If your fish do become sick, qt does not start until they are healthy again. If you lose fish or they die from some unknown illness, sterilize the tank and anything in it (incl filter) before restarting. This also includes tossing the filter media. Keep it simple. The less in the qt, the easier it will be maintain. That's about it but please ask any questions! :)
 
Right now, your new tank is basically functioning as a qt as your fish are all new. Just something to keep in mind here. For future fish, the 5g should be fine as a qt as long as you are only using it for few (or less) fish at a time and keeping a very close eye on the parameters. If its cycled already, that's great! Make sure you are dosing a bit of ammonia to keep it cycled.

A few things to keep in mind when using it as a qt. Do not use the same equipment from your main tank on the qt- if you do, sterilize it in a bleach solution between tanks so you do not risk transferring any disease. As a 5g is small, you can keep a separate bucket for this for wcs. Wash your hands between tanks. The longer you can qt, the better. If your fish do become sick, qt does not start until they are healthy again. If you lose fish or they die from some unknown illness, sterilize the tank and anything in it (incl filter) before restarting. This also includes tossing the filter media. Keep it simple. The less in the qt, the easier it will be maintain. That's about it but please ask any questions! :)

I added three fish to my QT tank, I didn't want to add them to the main tank because I was a little concerned by the tank I bought them from at the pet store. The 5 gallon is cycled because I had three fish in it for 5 months that were put into the main tank.

Thanks for the advice, one question (edit, on my main tank) I don't have any live plants, just fake corals etc, so how long should my lights stay on? I have a finnex fugeray LED light, it gives off very little heat. I have a timer but it doesn't seem to work, I was thinking from 10 am to 6 pm?

Thoughts? Also what are your thoughts on aquarium salt in a freshwater tank, I added some a few days ago before I put fish in, it said 1 table spoon per every 5 gallons so that would be 10 tbsp roughly for my tank. I did it because i have read it helps with stress etc. Some say they aren't good for catfish ( I have a stripped Raphael catfish) while other seem to think its fine.
 
I only have the light on in my QT if I want a better look at the fish inside. I don't think the fish mind it being on the dark side most of the time.
 
I added three fish to my QT tank, I didn't want to add them to the main tank because I was a little concerned by the tank I bought them from at the pet store. The 5 gallon is cycled because I had three fish in it for 5 months that were put into the main tank.

Thanks for the advice, one question (edit, on my main tank) I don't have any live plants, just fake corals etc, so how long should my lights stay on? I have a finnex fugeray LED light, it gives off very little heat. I have a timer but it doesn't seem to work, I was thinking from 10 am to 6 pm?

Thoughts? Also what are your thoughts on aquarium salt in a freshwater tank, I added some a few days ago before I put fish in, it said 1 table spoon per every 5 gallons so that would be 10 tbsp roughly for my tank. I did it because i have read it helps with stress etc. Some say they aren't good for catfish ( I have a stripped Raphael catfish) while other seem to think its fine.

Bump for some more advice.
 
Been pretty busy- sorry for the delay. Light use in a nonplanted tank is simply a personal choice. If the tank is somewhere dark such as a basement, @8hrs of light a day will help mimic the natural day/night cycle most creatures need.

In respect to salt use, this is a hotly debated topic. I personally find science wins on this one as we keep fw fish, not saltwater. I respect salt as a med and reserve it solely for this purpose. Do your research before deciding to use something whose claims are based largely on old wives tales. Take some time to read the links below.

http://www.skepticalaquarist.com/salt-magic

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f12/is-aquarium-salt-needed-227851.html
 
Been pretty busy- sorry for the delay. Light use in a nonplanted tank is simply a personal choice. If the tank is somewhere dark such as a basement, @8hrs of light a day will help mimic the natural day/night cycle most creatures need.

In respect to salt use, this is a hotly debated topic. I personally find science wins on this one as we keep fw fish, not saltwater. I respect salt as a med and reserve it solely for this purpose. Do your research before deciding to use something whose claims are based largely on old wives tales. Take some time to read the links below.

Salt magic | The Skeptical Aquarist

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f12/is-aquarium-salt-needed-227851.html

Thanks for your help, I am glad I have my small QT up and running. I put three rainbows in there because I wasn't real confidant in the tank where I bought them from, sure enough, they aren't eating and look sick. I did add a little aquarium salt and added a bubbler because I wasn't sure they were getting enough oxygen.

