Hospital Tank Setup Questions

[epstein]

Im having issues with one of my clowns not eating and am gonna set up a hospital tank. Can some one please walk me through what needs to be done.New water or existing tank water mix?
I have an established running hang on filter on my tank should I transfer that over? Any live rock? any substrate? I just aquired an airpump.......should I hook up an airstone?....

I have a clownfish that has white stringy poo and will not eat for last 3 days. The clowns mate did this for 2 days but is fine now and Fatty is on day 4 not eating . I have tried minced garlic. Do I move one clown of both? What about the other fish?....
I m buyin a 10 gal after work
Lots of questions........Any help is appreciated

Brian

[taillonjohn]

yup, a 10 gallon tank. I would use 5 gallons from your main tank, 5 gallons of new water, and switch the HOB filter over to the hospital tank, should be good to go right away. no need for substrate.... airstone if you want, put at least one small powerhead to agitate the surface. sounds like you got it all figured out.

maybe try posting in the "sick fish" forumn, maybe someone knows whats wrong with your fish

[Setec]

I took a 10 gallon, painted the bottom black, got a small plastic rock ledge for the fish to hide under, got a small HOB filter. I have a black tank back ground that I can wrap around 3 sides for extra sensitive fish, that I tape on when needed.

Take the sponge and bag of rock media that comes with the filter and keep it in my sump when not in use (unless I treat the QT tank)

I fill the QT tank with water from my display, put the filter media in and let it go.

I do keep up on water changes in the QT tank to make sure I dont get a cycle.

I have used it 6 times in the last year and never seen a cycle to date. I do test for ammonia and nitrite daily just to be safe.

No sense in stressing out an already stressed fish.

[IslandCrow]

You may want to consider not moving the fish at all unless you can identify some specific disease that could be passed on to the other fish. The reason I say this is that you're inevitably going to further stress the fish by catching it and moving it into a new environment, making it even less likely to eat. I'm usually a strong advocate of immediately moving sick fish to a hospital tank, but in this case, I'm not so sure I'd do it.

As for the QT if you decide to go that direction, I think John hit just about everything. Do frequent water changes. I'll usually do a 10% water change every couple of days when I have a fish in QT. It's only a gallon of water, so it's quick, and you'll keep the fish in a healthy environment. You may also want to throw in something like 3" sections of PVC for the fish to use as hiding areas. A completely empty tank can be a bit stressful for many fish.

[epstein]

now when not being used as a hospital tank I can use it as quarrentine tank? Same parameters

[epstein]

oh yeah one other question is there any way I can use a 10 gal as a hang on refuge?.......My tank is non drilled

[horwitzs]

You could use a 10 as a fuge with a hang on drain and return pump. I can't imagine how you'd hang a standard ten gallon tank on the side or back of another tank without breaking something.
And yes, you can use the tank as a quarantine when not using it as a hospital tank.

[taillonjohn]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11828064#post11828064 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by epstein
now when not being used as a hospital tank I can use it as quarrentine tank? Same parameters

haha... thats how we all get extra tanks. they go from hospital tanks, to quarantine tanks, to quarantine tanks with decorations, and then there are permanent resident fishes in there, and you have to get another hospital tank....

[epstein]

LOL just picked up a 10 gal at Wally World for 20 bucks......Gotta get an air stone next and off he goes to the hospital.......

Now he has been with the other clown since day one but she isnt showing any sickness ......(anymore)..What do you think?.....Give him company or have him fly solo.......

Now if he develops ich.....do they all have to be removed??




BTW Once im done with this .......Every Single Purchase will go through a Quarrantine Phase.......Do Corals as well go through QT?

[taillonjohn]

1) Wal-Mart should have 10 G tanks for $10
2) tough call, but I think, I would put only the sick fish in QT
3) if it is ick, then the main tank should be fishless for one month... the ick parasite needs to find a fish host within a month, or it dies out. only fish get ick. ick can be transported on corals, plants, etc, but only fish will get ick. thats why everything should be QT'd for a month. corals should go through QT as well, but, bad reefers like me, might just skip this phase

[epstein]

Thanks for your help John but here is my question.......If I do have ick and I do remove the fishes from the tank into the hospital tank ......They all get treated??