I have legitimately done this. Acquired a cheap tank from a friend, "awesome! I'm going to hang on to this tank and use it for quarantine!". A few months later... New planted tank mysteriously appears... 0_o
For people who dont have a cycled sponge filter on the ready and are in immediate need of a quarantine tank....look up box filters (aka. corner filters)...I like Lee's. You can load it with loose bio media from your established filter and some poly fill. If you dont have loose bio media (maybe running a cartridge style hang on back filter) load some gravel taken from the first inch or so from your established tank (its teeming with beneficial bacteria).....just some tips I thought I might add having work at a fish store for a few years. Awesome video, keep em coming Irene
This is why I love aquarium co-op. Y'all don't gatekeep on anything ever! Us newer keepers can get solid info. Every time. 💛 Tank #4 is totally a bin like this for my worms and snails. 😅
I followed Irene’s instructions and have myself a lovely Hospital tub tank and it’s the best. Irene, you are the patron saint of my hobby and I’ll follow you to the ends of the earth. ❤
Great video! I had some goldfish in quarantine inside for almost a whole year before adding them into my pond that had my 14+ year old goldfish. I used an industrial 27 gallon tote from home depot and it was like a mini indoor pond. They've been outside for a year now and everyone is doing great!!
Your aquarium Co Op Trio Medication just saved all my fishes. I have a 75 gallon nano fish tank and they were dropping dead at fast rates after introducing fishes I purchased online from a reputable company. I’m on day 5 of Medication and am not observing any more deaths.
An advantage of using the plastic tub OR an unattractive old aquarium as your QT or Hospital tank is that you won't be tempted to graduate it into display usage and deprive yourself of an available QT tank for next time. The term "quarantine" comes from the old practice of making newly arrived foreign ships spend forty (quarante in French) days just outside the port to make sure there were no active diseases on board. I see people talking about a two-week *quarantine* sometimes and that's just not long enough to be assured that certain parasitic organisms have completed their full life cycles. Frankly even a month may not be enough unless you're extremely diligent and an expert on all diseases.
I think it's totally Ok to use a smaller tank for both "quarantine" and "display" at the same time, even if you have older fish in with the newer ones. It's still a means of risk mitigation, just as a completely paranoid quarantine setup doesn't give you 100% safety either. Also, most people don't do any diagnostics on fish anyway, so it's hard for them to get any objective benefit from quarantining fish at all. It always helps to know what kind of risk you are in for. Different species from different sources carry different risk factors. Also, mixing too many species/sources in the same tank may also not make the best Zen of Fish Keeping.
Who would’ve thought keeping fish would be this difficult?! I’m sure a lot people, but still I can’t believe how much I have had to learn with cycling and quarantining. It’s kind of stressing me out a little bit. I made an impulse buy at petsmart today. I bought two zebra danio as tank mates for my axolotl, and am so glad I didn’t just dump them in with her. Thanks for all the info!
I think people think fish are simple and easy. I had a coworker who said to me she was considering getting her kids a fish because she thought it would be easier than a dog/cat. "Just put it in a bowl and feed it every now and then" I think she was thinking about getting a betta or a goldfish. I informed her of the basic needs of both of those and that they are not the same and her eyes got wide. I suggested she might consider the dog instead lol
I love this vid ! I had a betta in a teeny tiny bowl and when I found out that they needed 5 gallons , I got a tank for him . Then we moved, and his tank is still cycling , I hated looking at how sad he was in that little bowl :( . Then I came across this video and made him a QT tank instantly . He is happier now ! Can't wait for the tank to be cycled so that he'll be even happier :)
Hey there.. Do you know if it is safe to just put your fish in quarantine for an emergency without a cycle and just an airstone. Maybe for a day or two?
great info, can't tell you how many times I put fish right from the store into my tanks and what a disaster, when I first started keeping fish no one ever quarantined their fish, now we know better, thanks for passing this along!
Thanks Irene, I'm going to set up a hospital tank using your suggestions. Question: How do you disinfect your sponge filter and how long do you keep it dry before using in your main tank again? Thanks!
@@laurelland I use sponge filters as she suggests and have never had to disinfect the sponge filters. I clean them by taking them apart and squeezing all the dirty water I can out and letting them dry. Any bacteria, fungus, etc. will die out of water. I can put them back in my main tank whenever and after they have run for ~a month they are full of good bacteria and ready to go. I keep extras in all my tanks so I always have at least one ready to go.
This video is amazing, I had to watch it 3x to completely understand what it means, but geez this is the most helpful piece of information for ppl who have an understanding of fish…. Thank you CoOp
I love tubs and have been using them for years for quick setups for rescued fish and hospital/quarantine tanks. I also rely on cycled sponge filters. You have some great ideas that I never thought of such as marking the sides of the tub. Makes dosing and water changes easy. I use an old screen in a frame for my lid but drilling holes works too. Another great video.
This video is saving my life and hopefully my fish lives! Ive been impatient and having been quarantining my fish because of space. This will greatly help.
