What do you put in a quarantine tank?

Bon142 · 07/13/2009, 11:33 PM

i set up my 1st quarantine after learning the hard way what happens when you dont. got a tomato clown, put him in a 6 gal tank with hob canister filter, heater and a piece of live rock i put in after 2 days. he's really not eating well if at all. what's wrong, he was verry healthy in the store and had been there over a month.

LoyalConvict · 07/13/2009, 11:41 PM

some people would say to avoid using live rock in yor QT incase you ever need to medicate cos copper will soak in to it and leach out if ever placed back into the main display. that and importing parasites is also a slight risk. did you run the HOB on your main tank before putting it onto the QT to seed it? i only use a 10 20 or 30 gallon and PVP pipe as oposed to LR. with a canister filter that had a chance to be seeded by the main tank. and a cheap light off of a nano cube

what all have you tried feeding him? some times fish dont eat right away as they are kinda spooked after being transported and thrown into a new tank.

otrlynn · 07/14/2009, 06:48 AM

Since you already have the live rock in the QT, just leave it there. It will help with adding beneficial bacteria to the QT, which will help keep ammonia down. If you have to use medication in the tank, you will need to remove it though. What are the water parameters in the QT? Do you have a piece of clean PVC in there, so that the fish has somewhere to hide?

Hopefully your new fish is just adjusting to the new tank.

Typically, you will need to do water changes to the tank several times a week to make sure that you do not have any ammonia spikes (not likely to be the current problem if the fish has only been in the tank two days).

chesapeake · 07/14/2009, 06:52 AM

What are you feeding him?I would try mysis then maybe spectrum with the garlic.

Arati · 07/14/2009, 07:33 AM

I had to QT all my clownfish at once so this was built to do 3 pairs.

wooden_reefer · 07/14/2009, 11:29 AM

Without sufficient nitrification, thorough quarantine is difficult.

To rid fish of ich, a period of at least six weeks of treatment is needed. I hate to do water change for this duartion, or longer.

Why cycle if I need to do frequent water change a novice may ask. The answer is to cycle the QT . Live rock in general is not a good nitrification filter medium in a QT.

Imagine a beginner stocking fish one at a time, then there will be six weeks for each fish. Hard, taxes the patience and back and pocket book.

Plan ahead. Cycle the QT. Best nitrification filter medium for QT is not live rock, which is too bulky and unwieldy. Hint: what have aquarists been using before the popularity of LR?

07/13/2009, 11:33 PM	#1
Bon142 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: New York Posts: 61	What do you put in a quarantine tank? i set up my 1st quarantine after learning the hard way what happens when you dont. got a tomato clown, put him in a 6 gal tank with hob canister filter, heater and a piece of live rock i put in after 2 days. he's really not eating well if at all. what's wrong, he was verry healthy in the store and had been there over a month.

07/13/2009, 11:41 PM	#2
LoyalConvict Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 468	some people would say to avoid using live rock in yor QT incase you ever need to medicate cos copper will soak in to it and leach out if ever placed back into the main display. that and importing parasites is also a slight risk. did you run the HOB on your main tank before putting it onto the QT to seed it? i only use a 10 20 or 30 gallon and PVP pipe as oposed to LR. with a canister filter that had a chance to be seeded by the main tank. and a cheap light off of a nano cube what all have you tried feeding him? some times fish dont eat right away as they are kinda spooked after being transported and thrown into a new tank. __________________ Contemplating sushifried I Have - Ichthyophobia, Hydrophobia, Hyalophobia, and Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia Current Tank Info: 90 Reef, 55 fuge - 75 FOWLR 30 fuge

07/14/2009, 06:48 AM	#3
otrlynn Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Chester County PA Posts: 1,508	Since you already have the live rock in the QT, just leave it there. It will help with adding beneficial bacteria to the QT, which will help keep ammonia down. If you have to use medication in the tank, you will need to remove it though. What are the water parameters in the QT? Do you have a piece of clean PVC in there, so that the fish has somewhere to hide? Hopefully your new fish is just adjusting to the new tank. Typically, you will need to do water changes to the tank several times a week to make sure that you do not have any ammonia spikes (not likely to be the current problem if the fish has only been in the tank two days). __________________ Lynn 1 horse, 1 dog, 2 cats, small pond with a few koi. The fish tank is gone.

07/14/2009, 07:33 AM	#5
Arati Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: LI,NY Posts: 722	I had to QT all my clownfish at once so this was built to do 3 pairs. __________________ I wasn't planning on keeping the turtle until it could pull me around under water. ~RV7AFlyer Current Tank Info: 150 ish gallons of Reef

07/14/2009, 06:52 AM	#4
chesapeake Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 231	What are you feeding him?I would try mysis then maybe spectrum with the garlic.

07/14/2009, 11:29 AM	#6
wooden_reefer Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 4,670	Without sufficient nitrification, thorough quarantine is difficult. To rid fish of ich, a period of at least six weeks of treatment is needed. I hate to do water change for this duartion, or longer. Why cycle if I need to do frequent water change a novice may ask. The answer is to cycle the QT . Live rock in general is not a good nitrification filter medium in a QT. Imagine a beginner stocking fish one at a time, then there will be six weeks for each fish. Hard, taxes the patience and back and pocket book. Plan ahead. Cycle the QT. Best nitrification filter medium for QT is not live rock, which is too bulky and unwieldy. Hint: what have aquarists been using before the popularity of LR?