Quarantine

What is it?
Quarantine is a procedure where new livestock are kept in a physically separate aquarium system for a temporary period to adjust and inspect for disease and unwanted hitchhikers. The separate system is often a single tank referred to as a Quarantine Tank.

Benefits

 * Feed without competition. Transportation stresses often mean fish are reluctant to eat.
 * Regain health without harassment. Territorial fish may harass newcomers.
 * Prevent spread of disease, parasites and pathogens to existing livestock
 * Prophylactic treatment
 * Spot unwanted hitchhikers
 * Acclimate to destination tank

What to quarantine

 * Ideally anything that may harbor disease, unwanted microorganisms or animals
 * fish
 * invertebrates
 * coral
 * live rock
 * even empty shells (may have worms or small animals hiding inside)

Setup

 * filtration
 * bare bottom
 * hiding places
 * cover sides

Protocol

 * separate tools and equipment
 * keeps lights off first day
 * time frame (2 * 4 weeks)
 * inspection
 * new animal = reset time frame
 * if disease is found sterilize equip

Alternatives

 * obtain livestock from a reputable store
 * obtain livestock from a other hobbyists

Links

 * An Ounce of Prevention Worth a Pound of Cure: A Quarantine Tank for Everything
 * Fish Quarantine Process - Step by Step
 * Quarantine of Corals and Invertebrates