I have used bins before! Awesome fix. Problem is calculating water amounts. I like how you wrote the lines on the side. I will need to do that to save me from measuring each time.
I have done this to my goldfish fry that I got from my Uncle's friend I have a small tub just to make it a QT but end up making them their permanent tank, when they started to grow more, I moved them to a bigger tub. In here a big tub is cheaper than a big aquarium also it's lighter to carry and setup. I got the tub idea as a tank/small indoor pond from another channel. You and Chris always makes my day when you both uploads new videos keep it up!
Well done! Such an ingenious idea to use a clear tote. I just happen to have a disinfected one that my late hamster was housed in. It's 100 litres so I'm sure it's more than adequate as a quarantine tank since that's a little over 26 gallons. Besides I just keep small community fish in my indoor tanks. Yes I totally agree, sponge filters are the best & perfect for sharing beneficial bacteria from one area to another. ❤️
I love this video. Needed these pointers. Currently have my new guppies in quarantine for about a week now and thought that it was good enough plus i like that combo medication. I'll do it with these fish and do an update video in about a month
It would be great to see someone make a video for those of us that are overseas and unable to get access to those type of medicines that you all specify there in the USA.. There must be similar items that are usable in all countries but unknown to everyone.. I'm in Australia and we have very strict quarantine rules and regulations on importing items and fish also.. but are unable to get those quarantine medicines that you often stipulate ... I have been running fish tanks for many years and have a quarantine tank but I very rarely buy fish these days as most of my fish are bred by myself, or ones that I have purchased many many years ago. The only quarantine item I use is rocksalt ground into a powder and then put into the tanks but as we all know salt is not always good for all types of fish and some like Pleco's (which is what I breed) etc are not suitable with salt.
This video is three years old, but it was VERY helpful. I did the same thing as you did in the beginning. When you buy fish from any big store like petsmart or petco.....The fish are bag to bag, aquarium to aquarium, and stressed like no other. Plus, these stores use ONE large water supply with a common filter. So, individual tanks do NOT have separate water in case of a spread of infection. I do not have an established display tank OR a quarantine. I have to get some fish from a local established fish store owner to start. They will go in my display tank with some aquatop forza origin, which is a nitrate based bacteria that will help establish my main tank MUCH faster. Once I have my sponge filter good and cycled, I can put that into the quarantine "tub" (Walmart again) with my heater and net.....Then, the quarantine and my main will both be cycled. Quarantine the rest of the new fish I get for 30 days with the three antibiotics you mentioned, and they should then be set to go. I wish I had an established display already, but I don't. I need some fish in there to start the process, which is why I am going with a local established fish dealer/owner. Great advice.
One small tip if you going to use those plastic containers as a fish tank get the once without wheels underneath. I tried the one with wheels it cracked because of the weight of the water on the plastic. Second tip it's wrath it to spend a few extra bucks on getting one with better quality plastic or get a plan black on the quality of plastic is much better and much more durable!
You would clean it the same way. Everything gets bleached for a while and then rinsed off. I have done the same thing and then you can just put the sponge back in your main tank. Make sure you bleach the tubing too and any tools you used like nets.
you dont. you throw the sponge away. also you shouldnt take sponges or filter media from an established tank into quarantine either. it should be all fresh, new and clean. because there may be disease in your main tank that you are unaware of...having a cycled quarantine tank is unnecessary when the fish will only be in there for 5-10 days, and you should be water changing the quarantine every 2-3 days anyways
@@The_Draque There are different approaches to quarantining and your setup is certainly more thorough than what is advised in the video. In my opinion, for most hobbyists, it doesn't make a lot of sense to attempt to protect new fish from potential pathogens in your established tanks, because it's a lot of additional effort for mitigating a hopefully very minimal risk. If you have a persistent pathogen problem, of course, it might make more sense to get rid of that first. On the other hand, if you are managing dozens of tanks, thinking about isolating their microbiomes makes increasingly more sense.
Same! I bought a couple of tetras and they had ich. Setup a hospital tank to treat them. Unfortunately both died. Now keeping the other fishes to ensure the ich cycle is cleared.
Thanks for the video. Today I just purchased a cheap 10 gallon that I will use as an quarantine/hospital thank. I'll be looking at the 3 medication you mentioned now. 👍🏽
Hello! I just discovered your videos a few weeks ago (gamer’s wife talks fish) and so now I am thrilled to see you putting out videos for aquarium co-op! You are exact and precise, you get your message across quickly and don’t ramble on (like that Corey guy, is that his name? Never watched a whole video of his, cos he rambles on too much and annoys me. He is very “fish wise” though!). I am going to buy a new angelfish soon, so this video was very helpful! Thanks and look forward to you sharing your next “pearl of wisdom” ...
Ha. This has been on a my video list to make for a while now and you've beaten me to it! I think it is really good to inform people about this method since I think there has been lots of scaremongering on forums in the past about whether the plastic is suitable for fish etc. Thanks for another great video!
