Quaratine tank

[waterone]

What is the best size for a quaratine tank? Is it nessesary to have one?

[cmejaf30]

i feel that it is necessary to have one...some will say as small as a 10gal one (depending on fish size). Others will say that a Rubbermaid tub with a heater and a HOB filter is fine...I'm using a 29gal in my bedroom right now as one (when I need it)...I just have a damselfish in there right now that just chills to keep it cycled...but if you want to be successful in this hobby and limit stress/loss/problems in the future with contamination and disease then yes you need a QT.

[seapug]

As with most things in this hobby, go with the largest you can afford. That being said, a 10 gallon is usually sufficient for most fish less than 4" long.

[Norward]

After losing 3 fish with the unquarantined introduction of a LFS fish, I now Q every new addition. With a 29g DT, you probably won't need a very large QT unless for some reason you have to put all of your fish in it for treatment of an ich or similar outbreak. A 10g with a powerfilter, heater, thermometer, and a few small PVC elbows and Ts (light optional) is all you need. I actually bought a Marineland Eclipse 12 for my QT as it comes with everything included: more expensive but very convenient for set-up and breakdown. Good Luck!

[Aquarist007]

other benifits of quarantining include
experiementing with probematic eaters

less stress environment for acclimitization--don't have to worry about fish agression at the same time as other factors

easy way to acclimatize inverts like snails---sometimes the water at the lfs is only 1.018. In a qt you can gradually bring up the salinity over a longer period of time

experimenting with fish behaviours--eg I have tried out a few butterflies with some coral frags and found them reef safe so they end up in the main tank where there is alot more coral

its harder to get a fish that is behaving poorly out of a reef tank then it is a small qt