How To Set Up A Quarantine Tank For Tropical Fish

Do I Need A Quarantine Tank?

Ah, yes, the often dismissed but very necessary part of the tropical fish hobby, the infamous quarantine tank. Do you really need one to be successful in this hobby?

For freshwater fish you may be able to get by without having one. Freshwater fish are generally more suited to captivity because they are usually tank raised and don't seem to break out in disease as readily as their saltwater counterparts. However, if newly acquired fish do come down with something, you will surely wish that you had one ready to go. One newly bought fish that is introduced to your main tank can easily wipe out the entire tank population. Better safe than sorry, right?

For saltwater aquarium keepers, I would say that you definitely need a quarantine tank. Marine specimens are mostly wild caught and not used to being kept in captivity. Their journey to a dealers tank is usually much longer and much more stressful for them. Stressed out fish will usually come down with some kind of disease if they don't simply die from the whole ordeal. Saltwater fish keepers will usually have other things in the main display tank such as invertebrates and live rock, that they don't want to expose to the harsh medicines necessary to treat one or two fish. Some medicines can wipe out all of the invertebrates in a tank, so be sure to research any medicine before using it in your tank.

Quarantine Tank Setup
You don't need to go all out here. A simple 10 - 20 gallon aquarium will suffice for most people. If you have larger fish then obviously you want to get a bigger quarantine tank. All you really need is a bare bones setup with the following equipment:

• Some type of filtration (a hang on the back of the tank power filter will work, just use filter floss without the carbon since carbon will remove medication from the water, being counter productive)
• Heater
• A powerhead and/or an airstone for increased surface agitation
• Test Kits for pH, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate
• Fish Net - don't use the same net for your main tank

Fill the quarantine tank with water from the main tank and then turn everything on in the quarantine tank.

Freshwater & Saltwater Fish Quarantine
For newly acquired fish you will want to acclimate them to the water in the quarantine tank and monitor them very closely for a period of two to three weeks. Monitor the water parameters with your test kits and check for signs of parasites or bacterial infections.

If the newly acquired fish does come down with something you will need to use the appropriate medication and you will need to keep them in quarantine for a further two weeks to make sure that you have indeed treated them effectively. If after a few weeks no problems develop, you can then acclimate them to the main tank water and then introduce them.

If a fish comes down with something while in your main tank, just net them and plop them into the quarantine tank. There should be no need to acclimate them because you used water from your main tank. If you didn't use water from the main tank you will need to acclimate them to the quarantine tank water. Diagnose the problem/disease and treat appropriately. After the disease clears up you will still want to keep the fish in quarantine for a week or so monitoring the water parameters with your test kits the whole time.

More On Saltwater Quarantine
Always have some extra saltwater ready in case you need to perform an emergency water change. Remember, you want to monitor those water parameters frequently (daily or at least once every two days). Many saltwater hobbyists always have saltwater ready just in case. You never want to mix up saltwater and add it right away. Freshly mixed saltwater can be fairly toxic to fish, in turn causing you more problems.

Conclusion
Freshwater hobbyists may get away with not using a quarantine tank, but saltwater hobbyists would be crazy not using one. Save yourself some money, headaches and especially the fish by having a quarantine tank. The fish in your main tank will thank you for it.

For more tropical fish and aquarium information, please visit FishLore.com - Freshwater & Saltwater Tropical Fish & Aquarium Information.

Mike is an editor at FishLore.com. Designed for beginners, FishLore.com provides tropical fish information, how-to guides, articles, fish profiles, FAQs, forums and more!

____________________

Advertisement: SitStayFetch Dog Training - Click Here!

