Setting Up a Quarantine Tank

[fo fish]

Inspired by the thread "Why Acclimate?" http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/aquariumforum/showthread.php?t=64673, I noted many people quarantine new fish before adding them to their main tanks. This all makes sense, but I'm curious about the mechanics of keeping and maintaining a quarantine tank. I guess I have basic questions, e.g.,

What size of quarantine tank do people typically use? Is it a function of the size of fish you either have (when using it as a hospital tank), or plan to buy?

Do you maintain the quarantine tank when there are no fish in it? If so, how do you keep it cycled? Just add ammonia (similar to a continuous ongoing fishless cycle)?

If you don't continually maintain the quarantine tank how long does it take to set it up? If I plan to get some new fish, do I need to plan a couple of months ahead (I suppose this would be another reason to have multiple filters on the main tank)?

How long to most folks keep new fish in quarantine? Seems like I've seen "30 days" mentioned a couple of places. Is this long enough?

During the quarantine period, what are you looking for? Signs of disease/loss of fish, obviously. Anything else? What do you do if you do lose one or more fish? Do you extend the quarantine period?

Any other recommendations about setting up/maintaining a quarantine tank?

Thanks,

fo fish

[rich311k]

It does depend on the size of the fish. I use a twenty gallon long. I keep an AC50 running on my 75. When I need the QT, I pull out the tank fill it up add the heater and move the filter over. Ready to go on an hour or so. I do break it down when not using it. I QT for 30 days normally though I tend to go longer as I am never in a hurry to move the fish to their new homes, going slow generally rewards in this hobby.

[EmmanuelJB]

1. 20 gallons is usually big enough.
2. I always keep my quarntine tank running. It stays cycles with a BN pleco. Hardy non agressive fish usually work though.
3. No you don't need to really think far ahead. Just keep an extra filter running on the main tank and set up and put the filter on the quarntine tank.
4. 30 days is long enough IMO.
5. Yes, Sighns of disease, fish loss, and stress. If you loose fish/ noticee disease, extend quarntine period, and observe fish more closely.

[fo fish]

This all makes sense. Thanks for the quick responses.

Any others?

[robflanker]

What size of quarantine tank do people typically use? Is it a function of the size of fish you either have (when using it as a hospital tank), or plan to buy? I use a 10g because its easy to keep in a closet, and i have one lying around

Do you maintain the quarantine tank when there are no fish in it? If so, how do you keep it cycled? Just add ammonia (similar to a continuous ongoing fishless cycle)? I take a filter off my main tank or move some of the media from the main tank to the QT tank. Sometimes if I have this planned out way in advance, ill add the QT filter to the main tank for a month to seed it and then move it to the QT tank at the righ time

If you don't continually maintain the quarantine tank how long does it take to set it up? If I plan to get some new fish, do I need to plan a couple of months ahead (I suppose this would be another reason to have multiple filters on the main tank)? Takes about an hour to give the 10g a quick clean, and then fill it up.

How long to most folks keep new fish in quarantine? Seems like I've seen "30 days" mentioned a couple of places. Is this long enough? I plan on doing about 7-10 days for the ones I currently have in QT; long enough to ensure they don't have ich

During the quarantine period, what are you looking for? Signs of disease/loss of fish, obviously. Anything else? What do you do if you do lose one or more fish? Do you extend the quarantine period? As you mentioned, signs of disease. I lost one already from my current batch but it made it easy to find in the bare QT with a couple of cheap tacky plastic plants in there. I don't plan on extending my QT due to the loss as it was just one fish but if i start losing more, i'll grow more concerned.

Answers in Red

[Brhino]

a question for those that keep a small filter attached to one of their main tanks, and then transfer it to the quarantine tank when needed - if any of the quarantine fish do succumb to disease, do you worry that the disease will become resident on the filter media and transfer back to the main tank when you break down the quarantine tank?

[Cliff]

a question for those that keep a small filter attached to one of their main tanks, and then transfer it to the quarantine tank when needed - if any of the quarantine fish do succumb to disease, do you worry that the disease will become resident on the filter media and transfer back to the main tank when you break down the quarantine tank?

I’ve never had that happen to me.

I keep my QT filter running on my 36 gallon ensuring it is ready for use when I need it. If I were to have a fish in the QT die from disease, I could just toss out the filter media, clean the filter out really good, and put it back on my 36 gallon to get re-seeded ready for use again in a month or maybe a little longer.

That’s what I would do if I ever lost a fish in the QT tank.

