# ? About Quarantine Tank: Velvet Outbreak



## rynox77 (Aug 11, 2009)

I had an outbreak of velvet in my tank and lost a fish: a Basslet.

Apparently, I can't just add the velvet medication directly to the tank because I have a cleaner shrimp who won't tolerate copper. Is that correct?

I'll set up a quarantine tank, but on a tight budget, so my questions are:

* I can get a 30-gal relatively cheap, and I even have an extra heater that will work in it. Will a bubbler be sufficient to keep the water disturbed or do I need a pump or powerhead or something?

* Should I move one of my main tank live rock and some substrate to the quarantine tank?


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## drhank (Aug 3, 2009)

What you're after is a hospital tank. Usually a 10 gallon tank will suffice. Nothing in it but some PVC pieces for hiding spots. Watch your ammonia and be prepared to do water changes. Don't use copper of any kind in other than a bare hospital tank. An airstone should be sufficient . Good luck.


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## rynox77 (Aug 11, 2009)

drhank said:


> What you're after is a hospital tank. Usually a 10 gallon tank will suffice. Nothing in it but some PVC pieces for hiding spots. Watch your ammonia and be prepared to do water changes. Don't use copper of any kind in other than a bare hospital tank. An airstone should be sufficient . Good luck.


Alright, that sounds easy enough. The only concern I would have is that seems like close quarters for my two percula clowns and sleeper banded goby. I've never had a problem with them nipping at each other, but 10 gallons is quite a downgrade.

Thanks for the advice.


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## drhank (Aug 3, 2009)

You could even use two plastic storage containers if you wanted. The thing you don't want to do is medicate your main tank.


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## AZDesertRat (Apr 10, 2009)

Most people use a hang on back or side filter like an AquaClear for QT and hospital tanks. I keep a spare sponge filter insert in my sump at all times so I can set up a QT in a matter of minutes and install the filter sponge so the new tank has active bacteria from the start. Once I am done I throw the sponge away and stick a new one in the sump for next time.
I use a 10G or 20G for QT and hospital depending on what I am treating or observing.


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## rynox77 (Aug 11, 2009)

Alright, I'm all set up with my 10-gallon hospital tank and are dosing my 2 clown and sleeper banded goby with copper sulfate. I hope they don't have to be in there long, though, it doesn't look fun and my goby isn't liking it one bit. The 2 clown seem to be adjusting okay and swimming around though. I did put a powerhead in there just to keep water moving, but I don't have any kind of filtration. Maybe in the future.


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## AZDesertRat (Apr 10, 2009)

Give them a few assorted PVC fittings large enough to hide in and that should calm them down.


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## rynox77 (Aug 11, 2009)

Well my Goby is laying on the bottom of my hospital tank not eating, labored breathing. Is he a goner?

This is very frustrating.

The two clown seem to be happy and are eating fine.


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## GetITCdot (Aug 4, 2009)

just keep an eye on him. To be honest i hate to say it but in this hobby your going to lose things regardless of how well or how bad you handle situations.


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## rynox77 (Aug 11, 2009)

In researching this a little further it seems sudden temperature changes can stress fish to the point that they are vulnerable to ick & velvet. I'm almost sure this is what happened because so far my tank parameters have been great and I do regular water changes. During the last water change the water I put in the tank was significantly cooler than the tank water and dropped the tank temperature about 6 degrees.

I guess I'll just have to warm the water before I put it in the tank from now on.


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