quarantine tank

[Kissifish]

I only have one tank. How can I improvise a quarantine tank that will keep fish for 1 week. I have a small plastic holding tank (1 gallon) that I use to keep fish in when I have to vacuum the gravel. When I use it I place a bubble stone in it to aerate the water. But, I'm concerned about filtration for that period of time. Would it be ok to replace the water daily or every other day until I introduce them to the main tank?

 

[val]

You really only need a quarantine tank if you have a fish that is sick and you have to isolate them for medication purposes. Taking the fish out when you vacuum really isn't necessary, not to mention really stressful on the fish.
Also, replacing water daily and every other day is also very stressful and will probably get rid of benefical bacteria. Usually, small tanks have an undergravel filter that comes with them.
Why do you need to keep them out of the tank for a week? Are you having a cycling problem? How many fish are we talking about?

Valerie

 

[Kissifish]

Sorry, I'm talking about when adding new fish to an existing tank.

 

[val]

Some people like to quarantine new fish, but I think this is just more stress. Just float the fish in the bag they come in for 30 minutes to an hour then net them out into the water. Don't add any of the bag water, it might have disease.

Valerie

 

[Kissifish]

Finally, someone who feels the same way I do. I hate having to wait to place newbies in the tank. Thanks. That's the way I have done in the past, but I was told I shouldn't.

 

[juliethegr8t]

Same here - I've always been told to isolate my new fish, but I never have, and I've never had problems. I'm not saying that doing that is a bad idea, because it probably is smart in case of diseases and such, but it's such a hassle... especially for those of us withOUT isolation tanks!

 

[kevy]

Yea, I never quarantined either but I can understand why someone with a couple hundred dollars worth of fish in a tank might want too.

 

[mrV]

1 week in quarantine isn't enough at all. You should always keep fishes 3-4 weeks in quarantine - atleast. Why?

Well, there is simply reason - bacteria and parasites don't always develop in a week. Like very common disease: Ich (Ichthyophthirius multifiliis), it takes 10-14 days in 24C, when it develops into parasite. In temp. 21C it takes over 3 weeks.

So it'a always recommended to increase temperature little and keep fishes long enough in quarantine. It doesn't help to put fishes in quarantine if you put them too soon into main aquarium.

You only need a small tank (the bigger the better) and some air-pump, filter and heater. You don't need gravel, plants, light etc... Put some mugs and maybe plastic plant for fishes and that's it. Change water enough and be sure there isn't nitrite (or NH3 if the water is basic). Don't overfeed them eighter..

I always put my new fishes to quarantine tank and I have never had any disease in my tanks. (In quarantine yes.)

 

[Fishsmurf]

I'm with Mr V, I always quarantine for at least three weeks. Better safe than sorry, I would hate to see a tank that I had spent months setting up, with expensive fish (I keep Discus) get infected because I was too impatient to wait a few weeks. You can still view them & when they go into the main tank I am 99% sure they are healthy & disease free.