Can I use sponge filter for Betta after goldfish quarentine?

[Saphira101]

Hey guys.

I recently bought two feeder goldfish from petco, and they have been in a quarantine tank with a sponge filter. I was wondering if I could use this filter for Bettas after the goldies get out of quarantine? They seem perfectly healthy, but the first day their poop was whitish clear. It turned brown the next day, and has been since, but I have heard that white poop means parasites... Can I still use the filter or is it a no-go?


Thank you,

~Saphira

[Bootsie]

Long stringy white poo can be constipation, bacterial infections, internal parasites.
Clear poo can be the fish hasn't been eating, or been eating veggitation. If the goldies don't have sunken in bellies, red/swollen anus you're pretty much in the clear. I persoanlly would just get a new sponge to be safe. But if you want to chance it,you'd need to boil the living heck out of that sponge , soak it in vinager, rinse very well and let it completely dry.

[Myates]

Clear/white poo could also mean the goldfish were female and had absorbed their eggs.

Bootsie had the right idea about cleaning.. unsure if I would use vinegar, but that is just me - the boiling hot water should be enough to clean it.

[waterdog]

You can always just replace the sponge part of the filter. That way there is less hassle and no doubts!
Check my article on sponge filters in this section. The DIY portion will give you an idea of how to do it.