QT Tank size, 9 fish in 10 gallon too small?

viper222

viper222

Member
OK, I have had a bought with Ich, I was thinking about putting this in the disease forum, but this kinda could be in here as well. Recently I requested assistance with a Powder Blue that I had just gotten and he ended up with ich.
Just for those following, I took the Yellow Tang back, like you guys recommended, since the Powder Blue had ich, they said they wouldn't take him back until he was cured. Well, he died last night in the QT

So, now that I have learned my lesson REALLY REALLY HARD, I have in my current DT 2 Sail Fin blenny's, 5 Green Chromis, my most favorite of all, my 2 Tank raised Clowns. I have snails, Crabs, and Starfish in my DT also, but this of course does not concern them.
My question is, I have a 10 gallon QT tank (Originally from Wal-Mart, one of the Fresh water Aquarium deals that comes with a Whisper 20, heater, and light hood. These 9 fish have no signs of ICH, but from what I have been told by all on this forum, I need to Hypo them, and let the tank sit with no fish for 30 days to make sure I nip this in the bud. Is this tank going to be too small for them for the hypo? I was going to put a few smaller pieces of PVC so they will have hiding places.
Second question, now kinda disease related, I believe I will NOT BE ABLE to catch the Sailfin Blenny's. My clowns and chromis just come to me wherever I am by the tank, so I think this will be no problem, but the blenny's are so small and fast, and hide so well. These guys need to be hypo'ed as well, right?
Just so all the Tang Police guys know, I have learned my lesson and plan on waiting until I get my larger tank and it has been established for almost a year before I get another Tang. I really do appreciate your guidance and you are not just talking to a wall when you suggest something to me. I feel so bad for the little powder blue, he was so cute.
 
rbaldino

rbaldino

Active Member
10 gallons sounds really small for all those fish. It shouldn't be too expensive for you to get a 20 gallon or something and use most of the equipment that came with the 10. Also, you need to remove all of the fish from the DT for this to work. There's no point in doing it if you're going to leave a couple of fish in there.
 
viper222

viper222

Member
Understood, I was just not sure if the Sailfin Blenny's were immune to ich since they seem to be such a different fish anyway. Thanks, and rbaldino, thanks for your help from the previous thread also.
 
azfishgal

azfishgal

Active Member
I would get yourself a 20L, they are not much at the large pet stores. Also, it is usually recommended to leave your DT fishless for 6 weeks, not 30 days, to ensure you have an ich free environement. I'm assuming you did not QT the new tang for 3-4 weeks before putting into the DT. Also a lesson learned I think because this could have been avoided if you QT all fish before adding to the display tank. I'm not harping on you at all, just passing on some info you might want.
Read the following thread in detail, great info: https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/t/127007/faqs-fish-diseases-treatments-quarantine-health-info
 
hocky

hocky

Member
Moving all of those fish into a small QT is going to spike the bioload and blow up with ammonia. Ask me how I know... heh. My QT is a 42 gallon and I moved 6 fish in they're. Those fish no longer exist.
 
azfishgal

azfishgal

Active Member
Not sure how big the DT is, but if he uses at least 10 gallons from the DT, put the filter sponge that is for the QT in the DT for a few days then officially cycles the QT before adding the fish he should be ok. Long process but worth the effort I think. I definitley would not advocate putting a new tank together and toss all the fish in, by any means.

This is why Beth suggests having a QT always running, just in case you have an emergency as this one.
 
viper222

viper222

Member
azfishgal, your right, and in my thread relating to this, I did stat I did not QT, I also do feel really bad, really sad, I hate that I caused that little guy to die. I have learned my lesson and WILL NEVER EVER do that again, that being sad, my issue is as follows.
I did catch the 5 chromis, 2 clowns, and 2 SF blennys. I moved them into the 10 gallon last night (took 5 hours to catch them, last hour I figured out if I turned out the lights, they would go to sleep and it was WAY EASIER) Anyway, I put 10 gallons of my DT water into the 10 gallon aquarium, I also put a small 2 lb LR in the tank for the Blennys ( they wouldn't go into the PVC) This morning I checked the levels and nothing was up, except ammonia was up to .25 from 0.
YES, I had read Beths thing about keeping a QT, but I hadn't read that until this all started, so I had no choice as of now. I will always keep one running from this point on. but for now......
I am on my way home now (4:00PM) and I stopped at my LFS and bought a 24ga Aquapod.
I know that the bacteria in the LR I put in is going to die, but since I used the water, and LR, I figure I won't get a cycle, nothing really changed, and maybe it would buffer me some. So, now with this AQUAPOD, should I pull another 10ga out of my DT and if this water in the 10ga is ok still, put it in the 24ga as well?
SHould I take the Spone thing in the new Aquapod and put it in my DT now before even using it, and if so, how long do I leave it.
Won't doing this Hypo kill that bacteria anyway? I thought with Hypo, I was just a slave to water changes and monitoring the PH and Amonia closely.
More questions:
1. would it be better to use water from the DT each water change, just cutting it with RO/DI water to get it to the right salinity?
2. Won't I NOT see Nitrite and Nitrate because I will not have any bacteria doing that job?
3. Should I put some of my LS or new LS in this, or will it not do anything?
 
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