# No Quarantine/Hospital Tank, What To Do?



## Andyandsue (Jan 23, 2007)

I posted a message in fish emergency but didn't get one reply! So here I am.

One of my albino cories had what I thought was an injury to a dorsal fin. I starting using some melafix and was hoping all would be ok. I noticed a few days later that the other dorsal fin is also not looking good and I saw some cotton wool growth. I took him out of the the tank and the cotton wool came off. I didn't know what to do with him in regard to placement, and without a reply in the emergency forum I had to put him back into my tank. I continued with the melafix, added a tiny bit of salt (yes they are scaleless, hence the _tiny_ bit of salt), and raised the temp ever so slightly just in case (wanting to ward off anything else that could rear it's ugly head right now). 

I am overstocked, but my water parameters are always perfect (A=0 NI=0 NA<5) and maintenance is never, ever missed. I was going to give my pleco to a friend soon, but now that is on hold until I'm sure there are no issues with my fish.

The good news is this morning, Mr. Cory isn't looking worse. I don't see any more cottony growth, and his behavior seems about normal otherwise, maybe just not buzzing around as much. No clamped fins and he is in a different spot than he was last night. My other cory is unaffected by this as of now.

So is the consensus here that I did the right thing, and if I don't have a hospital tank what else could I have done?


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## Lupin (Aug 2, 2006)

You could try placing a sick fish in a spare bucket and operate as much as you can do with a hospital tank. Heater, filter, etc.


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## NeonJulie (May 6, 2007)

Cheap/easy way to put together a QT bin:

Get one of these: 

http://www.petco.com/Shop/Product.a...Ntt=penn+plex+filter&sku=47333&familyID=5280&

Then one of these:
http://www.petco.com/Shop/Product.a...=heater&cp=1&Nao=0&sku=997684&familyID=14217&

Then one of these from Walmart or the grocer store in a 10g preferably:
http://www.wardrobesupplies.com/store/media/2222_sm.gif


It's best to run the filtration cartridge and some extra media in the main tank. (Or if you're like me, you have a 4 gallon plastic bin with the Penn Plex running all the time with plenty of extra media, and once a week you drop a few drops of ammonia into it.)

EDIT: Can add some clay pots at $1-2 for shelter which can be disposed of if need be, or plastic pvc piping which can be bleached for shelter.


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## TropicAurora (Apr 22, 2007)

Also, try walmart or petsmart for a 10 gal setup complete with heater, filter, pump, hood, light, etc. for around $35. I was looking for an inexpensive way to set up a quick fix and got the bins as suggested a few weeks ago, but getting the tank kit ends up being less expensive if you have room for them...without room for more tanks, 2 bin setups can about fit in the space of 1 10gal setup.


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## fish_4_all (Nov 13, 2006)

I would agree that an aquarium kit might be the best way to go if you have room. I have never used a bucket just because I like to see their progress and a bucket would make that hard to do. 

The ones that come with the Aquaview filter might be a good fix because the filter cartidges come with carbon and can be used to remove the meds once you are done. 

Sorry I missed your original post in the emergencies section. I wuold thnk that treating the whole tank might be a good thig though just in case it is a fungus. This will help the imune system of the other fish so they don't get it also.


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## Andyandsue (Jan 23, 2007)

At this point I'm pretty sure it's a fungus. I am treating the tank with melafix and every few days I take him out of the tank and the gunk comes off, which I am seeing as a good thing... He's not getting any worse, but I wouldn't say he is doing better either. So far nobody else in the tank is affected.

I saw a little 3 gallon with a drop in filter so cheap today I almost bought it.

My two big issues right now with a hospital tank is space. I can keep it in the basement I guess, but without regular maintenance (which is likely to happen with 2 kids and it being out of sight-out of mind) I'm afraid it will go downhill. I'm also worried about cycling of this hospital tank. I know I can cycle it & I know I can jump start it with gravel and water from my existing tank, but I don't think cycling a tank with a sick fish is the best idea. Any suggestions? If I use nothing but the gravel and water from my tank will this be ok or should I be waiting for an ammonia spike? I am thinking at best a mini-cycle will occur, no?


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