Saltwater Fish

Why buy saltwater fish from Petland Racine?

At Petland Racine we deliberated for a long time before making the decision to carry saltwater fish. The marine hobby can be complicated and we want to ensure that if we are participating in a market, we are supporting good actors that are working towards the sustainability of that market. Petland Racine works with internationally renown aquaculture facilities to source captive raised marine fish and corals. These include ORA, Biota, Sustainable Aquatics, Worldwide Corals, and Eye Candy Corals. We have been a regular supporter of captive raised yellow tangs and have carried Biota Yellow Tangs since they have been commercially available.

Pre-quarantined Saltwater Fish

Not all fish we carry are captive raised. Fish that are sourced from the wild have a long and potentially stressful process being transported from where they are collected to a retail store. Along the way there is a high potential for fish to be exposed to and contract various diseases.

We have made the decision that all fish that are sourced from the world’s oceans will be run through a comprehensive in-store quarantine period before the fish are moved to our display tanks. This process runs between four and six weeks and is very labor intensive.

You will absolutely pay more for a fish that has been quarantined compared to one that is sold right from a distributor’s box. There are many benefits that make this cost worth it. You may potentially save money in the long-run by purchasing entirely captive raised and pre-quarantined saltwater fish.

Benefits of purchasing quarantined saltwater fish:

Wild-Caught fish often are not ready or willing to eat foods we have to offer in captivity. All fish that exit our quarantine program are eating readily available food.
Wild Caught-fish need time to adjust to captive conditions. Our quarantine period allows this time to occur. Fish that exit our quarantine program are more adjusted and more likely to thrive long-term in your aquarium.
While some fish can live with parasites, other fish cannot. Parasites such as Marine Velvet can infect your entire tank and cause sudden loss of many or all of your fish. Buying quarantined fish prevents the introduction of such devastating parasites.
Due to the nature of keeping corals in our reef tanks; treating fish for disease and parasites can be difficult or impossible in an aquarium populated with coral and invertebrates. An outbreak requires you to remove all your fish from the system for upwards of two months and treat your fish separately.
Buying quarantined fish is an investment in the protection of all the other animals already in your system and is a way to prevent common pest organisms from ever being introduced into your aquarium.