If you put in an established sponge filter while using the trio doesn’t it kill off all the beneficial bacteria from the sponge filter during that week ?
For those asking how to disinfect sponge filters, you can use bleach with them but I prefer using a microwave. Depending on the sponge material you can remove the sponge, place it in a container of water and microwave the sponge for around 2 minutes. Obviously watch the sponge in case it isn’t able to handle the process but I’ve found most sponge materials we use in the hobby hold up fine.
Hi Irene, sure hope you see this as the video is a few years back. Setting upa quarantine and will be using a sponge filter. Easy to get from established aquarium. But what do you do once it's been moved to quarantine use? I don't really want it back in my established tank and letting it dry out kind of defeats my next round of fish purchases and need to rub again?
In the video she says she disinfects everything, including the filter once the fish have been moved to the display tank. Then she adds the sponge filter back to her display tank along side whatever's already running in there & starts the process over so it will be ready next time she needs to quarantine.
The quarantine tank isn't so much a quarantine tank persay for me. Its a cichlid "go sit in the corner tank". When one of the guys gets a little out of hand, instead of letting him or her bully the other folks to death. The 10 gallon gets pulled out and they get a 2 to 3 day "cool off" from the main tank. I also use it when I am going to sell or trade a fish. Easier to net the fish in there then having to do it a few minutes before someone comes to pick it up inside the big tank with all its decor.
I thought for my betta it could just be in a bowl because they don't require filters and heaters if the live alone. I have only one in my 10 gallon community tank. It has dropsy. Day 2 fighting it. 2 salt baths, no change but when I put him back in the tank today's after adding treatment to the entire tank he swam like crazy! So glad to be free! This is a first for me. It's becoming more and more complicated. I had to put the treatment in the tank because the dose in 5ml to ten gallons!! How in the world could it get an accurate dosage in a quart of water! Ugh...I'm exhausted from worrying. He's staying in the medicated tank tonight while I sleep. I'm up too late already. I over heated his salt bath water by 5 degrees. Took forever to cool down. Couldn't put an ice cube in there because that's untreated tap which is sure death for my fish. I buy spring water. Goodnight folks. Happy fish keeping!
I had similar experience when I just started, also with mollies - they infected all of my fish with ick. I have been using 10 gallon quarantine tank, but have filled it up with fry. I now use 1 gallon flower vase as a quarantine tank since I do not add many fish at the same time, and dose much less than I did in 10 gal. :) How do you disinfect a sponge filter?
My system is slightly different. Let me know if it makes sense because I set it up based on my own judgement. So I basically add an extra step: instead of putting new arrivals straight into a hospital tank dosed with drugs and salt, I put them in what I call "a green room". It's a regular 10 gallon simple planted tank with some snails in it to keep it cycled and ready. I can also keep that extra filter in there to avoid "ugglyfying" my display tanks. The small hospital tank is set up only in case the new arrivals need treatment. The reasons for that are: 1. The actual diseases affect only a small percentage of the new arrivals but stress is one of the primary causes of deaths in new fish. No one likes to be put in hospital or in jail for no reason. It's stressful. The very purpose of the green room is to calm down in close to natural environment and avoid stress related sickness. 2. The green room's parameters and water chemistry are almost identical to my main tanks' so if there are no troubles, the new fish become acclimated faster and the move "next door" doesn't affect them. 3. I got to set up another planted tank!
Hello! I just wanted to ask . . . what water dechlorinator do you use with these medications? I heard you can't use Prime because it neutralizes the parasite medication. Thanks!
I first watched this video last month (Feb 2023). I'm about 3 week in to cycling my first setup that will have fish and thought I'd get started on getting everything together for a quarantine tank so I'll be ready as I start adding fish to my display tank. I hope you see this or someone in the comments can advise. I know it's recommended to add only a few fish at a time for a new tank, cleanup crew last. So my question is: Once you've put your first fish in the display tank and you're ready to purchase your next additions, how do you handle the quarantine process? Do you purchase only your 2nd additions and go through the whole 4-6 week process, then re-disinfect everything and start over for the next fish & so on? It seems like it would take an extremely long time to stock the tank fully? Or do you purchase more of your fish at once, then leave them in quarantine a bit longer as you slowly add them to your display tank? I'm lucky to be close enough to Aquarium Co-op to buy my fish there. I really appreciate your videos, they are so helpful.
I need to set up a quarantine tank because I'm thinking of getting some Mollies to go in my 55 gallon. I also have a 10 gallon planted tank I would like to put something in. I have one Leopard long fin danio in the 10 gallon. Think I might put him in my big tank with my other danios
2 questions please? How do you disinfect your sponge filters (1) can you just add the trio of medicines every time you get a new fish if you don't have a quarantine tank?
