Questions about quarantine

[thefishyboy]

Hello all

Would like to ask advice about quarantine. I have an 100g display tank which has been running just over a month. I have added a cuc. I have a 10g quarantine tank which I was planning to use to quarantine my first livestock next week. I have read the article on quarantining but was just wondering how I can put livestock into an uncycled tank. In my quarantine tank I have a sponge filter the sponge is in the sump of my display tank but will this be enough to stop me having an ammonia spike. Also if I do have an ammonia spike in the QT what can I do about it.

Also I would like to get Bangai Cardinals as my first livestock would these be suitable for a new tank?

Thank you

 

[gone fishin]

The sponge should help. If you do get ammonia then do a WC or add some prime. Just be aware that prime will affect some ammonia test and give false readings. If you do use prime I would suggest getting the seachem ammonia test that is designed to work with prime. there is an article on the seachem website that explains why some tests do not work. I also like to use the seachem ammonia alert badge for a quick reference on QT's. Good luck just my 2 cents worth.

I forgot to mention during QT I like to keep extra water on hand for WC's. Nothing worse than needing to do a WC and not having any water.

 

[mmarisca]

I have the same setup as yours. I have a 10g QT and cycled it first. I used Dr. Tim's One and Only and had no issues. And yes the Cardinal should be fine.

 

[thefishyboy]

Also would you recommend medicating the quarantine tank even if there is no sign of ich etc? Thanks

 

[gone fishin]

The only thing I proactively put in the QT is prazipro.
TTM for ich then observe the fish in my main QT for another 4-5 weeks(depends on work schedule).

 

[Luke Schnabel]

I have 3 fish im my 20g QT and have had ZERO problems with water. I didn't use any sort of seeded filter either. All I do is every other day or every third day I will do a 20-30% water change. Since it's only 20gallons im mostly taking out a five gallon bucket at a time so it doesn't cost to much.
I also agree with them about meds, I put mine in two weeks of copper, ran some carbon for a few days and then prazipro. The cost to medicate them with no signs far outweighs the cost of not and prolonging the process.

 

[thefishyboy]

Thank you I have prazipro already and copper medicine so think I'm good to go. Unrelated question but I put my cuc in recently and put 6 blue legged and 6 red legged hermits in my tank. I have found three empty shells that used to contain hermit crabs over the last few days. Does this mean something is killing them. I'm trying I find out what it could be don't think I've heard any clicking from the tank so does that mean a mantis shrimp is out? Could it just be hermits killing hermits?

 

[mmarisca]

Based on everything I've read, I don't use copper in QT unless have to as it can be brutal on the fish. Use the Prazi as a preventive. Crabs will wage war. And will kill snails as well for their shells.

 

[Deinonych]

The only thing I proactively put in the QT is prazipro.
TTM for ich then observe the fish in my main QT for another 4-5 weeks(depends on work schedule).

+1

You can also seed the QT with bacteria, provided there is some media for the bacteria to colonize (the aforementioned sponge or ceramic media in a HOB filter). I use Bio-spira personally, and have never had an issue with NH4 in QT.