They seem to be really lethargic and gasping for air. (one reason why I put a bubbler in the tank) My water is perfect, and I did a 6 hour drip acclimation before putting them into the qt. Its just frustrating.
 
I wouldn't even use a 5 gallon for a QT tank... I would use a 8 dollar TOTE before using that. If the sides are colored then the fish get less anxiety because they do see out the glass and get anxiety about everything that is changing.
 
I wouldn't even use a 5 gallon for a QT tank... I would use a 8 dollar TOTE before using that. If the sides are colored then the fish get less anxiety because they do see out the glass and get anxiety about everything that is changing.


interesting, I think I may go and get a 10 gallon tonight, problem is my 5 gallon is a Fluval chi and I can't use the filter from it on another tank and the Fluval chi is cycled.
 
Filters are over rated my friend. A valuable water change in a bigger volume of water is going to blow away that tiny 5 gallon setup. dont use gravel in the tote.

TRUST ME
 
Assuming its not over crowded, I don't see why a 5 gallon tank wouldn't work as a QT.

You said the tank at the LFS was sketchy and now the fish seen unhealthy?
 
Assuming its not over crowded, I don't see why a 5 gallon tank wouldn't work as a QT.

You said the tank at the LFS was sketchy and now the fish seen unhealthy?

These were bought from a Petco, its an extremely nice and clean Petco, I went out of my way to get them. Hindsight says I shouldn't have bought them because I after I had the young lady bag them up and noticed a sick fish in the tank. That is why they (boesemani rainbows) went into my QT instead of my new 55 gallon that I just set up because I wasn't totally sure they came from a good home.

Its my mistake, they look like they are gasping for air, three days and they have barely ate, I put a bubble wand in the tank to try and create more oxygen. I feel terrible, I tested the water and its perfect. Oh and they are extremely lethargic. Its sad because I know they are dying and I don't really know what to do. :(

Its three Boesemani Rainbows, they are about 2 inches long each maybe less.
 
I am not sure what petco's return policy is but have you considered taking them back? It sounds like they have more than one issue happening here.
 
If it's not too late and you have access to a store that carries it, a methylene blue dip is a good starting point for any treatment for fish. I know it cant be bought at pet smart though, not sure about petco. Increased aeration is a good choice and might be the reason the fish were gasping for air in the first place.
 
any update on your fish?

They are doing better, since its just a 5 gallon QT I have kept a close eye on the water, while its cycled they are big fish (too big for a 5 gallon QT but its better than dropping them into the main tank) I am changing the water at around 50% every other day and I may change out 25% everyday to reduce stress. I took out one fake plant to give them a little more room. One rainbow is eating very well now, one is eating ok and the other is kind of picky, but he has eaten.

I put the airstone in and reduced the water level some and they seem to moving around the tank more, gasping has reduced to almost nothing and their coloring looks much better.

I think we still have a ways to go but they have come a long, If I can help it I would rather not medicate, oh and I put some aquarium salt in the tank, not much but at every water change a little bit and it seems to have helped.

That is the update for now.

On a side note, my 29 gallon tank is closing in on being cycled, that will serve as my QT tank for the rest of fish for my 55 gallon tank, then I bought a 10 gallon tank that will serve as my QT for my 29 gallon. I will keep the 5 gallon up and running until all the fish are in both tanks just in case I have a sick fish and I am using my 10 gallon qt.

Then the 5 gallon tank may turn in a beta tank....don't tell my wife :) and I will shut down my 10 gallon tank because I just don't have the space to have a tank set up but I will keep running media in both my 55 and 29 in case I get a sick fish.
 
Well, they took a set backwards.

I had a long day, 12 hours (I am a dock master) and it was crazy today....I get home to check out my fish and they have ich. I am so glad I put them in a qt.

Its not horrible, so I bought a 10 gallon QT kit, the filter didn't work on it, I ran to petsmart, got a new filter and some rid ich. Set up the 10 gallon tank, dosed it with the Rid Ich and we will wait and see.

I am going to slowly raise the temp also and use Rid Ich for a few days and see if I can't get them better.

In my new tank there is two 3' 90' elbows, bubbler, heater, and lid.

In my 5 gallon tank I had substrate and plants because I used it to house some barbs at first.

That is the situation right now.
 
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