# Which Fish to Rescue?



## Sj45 (Jan 5, 2009)

Ok, So I have my cycled quarantine tank but I'd rather not add "fish flakes" or ammonia to it anymore. Besides, it sits next to my bed and I thought it'd be alright to put 1-2 fish in there.

I have a couple questions:

Would it be alright to put a small fish in my quarantine tank to keep the bacteria in the filter alive or is this a bad idea?

Should I rescue a feeder goldfish (25 cents) or a Betta ($2.00)?

Other recommendations considered, thanks, Sj


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## 1077 (Apr 16, 2008)

Gold fish would be too messy.(poop) If you are not going to be adding any fish to your other tanks,, a betta would work. BUT if you decided to add some fish to one of your tanks and wanted to quarantine them,,You would have to move the betta who might not like company. Is there any small schooling fish that appeal to you that you could add to one of your other tanks? if so,, you could keep two or three of these small fish in your quarantine tank and when new fish were purchased,,Move the small schooling fish to one of your large tanks. I keep a bristlenose pleco in quarantine tank and when tank is needed for quarantine ,,I move the pleco to one of two larger tanks. 
Perhaps the easiest way to go would be to purchase (when possible),,A small sponge filter that runs on small air pump. Stick this sponge filter in a mature or (cycled ) tank and leave it run. When you need the quarantine tank,, just take the sponge filter,which will be colonized with good bacteria,,from the large cycled tank and,,put it in the quarantine tank. You then have the ability to make quarantine tank safe for fish whenever you want, and you don't have to feed the bacteria in quarantine tank until you need the tank.;-)


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## Katydid (Mar 15, 2009)

the sponge filter sounds like a good idea. From what I understand feeder fish are not always the healthiest fish, and you dont want to put a sick fish in your hospital tank.... Errr, a fish that may have some unwanted diseases.....


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## 1077 (Apr 16, 2008)

Very true. Feeder fish introduced to any tank, is the quickest way I know to introduce disease to healthy fish.Better to raise your own.;-)


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## Tyyrlym (Jun 1, 2008)

I'd go with a platy or two. They're relatively small, good natured, and tough. They'll take a move from the QT to the main tank just fine and are not likely to pick fights when introduced to a new tank.


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## Sj45 (Jan 5, 2009)

I like the idea of the keeping the sponge filter in my main tank but...

if my main tank got ich, and I wanted to quarantine some fish...wouldn't that filter bring ich to my quarantine tank? I guess it wouldn't matter to much, lol, idk jw.

Would swordtails be alright in a 10g?


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## 1077 (Apr 16, 2008)

If your display tank or main tank got ICH ,,it would do no good to quarantine fish for all fish would have been exposed in the main tank. Would need to treat all fish in main tank.


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## veganchick (Jan 10, 2009)

how about a mickey mouse platy?


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