---

How To Protect Your Pets From Fleas And Ticks

Fleas are wingless, blood-sucking insects that feed on dog, cats, humans and other species. There are many different types of flea each one specific to the animal... Read More

Dog Aggressive Training: Understand & Eliminate Your Dogs Aggressive Behavior

Aggression behavior in a dog is a normal form of canine communication similar to human frustration or anger. Like human, aggressive behavior occurs in every dog. The... Read More

Parachromis Managuense

Parachromis managuense has a bad reputation, just like many of the other large predatory cichlids. This reputation is largely undeserved, and besides, the positive sides of these... Read More

The Geriatric (Older) Dog

Dogs mature and age at much different rates, usually according to size and breed. It is commonly held that dogs live 7 years for every year that... Read More

Cute Cat Names ... And How To Find Them

Cute cat names? Max is popular, Lady a favorite for queens. If you want your cat to have a more original name, you have to use your... Read More

The Wire Fox Terrier

Of the thirty-three terrier breeds (most of which were first used for hunting of some sort and so came up as aggressive and lively), the Wire Fox... Read More

Hypoallergenic Dogs

When we talk about hypoallergenic dogs, we mean that they have a less or reduced tendency to cause allergies or allergic reaction among allergy sufferers.It has been... Read More

Training Your Dog

Training your dog can be time consuming and frustrating at times, but it's well worth it. Here are several tips that should help things go much smoother... Read More

Dog Health: About Worms and Their Side Effects

Your dog's health is a very important part of overall care, and when you have a dog: Worms are a common problem. Puppies tend to get worms... Read More

How To Find Your Lost Dog

The first thing to do when searching for a lost dog is to confirm that your dog is actually lost. Dogs, especially curious breeds, can easily find... Read More

How to Ensure that Your Cat is Healthy and Lives a Long and Happy Life

Incredible advances in veterinary medicine are making it possible for cats to live longer, healthier lives than ever before. The quality of your cat's health is the... Read More

Kids and Pets, Will it Work?

How can my child benefit from having a pet?1.Social skills and self-esteem. Feelings and positive experiences with their pet can help children feel good about their own.... Read More

Mommy, Can I Keep That Stray Dog?

How many times have you seen this situation where a child comes through the door with a dog in tow? It looks skinny and skittish and is... Read More

The Need for Pet First Aid Kits

Even if you have the perfect first aid kit for you and your family, it might not help when Fiddo or Fluffy gets hurt. To help pets... Read More

Do You Know Whats Really In Your Pets Food?

The pet food industry, a billion-dollar, unregulated operation, feeds on the garbage that otherwise would wind up in landfills or be transformed into fertilizer. The hidden ingredients... Read More

Parvo in Dogs

What Is ParvoParvo is a serious viral disease that can be deadly even if treatment is given. So, to protect your puppy from contracting pravo you need... Read More

Is YOUR Child Ready for a Dog?

Are you considering buying a dog for your child or children?Before you do, take a moment to evaluate your family and determine if your children are ready... Read More

Natural Approaches to Dealing With Pesky Fleas

Problems with Commercial Flea Killers & TraditionalFlea Bite Treatments***Chemicals that act as poisons are strong enough tokill fleas, but the long term effects on pets areunknown, although... Read More

Lets Get Clear On Proper Dog Care

Whether you're a new dog owner or have had dogs around you for many years, learning about proper dog care is essential if you're to give your... Read More

Afraid To Buy A Horse At Public Auction?

Here are 5 things to do to put the odds of getting a good horse in your favor.Let me share a short story with you about public... Read More

Feral Cats - Societys Problem Children

There is a lot of talk going on about what to do with the issue of feral cat population.Some measures have been proposed which will allow residents... Read More

Toys are GOOD for your dog

Did you know that dog toys are actually good for your dog, and not just an indulgence on the part of the owner?There are all kinds of... Read More

Tired of Vet Bills?

Do you make a lot of trips to the vet's office? Do you spend your hard-earned money on vet bills because your dog suffers from chronic ailments?... Read More

Puppy Training that is Safe for Your Puppy

Puppy training can and should begin the day you bring your puppy home, but only if it's approached in a safe manner for your puppy and his... Read More

Does Your Dog Have Allergies?

Many people don't realize that their dogs, just like human beings, can suffer from allergies. In fact, about twenty percent of the dogs in the United States... Read More

How To Use Horse Training Thinking To Solve Dang Near Any Problem With A Horse

Horse training can be a relatively mysterious subject to people who have not studied it. Even more mysterious is a behavioral problem a horse has that causes... Read More