Quarantine Tank for Freshwater Aquarium

Hi everyone,

As you remember that I refer quarantine tank (QT) too much on my Common Aquarium Fish Illness and Their Treatment post. And to day I will talk about quarantine tank. What is the importance of quarantine tank? How must it be desingned?

Why quarantine tank is too much important?

Answer is simple. Firstly for your fish health. By using QT you can keep your main tank always healthy and shut off from diseases. Using QT always recommended not only for sick fish but also for new fishes. Because new fishes may carry diseases, and also transfer of fish may stressor to fishes. If you place new fishes to QT, you can easily observe diseases for cure and reduce stress caused by transfer. 

It is can be also called as a hospital of fish. When you see symthom of diseases on anyone of your main tank fish, you must remove and place to QT this fish to protect other fishes against infect.

Desing of Quarantine Tank

As you know that this is not your main tank because of that design is not to much important but filter, aeration and heater are still vital like in main tank.

Tank: You do not need to too big tank. Because this tank is not permanent residence. According to size of fish that you feed 20 - 50 liters is enough size for quarantine tank. You can also use good quality rubber/plastic made container after sterilization.

Filtration: You can use basic type of filters like sponge or hang on back filter. You will use it to clean detritus. 

You can find detailed information about filters here.

Aeration: If you use HOB filter aeration is not mandatory but for other type of filters it is always needed that place a airstone and connect it to a good air pump.

Heater: As I talked above our main aim to use QT to make fish healthy, so that we must arrange temperature according to fish's living medium.

Not: If your fish has a hiding behaivor in it inherent, you can place some smooth stone inside QT to provide hideaway.

In this post, i will not write any medicine because its differ disease to disease. Before store it you must clean it well. And also before reuse it, you must clean it again (at least wash with clean water to remove dust)

Quarantine Period: There is too much thought about that but there is not exact timing about quarantine. So that i will share with you may tactic. For new fish 3 week is enough. You can buy fish from confidential petshop, but if you want to clear all doubt you must wait a little bit more and in this period do not forget to observe your fish situation and behaivors. 

If you keep fish in QT because of disease, this time you must be more patient because there is no time limitation for it. Till your fish get healthy again you must wait.

Thank you for reading...

Stress in aquarium.

What is Stress?

Most fish are animals that can adapt to most of conditions, but this does not mean that they can live as healthy as their habitats in any environment. If you feed it on inappropriate conditions, but the body functions of the fish slow down or speed up to ensure that this life is sustainable. This function change is called stress. Stress reduces the resistance of the fish to diseases and prevents the fish from treating itself in situations such as injuries. On top of all this, stress can lead to respiratory problems in fish. Stress at a given level may be treatable and not fatal, but stress in high parameters can be absolutely fatal.

What are the causes of stress?

1. It is a source of stress that the value per liter of water per fish in the tank is less than the fish needs.
2. The water pH and kH state is not a type of stress source.
3. Some species live in salt water in small quantities, while others can not. The mistake in salt balance is a source of stress.
4. Feeding peaceful and aggressive species together is a source of stress.
5. Untreated water use is a source of stress.
6. Sudden changes in water conditions are a source of stress.
7. The species that show herd life are stress sources only.
8. The amount of oxygen dissolved in water is a source of stress.
9. It is a source of stress that the content of feed and nutrients used is not suitable.
10. High drug use is a source of stress.
11. The increase in ammonia, nitrite and nitrate in the water is a source of stress.
12. It is a source of stress that the gore is high to low on the type you are fed by your water temperature.

What are the stress statements?

Briefly, we can say fish behavior disorders. I felt the need to expand this brief summary so that I could make a diagnosis in individuals who did not know the normal behavior of the fish.

1. If the fish is standing on the surface of the water trying to breathe
2. If fish are constantly hiding
3. If open wounds are not healing, if fins are melting
4. If there is external parasitic disease in the fish, it is highly probable that your fish has stress.

How is stress relieved?

It is more difficult to relief stress than obstruction. In short, it is necessary to prevent the stress conditions that I gave above 12 items. After the strase is inserted, it is again determined which of the above 12 items is the stress source and then it is treated by eliminating this source.