How long can I keep my new fish in the QT bucket with just an airstone and floaters?

[jeremyTR]

Well, like the title says, I bought some fish from Petsmart ($1 ea on sale, couldn't pass on it plus they had otos this time) but I have them in a 5 gallon home depot bucket with an air stone with guppy grass and moss. I checked the temp in the bucket this morning and it was at 70, I'm sure that's too cold for otos and serpae tetra right? So I tossed a 50W heater in there. just wondering how long they'll be good in the bucket.

[wendyjo]

How many and what kind of fish? 5g isn't all that big and you have no bio filter in there other than some plants. QT is to monitor them for illness, not make them ill from poor water quality. If you've got more than 5 small fish in there then I'd say it's a bad set up, and no matter how many you have you are gonna have to monitor parameters and do lots of water changes.

[jeremyTR]

I have 4 little serpae tetra and 2 otos.

[smokaah]

I think you will be fine for a day or so with the air stone and heater. If wouldnt leave them in there too long. Maybe do a water change if you plan on keeping them longer.

[jeremyTR]

I took them out already because I already had them in overnight. kinda pointless QT that was i suppose..

I need a true QT tank.

[jeremyTR]

just worried because I had 5 serpae tetra before this, went out and bought 6 more and ended up with 3. -_-

And then I didn't even take them back to the store because I totally spaced out the fact that you can return a dead fish lol.

[msawdey]

make sure you are using tank water... if you have a canister filter, then its a good way to prolong them in the bucket if needed. If not, change a bit of the water out daily with used tank water if you have it..

What will happened is about after day 3 or 4 is you will have an ammonia spike

[Kyrol]

Cheap 10 gallon tank is the way to go put a sponge filter on it then 2-3 danios or something to keep a bio load in it and your golden.