[Lady Hobbs]

My tank is only a 5 gallon. I never buy that many fish at once and it's big enough for what I need it for.

I used to keep it running with danio's in it just to keep it cycled. Then I figured to heck with it and emptied it out. I only set it up when needed and run a sponge filter in my bigger tanks. When I need the quarantine tank, I just move the sponge filter into the 5 gallon.

Tell ya why I quarantine. I had 23 neons in a 20 gallon tank. A month later decided to get 20 more and dumped them right in with the others. Then got Ick. I lost all 43 fish due to both the Ick and due to the medications I used to kill it. That was $150 worth of fish in one hit. My quarantine tank cost $8.

[rich311k]

a question for those that keep a small filter attached to one of their main tanks, and then transfer it to the quarantine tank when needed - if any of the quarantine fish do succumb to disease, do you worry that the disease will become resident on the filter media and transfer back to the main tank when you break down the quarantine tank?

If that happens I throw all media out bleach the filter and start with new media.

[tanks4thememories]

Inspired by the thread "Why Acclimate?" http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/aquariumforum/showthread.php?t=64673, I noted many people quarantine new fish before adding them to their main tanks. This all makes sense, but I'm curious about the mechanics of keeping and maintaining a quarantine tank. I guess I have basic questions, e.g.,

What size of quarantine tank do people typically use? Is it a function of the size of fish you either have (when using it as a hospital tank), or plan to buy?
I use a 10 gallon. For smaller fish and A storage bin for larger ones...lol
It really depends on the sizes of fish you work with.

Do you maintain the quarantine tank when there are no fish in it? If so, how do you keep it cycled? Just add ammonia (similar to a continuous ongoing fishless cycle)?
I don't keep it running. It is my personal opinion that it is best to "nuke" it between uses. That is just me however..lol Many people keep it running and add ammonia or keep a "Cycle" fish in there..lol. I just keep the filters in my established tanks well overstocked with excess media. Then I have spare filters that I can set up in a moments notice and I use some media from one of the established filters.

If you don't continually maintain the quarantine tank how long does it take to set it up? If I plan to get some new fish, do I need to plan a couple of months ahead (I suppose this would be another reason to have multiple filters on the main tank)?
With the method I listed above I can have a tank/storage bin up and completely cycled in 5 minutes.

How long to most folks keep new fish in quarantine? Seems like I've seen "30 days" mentioned a couple of places. Is this long enough?
I am very disease conscious..lol So I recommend 6 weeks. This is because I am aware of some diseases that can take that long to present symptoms.

During the quarantine period, what are you looking for? Signs of disease/loss of fish, obviously. Anything else? What do you do if you do lose one or more fish? Do you extend the quarantine period?
You are watching for abnormal signs of behavior. Or anything abnormal about their appearance. Yes if something dies I typically will extend the quarantine from the time something died. If a pathogen is suspected and I start treatment then it is no longer a QT tank. Now it has turned into a Hospital tank. I switch the filtration media for ammo chips or some similar product and start treatments. Once treatments are completed and fish are ok then the QT period starts again.


Any other recommendations about setting up/maintaining a quarantine tank?
Umm it helps to keep it bare bottom , or glass beads or marbles. Something simple and with minimal surface area. A few plastic plants but make sure once again they aren't delicate or elaborate - the object here is to have decor for the fish to be comfortable yet you don't want them to be able to escape observation or you also don't want decor that can be difficult to disinfect should the need arise.

Thanks,

fo fish

Thats how I manage mines anyway. Hope it helps.

[tanks4thememories]

a question for those that keep a small filter attached to one of their main tanks, and then transfer it to the quarantine tank when needed - if any of the quarantine fish do succumb to disease, do you worry that the disease will become resident on the filter media and transfer back to the main tank when you break down the quarantine tank?


Yup that's why I no longer keep qt tank running. Or the filter. I just keep extra media and I throw it out and nuke the tank when I'm done.. Reset for next use.:hmm3grin2orange: If I use tank as Hospital tank then I use ammo chips instead of bio filtration. This way I'm not worried about the BB getting nuked anyway.

[SkipW]

Great thread. I was going to ask a lot of the same questions.

[Lady Hobbs]

I keep in quarantine 2 weeks.

[fo fish]

Thanks for all the advice. I'm gonna keep my eyes open for a good deal on a 10 or 20 gal tank I can use in the future. Also, when I eventually upgrade my tank, I'll keep on using my current HOB (maybe even upgrade to an AC110) along with a canister so I'll be ready to swap one over if needed.

fo fish