Depending on the fish all you need is a cycling sponge filter and a 10-20 gallon tank.
I say depending on fish because some fish we have get large and won't fit in those tanks, but most will.
Quarantine is very important but not everyone does it. If you absolutely cannot do it I would follow these steps:
1. Inspect the tank at the LFS VERY thoroughly! Make sure their is no signs of disease. Is the tank kept clean? Good things to ask yourself to see how the fish are treated there. Ask them if they medicate their fish for disease as they are shipped in. One of my LFS does this and I've never gotten a sick fish from them.
2. Drip acclimate. Turn your tank lights off for the day and slowly drip them adding a few drops every 10-20 mins. I drip my fish for 1-2 hours for freshwater. Even more for the wild caught ones.
3. Keep a very close eye on them for a while. Sometimes diseases are dormant/early stages and will not show right away.
Caleb
It's too expensive for me! I know about the benefits of quarantining but I just can't seem to get a quarantining tank now.
