Quarantine Tank

Quarantine tanks should be bare-bottom (easier cleaning, no substrate to harbor pathogens), with basic filtration and hiding places to reduce stress. A minimum 4-week observation period detects most common diseases: ich (Ichthyophthirius multifiliis), velvet (Oodinium), internal parasites, bacterial infections, and viral diseases like HLLE. Prophylactic treatment (salt, antiparasitic medications) during quarantine can eliminate parasites before introduction. Introducing fish without quarantine is the primary source of ich outbreaks in established tanks — a disease that is extremely difficult to eradicate once present, especially in marine systems requiring fallow periods of 8+ weeks.