Fish Quarantine Tank Set Up in 10 Easy Steps

When setting up a quarantine tank you should be thinking of two things.  Keep it as cheap and as low stress for your fish as you can.  Quarantine tanks, like any change, can be very tough on your fish.  The most common uses for quarantine tanks are for breeding, medical use, or adding new fish.  What might stand out to you is that these are all put a strain on your fish anyway.  The key is just minimizing it.  If you follow these 10 easy steps, you will make the transition as low stress as possible.

1. Start With a 10 Gallon Tank – Small tanks are cheap and easy to maintain.  Water changes are fast.  Medication doses are smaller.
2. Get a Cheap Sponge Filter – Sponge filters are easy to maintain and get the job done.
3. Add a Heater & Thermometer – The cheapest heater and thermometer will work fine. Remember it is just a temporary setup.
4. You Will Need Some Decorations – Fish are much more comfortable if they have places to hide.
5. Low Light Only – If you get a light, which you really do not need, it should not be very bright.  You might also consider leaving it off at night.  Bright lights are stressful to sick fish.
6. Gravel is Suggested – Gravel is suggested to comfort the fish.  Your fish are probably not used to reflections from the bottom of the tank.  This will scare some fish.
7. Water Temp Should Match – Make sure the temperatures of both tanks match within a couple degrees before adding fish.
8. Start That Bio-Filter – Scrape some of that sludge from the filter if your main tank.  Then just toss it in the water of your quarantine tank.  This will quickly kick start your bio-filter as your filter pulls the established bacteria through it.
9. Use Medications to Treat Diseases – Some want to wait disease out, without using medication.  There is no reason to do this.  It’s harder on your fish and you’ll add to the risk of loosing them.  Medications have a specific purpose and will quickly clear up most fish diseases.
10. 3-4 Weeks is Usually Necessary – Some fish diseases can take as long as a month to completely clear up.  Don’t get in a rush to get your fish back to their original tank.  It’s a good idea to keep your diseased fish in your quarantine tank for at least week after the disease has visually cleared up.  This will make certain the fish disease is completely gone.

Tell us about your quarantine tank setup?