What if i put sponge filter on my main tank, do you think BB can grow even though I'm not using it (it's just submerged on my tank)? I'm planning to keep fish soon so I'm planning everything beforehand. :))) Thank you for your vids. You helped me a lot 🖤
Great video! How do you clean/disinfect your sponge filter? It wasn't in the tank when you bleached it. I've always wondered what to do with mine when I take down a quarantine tank. In a lot of groups people say to throw them out, but that doesn't sound like a great plan.
What are the three/trio quarantine medications recommended for a freshwater aquarium? When I click on the link I see 8 products, one of them being salt which I know isn't one of them. is it just Ich-x, paracleanse and maracyn? Thanks!
Do you quarantine Ottos with this same process? I’m just wondering if the need to get them eating outweighs the need to medicate them. Or maybe feed and medicate them at once?
Can someone tell me what does she mean by disinfect and sanitize the sponge filter? How can I do that before place it back to the main aquarium? Thank you
We are going to be moving about a three-day drive in the future, and I have been looking for a way to move the fish. This looks like it might work for that. :) Thanks.
I moved mine from CT in VA in a Lowe's bucket (I drilled air holes in the lid and one slightly larger hole for the airline hose). I set up a sponge filter in my main tank ahead of time to get BB and ordered a usb/rechargable air pump from amazon and ran that in the car during my 9 hour drive (plugged it in near the end of the trip). They actually lived in the bucket for about 5 days as their tank went in the moving truck on Friday and I joined my other half on Tuesday. I bought a gallon bottle of distilled water to help with water changes, just added prime to the jug and used a large cup to do partial water changes. I rehomed most of my fish before leaving CT but I did move 3 Kuhli loaches, 1 dwarf gourami, 7 amano shrimp, and discovered 3 teeny tiny baby corys when draining the tank (only 2 survived the bucket ride, and only 1 survived reintroduction to the tank)
Can I use a 25 gal plastic bin for a sick 14" 10 yr old tinfoil barb...need a quick setup to start treating. He's currently in a 75 gal with 6 other fish I'm praying don't get sick too.
Hello, Irene. Another wonderful video. Cory is a smart man by lining himself with the right people. I've got a question or 2 if you don't mind answering. I've got a community tank in my bedroom, that has fish and shrimp. (1) What medications are safe to use on both species? (2) Is API General cure safe for both species ? (3) you said, not to feed the fish during the whole quarantine period. Now I know Cory administers the med trio, and leaves it in for 7 days. So does that mean he doesn't feed the occupants, in the quarantine tank during that period?.
*Want to make sure your new fish are healthy and won't spread disease? Watch this video: **ruclips.net/video/LrRhfOYfXns/видео.html*
I really like the tote idea. Because if it was a fish tank it’d end up being another fish tank rather than a quarantine tank lol
That's exactly what happened to me lol.
Yep me too! Then I got another qt tank. And you'll never guess what happened...... Yep.
I have legitimately done this. Acquired a cheap tank from a friend, "awesome! I'm going to hang on to this tank and use it for quarantine!".
A few months later... New planted tank mysteriously appears... 0_o
Lol that's what I want
Just worried that you won't see early disease onset due to the opaque walls.
For people who dont have a cycled sponge filter on the ready and are in immediate need of a quarantine tank....look up box filters (aka. corner filters)...I like Lee's. You can load it with loose bio media from your established filter and some poly fill. If you dont have loose bio media (maybe running a cartridge style hang on back filter) load some gravel taken from the first inch or so from your established tank (its teeming with beneficial bacteria).....just some tips I thought I might add having work at a fish store for a few years. Awesome video, keep em coming Irene
This is why I love aquarium co-op. Y'all don't gatekeep on anything ever! Us newer keepers can get solid info. Every time. 💛 Tank #4 is totally a bin like this for my worms and snails. 😅
Its creepy how aquarium co-op's videos always pop up at the right time I need it...
I followed Irene’s instructions and have myself a lovely Hospital tub tank and it’s the best. Irene, you are the patron saint of my hobby and I’ll follow you to the ends of the earth. ❤
Great video! I had some goldfish in quarantine inside for almost a whole year before adding them into my pond that had my 14+ year old goldfish. I used an industrial 27 gallon tote from home depot and it was like a mini indoor pond. They've been outside for a year now and everyone is doing great!!
Your aquarium Co Op Trio Medication just saved all my fishes. I have a 75 gallon nano fish tank and they were dropping dead at fast rates after introducing fishes I purchased online from a reputable company. I’m on day 5 of Medication and am not observing any more deaths.
Mate a 75 gallon is not a nano. Did you mean 7.5?
Also, was the tank cycled?
Le Baguette yeah I think so too
@Le Baguette You are probably right.
Steve Sheppard yeah 75 gallon tank full of nano fishes
An advantage of using the plastic tub OR an unattractive old aquarium as your QT or Hospital tank is that you won't be tempted to graduate it into display usage and deprive yourself of an available QT tank for next time.
