[zimmy]

I'm considering adding half a dozen 2.5" - 3" Tanganicodus irsacae Mobas to my colony of Murago juveniles. I don't want to add them to the tropheus tank without keeping them in quarantine for a month though. My quarantine tank is a fifteen gallon, which I'll set up with a sponge filter and some airstones. I know I'll have to do a lot of water changes on the tank for the month but my concern is that the six nearly full grown gobies will not tolerate each other in such a small space.

Any feedback or suggestions on how to make this work?

thanks.

 

[zimmy]

Anyone?

 

[Furcifer158]

I say try it but be ready just in case there is some aggression, which there will be more than likely.

Try to leave the tank completely empty so that no one can try and claim a rock or hiding spot as there own, this might help out with the aggression.

 

[triscuit]

Gobies don't claim territories- an empty tank does nothing to mitigate aggression, in my experience.

I hear that irsacae tend to be a bit calmer than eretmodus, but I still think a 15 gallon is going to be touch and go for you. But, yes- quarantine them! It may be worth preemptively medicating the fish for parasites so that you can shorten the QT time if needed.

Jungle Parasite Clear is a good, all around choice; the directions call for waiting 48 hours between treatments (I agree) but with only a 25% water change ( I recommend 75%). If I had to rush the QT time, I would probably do 4 successive treatments (Day 1,3,5, and 7), then hope the fish would remain calm for at least another week or two.

Another option for helping harassed gobies in QT is to add a number (10 or more) of 5" lengths of 2" diameter PVC pipe. Sand off the edges a bit, and throw them in the tank at odd angles.

 

[zimmy]

Thanks for the responses.

It doesn't sound like my original plan has a high probability of success. The other option I have is to get some eretmodus cyanostictus that are still only about 1.5." They're from the same person I bought the Muragos from two weeks ago. Could I put them right into my main tank without a quarantine or quarantine them in the manner suggested with a higher likelihood of them not killing each other due to not have matured?

 

[noddy]

Hey Zimmy

I thought I posted on here a couple of days ago. I definately typed out a response, forgot to click on submit :-?

I would only quarantine the Gobies if they are wild caught and have not been treated by the importer. I would just throw either of those two groups straight in with the Trophs if that's not the case. Sooner the better.

Cheers

Paul.

 

[triscuit]

Yes- younger gobies will last longer in the 15 gallon QT, but if they are from the same breeder, then QT is not necessary. You can take the chance of adding the larger gobies to the main tank, if you trust their source and their transport isn't too lengthy. There's always the option of treating the large tank if disease is spread.

I learned (after repeated failures) to always quarantine. There are plenty of tank-raised maladies that can wipe out a perfectly healthy show tank after introducing new fish. Transport and acclimation lower a fish's resistance to disease, and the bugs that they are used to get a chance to proliferate. So, adding these new fish with their old bugs to your tanks can cause quite the upheaval.