Quarantine questions

[heystopthatman]

I’m about to start going big on my tank with fish. When I first bought my tank I threw a pbt in there. (bad idea obviously but didn’t know at the time) that pbt got some ick or velvet, couldn’t tell and it died. So I wanna start quarantining my fish. I have a 40 gallon I think it is Home Depot box thingy, but no filtration at the moment. What is the most budget friendly filter I could get that still gets the job done? And last question, when I quarantine a fish how long should I quarantine it and how do I know if it’s ready?

 

[Seansea]

Not sure what your budget is but i use this. Has little carbon filters and a sponge you can take out and clean. I leave mine setup as long as i know i am adding fish. I use mollys to keep it cycled with a cheap amazon light on it. I usually do 2 weeks and if my fish show no ill effects in they go. Just cheap instant ocean salt works.

 

[heystopthatman]

Not sure what your budget is but i use this. Has little carbon filters and a sponge you can take out and clean. I leave mine setup as long as i know i am adding fish. I use mollys to keep it cycled with a cheap amazon light on it. I usually do 2 weeks and if my fish show no ill effects in they go. Just cheap instant ocean salt works.

Definitely within the budget. For the keeping it cycled, can I just throw in some flakes here and there? Other than the filter though I’ve got everything it appears. Thanks for the help

 

[Devaji]

here you go:

Hybrid TTM to treat more parasites!

Important - Tank Transfer Method is most effective when water temperature and salinity are kept within this range: Temp: 24C-28C / 76F-82F Salinity: 27ppt-35ppt / 1.020 SG - 1.026 SG "Hybrid" Tank Transfer Method (updated 2-9-2023) Tank Transfer Method is an effective (non-chemical) treatment...

humble.fish

I was going to do the with 2X 10 gal tanks but I am stocking two tanks. so i am just buying quality QTed fish.

 

[JayM]

I’m about to start going big on my tank with fish. When I first bought my tank I threw a pbt in there. (bad idea obviously but didn’t know at the time) that pbt got some ick or velvet, couldn’t tell and it died. So I wanna start quarantining my fish. I have a 40 gallon I think it is Home Depot box thingy, but no filtration at the moment. What is the most budget friendly filter I could get that still gets the job done? And last question, when I quarantine a fish how long should I quarantine it and how do I know if it’s ready?

Current QT protocol

 

[resortez]

Not sure what your budget is but i use this. Has little carbon filters and a sponge you can take out and clean. I leave mine setup as long as i know i am adding fish. I use mollys to keep it cycled with a cheap amazon light on it. I usually do 2 weeks and if my fish show no ill effects in they go. Just cheap instant ocean salt works.

Second the same filter. In my experience & personal preference, I keep fish under quarantine for 5-6 weeks. 5-6 weeks allows for the fish to be completely flushed of any infection, bacterial &/or parasitic. I run the fish though copper & prazi pro, which medication to start with depends on the type of infection I see first, so the first week is a period of observation until the infection can be identified. 5-6 weeks is a guarantee period of time that all infections have been eradicated. Also allows for acclimation & fish becoming accustomed to prepared foods & your presence, causing less stress when the time comes to move them to the main display.

 

[Seansea]

Definitely within the budget. For the keeping it cycled, can I just throw in some flakes here and there? Other than the filter though I’ve got everything it appears. Thanks for the help

Sure but mollys serve a few purposes. First they cheap. Second they are always out since they grow up in captivity. They will smash their face into glass every time you get near tank giving shy fish the idea you are food. They are docile so no agression towards new fish. And they will eat algae in tank. Its up to you but for like 5 for 10 bucks if you catch a sale they are great for keeping qt tanks cycled.

 

[heystopthatman]

Sure but mollys serve a few purposes. First they cheap. Second they are always out since they grow up in captivity. They will smash their face into glass every time you get near tank giving shy fish the idea you are food. They are docile so no agression towards new fish. And they will eat algae in tank. Its up to you but for like 5 for 10 bucks if you catch a sale they are great for keeping qt tanks cycled.

Noted, plus when I’m done I could always get them back to freshwater if that’s a thing because I’ve got a nice 75 gal filled with community fish. The main reason I don’t like just throwing little fish in quarantine tanks and whatnot like most people do is because I feel like they have a sad life in just a big empty box but I didn’t really think for a second I could have them for another use. I will probably be using those guys now, thanks!

 

[Seansea]

They can go in main display when done. Make babys that feed the tank.

 

[nereefpat]

I would not keep any fish permanently in a QT. Once you cycle a tank, it's cycled.

For cheap filters, I like an air driven sponge filter.

 

[Seansea]

Why? And no if you leave it running with nothing in it it will uncycle

 

[Seansea]

Heres mine. Its shutdown now because my tank is at its fish max but was set up.for a year with mollys chilling in it. Just had to feed them daily when i fed my main tank. Mollys are in my display now.

 

[Malum Argenteum]

I keep a 10g QT running with a Tunze 9004DC skimmer and a Fluval 106 canister. It goes 6 months between uses and the nitrifying bacteria apparently stay alive and ready. I'm sure there's a party going on in the canister, and that's fine.

Keeping the tank up even when the DT is full has uses too -- a hospital/isolation tank is a very useful thing to have at the ready at all times.

 

[nereefpat]

Why?

I don't use my QT as a place to keep fish longer than needed.

The reason for a quarantine tank is to isolate and potentially treat fish to keep disease from entering your display, where it is basically impossible to treat disease.

A big tool for keeping disease out of tanks is a fishless period. Permanently keeping fish in there screws up my medication time-line.

And no if you leave it running with nothing in it it will uncycle

That is not true. My QT sits empty for months at a time. I've thrown in large fish in there after long fallow periods and not seen any ammonia.

 

[Seansea]

I don't use my QT as a place to keep fish longer than needed.

The reason for a quarantine tank is to isolate and potentially treat fish to keep disease from entering your display, where it is basically impossible to treat disease.

A big tool for keeping disease out of tanks is a fishless period. Permanently keeping fish in there screws up my medication time-line.


That is not true. My QT sits empty for months at a time. I've thrown in large fish in there after long fallow periods and not seen any ammonia.

Mollys extremely disease resistant. I have never seen them get disease even when other fish show signs. I use to run the tanks with no fish and i would def get ammonia spikes and fish woukd die. Im not sure why you think nitryfying bacteria would continue to live with no nitrogen source. I try to keep my qt tank as natural as possible complete with algae so fish can have something more natural to live in when qt'd. Most of the time i dont even have to treat just feed and monitor