10 gallon quarantine tank questions

[Snagrio]

For the first time, I'm going to set up a quarantine tank as I really do not want to introduce anything nasty to the 125 system I'm labored so much over, especially with live plants and snails involved.

I have a general idea of what to do; I have a bunch of extra HOBs lying around, there's an extra heater I can use and I can grab some filter media out from one of the canister filters to jumpstart the cycle. But my questions are moreso, is it fine to forego substrate and simply have some faux decor for security? And what's a general safe number of fish to have for a few weeks in that temporary space? Most of the fish I'm getting are shoaling and I'd prefer to get the full batch of a given species at a time (from 5-6 to 12-15 depending on which I'm acquiring).

 

[FishAddict74]

For the first time, I'm going to set up a quarantine tank as I really do not want to introduce anything nasty to the 125 system I'm labored so much over, especially with live plants and snails involved.

I have a general idea of what to do; I have a bunch of extra HOBs lying around, there's an extra heater I can use and I can grab some filter media out from one of the canister filters to jumpstart the cycle. But my questions are moreso, is it fine to forego substrate and simply have some faux decor for security? And what's a general safe number of fish to have for a few weeks in that temporary space? Most of the fish I'm getting are shoaling and I'd prefer to get the full batch of a given species at a time (from 5-6 to 12-15 depending on which I'm acquiring).

Bare bottom is fine, how long do plan on quarantining and what size fish? As long as they’re small, I think it will be ok. I’ve had up to 30 cichlid fry in a 10g until they were around an inch or so without any issues. That was also bare with a couple flower pots for hiding

 

[Snagrio]

Bare bottom is fine, how long do plan on quarantining and what size fish? As long as they’re small, I think it will be ok. I’ve had up to 30 cichlid fry in a 10g until they were around an inch or so without any issues. That was also bare with a couple flower pots for hiding

I wager a couple weeks is a good enough time span before full introduction.

All the fish will be small species. Black neons, neons/cardinals, corydoras, hatchets, the largest will be some apistogrammas (and their batch will be fewer in number, like 3-4).

 

[FishAddict74]

I wager a couple weeks is a good enough time span before full introduction.

All the fish will be small species. Black neons, neons/cardinals, corydoras, hatchets, the largest will be some apistogrammas (and their batch will be fewer in number, like 3-4).

Personally I would quarantine longer than a couple weeks but I think those little guys will be fine in a ten for quite a while. Just keep up on maintenance and don’t over feed

 

[Snagrio]

Personally I would quarantine longer than a couple weeks but I think those little guys will be fine in a ten for quite a while. Just keep up on maintenance and don’t over feed

Problem is this quarantine tank is supposed to be temporary. My folks don't want more than one tank and just yesterday I had to talk it over letting me run a quarantine tank whatsoever, so two weeks per batch is the best middle ground for me where it's enough time to observe them but not dragging things out perpetually due to how many fish (and therefore separate batches) are eventually going into the main tank.

 

[FishAddict74]

Problem is this quarantine tank is supposed to be temporary. My folks don't want more than one tank and just yesterday I had to talk it over letting me run a quarantine tank whatsoever, so two weeks per batch is the best middle ground for me where it's enough time to observe them but not dragging things out perpetually due to how many fish (and therefore separate batches) are eventually going into the main tank.

Oh gotcha, two weeks is better than nothing and the majority of the time is long enough. So I think considering the middle ground with your parents, your plan is sound

 

[Wyomingite]

Problem is this quarantine tank is supposed to be temporary. My folks don't want more than one tank and just yesterday I had to talk it over letting me run a quarantine tank whatsoever, so two weeks per batch is the best middle ground for me where it's enough time to observe them but not dragging things out perpetually due to how many fish (and therefore separate batches) are eventually going into the main tank.

Any hope that if you drag it out long enough they'll forget?

Seriously, two weeks may not be ideal but should be adequate as long as you don't see any issues. If any problems arise during that time, though, you'll want to treat the fish and then keep them in QT for at least another two weeks after the treatment is done and the fish are asymptomatic.

WYite

 

[Lalo J.]

Seriously, two weeks may not be ideal but should be adequate as long as you don't see any issues. If any problems arise during that time, though, you'll want to treat the fish and then keep them in QT for at least another two weeks after the treatment is done and the fish are asymptomatic.

WYite

+1. I'm sure a 3-4 week period will be ideal for freshwater fish. Don't worry about space, as long as you don't exceed the number of fish, for example, you can quarantine 15-20 small fish like tetras in those 10 gallons during the mentioned time. The bare bottom is the best, add plastic plants as a shelter for the fish, if it is necessary to use a medicine make sure the fish eat very well, sometimes the medicines suppress hunger, and if they are well fed it will be much better.

 

[Snagrio]

Even more ideally, I'd use the 30 gallon I also happen to have so I could quarantine more at a time, but unfortunately it's occupied by my ball python and I won't have his permanent adult enclosure for a long while (he's still a baby, around 7 months old). And I really don't want to go and get a 20 gallon that's only going to be temporarily used before going back to just sitting around.

Due to going all natural with the 125 though, I have tons of old decor lying around so that's accounted for at least. Fake plants and hiding logs of all kinds. Will definitely keep them longer if any issues arise as well.

 

[fishorama]

2 weeks QT, as the others have said, is better than no QT at all. But that's only if the fish stay healthy (fingers crossed). Treating in a 10g is easier for water changes & cheaper for any meds you might need too. Most fish we buy are smaller juveniles, it might be a bit crowded but also safer to get all of a species at 1 time. Bare bottom, some fake decor & some cycled filter media are good enough! With teteras & other schooling/shoaling fish you can skip the logs but for the cichlids they'd be good.