Fish Identification
A saltwater aquarium can be a dramatic addition to any room. Filled with exotic (and expensive) fish, it's visually appealing and a great conversation piece. Marine fish are bred to live in the ocean, which is a vast expanse of water that's unlikely to have rapid changes in things like temperature, water quality and other environmental factors. These fish just aren't as resilient to change as freshwater fish.
Brightly colored saltwater fish are an appealing addition to your life and your decor. But a saltwater aquarium requires more care and maintenance than its freshwater counterpart.
You have to keep an eye on ammonia, nitrates, nitrites and pH for any aquarium (even just a fish bowl). That's extra important in a saltwater version. For that reason, you can't stock as many saltwater fish, as their eating and (ahem) elimination habits will change these levels quite frequently if there are too many.
Temperature is also important. A fish accustomed to gliding along in a comparatively shallow lake or river is used to having his water temperature change several degrees up and down throughout the day. It takes much longer for the ocean to experience such changes on a wide scale, and your fishies could literally die if the temperature changes a few degrees too quickly. You'll have to keep their heater on 24/7 to properly regulate it.
When choosing your fish, you have to be careful not to choose fish that don't play well together. Sometimes, this means there's an aggression issue between certain species. But it could also mean that more sensitive species may not be well-equipped to be in a tank with a fish that tends to stink up the aquarium with a lot of waste.
This can all be balanced by having the right filtration system, regular cleaning and keeping the right amount of fish. But the key to any healthy aquarium is doing your homework. Find out about their temperaments, their physical (chemical balance) needs and more. If you're new to saltwater aquariums, go to a store that specializes in marine life and get the opinion of an expert.
You should also keep in mind that marine creatures (both plants and animals) are often more expensive than freshwater fish and plants. If one dies, it's not always just a matter of you losing one of your pets. You may need to replace her immediately to keep the right balance in the aquarium, especially if she fills a tank-cleaning role.
Brightly colored saltwater fish are an appealing addition to your life and your decor. But a saltwater aquarium requires more care and maintenance than its freshwater counterpart.
You have to keep an eye on ammonia, nitrates, nitrites and pH for any aquarium (even just a fish bowl). That's extra important in a saltwater version. For that reason, you can't stock as many saltwater fish, as their eating and (ahem) elimination habits will change these levels quite frequently if there are too many.
Temperature is also important. A fish accustomed to gliding along in a comparatively shallow lake or river is used to having his water temperature change several degrees up and down throughout the day. It takes much longer for the ocean to experience such changes on a wide scale, and your fishies could literally die if the temperature changes a few degrees too quickly. You'll have to keep their heater on 24/7 to properly regulate it.
When choosing your fish, you have to be careful not to choose fish that don't play well together. Sometimes, this means there's an aggression issue between certain species. But it could also mean that more sensitive species may not be well-equipped to be in a tank with a fish that tends to stink up the aquarium with a lot of waste.
This can all be balanced by having the right filtration system, regular cleaning and keeping the right amount of fish. But the key to any healthy aquarium is doing your homework. Find out about their temperaments, their physical (chemical balance) needs and more. If you're new to saltwater aquariums, go to a store that specializes in marine life and get the opinion of an expert.
You should also keep in mind that marine creatures (both plants and animals) are often more expensive than freshwater fish and plants. If one dies, it's not always just a matter of you losing one of your pets. You may need to replace her immediately to keep the right balance in the aquarium, especially if she fills a tank-cleaning role.
How to choose the fish for you
When choosing a species of fish to inhabit your aquarium, you must first take into consideration possible characteristics and quirks of the type of fish you want. To help make the decision making process easier it is usually helpful to; How big is the fish going to get?
If the fish gets large will it prey on or frighten smaller fish in the tank? Is the fish too small to fit in with the other fish in the tank? Is the fish territorial and will it require a large space of its own? Does the fish eat other fish? Many tropical fish do. Does it nip the fins of other fish? Is it aggressive or is it too shy and nervous to live with certain other species? Does it eat live plants? Does it dig in the bottom of the tank? What kind of water does it require (pH, hardness, temperature, etc.)? Is it available where you live? What does it cost? Is it raised domestically or taken out of the wild? Does this particular fish need to live in groups or prefer to live alone?
If the fish gets large will it prey on or frighten smaller fish in the tank? Is the fish too small to fit in with the other fish in the tank? Is the fish territorial and will it require a large space of its own? Does the fish eat other fish? Many tropical fish do. Does it nip the fins of other fish? Is it aggressive or is it too shy and nervous to live with certain other species? Does it eat live plants? Does it dig in the bottom of the tank? What kind of water does it require (pH, hardness, temperature, etc.)? Is it available where you live? What does it cost? Is it raised domestically or taken out of the wild? Does this particular fish need to live in groups or prefer to live alone?
Fish combatibility
Disclaimer(s)
Remember that each animal is an individual and can vary in coloration and minor appearances along with temperament. These are mainly statistics and descriptions that represent the vast majority of individuals of different species.
Many species even though found in the aquarium trade are not suitable for captivity. It is generally recommended to not acquire these animals as they contain requirements and conditions that cant be maintained in the average or advanced aquarium with today's technology. Such as the Cleaner Wrasse, Goniopora stokesi, and the Mimic Octopus.
Many species even though found in the aquarium trade are not suitable for captivity. It is generally recommended to not acquire these animals as they contain requirements and conditions that cant be maintained in the average or advanced aquarium with today's technology. Such as the Cleaner Wrasse, Goniopora stokesi, and the Mimic Octopus.