FishProfiles.com Message Forums

Hi All,

I have a 10L (2.5g) with a 25W heater and sponge filter that I had been using as a hospital tank for my sick cory. A few days ago I noticed one of the female praecox rainbowfish in my 42g had dropsy so I moved her to the hospital tank last night. Well, I woke up this morning to find both of them dead. :#(

I've soaked the the tank and equipments (including the filter sponge) in weak bleach solution and now they're sitting in rinse water with extra dose of dechlorinator (I'll do more rinsing when I get home tonight). I'm thinking about converting this tank to a quarantine tank as I'm planning to get some (10) cardinals for my 23g in a few weeks. Questions:
1. Is it ok to reuse the filter sponge once I've rinsed it well and let it sun dry? If so, can I just let the sponge float around inside my 42g for a few weeks to let the bacteria colonize it, or do I actually need to run the whole filter (with airstone) to seed it?
2. How do I set up the quarantine tank? Can I just put half tank water & half tap, and then put the seeded sponge filter the day before I get the fish?
3. I'm planning to get 10 cardinals. Since the 2.5g is obviously too small to host them even if it's only for a few weeks of quarantine, do you recommend I do it in 2 batches of 5 and 5, or even smaller batches?
4. How long should I keep each batch in quarantine? Do I need to dose any medicine (e.g. Melafix) during quarantine?

Sorry, so many questions. Thanks for any advice!

Last edited by upikabu at 15-Sep-2005 20:08

-P

Rinse rinse rinse rinse and rinse some more and let sun dry to get all the chlorine/bleach out.

1- the sponge for the filters are so inexpensive, you better not chance it, snag up a new one. You can let it float around the tank, but the water flow through the sponge itself will be little to none, and the bacteria won't be much more than on the outer layers, you're better off setting it up and letting it run to get more depth.

2- set it up with minimal gravel, a few pieces of decor to make the fish comfy, soft lighting and a heater. In these types of tanks, simple is better. Just before you get the fish, you can do half tap/half tank water (but the tank is so small, you might as well go all tank water) and if you can, gravel from the mother tank as well. It'll only take a handful or two. This will ensure you'll have a cycle free tank while quarantining.

3- with a 2.5, you don't have many options, and you are correct, 10 is too many for that. 5 is even on the edge, but if they're small and you keep up on maintainence, you should be ok.

4- a lot of people will tell you that you should quarantine them for as long as it takes the slowest disease to show up. i feel 2-4 weeks is pretty well accepted.

5- Good luck!