adding fish the right way

[brinto]

I've got my 125 gallon reef tank cycled and I'm looking to add some fish. What's the proper procedure for adding them? I've read that quarantining is necessary before introducing them to the main tank. But since this is the first batch of fish, is quarantining really required?

Looking ahead, if I do need to quarantine in the future, how do I go about it without a separate quarantine tank? And what's the recommended duration for quarantining?

[fleeton]

QT isn't necessary when the tank's still fishless. However, once you've got fish in the water, I'd recommend a 2-week QT or observation period before adding them to the display.

[brinto]

I've got my 125 gallon reef tank cycled and I'm looking to add some fish. What's the proper procedure for adding them? I've read that quarantining is necessary before introducing them to the main tank. But since this is the first batch of fish, is quarantining really required?

Looking ahead, if I do need to quarantine in the future, how do I go about it without a separate quarantine tank? And what's the recommended duration for quarantining?

Thanks fleeton. I was thinking I'd have to set up a whole separate tank for quarantine, is that really necessary or are there other options?

[fleeton]

A minimalist setup is fine. I've got PVC pipes, an old plastic pirate ship from my freshwater days, a sponge filter, a small piece of live rock, and a heater. You don't want a lot of sand and live rock, that can cause issues if you need to use copper or other chemical treatments.

[fruitymint]

I don't have a quarantine tank and the thought of setting one up just for adding fish seems a bit excessive. I'm working with limited space and don't want to have to buy a new tank just for this purpose. Is there really no other way around it?

[Riveno9]

It's not a hard and fast rule, more of a personal choice. I've never had a quarantine tank, and to be honest, it's worked out okay for me so far. I did have a bit of a scare with an ICH outbreak when I first set the tank up, but that was with the initial fish, so I wouldn't have quarantined them anyway. Luckily, my UV sterilizer sorted the problem out quickly, and I haven't had any issues since.

Over the past 11 months, I've added a variety of fish, inverts, and even a few corals without any major problems. I know some people might say I've been lucky, and I probably have been. Not quarantining is a risk, and I'm aware of that. It's a bit like playing a game of chance - you never know when disaster might strike. But for now, I'm sticking with my approach. If things go wrong in the future, I'll only have myself to blame.