Sick and/or injured schooling/shoaling fish in the hospital tank

**xdanxnjx** · 05-02-2013, 06:13 PM

My QT is a barebones, stat-up-when-needed, filterless (change the water 90% every day), tank with an aerator, a cup as a hidey hole, and no gravel, wrapped in paper to ease stress, no lighting.

I have always been torn when isolating injured or sick fish of the schooling/shoaling type alone. What do you guys do? Do you throw a couple buddies in there with them while you treat or just put them in solo?

ie. i have a julii corydora with a torn dorsal fin. being these guys are prone to infection being they are always at the bottom of the tank, i am going to make sure this thing heals right. i am putting him in there with three shoal mates to keep him comfortable.

hypothetically speaking, say a neon tetra with an injury? solo or with some friends? or say one sickly looking fish with ich, solo or schoolmates ?

**fishmommie** · 05-02-2013, 06:16 PM

It's not that schooling or shoaling fish can't survive without mates, it's just that they do better long term with others. I'd QT just the one with the injured fin and treat it.
If you're talking about ich, however, if the infected fish was in a tank with other fish, then chances are the entire tank is infected - you just aren't seeing physical signs yet. I'd treat the entire tank and forget the QT in that case.

**xdanxnjx** · 05-02-2013, 06:28 PM

noted on the ich, i'd do an all natural treatment with that sort of thing in the home tank. thankfully happened only once before in my QT before addition (that's why you quarantine newbies!).

i will put this cory in by his lonesome and see how he fares. i just feel bad haha.

**fishmommie** · 05-02-2013, 06:30 PM

Originally Posted by xdanxnjx

noted on the ich, i'd do an all natural treatment with that sort of thing in the home tank. thankfully happened only once before in my QT before addition (that's why you quarantine newbies!).

i will put this cory in by his lonesome and see how he fares. i just feel bad haha.

yeah, he'll be a little lonesome but he'll be okay. good luck getting his fin healed up. Lots and lots of water changes - as you already know and do :o)