The term "quarantine" comes from the old practice of making newly arrived foreign ships spend forty (quarante in French) days just outside the port to make sure there were no active diseases on board. I see people talking about a two-week *quarantine* sometimes and that's just not long enough to be assured that certain parasitic organisms have completed their full life cycles. Frankly even a month may not be enough unless you're extremely diligent and an expert on all diseases.
Very good point. I've definitely had QT tanks migrate into display tanks in the past. Just get carried away..... 🤣
Good point but I think most of us don't care how it looks so it will become a permanent tank lol
I think it's totally Ok to use a smaller tank for both "quarantine" and "display" at the same time, even if you have older fish in with the newer ones. It's still a means of risk mitigation, just as a completely paranoid quarantine setup doesn't give you 100% safety either. Also, most people don't do any diagnostics on fish anyway, so it's hard for them to get any objective benefit from quarantining fish at all. It always helps to know what kind of risk you are in for. Different species from different sources carry different risk factors. Also, mixing too many species/sources in the same tank may also not make the best Zen of Fish Keeping.
Italian, not french but you make a good point nonetheless
@@spitbukket6862 Latin quadraginta; Italian quaranta. Et cetera, et cetera.
Who would’ve thought keeping fish would be this difficult?! I’m sure a lot people, but still I can’t believe how much I have had to learn with cycling and quarantining. It’s kind of stressing me out a little bit. I made an impulse buy at petsmart today. I bought two zebra danio as tank mates for my axolotl, and am so glad I didn’t just dump them in with her. Thanks for all the info!
I think people think fish are simple and easy. I had a coworker who said to me she was considering getting her kids a fish because she thought it would be easier than a dog/cat. "Just put it in a bowl and feed it every now and then" I think she was thinking about getting a betta or a goldfish. I informed her of the basic needs of both of those and that they are not the same and her eyes got wide. I suggested she might consider the dog instead lol
How is it going now?
Yes, fish are complicated, yet once you get it right, it's fun.
The tote is a great idea! I’ve used quarantine tanks for years but it’s hard to avoid the temptation to turn it into another display aquarium 👍
These small informativa capsules are great! And it´s pretty cool that we get to hear from other people at aquarium co-op.
10gal just sprung a leak. I remembered this video and made this and it saved the day :)
I love this vid ! I had a betta in a teeny tiny bowl and when I found out that they needed 5 gallons , I got a tank for him . Then we moved, and his tank is still cycling , I hated looking at how sad he was in that little bowl :( . Then I came across this video and made him a QT tank instantly . He is happier now ! Can't wait for the tank to be cycled so that he'll be even happier :)
Hey there.. Do you know if it is safe to just put your fish in quarantine for an emergency without a cycle and just an airstone. Maybe for a day or two?
great info, can't tell you how many times I put fish right from the store into my tanks and what a disaster, when I first started keeping fish no one ever quarantined their fish, now we know better, thanks for passing this along!
I like your idea on marking the gallons on the side of the tank
Thanks Irene, I'm going to set up a hospital tank using your suggestions. Question: How do you disinfect your sponge filter and how long do you keep it dry before using in your main tank again? Thanks!
This is my question as well!
@@laurelland I use sponge filters as she suggests and have never had to disinfect the sponge filters. I clean them by taking them apart and squeezing all the dirty water I can out and letting them dry. Any bacteria, fungus, etc. will die out of water. I can put them back in my main tank whenever and after they have run for ~a month they are full of good bacteria and ready to go. I keep extras in all my tanks so I always have at least one ready to go.
This video is amazing, I had to watch it 3x to completely understand what it means, but geez this is the most helpful piece of information for ppl who have an understanding of fish…. Thank you CoOp
This is now how I do my quarantine tank. Thanks for this vid.
Thank you Irene, greetings from Liverpool UK🇬🇧
I love tubs and have been using them for years for quick setups for rescued fish and hospital/quarantine tanks. I also rely on cycled sponge filters. You have some great ideas that I never thought of such as marking the sides of the tub. Makes dosing and water changes easy. I use an old screen in a frame for my lid but drilling holes works too.
Another great video.
Irene, THANK YOU for uploading this video! Great information and very timely. This is just another reason why I finally became a member. 😊
This video is saving my life and hopefully my fish lives! Ive been impatient and having been quarantining my fish because of space. This will greatly help.
I have used bins before! Awesome fix. Problem is calculating water amounts. I like how you wrote the lines on the side. I will need to do that to save me from measuring each time.
I have done this to my goldfish fry that I got from my Uncle's friend I have a small tub just to make it a QT but end up making them their permanent tank, when they started to grow more, I moved them to a bigger tub. In here a big tub is cheaper than a big aquarium also it's lighter to carry and setup. I got the tub idea as a tank/small indoor pond from another channel. You and Chris always makes my day when you both uploads new videos keep it up!
