| One very important object part of keeping tropical | | | | Just turn on everything in the quarantine tank after |
| fish is the quarantine tank. | | | | filling it with water and then add the fish from the |
| It is not required if you are keeping freshwater fish | | | | main tank. |
| because those fish are better suited to captivity. | | | | Newly acquired fish need acclimatization to the water |
| Freshwater fish sold as pets are normally raised in a | | | | in the quarantine tank. Monitor them closely for about |
| tank and are not prone to infections. Even so, if a | | | | two or three weeks for parasites and bacterial |
| fish falls sick you will need a quarantine tank. | | | | infections. Should there be any evidence of such a |
| For those people who keep saltwater fish a | | | | problem then use appropriate medicine and continue |
| quarantine tank is a must. Saltwater fish are caught in | | | | quarantine for a couple of more weeks. Once you |
| the wild and are not used to tanks. This puts them | | | | are sure all problems have been solved the fish can |
| under a lot of stress (yes, fish can feel stress too). | | | | be transferred to the main tank for acclimatization. |
| A fish under stress is more likely to catch a disease | | | | If a fish falls sick in the main tank then take it out |
| than a happy fish. | | | | using the net and place them in the quarantine tank. |
| A quarantine tank isn't really a jazzy affair. It can be | | | | At this point acclimatization is not required as the fish |
| a simply ten or twenty gallon aquarium. Of course, it | | | | are already used to tank water. No matter how fast |
| depends on the size of the fish. The quarantine tank | | | | the fish heals, it is important to keep them for an |
| doesn't need all the bells and whistles that you have | | | | additional week in the quarantine tank under |
| in the main fish tank. | | | | observation. |
| A typical quarantine tank would have the following | | | | In case of saltwater quarantine it is important to |
| items: | | | | always keep some saltwater handy for emergencies. |
| * A filtration unit. Use the quarantine tank filter | | | | All water parameters must be monitored on a daily |
| without the carbon because carbon usually removes | | | | basis (or at least once in two days unless you want |
| whatever medication you might add to the water. | | | | the fish to spend a lot of time in quarantine). Do not |
| * Heater. This is to control the water temperature. | | | | add freshly mixed saltwater into the tank as it is |
| * Powerhead. You may also use an airstone to keep | | | | very toxic. |
| the surface agitation high. | | | | While freshwater fish keepers can do without a |
| * Test kits to check the pH, ammonia, nitrite, and | | | | quarantine tank it is a definite necessity for people |
| nitrate properties of water. | | | | who wish to keep saltwater fish. |