Setting up a hospital tank

Discussion in 'Fish Diseases' started by guidedbyechoes, Oct 27, 2011.

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  1. guidedbyechoes

    guidedbyechoes Spaghetti Worm

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    This morning I noticed that my clownfish has contracted ich. I added a royal gramma about a month ago so they both need to be removed from the system. As they are the only two fish in the system. I have an older tank that I started with can I put a few pieces of live rock in it and a power head and get it up to temp? I know I need to get medicine for them and time is of the essence.

    It will become a quarantine tank after this. I should have known better.
     
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  3. Reefing Madness

    Reefing Madness Skunk Shrimp

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    Yes, you can et it up with pieces from your tank, that will make the cycle go quicker. Remember, you have to cycle the QT or you could lose the fish to the ammonia cycle.
     
  4. guidedbyechoes

    guidedbyechoes Spaghetti Worm

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    I guess that doesn't really help me this time. I only have one fish left a 1/2 in royal gramma who brought it into the tank. Its nearly impossible to catch it as well. He's just biting plastic off the heater right now. He also only hangs out in the back of the tank.
     
  5. Reefing Madness

    Reefing Madness Skunk Shrimp

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    Yikes. Set it up now, so that you can stop the next problem.
     
  6. guidedbyechoes

    guidedbyechoes Spaghetti Worm

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    I will tomorrow or this weekend. From what I've read ich lifecycle takes a month. I also have a canister filter running on my main tank and from what I've read I can switch it over to the new tank and back since its fully cycled. I'll try to save the gramma if I can. But its been infected the longest so no idea how its still alive.
     
  7. dowtish

    dowtish Horrid Stonefish

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    +1 to using your canister to cycle the tank. But do not put any live rock or sand in the hospital tank. They will absorb the medication you are putting in the tank, and if you are using copper, then the level has to be perfect. If it is too low, it will be ineffective, and if it is too high you can kill the fish. Look into getting a hang on the back filter with a filter floss or sponge. And start running it in your tank to get some beneficial bacteria in it. Then you can use this on your hospital tank. just remember if you use the filter cartridge to remove the carbon as it will absorb the medication as well.
     
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  9. Reefing Madness

    Reefing Madness Skunk Shrimp

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    Use some of your rock, and sand and water, and the cycle will not be hardly at all, if any. And yea, you can use the filter.
     
  10. AZDesertRat

    AZDesertRat Giant Squid

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    You should not use any live rock or porous materials in a hospital tank, they will absorb medications and will have to be thrown away to avoid contaminating the display.

    I keep a new HOB Aqua Clear filter sponge in my sump at all times so it is seeded and ready to go at a moments notice. I set up the QT/hospital tank, fil it with new saltwater to avoid the bad stuff that may be present in the display, add a heater, small powerhead and the HOB filter along with a few pieces of PVC pipe of fittings for fish to hide in.
    I may or may not add a light and I may darken the room or wrap a towel around the tank to avoid startling or scaring the fish and stressing it further.

    You will need to keep up with monitoring the water conditions and water changes since it probably does not have enough biological action going on but it gives the fish a chance at survival.
     
  11. reefmonkey

    reefmonkey Giant Squid

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    These are the best 2 pieces of advice given on this thread IMO.

    A couple pieces of PVC pipe are all you need to give the fish a safe hiding spot.

    You'll need to test daily and do w/c as needed. Keep a container of saltwater close by and ready through out the treatment period so you can do a waterchange at a moments notice.
     
  12. guidedbyechoes

    guidedbyechoes Spaghetti Worm

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    Thanks folks. I do have a hob biowheel at my disposal as well. I have to empty out the old tank as it still had some substrate at the bottom. I'm going to pick up some pvc and more slat tomorrow as I'm running a little low.