Well done! Such an ingenious idea to use a clear tote. I just happen to have a disinfected one that my late hamster was housed in. It's 100 litres so I'm sure it's more than adequate as a quarantine tank since that's a little over 26 gallons. Besides I just keep small community fish in my indoor tanks. Yes I totally agree, sponge filters are the best & perfect for sharing beneficial bacteria from one area to another. ❤️
I love this video. Needed these pointers. Currently have my new guppies in quarantine for about a week now and thought that it was good enough plus i like that combo medication. I'll do it with these fish and do an update video in about a month
Finally a project I can do where I get to use my drill
Thanks Irene, great back to basics... Love the tote idea!
Thanks for posting this. A temp quarantine tank like this that can be packed away is probably just what I need, living in just a 1 bedroom apartment.
I love these feature videos very helpful information! I'm in the process of setting up a quarantine tank so great timing :)
It would be great to see someone make a video for those of us that are overseas and unable to get access to those type of medicines that you all specify there in the USA.. There must be similar items that are usable in all countries but unknown to everyone.. I'm in Australia and we have very strict quarantine rules and regulations on importing items and fish also.. but are unable to get those quarantine medicines that you often stipulate ... I have been running fish tanks for many years and have a quarantine tank but I very rarely buy fish these days as most of my fish are bred by myself, or ones that I have purchased many many years ago. The only quarantine item I use is rocksalt ground into a powder and then put into the tanks but as we all know salt is not always good for all types of fish and some like Pleco's (which is what I breed) etc are not suitable with salt.
Salt is generally all that you need
This video is three years old, but it was VERY helpful. I did the same thing as you did in the beginning. When you buy fish from any big store like petsmart or petco.....The fish are bag to bag, aquarium to aquarium, and stressed like no other. Plus, these stores use ONE large water supply with a common filter. So, individual tanks do NOT have separate water in case of a spread of infection. I do not have an established display tank OR a quarantine. I have to get some fish from a local established fish store owner to start. They will go in my display tank with some aquatop forza origin, which is a nitrate based bacteria that will help establish my main tank MUCH faster. Once I have my sponge filter good and cycled, I can put that into the quarantine "tub" (Walmart again) with my heater and net.....Then, the quarantine and my main will both be cycled. Quarantine the rest of the new fish I get for 30 days with the three antibiotics you mentioned, and they should then be set to go. I wish I had an established display already, but I don't. I need some fish in there to start the process, which is why I am going with a local established fish dealer/owner. Great advice.
Quarantine? This is what my display tank looks like!
Such a helpful video. Thank you!
One small tip if you going to use those plastic containers as a fish tank get the once without wheels underneath. I tried the one with wheels it cracked because of the weight of the water on the plastic. Second tip it's wrath it to spend a few extra bucks on getting one with better quality plastic or get a plan black on the quality of plastic is much better and much more durable!
As you pointed out Sterilite totes are definitely the way to go! Another great video! Thank you Irene and the Co-Op!
So when you sanitize the sponge filter how do you do it before you add it back to ur established tank
You would clean it the same way. Everything gets bleached for a while and then rinsed off. I have done the same thing and then you can just put the sponge back in your main tank. Make sure you bleach the tubing too and any tools you used like nets.
you dont. you throw the sponge away. also you shouldnt take sponges or filter media from an established tank into quarantine either. it should be all fresh, new and clean. because there may be disease in your main tank that you are unaware of...having a cycled quarantine tank is unnecessary when the fish will only be in there for 5-10 days, and you should be water changing the quarantine every 2-3 days anyways
@@The_Draque There are different approaches to quarantining and your setup is certainly more thorough than what is advised in the video. In my opinion, for most hobbyists, it doesn't make a lot of sense to attempt to protect new fish from potential pathogens in your established tanks, because it's a lot of additional effort for mitigating a hopefully very minimal risk. If you have a persistent pathogen problem, of course, it might make more sense to get rid of that first. On the other hand, if you are managing dozens of tanks, thinking about isolating their microbiomes makes increasingly more sense.
Keep them coming! This type of material is what GP need to hear! Stop the heart-ache and loss of pets
How do you sanitize the sponge on your sponge filter
Thanks a lot! I used this guide to set up my first qt!
I always dip my fish as they’re drip acclimating with some methylene blue so far there’s been no problems
Kinda funny cause I recently just made my quarantine tank
Same! I bought a couple of tetras and they had ich. Setup a hospital tank to treat them. Unfortunately both died. Now keeping the other fishes to ensure the ich cycle is cleared.
Oof
Dude I made a QT this morning before I saw this video lol
This was so helpful! :)
Irene could you "please " tell me how exactly do you disinfect your sponge before putting it back in your main tank?
Thank you
Thanks for the video. Today I just purchased a cheap 10 gallon that I will use as an quarantine/hospital thank. I'll be looking at the 3 medication you mentioned now. 👍🏽
Hello! I just discovered your videos a few weeks ago (gamer’s wife talks fish) and so now I am thrilled to see you putting out videos for aquarium co-op! You are exact and precise, you get your message across quickly and don’t ramble on (like that Corey guy, is that his name? Never watched a whole video of his, cos he rambles on too much and annoys me. He is very “fish wise” though!). I am going to buy a new angelfish soon, so this video was very helpful! Thanks and look forward to you sharing your next “pearl of wisdom” ...
