Would It Be Really Cruel To Use A Bucket As A Hospital Tank

[sneezy]

really need to hospitalise my red honey gouramis after a while umming and arrring. After having no real symptoms except for general listlessness they are now on the bottom very bloated.

Anyway there is no way I am puuting anti bac in my main tank because it hasn't been running that long and I have no suitable tank.

I have a 20 litre bucket so about 15 litres of water. I have put a mini heater, thermometer and small sponge filter (uncycled ) in run by a mini airpump.

There are 6 gouramis and treatment lasts a week.

I know its not ideal but will it be ok? I don't want to cause more probs than I solve. obviously i will do daily water changes and test water daily.


TIA


PS Do i need to cover the bucket. i know they need to get to the surface but do they jump

 

[minxfishy]

As a last resort, so long as you keep a good eye on the water stats and do water changes, then yes I would say go ahead and use it. I would also keep something over the top in case the do jump.

What meds are you using? What are their symptoms?

Edit: Could you put some mature media near the sponge to at least help a little with some filtration?

 

[sneezy]

Symptoms not actually easy to describe, They seem very listless either hanging arout the top by the filter outlets or sitting on the bottom. However sometimes they do swim around and seem fine. 3 of them tonight have very bloated bellies and one is leaning to one side on the bottom. Poos although not white are really long and some do seem to be lighter towards the end. They've been like this since we put them in the tank a few weeks back but also have periods of being fine.

Saw some others at lfs on sunday and they were half the size of mine so I'm assuming mine aren't particularly young so don't know if they are just coming to a natural end ???

Have got Interpret Anti Bacterial to treat them because apparently they can be prone to bacterial infections.

Last time they were like this I fasted them for 2 days except for peas and they seemed a bit better so might also be constipation but one of two look genuinely ill now (in a non specific way)

All tank mates are fine and water stats are A 0ppm N 0 ppm and Nrate 20ppm

I could use some sponge from my F3+ but don't know how to attach it to my sponge filter

 

[minxfishy]

Tie some around the sponge with some cotton thread of similar if you can, it will help a bit.

Try the peas again too.

Are they just bloated or do they have scales sticking out too?

 

[sneezy]

just bloated belly, no pineconing or anything. Its the sitting on the bottom that is concerning me most tbh. they just don't look happy.

 

[Honeythorn]

A big clear plastic storage tub works fine for a temporary tank, you can get some quite big ones that hold up to about 17 gallons. They don't cost too much either so they're great for a cheap hospital or quarantine tank. And better than a bucket as you can see and examine the fish more easily.

 

[sneezy]

My hubby won't let me buy anything else at the moment so have to make do with what I have already.

Anyway have quarantined and medicated now but unfortunately was too late for one who was dead by the time we got to him. Another one also looks like he's on his last legs, tilting to the side in bucket.

Before we disposed of the dead fish we laid him on some kitchen roll and had a really good look and he really had no outward sign of disease at all which makes me think it is either bacterial or just one of those things.

 

[minxfishy]

Sorry to hear that, how are they this morning?

Sounds like it could be internal bacteria infection, not sure if no9 interpet is up to the job though. Increase aeration in the bowl with the meds as they will reduce o2 in the water.