Quarantine Tank HELP

[TVukan]

I need to set up a Quarantine Tank ASAP. My nitrates are sky high and I think my fish have ich. When setting up a Quarantine tank won't the levels spike just like a new tank and how will my fish live through this. What is the best way to ser up a Quarantine tank? All my puffers do is make a couple laps and back under rocks they go. And can Zebra eels get ich?

Porcupine puffer dog face puffer and a stars and stripe puffer

Thanks

 

[Andy Sager]

A qt/ hospital tank should have the barest of conditions. No substrate or rocks as it can house organisms. Filtration should be with a sponge filter or some other filter that can house the BB (Be aware that some medications, i.e. antibiotics, will surpress your BB levels so routine water changes will be necessary.) Hiding places need to be in the form of plastic piping or other non absorbing materials so as to not absorb any meds you might be use during this time.
Start the tank off with brand new water which will be free of any ammonia, nitrite or nitrate then regularly check ammonia level and do water change once ammonia starts to rise. If you have larger fish, your QT tanks needs to be large as well or your levels will spike very quickly.
As for the eel, eels don;t usually succumb to diseases BUT they can be hosts. I'd get him out of there as well.

Hope this helps

 

[TVukan]

Thank you so much. I have a 75 gallon tank that should do the job. I also need power heads for water movement right? So can I just house all of my creatures together in my 75 gallon? And also what do u suggest I treat my qt tank with? I heard ich attack is good. Any suggestions would be great.

 

[Andy Sager]

Thank you so much. I have a 75 gallon tank that should do the job. I also need power heads for water movement right? So can I just house all of my creatures together in my 75 gallon? And also what do u suggest I treat my qt tank with? I heard ich attack is good. Any suggestions would be great.

You can use either a power head (with the suction area protected from sucking up the fish) or even a HOB without the filter cartridge for water movement. If you don't have enough aeration, add an airstone as well.

Yes, I would put them all together as they all need to be treated. As for the right med, I've not heard of "ich attack" and have always used Copper for parasites (non brooklynella). Since you will be dealing with an eel, I'd suggest the product Cupramine. I'd also suggest you read through this article explaining what to expect: Copper - Treatment, Use, Problems


Hope this helps

 

[mr_X]

Why not just do some water changes and make your DT a healthy environment? The fish can beat it if you do so, and you won't need the QT.
Stop overfeeding and do some water changes to bring the levels back to acceptable ones.

 

[TVukan]

The fish haven't been being fed really maybe twice a week and they eat out in the open so any left over shrimp or whatever is fed is scooped out. We have done multiple water changes as high as 35 gallons and no decrease on the nitrate level. So u think I should just leave them in my 125 gallon and treat the whole tank?

 

[mr_X]

It doesn't matter what's left over. whatever you add to the tank doesn't just vanish, it simply changes. the high nitrates and whatever else came from somewhere.....Sometimes it takes time to bring it down. Whatever caused it didn't just happen over night.
Whatever way you go, I would not add any chemicals to the display.

 

[TVukan]

Thank u for all the advise. And I looked up Cupramine and it says the main ingredient is copper. So how can I use this for my eel? Thank you.

 

[mr_X]

You must remove the eel and treat it in a different tank.