How do you sanitize your sponge filters
Y’all are awesome! Thank you for making these videos.
Best quarantine video I've seen. It answered some major questions I had.
Thank you so much @AquariumCo-Op for these teaching Videos!!! Keep them coming!!!
Ha. This has been on a my video list to make for a while now and you've beaten me to it! I think it is really good to inform people about this method since I think there has been lots of scaremongering on forums in the past about whether the plastic is suitable for fish etc. Thanks for another great video!
Great video Irene!! Love your informative ideas!!
I actually used this idea 💡!!!
If you put in an established sponge filter while using the trio doesn’t it kill off all the beneficial bacteria from the sponge filter during that week ?
It amazes me that people think Irene has the time to read through comments and provide answers! Really the point is for us to help each other
Great idea for a quarantine tank. I'm going to order an 84 litre plastic storage container. Way cheaper than a proper fish tank. Thanks for the ideas!
For those asking how to disinfect sponge filters, you can use bleach with them but I prefer using a microwave. Depending on the sponge material you can remove the sponge, place it in a container of water and microwave the sponge for around 2 minutes. Obviously watch the sponge in case it isn’t able to handle the process but I’ve found most sponge materials we use in the hobby hold up fine.
That makes a lot of sense. Similar to the concept of boiling driftwood before adding it to a tank to kill anything on it.
Thanks!
Hi Irene, sure hope you see this as the video is a few years back. Setting upa quarantine and will be using a sponge filter. Easy to get from established aquarium. But what do you do once it's been moved to quarantine use? I don't really want it back in my established tank and letting it dry out kind of defeats my next round of fish purchases and need to rub again?
In the video she says she disinfects everything, including the filter once the fish have been moved to the display tank. Then she adds the sponge filter back to her display tank along side whatever's already running in there & starts the process over so it will be ready next time she needs to quarantine.
The quarantine tank isn't so much a quarantine tank persay for me.
Its a cichlid "go sit in the corner tank". When one of the guys gets a little out of hand, instead of letting him or her bully the other folks to death. The 10 gallon gets pulled out and they get a 2 to 3 day "cool off" from the main tank.
I also use it when I am going to sell or trade a fish. Easier to net the fish in there then having to do it a few minutes before someone comes to pick it up inside the big tank with all its decor.
Great advice!
Thank You Irene for this educational video ❤️
Super helpful! Thank you Irene.
Incredibly useful! thank you!
I thought for my betta it could just be in a bowl because they don't require filters and heaters if the live alone. I have only one in my 10 gallon community tank. It has dropsy. Day 2 fighting it. 2 salt baths, no change but when I put him back in the tank today's after adding treatment to the entire tank he swam like crazy! So glad to be free! This is a first for me. It's becoming more and more complicated. I had to put the treatment in the tank because the dose in 5ml to ten gallons!! How in the world could it get an accurate dosage in a quart of water! Ugh...I'm exhausted from worrying. He's staying in the medicated tank tonight while I sleep. I'm up too late already. I over heated his salt bath water by 5 degrees. Took forever to cool down. Couldn't put an ice cube in there because that's untreated tap which is sure death for my fish. I buy spring water. Goodnight folks. Happy fish keeping!
Betta's are tropical fish and they do actually require a heater and a filter. It's a misconception they can survive in a mud puddle.
I had similar experience when I just started, also with mollies - they infected all of my fish with ick. I have been using 10 gallon quarantine tank, but have filled it up with fry. I now use 1 gallon flower vase as a quarantine tank since I do not add many fish at the same time, and dose much less than I did in 10 gal. :) How do you disinfect a sponge filter?
Great Video as always!
My system is slightly different. Let me know if it makes sense because I set it up based on my own judgement.
So I basically add an extra step: instead of putting new arrivals straight into a hospital tank dosed with drugs and salt, I put them in what I call "a green room". It's a regular 10 gallon simple planted tank with some snails in it to keep it cycled and ready. I can also keep that extra filter in there to avoid "ugglyfying" my display tanks. The small hospital tank is set up only in case the new arrivals need treatment. The reasons for that are:
1. The actual diseases affect only a small percentage of the new arrivals but stress is one of the primary causes of deaths in new fish. No one likes to be put in hospital or in jail for no reason. It's stressful. The very purpose of the green room is to calm down in close to natural environment and avoid stress related sickness.
2. The green room's parameters and water chemistry are almost identical to my main tanks' so if there are no troubles, the new fish become acclimated faster and the move "next door" doesn't affect them.
3. I got to set up another planted tank!
Excellent content! I'll be sure to share this!
yay another video!!!! SO HELPFUL, THANK YOU!!!!!!
Great work Irene, very easy to follow!
How do you use the quarantine medications? All three at the same time?
