smithw14
Aquarium Advice Regular
How does one maintain a hospital tank? I've got a simple 10g up and running now with a simple power filter, treating a rainbow shark for a minor wound -
I have no gravel, and only a little plastic plant from my other tank hoping to transfer some bacteria along with using the mechanical filtration media from one of my other tanks as well.
I am doing water changes now with this tiny fish and checking parameters - its not even in a pre-cycle yet.
So anyway, this little guy is the least of my worries - he will be all well before a cycle even starts I imagine.
But in a few days after the rainbow shark is going back in his tank my two 5" oscars are coming out of theirs and going to need to plop in for a swim for about 6 days to treat extremely early signs of lateral line erosion. To me, two 5" oscars in a 10g hospital tank seems absolutely insane, but I am not treating them in their tank - cannot afford it.
I am not worried about aggression at all - I have a true pair. I know they will be cramped a bit but they will thank me in the long run .
What I am worried about is a huge spike in ammonia. How do I handle this for 6 days? Even a CYCLED 10g tank won't handle their waste as I'm sure you all know! I have never put them in something so small, so I have no idea what the spike will be and how quickly. I can imagine though I can do all the water changes in the world but that won't help - not to mention it won't keep the medicine in the tank!!
If anyone is interested I am using metronidazole via "flagyl" which my veterinarian is hooking me up with. I am also contemplating dosing some pima and melafix as well to counter any secondary infection that might be brewing.
Anyway, how do I accomplish 2 oscars in a 10g tank for 6 days?
And then my general question of how in the world do you maintain a hospital tank when not in use? I really would rather not just waste power running a tank if I am not going to use or need it. So then how do you make the tank safe when you have a fish come busting through those ER doors?
Many thanks
-William
I have no gravel, and only a little plastic plant from my other tank hoping to transfer some bacteria along with using the mechanical filtration media from one of my other tanks as well.
I am doing water changes now with this tiny fish and checking parameters - its not even in a pre-cycle yet.
So anyway, this little guy is the least of my worries - he will be all well before a cycle even starts I imagine.
But in a few days after the rainbow shark is going back in his tank my two 5" oscars are coming out of theirs and going to need to plop in for a swim for about 6 days to treat extremely early signs of lateral line erosion. To me, two 5" oscars in a 10g hospital tank seems absolutely insane, but I am not treating them in their tank - cannot afford it.
I am not worried about aggression at all - I have a true pair. I know they will be cramped a bit but they will thank me in the long run .
What I am worried about is a huge spike in ammonia. How do I handle this for 6 days? Even a CYCLED 10g tank won't handle their waste as I'm sure you all know! I have never put them in something so small, so I have no idea what the spike will be and how quickly. I can imagine though I can do all the water changes in the world but that won't help - not to mention it won't keep the medicine in the tank!!
If anyone is interested I am using metronidazole via "flagyl" which my veterinarian is hooking me up with. I am also contemplating dosing some pima and melafix as well to counter any secondary infection that might be brewing.
Anyway, how do I accomplish 2 oscars in a 10g tank for 6 days?
And then my general question of how in the world do you maintain a hospital tank when not in use? I really would rather not just waste power running a tank if I am not going to use or need it. So then how do you make the tank safe when you have a fish come busting through those ER doors?
Many thanks
-William