How To Add Fish Properly

[karaim]

My 125 gallon reef tank is fully cycled and I am ready to add a few fish. What is the proper way to add fish? I was reading that you need to quarantine fish first before placing them in a tank. However since I have no other fish in the tank yet, is quarantine really necessary?

What about in the future (after I add the first few fish) - do I have to quarantine fish? If so, where and for how long? I don't have a quarantine tank.

Thanks

 

[SkiFletch]

QT is not necessary before fish are in the tank. Once there are fish in the water I'd reccomend QT/observation period of 2 weeks before adding them to the display

 

[karaim]

My 125 gallon reef tank is fully cycled and I am ready to add a few fish. What is the proper way to add fish? I was reading that you need to quarantine fish first before placing them in a tank. However since I have no other fish in the tank yet, is quarantine really necessary?

What about in the future (after I add the first few fish) - do I have to quarantine fish? If so, where and for how long? I don't have a quarantine tank.

Thanks

Thanks SkiFletch. Do I need to set up a whole new tank for the quarantine?

 

[SkiFletch]

Yes, but a very minimalist one. Mine just has some PVC pipes and an old plastic pirate ship from my FW days, a sponge filter, a small piece of LR and a heater... You don't want lots of sand and LR cause that can cause difficulties if you ever choose to treat with copper or other chemical meds.

 

[pimp4cheddar]

Is it a must that these fish must be kept in a different tank?

I only have a 30 gallon and would hate to have to buy a new tank, set it up and keep it running...just to add fish to my 30 gallon tank.

 

[CageUK]

It's not mandatory, it's a choice.

I don't have a quarantine tank. I did have the beginnings of an ICH outbreak when I first set the tank up but this was with the first fish I added so I wouldn't have quarantined anyway. My UV made short work of the disease and I had no further problems.

I have added various fish, inverts and corals since over the course of 11 months and not had any problems (attributable to not quarantining).

One day I could get a problem with something I introduce to the tank which would make me regret my decision not to quarantine. Some liken it to aquatic russian roulette.

My choice and nobody's fault but mine if it goes wrong!