Super smart, thank you
Do you need to do something with the sponge of the quarentine tank or you just put it back to the main tank?
Great video Irene keep them coming!
Hello! I just wanted to ask . . . what water dechlorinator do you use with these medications? I heard you can't use Prime because it neutralizes the parasite medication. Thanks!
I first watched this video last month (Feb 2023). I'm about 3 week in to cycling my first setup that will have fish and thought I'd get started on getting everything together for a quarantine tank so I'll be ready as I start adding fish to my display tank. I hope you see this or someone in the comments can advise. I know it's recommended to add only a few fish at a time for a new tank, cleanup crew last. So my question is: Once you've put your first fish in the display tank and you're ready to purchase your next additions, how do you handle the quarantine process? Do you purchase only your 2nd additions and go through the whole 4-6 week process, then re-disinfect everything and start over for the next fish & so on? It seems like it would take an extremely long time to stock the tank fully? Or do you purchase more of your fish at once, then leave them in quarantine a bit longer as you slowly add them to your display tank? I'm lucky to be close enough to Aquarium Co-op to buy my fish there.
I really appreciate your videos, they are so helpful.
I need to set up a quarantine tank because I'm thinking of getting some Mollies to go in my 55 gallon. I also have a 10 gallon planted tank I would like to put something in. I have one Leopard long fin danio in the 10 gallon. Think I might put him in my big tank with my other danios
Very helpful information, Irene. I like those $1 per gallon sales for inexpensive, but quality tanks 🐟🐠🐬🐋🐉🐠. Great video. 📺👍😎
Thank you I learned a lot from you
hello thank you for the video i needed that be safe
This is a really nice idea. Tnx for this
I like her😇
Walmart carries the sterilite containers. What size did you use in the video? How many quarts?
2 questions please? How do you disinfect your sponge filters (1) can you just add the trio of medicines every time you get a new fish if you don't have a quarantine tank?
Once I put my fish in with the salt water how long do I have to wait before changing the water ?
What if i put sponge filter on my main tank, do you think BB can grow even though I'm not using it (it's just submerged on my tank)?
I'm planning to keep fish soon so I'm planning everything beforehand. :))) Thank you for your vids. You helped me a lot 🖤
Just made my first Aquarium Co-Op purchase! Excited to see what the hype is all about! Your videos are amazing, btw.
Thanks for supporting us.
Great video! How do you clean/disinfect your sponge filter? It wasn't in the tank when you bleached it. I've always wondered what to do with mine when I take down a quarantine tank. In a lot of groups people say to throw them out, but that doesn't sound like a great plan.
What are the three/trio quarantine medications recommended for a freshwater aquarium? When I click on the link I see 8 products, one of them being salt which I know isn't one of them. is it just Ich-x, paracleanse and maracyn? Thanks!
If you follow the link, read the info at the bottom of the page. It lists the three medications they recommend.
Do you quarantine Ottos with this same process? I’m just wondering if the need to get them eating outweighs the need to medicate them. Or maybe feed and medicate them at once?
Can someone tell me what does she mean by disinfect and sanitize the sponge filter? How can I do that before place it back to the main aquarium? Thank you
I need that pinapple decoration for our aquarium. 😁
How do you measure each gallon in a container like yours?
Really like the idea
We are going to be moving about a three-day drive in the future, and I have been looking for a way to move the fish. This looks like it might work for that. :) Thanks.
I moved mine from CT in VA in a Lowe's bucket (I drilled air holes in the lid and one slightly larger hole for the airline hose). I set up a sponge filter in my main tank ahead of time to get BB and ordered a usb/rechargable air pump from amazon and ran that in the car during my 9 hour drive (plugged it in near the end of the trip). They actually lived in the bucket for about 5 days as their tank went in the moving truck on Friday and I joined my other half on Tuesday. I bought a gallon bottle of distilled water to help with water changes, just added prime to the jug and used a large cup to do partial water changes. I rehomed most of my fish before leaving CT but I did move 3 Kuhli loaches, 1 dwarf gourami, 7 amano shrimp, and discovered 3 teeny tiny baby corys when draining the tank (only 2 survived the bucket ride, and only 1 survived reintroduction to the tank)
With the filter from the other tank how soon can you add your sick fish before it’s safe?
Can I use a 25 gal plastic bin for a sick 14" 10 yr old tinfoil barb...need a quick setup to start treating. He's currently in a 75 gal with 6 other fish I'm praying don't get sick too.
Please tell me where I can get a tub like this one I cannot find one anywhere thanks for your help
Hello, Irene. Another wonderful video. Cory is a smart man by lining himself with the right people. I've got a question or 2 if you don't mind answering. I've got a community tank in my bedroom, that has fish and shrimp. (1) What medications are safe to use on both species? (2) Is API General cure safe for both species ? (3) you said, not to feed the fish during the whole quarantine period. Now I know Cory administers the med trio, and leaves it in for 7 days. So does that mean he doesn't feed the occupants, in the quarantine tank during that period?.