Can the filter get infected in a Quarantine tank?

Hello everyone!

I want a new fish and need to set up an established quarantine tank. So I plan on using my sponge filter for a quarantine tank. The filter itself is established as it's been in the main tank for 5 weeks. My main tank has the Tetra Whisper filter as well. My question is, if my new fish in the quarantine tank gets sick and dies, is that disease now on my sponge filter because it was in the quarantine tank too? I'm concerned that the sponge will "house" the disease on it and then infect my main tank or the next new fish in quarantine.

 

If it were me I would just start seeding a new sponge filter in the main tank as soon as you remove the current one.

If the new fish end up being sick, I'd just toss the one you used for their QT. Sponge filters are cheap enough.

And then you already have a new one seeding in the main tank for next time.

 

If it were me I would just start seeding a new sponge filter in the main tank as soon as you remove the current one.

If the new fish end up being sick, I'd just toss the one you used for their QT. Sponge filters are cheap enough.

And then you already have a new one seeding in the main tank for next time.

I do a similar thing but I just do a rather intense bleach dip with the potentially infected sponge filter instead of throwing it out because I’m a poor college student lol

 

Lol Dewclaw83 I feel the same way! Maybe I will buy a second to rotate them out and bleach dip the ones that have any potential infections. I assume the plastic part and air tube would be fine and not house any bacteria since it's just plastic right?

 

Lol Dewclaw83 I feel the same way! Maybe I will buy a second to rotate them out and bleach dip the ones that have any potential infections. I assume the plastic part and air tube would be fine and not house any bacteria since it's just plastic right?

I usually toss the air tube in too, as bacteria can live on plastic. They can live on nearly anything lol - nasty little boogers they are