Isolation tanks 'have lots of uses'

Fishkeepers should have a spare aquarium as it can have many uses.

Isolation aquariums are not just for quarantining fish and actually have many uses.

This is according to Think Fish, which highlighted some of the reasons they are such useful purchases for enthusiasts.

It is often a good idea to move fish away from the main tank if they ever suffer from diseases, as many treatments will contain strong chemicals that result in "non-desirable side effects", the website notes.

Illnesses can also put fish under a lot of stress and moving them to a separate tank can stop the disease from spreading. It also means a stronger treatment can be used, while a milder version is introduced in the main tank.

Some fish can bully other tank inhabitants and isolating them in a separate aquarium for a period of time can solve the problem, as it means they no longer have an established territory in the main tank.

Separate tanks are also useful for breeding fish and give adults a safe place to raise their young.

Quarantining is one of the main uses for isolation tanks and fishkeepers will need a basic heater and filter system to keep the fish happy. A small fish tank filter will be fine, as there will not be many fish in there at any one time.

"Using an isolation tank for a few weeks, or even a month, will allow you to observe new fish for health issues before they are introduced to the main tank, as well as allowing plenty of time for the new fish to become acclimated to your water conditions," Think Fish stated.

This method of introducing new fish is particularly good if enthusiasts have expensive or prized fish and do not want to run the risk of them being exposed to disease.

Isolation tanks are also useful if some fish are proving to be fussy eaters, as they can be moved to a separate aquarium to check whether a change of environment encourages a healthier appetite, Practical Fishkeeping advised.

Posted by Sean Alexander
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Tuesday, 7 Feb 2012, 5:18pm