diff --git a/.github/workflows/test_and_deploy.yml b/.github/workflows/test_and_deploy.yml
index 3561aaf..c612f56 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test_and_deploy.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test_and_deploy.yml
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ jobs:
     strategy:
       matrix:
         platform: [ubuntu-latest, windows-latest, macos-latest]
-        python-version: [3.9, "3.10"]
+        python-version: ["3.10"]
 
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
@@ -38,10 +38,10 @@ jobs:
         with:
           python-version: ${{ matrix.python-version }}
 
-      # these libraries enable testing on Qt on linux
+      # These libraries enable testing on Qt on linux
       - uses: tlambert03/setup-qt-libs@v1
 
-      # strategy borrowed from vispy for installing opengl libs on windows
+      # Strategy borrowed from vispy for installing opengl libs on Windows
       - name: Install Windows OpenGL
         if: runner.os == 'Windows'
         run: |
@@ -49,20 +49,64 @@ jobs:
           powershell gl-ci-helpers/appveyor/install_opengl.ps1
           if (Test-Path -Path "C:\Windows\system32\opengl32.dll" -PathType Leaf) {Exit 0} else {Exit 1}
 
-      # note: if you need dependencies from conda, considering using
-      # setup-miniconda: https://github.com/conda-incubator/setup-miniconda
-      # and
-      # tox-conda: https://github.com/tox-dev/tox-conda
-      - name: Install dependencies
+      # Set up Miniconda
+      - name: Set up Miniconda
+        uses: conda-incubator/setup-miniconda@v3
+        with:
+          miniconda-version: "latest"
+          auto-update-conda: true
+          python-version: ${{ matrix.python-version }}
+
+      # Initialize Conda on Linux/macOS
+      - name: Initialize Conda (Linux/macOS)
+        if: runner.os != 'Windows'
+        shell: bash -l {0}
+        run: |
+          conda init bash
+
+      - name: Create and activate environment (Linux/macOS)
+        if: runner.os != 'Windows'
+        shell: bash -l {0}
         run: |
+          conda create --name test-env python=${{ matrix.python-version }} -y
+          source activate test-env
+          conda install -c conda-forge pytables==3.8.0 -y
           python -m pip install --upgrade pip
           python -m pip install setuptools tox tox-gh-actions
 
-      # this runs the platform-specific tests declared in tox.ini
-      - name: Test with tox
-        uses: aganders3/headless-gui@v2
-        with:
-          run: python -m tox
+      # Initialize Conda on Windows
+      - name: Initialize Conda (Windows)
+        if: runner.os == 'Windows'
+        shell: powershell
+        run: |
+          C:\Miniconda\Scripts\conda.exe init powershell
+
+      - name: Create and activate environment (Windows)
+        if: runner.os == 'Windows'
+        shell: powershell
+        run: |
+          C:\Miniconda\Scripts\conda.exe create --name test-env python=${{ matrix.python-version }} -y
+          conda activate test-env
+          C:\Miniconda\Scripts\conda.exe install -c conda-forge pytables==3.8.0 -y
+          python -m pip install --upgrade pip
+          python -m pip install setuptools tox tox-gh-actions
+
+      # This runs the platform-specific tests declared in tox.ini
+      - name: Test with tox (Linux/macOS)
+        if: runner.os != 'Windows'
+        shell: bash -l {0}
+        run: |
+          source activate test-env
+          python -m tox
+        env:
+          PLATFORM: ${{ matrix.platform }}
+
+      - name: Test with tox (Windows)
+        if: runner.os == 'Windows'
+        shell: powershell
+        run: |
+          conda activate test-env
+          python -m tox
         env:
           PLATFORM: ${{ matrix.platform }}
 
@@ -70,7 +114,7 @@ jobs:
         uses: codecov/codecov-action@v4
 
   deploy:
-    # this will run when you have tagged a commit, starting with "v*"
+    # This will run when you have tagged a commit, starting with "v*"
     # and requires that you have put your twine API key in your
     # github secrets (see readme for details)
     needs: [test]
diff --git a/setup.cfg b/setup.cfg
index a5e4849..7f8506f 100644
--- a/setup.cfg
+++ b/setup.cfg
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@ classifiers =
     Operating System :: OS Independent
     Programming Language :: Python :: 3
     Programming Language :: Python :: 3 :: Only
-    Programming Language :: Python :: 3.9
     Programming Language :: Python :: 3.10
     Topic :: Scientific/Engineering :: Artificial Intelligence
     Topic :: Scientific/Engineering :: Image Processing
@@ -41,8 +40,7 @@ install_requires =
     qtpy>=2.4
     scikit-image
     scipy
-    tables
-python_requires = >=3.9
+python_requires = >=3.10
 include_package_data = True
 package_dir =
     =src
diff --git a/tox.ini b/tox.ini
index c715870..e9fa69b 100644
--- a/tox.ini
+++ b/tox.ini
@@ -1,11 +1,10 @@
 # For more information about tox, see https://tox.readthedocs.io/en/latest/
 [tox]
-envlist = py{39,310}-{linux,macos,windows}
+envlist = py{310}-{linux,macos,windows}
 isolated_build=true
 
 [gh-actions]
 python =
-    3.9: py39
     3.10: py310
 
 [gh-actions:env]