Freshwater

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Part II: Fish and How to Care for Them
Don’t forget that a quarantine tank needs to be cycled just like your regular
tank. A starter fish or two helps begin the biological cycle. When you go
down to your local dealer to purchase starter fish for the main tank, pick up a
couple of extras for the quarantine tank at the same time. The water conditions
(pH, temperature) in your quarantine tank should be similar to those in
your permanent aquarium. This prevents fish being stressed further when
you move them to the main aquarium.
Remember, it is much better to be patient and wait until your new fish complete
their quarantine cycle than it is to place them immediately into a main
tank where they can spread disease that could have been caught and treated.
In the long run, treating disease can cost you quite a bit more money than
setting up a simple and inexpensive quarantine tank.
Setting Up a Hospital Tank
Unfortunately, there is no 911 number for your aquatic pets should they
become ill. So you need a hospital tank to help treat them when they become
diseased. Hospital tanks are similar to quarantine tanks. The only difference
is, hospital tanks are used to treat ill fish, whereas quarantine tanks are used
to hold new acquisitions for observance. It is much more practical to treat
diseased fish in a separate hospital tank because many common medications
affect different species in different ways. For example, a malachite green formula
used to cure ich in most species has the potential to destroy any tetras
in your aquarium.
Treating diseased fish in a hospital tank also lowers the risk of the disease
spreading. Many antibiotic treatments destroy essential bacteria and cut
down on the efficiency of a tank’s biological filtration system, leading to even
more health problems and new diseases. Using a hospital tank prevents these
problems.
It really doesn’t take much money to set up a hospital tank if you purchase a
small aquarium (5- or 10-gallon) and a simple sponge filter to provide a good
base for beneficial biological bacteria. Filtration systems that contain carbon
don’t work very well in a hospital tank because the carbon often absorbs the
medication. The frequent water changes you need to do when treating sick
fish are much easier to handle in a small aquarium. A good submersible
heater with an internal rheostat lets you monitor water temperature as
needed. Diseases such as ich can be treated more quickly if you raise the
standard temperature by a few degrees.