# How to quarantine new fish?



## ThalesthePearsei (Jan 27, 2009)

I have never quarantined any fish before, so I am not sure about the details of what is involved. After reading a few things on the importance of quarantine, I am going to make sure I do it with all and any new fish I bring home. I am planning on getting a Gold Algae Eater in the next few days for my planted tank.

How long is the quarantine period?
Do I add anything to the quarantine tank, such as medicines, to make sure any hidden illnesses are treated?
Does it need substrate?
What size tank is recommended for a quarantine?
And lastly, I will someday be getting some large cichlids for my 125 in the future, is there are different kind of quarantine process for a cichlid?


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## Kim (Apr 30, 2008)

Here's the answers to your questions as I know it. And I do quarantine all my fish and have found it to be ESSENTIAL to fishkeeping in general.

1) minimum of 2 weeks, a month if you want to be cautious
2) don't add medications unless you spot some disease; although for my new bettas I usually add a little salt because many of them either have fin rot or are close to it
3) I don't use substrate at all. It's pretty essential to be able to see the feces so that you can check for internal parasites. You can also make sure the new fish are eating and not constipated in the same manner.
4) I only have a 10 gal. which is sufficient for the small fish that I have. But, if you are planning on getting larger fish you'd want a bigger one. Remember, your QT tank can double as a treatment tank should any of your fish become injured or ill so you want them to fit!
5) I don't have any cichlids, but as far as I know everything is the same with the exception being that your QT tank would need to be bigger if you are going to need to QT an 8" fish vs. a 2" fish.

Hope that helps


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## ThalesthePearsei (Jan 27, 2009)

wow, thank you for your help! If there is no substrate, how often should water changes be done then, if at all?


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## Lupin (Aug 2, 2006)

Water change would depend on how your nitrates go. I prefer daily to three times a week.


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## iamntbatman (Jan 3, 2008)

Quick side note: are you planning on putting the golden algae eater in the 3g planted? Beware that these fish grow to 6" and eventually stop eating algae. Once they get some size on them, they also get very aggressive so aren't exactly the best community residents. I would say a full grown one would be better suited in your cichlid tank than a small community tank.


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## ThalesthePearsei (Jan 27, 2009)

Oh thanks for the note! :shock:I had done some minimal research on the Gold Algae Eater and all the websites I had read said that their max size was 1 inch. Now that i know that they get 6' Im not going to get one. What would you recommend for my planted then for a algae muncher?


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## Oldman47 (Sep 7, 2007)

A good algae eater is an otocinclus. They stay fairly small and eat tons of algae. One of my 10 gallon tanks was overgrown with algae the first time that I got one. In 2 weeks after introduction, the tank was virtually algae free. After that I started having to feed the oto with algae wafers which he didn't like nearly as well. I have moved that oto to other algae ridden tanks and it is now a beautiful, but still small otocinclus.


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## jeaninel (Aug 24, 2007)

My otos like zucchini also.


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## Tyyrlym (Jun 1, 2008)

This is my quarantine set up: Quarantine - 15 gallon Freshwater fish tank
It was simple and cheap. I have substrate in there but if I had a sick fish I'd probably forgo it. I quarantine for four weeks. Two is just not enough to ensure that your fish are disease free and ready to go. Some salt water keepers go with six, and when you've got the thousands of dollars invested into some of these tanks that they do the caution is understandable.


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