Quarantine Tank Questions

**valice** · 20th Mar 2006, 22:01

After seeing my two male Dicrossus dying on me over the weekend, I have decided that I am going to setup a quarantine tank to prevent any extra stress on new fishes I am getting along the way...

I want to ask you guys who have a quarantine tank on how the quarantined fishes are introduced into the main tank. I believe that the conditions, i.e. pH levels, kH levels and temperature are going to be different. So how to climatise the fishes for the main tank?

**michael lai** · 20th Mar 2006, 22:21

Hi valice,
It's just the same like adding new fish from the bag, put the fish in a container, use the 'slow drip' method recommended by Juggler. A drip coming from your main tank, flow is controlled by a small tap. Very slow process but highly effective.

**valice** · 20th Mar 2006, 22:48

Then the water of the q-tank need to be cycled first before adding the new fishes?

**michael lai** · 20th Mar 2006, 23:10

Yup, at least I keep mine that way. It's pretty seasoned water, change every fortnightly 25%. There is substrate(lapis) and bare driftwood. There is a internal filter, a external cannister with uv on standby( plug and play when needed ). even comes with 2xFL lightings although not strong. Lighting period is same as the rest of my planted tanks, as well as feeding time. Only use when fish I know is wild caught or those I'm not familiar with or those I suspect is 'ill'. Might be alot of effort and don't really know if worth it or not but I got a spare tank and I really love my fishes.

**valice** · 20th Mar 2006, 23:41

Or those that comes from C328 right? Hahaha...

Thanks Mike for the answers to my questions... Will cycle the tank once it is set up for the new introductions...

**michael lai** · 21st Mar 2006, 00:00

Hey, how come you know about this??

Must be the 'one' that reside in the west. Very 'intimate' information hor, don't go spreading around.

**PeterGwee** · 21st Mar 2006, 00:09

Originally Posted by valice

Then the water of the q-tank need to be cycled first before adding the new fishes?

Add enough mulm from the established tank to the bottom of the q-tank substrate and filter would instantly cycled it. pH/KH is not needed since you use it only to determine CO2 level which is added for the plants and not to maintain ph!

Regards
Peter Gwee

**valice** · 23rd Mar 2006, 23:21

Okie...I have NEVER quarantined my fishes before and today I just released 3 fishes into my quarantined tank... Now they are just lying somewhere in the tank and hiding...

So what should I do next? Should I do any preventive measures like putting salt or something like that? Or just sit and wait?

**PeterGwee** · 23rd Mar 2006, 23:27

Lying on the substrate?

Did you add enough "mulm" to the substrate bottom and filter? Get enough plants in there to take up the potential NH3/NH4/NO2 spike and provide hiding places?

Regards
Peter Gwee

**valice** · 23rd Mar 2006, 23:33

The tank is a really small tank... Think is 28cm by 18cm x 10cm... And that I added an old HOT filter with some filter media from my other tank... Also added EasyLife Filter media in the initial setup... Inside the tank is about 20 leaflets of Java ferns... No lights... Java ferns were in there to act as hiding places...

They are "sitting" on the substrate to be exact and they are checkerboards, so will "sit" on anything sometimes... When gotten from C328, they were sitting in the tank of C328 too...

**michael lai** · 23rd Mar 2006, 23:34

Vincent, I've been trying out this product by aquamedi. It's medicated salt in very fine form, easy to introduce into the water. So far so good, it acts as a preventive and cure for a number of disease. You might want to check it out. I think it's a blue container with yellow cap.

Did you provide any hiding place? watch them when feeding usually the best time to detect any symtoms of infection.

**valice** · 23rd Mar 2006, 23:35

Originally Posted by michael lai

Vincent, I've been trying out this product by aquamedi. It's medicated salt in very fine form, easy to introduce into the water. So far so good, it acts as a preventive and cure for a number of disease. You might want to check it out. I think it's a blue container with yellow cap.

Did you provide any hiding place? watch them when feeding usually the best time to detect any symtoms of infection.

So add it as preventive medication? Available from C328?

**michael lai** · 23rd Mar 2006, 23:37

Yup, C328 should have if not try polyart lor....

**PeterGwee** · 23rd Mar 2006, 23:38

I only get active fish...never fish that sits around. Something is not right if they are not active.

Regards
Peter Gwee

**valice** · 23rd Mar 2006, 23:42

Those fishes were just introduced into the tank from the bag by Auntie when I got there... So maybe they are still under abit of shocked when I took them out again...

Hope they wouldn't die on me again...

**michael lai** · 23rd Mar 2006, 23:42

Ya, agree with Peter on that. Sometimes really not worth to buy sick fish no matter how hard they come by or how much you desire them. Also one more point, vincent. Medication takes up O2 so make sure your tank is sufficiently aerated.