Corals
All corals go through a rigorous and extensive quarantine and conditioning procedure as soon as they come out of the bag. Before the corals are available, they must go through a five stage process, outlined below, to ensure they are completely pest-free to keep your reef thriving!
1. Introduction
Upon arrival, corals are cut from excessive rock to reduce chances of bringing any unwanted pests. On top of this, they are also dipped to remove any pests before being placed in a holding tank for 2-3 weeks.
2. Dipping
While they are in a holding tank, the corals are consistently monitored for any pests or diseases that may have got passed the initial dip. The corals are also dipped in antibacterial dips to help with any bacterial diseases and increase healing regeneration.
3. Holding
Corals are then dipped and moved to another holding tank (to separate them from fresh imports) for observation. If they go for 2 weeks without any signs of pests, the corals are moved to the fallowing tank.
4. Fallowing
Now that the corals are coral pest-free, they then move on to becoming fish pest-free. The fallowing tank serves to die out any fish parasite that might remain on the frags/corals. Corals sit in a fishless system for 70 days to ensure no fish parasites move onto the final stage.
5. Aquaculture
The final stage before a coral becomes available. Corals are moved to another system dedicated to grow them out for aquaculture. All of fish in the system have been quarantined and verified completely clean of any parasites to ensure the coral is also completely parasite/pest free. They will sit in this system until they go to you!
Fish
Fish also go through an extensive quarantine and conditioning procedure as well. All fish are initially placed in a holding tank which helps get them used to aquarium water parameters and destresses them after shipping. After a couple of days in the holding tank, their quarantine procedure begins. All fish are moved to a tank medicated with nitrofurazone for four days minimum. After this, the fish start the customized tank transfer method which involves moving the fish to a brand new system once everyday for two weeks straight while doing freshwater baths between every tank. We use hydrogen peroxide, formalin, methanol alcohol, copper, and praziquantel. Each tank and all equipment is also bleached before use to ensure no contamination. While all this is going on, fish are fed medicated food, such as metroplex and kanaplex, to help with any internal parasites. After two weeks of TTM, the fish are deemed ready for a new home!
