Maintenance on a VERY Small Quarantine tank....

[soul-hugger]

Hello..,

Today I brought home some new loaches!

I want to eventually add them to my 55 Gallon community, which is virtually empty for its size, having only 3 white tetras, and 2 weather loaches in it.

I read today in my new book LOACHES-A Natural History and Aquarium Care (Just got it today after waiting about a month, I'm so excited!) That too few tankmates can stress out your loaches. So I figured it was time to introduce them to some buddies.

They were all labelled as weather loaches, but I realised on first glance that only one really is, the others, I believe, are either oblongas, or pangias.

Then the dilemma. I have only an established 20 gallon (it already houses 4 kuhlis), a still-cycling 55 gallon, and a 1.5 gallon quarantine. I really want to quarantine them, especially since one of the kuhlis doesn't look so good upon closer inspection, but on the other hand, I hated to put them into such tiny quarters. Well, eventually the quarantine won over. I have them in the tiny tank but now I wonder how long to keep them in there, and while they are there, should I be doing daily water changes?

I have a line on a bit bigger quarantine which I may buy tomorrow. But if that falls through, how do I maintain this quarantine tank and still be fair to my new pets?

Any help or advice will be much appreciated!

soul-hugger

[soul-hugger]

Hello again..,

I meant to say, as this is very important, that all my new loaches are very small, including the weather, being about 4-5 cm long. At this size, I'm hoping the ammonia and nitrites they produce will be less.

Thanks Again,
soul-hugger

[Diana]

Take a little filter media from the filter that has been established the longest. Put this in the filter of the Q-tank, or just in the tank in a place with good water movement. The bacteria on this small piece of filter media will help with the ammonia and nitrite.
Test daily, and do water changes as needed.

I generally treat bottom dwellers for parasites while they are in quarantine. I would expect fish as small as yours to grow very fast. If they do not then there is something wrong, perhaps internal parasites, though other things are possible. Once the parasite treatment is finished I continue quarantine for a month. So if the parasite treatment runs for 3 weeks, then the new fish will be in that tank for 7 weeks.

While fish are that young they need plenty of food, a good variety, fed frequently. This is quite different from adult fish that must not be fed so much and so often. Once these babies clear quarantine health-wise you may still want to keep them in a grow out tank until they have gained some size. Maintenance of a tank of any size with baby fish being fed so well will be a constant series of small water changes. I have found that having live plants with fine leaves such as Java Moss, Guppy Grass and others is very helpful. There are a lot of microorganisms among the leaves that small fish can eat, and the plants will remove some of the ammonia as fertilizer, helping to maintain a good environment for the fish.

[soul-hugger]

Hello, Diana..,

Thanks for your (once again) timely and well-delivered information.

I have decided the small tank is nothing but a death trap, and is not fit for anything living, ecxept, perhaps, my daughter's sea monkeys. Last night when I came home from work, I checked the levels, and the nitrites were at least 0.8!!! This is despite putting well-used media and gravel, and water, in the tank. The ammonia was not too bad, but also a little high. I had no choice but to move the small loaches in with the large ones. I feel bad cause I really wanted to quarantine, but my question is now; should I treat all inhbitants for disease?

I really need to get a proper quarantine tank!

Thank-you,
soul-hugger