# How to Quarantine



## ngb2322 (Apr 9, 2008)

I am looking for information on how to properly quarantine and for how long and with how many fish. I have a 75 gal and a 10 gal quarantine tank set up. My tank currently has:
2x peppered corys
1x albino cory
1x panda cory
2x bushy nosed 
1x tiger pleco
6x kuhli loaches

and I am looking to get some schools. Any suggestions on how big to buy each school for quarantine and how long to leave them in there? I've heard different things, but I'm not even sure what to look for while new fish are in quarantine and what to do if something is wrong with one of them. Attached is a tank picture. It's a work in progress, just planted it 3 weeks ago.

P.S. Any suggestions on schools?
I was thinking rainbows and rasboras


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## JanS (Apr 14, 2004)

I don't see any attachments, but good for you to go the quarantine route, and ask the questions to get it right. 

The first thing I would do is add more of each type of Cory to give them company of their own kind. About 4 of each species is a good number to start with, and you do have room.

Your q-tank doesn't need to be elaborate. If you have a sponge filter, a few plants, a heater, light and canopy, that should be sufficient.

I think I would get the Rasbora's first, and you could have probably a dozen or more of them (maybe eighteen), then add the Rainbow's (I don't have experience with them, so I'm not sure of the numbers) after the Rasbora's are out of the q-tank.

I generally quarantine for at least 3 weeks, but usually 4.

Good luck!


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## ngb2322 (Apr 9, 2008)

Thanks. I hope to one day be able to post advice here rather than just questions. One day.....
I had been reading up on corys recently, and yes, they do need some more friends!
I was thinking keeping them in pairs, but I may go to trips. I want more room for the schools, and I don't want to overload the bottom section of the tank. Thanks for the advice!


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## DaveS (Jun 9, 2006)

JanS's suggestions for quarantine are pretty much spot on. Because I am lazy, I tend to quarantine my fish for months, but that certainly isn't needed. I do use a fully planted 20g tank though, so keeping fish there for extended periods isn't much of an issue.

Just a point about schooling fish in regards to your ideas. My 75g tank is pretty much nothing but rainbows, with a few cleaner fish thrown in for algae duty. I wouldn't call them great schooling fish. They hang out anywhere and everywhere in the tank and they are extremely active fish in general. They do not however swim together in the same way rasboras or tetras do. They are simply too active for that type of behavior, or at least that has been my experience with them.

Dave


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## JanS (Apr 14, 2004)

DaveS said:


> Because I am lazy, I tend to quarantine my fish for months, but that certainly isn't needed. I do use a fully planted 20g tank though, so keeping fish there for extended periods isn't much of an issue.


Same here. And sometimes the fish seem to be doing so well in there I just decide to leave them where they are and wind up setting up a new q-tank for the next time around. This is why I'm on q-tank number 4 or so. LOL!


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## ranchwest (Jul 17, 2005)

I believe in using salt in quarantine tanks. It helps to keep down disease. Also, keep the temperature at 80 degrees or higher (if the fish can handle it higher). Some people also dose some wild fish with a de-wormer.

What are you looking for? Here's a few ideas....

1) Ich -- white spots
2) Fin damage -- ragged fins
3) Outside body infections -- looks a little like a rash on a person, usually red
4) eyes damaged or glossed
5) appetite -- most fish should eat fairly heartily except a few types of catfish and such. Don't end the quarantine until the fish are eating
6) poop -- should generally be dark and consistent, quarantine for at least two weeks or until the fish is pooping and it is consistent and not light in color
7) swimming erratically -- healthy fish don't swim in circles or jerkily except as part of mating rituals
8 ) mis-shaped spines -- this is usually a birth defect or the result of poor diet, so make your own decision on this, these will not be satisfactory breeders
9) parasites -- though uncommon, there can be parasites on the fish, this is usually a pain so again I'd suggest you make up your own mind

What to do about it? Personally, I think do frequent partial water changes and keep the salt going in, then accept whatever happens. My thought is that fish that don't survive off of just salt and possibly a de-wormer with water changes were probably going to be high risk of loss anyway. I'd just as soon get the losses behind me and move on.

Because of the salt, I'd recommend only putting in plants you wouldn't mind losing if the salt gets to them.


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## DaveS (Jun 9, 2006)

JanS said:


> Same here. And sometimes the fish seem to be doing so well in there I just decide to leave them where they are and wind up setting up a new q-tank for the next time around. This is why I'm on q-tank number 4 or so. LOL!


Ha! You have me beat on that one. I am only on Q-tank number three at the moment!

Dave


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## ngb2322 (Apr 9, 2008)

Ummm....yea I turned Q1 into a RCS tank. Oops.


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