What is the difference between saltwater fish and freshwater fish?

Freshwater fish are found in rivers, ponds, streams, and lakes.  Saltwater fish, on the other hand, are collected from the seas and oceans which allow them to have a much more stable environment.  They do not adapt easily to major chemical or temperature changes.  Plus, since most saltwater fish are collected right from the ocean as apposed to their freshwater cousins that are tank or pond raised, saltwater fish are more expensive due to the shipping and collecting costs.

What size tank is needed for a saltwater aquarium?

Most saltwater aquariums are between 30 and 55 gallons.  Almost any size tank can be used but, it is easier to keep a larger tank chemically balanced and it allows more options for fish compatibility.  But, a medium sized tank is more cost effective due to the requirements of adequate equipment.

How many fish can I put in my tank?

The Rule of Thumb is one inch of fish (measured from the nose to the base of the tail) per 5 gallons of system saltwater.  Potentially, you can house more fish in a marine aquarium than the Rule of Thumb allows but, most saltwater aquariums, especially new tanks with minimal filtration, lack a really good biological filtration system that can process the fish waste.  This can raise the ammonia, nitrates, and phosphates to toxic level.  Saltwater fish are much more sensitive to tank toxins than freshwater fish.  Overcrowding can also cause territorial problems with aggressive fish.  In small tanks, it is better to be safe then sorry in this case.

How Often Should I Feed My Saltwater Aquarium Fish?

Owners should feed their saltwater fish about twice a day.

Make sure that the fish are eating the food within a couple of minutes.  You don’t have to feed them all of the food at once, instead spread out the length of feeding time.  Also, make sure that all of the fish are finding food to eat including bottom dwellers.  Stop feeding if the food is reaching the bottom and is not being eaten.

Fish in the wild look for food almost constantly, especially herbivores.  They constantly look like they are grazing.  Carnivores pretty much just cruise around, passing up easy meals. Herbivores have a longer digestive track than carnivores so it takes longer to digest algae in order to extract the protein required for the fish to survive. Carnivores have a shorter digestive track because it doesn’t take as long to extract the protein from the flesh of another animal.  Algae that grow in your tank will provide a certain amount of a constant food source for herbivores.  By spreading out the length of time that fish can eat will provide both, herbivores and carnivores with the right conditions for ample nutrition.

Can fish and invertebrates live in the same tank?

It is up to the aquarium owner to decide whether they want to do this.  It should be left to the extremely novice, aquarium owners.  Although there are a lot of really beautiful reef fish to choose from, some are carnivores and will feed on invertebrates or live coral.  Plus, diseases like ich can be very hard to treat since the cell structures between parasites and invertebrates are similar enough that the effective treatments for ich will also kill the invertebrates.

In order to minimize deficiencies with in the aquarium conditions, marine fish should be fed a variety of food.  Different foods can include frozen foods, live foods, and prepared dry foods.  Marine fish are classified into three different group; herbivores; fish that feed on plant material, carnivores; fish that prey on other fish, invertebrates or both, and omnivores; fish that feed on both plant and animal materials.

Feeding the fish to much food is a common problem in saltwater aquariums.  Placing more food in the aquarium that cannot be consumed in about a minute, will most likely result in the food settling at the bottom of the tank.  If the food is allowed to remain at the bottom of the tank, it can pollute the water.  On the other hand, feeding the marine fish too much is something else to watch out for.  This is an easy problem to recognize in its early stages.  The middle and lower level swimmers and perhaps your shy fish, will come out and begin to compete for food at the top of the tank.  This is a good sign that they are starving because, in normal conditions, they don’t want to be there.  To rectify the problem, increase the length of time that you are feeding them or increase the number of feedings.

Caring for saltwater fish also means providing them with the correct water temperature.  Food sources offer fish usable energy for growth, tissue repair, swimming, and other essential activities.  The rate at which energy is used is called the metabolic rate.  It is also important to understand that, the temperature of the water is the most important factor affecting a fish’s metabolic rate. Because fish are cold blooded, they require the use of the outside temperature to warm them up.  This is the water temperature.

Unfortunately, no living creature is immune from diseases and sicknesses including saltwater fish.  Daily maintenance should involve looking over the inhabitants of the aquarium looking for signs of illness or disease.  The main factors that produce disease in a tank are the introduction of disease through new fish and stress.  Above all, look for signs of sickness before you even buy the fish and bring it home but, it is a also a good idea to place new fish in a quarantine tank before placing them in the main tank.  Here they can be observed and when you are sure that no symptoms have surfaced, you are free to place them into the new tank.  Stress can also cause your fish to become ill.  Some factors that cause stress are transportation, an improper PH level, the wrong temperature, the salinity level, and oxygen or ammonia levels that are off.

Caring for saltwater fish is not any different from caring for any other animal that’s a pet.  It just takes time and a commitment to provide the best care for any living thing under you responsibility.

When a saltwater aquarium is properly set up, they require minimum care and maintenance.  But, daily checks of the aqua system to ensure that it is functioning properly and checks on the overall condition and behavior of the fish and invertebrates is required.

It is not uncommon for the undergravel filter to get clogged after several months of the tank being in operation.  Salt accumulation can sometimes clog the filter’s air line.  The salt can be removed by passing a fine wire down the plastic air tube in the filter to gently break up the salt or detaching the filter tube assembly from the undergravel filter and soaking the parts in warm water to dissolve the salt deposits.  During daily maintenance, you should also examine the outside filters for signs of diminished water flow.  Particle matter and debris can clog the filter and possibly cause a crimp in the hoses of the filter.  The heater is another piece of equipment that needs to be checked daily to ensure that it is working properly.  A slight fluctuation in the water temperature is okay but, a heater that is working properly should keep the temperature within a set range.  If the water is colder then it should be, turn the dial on the heater up slowly until the red light goes on.  Wait several hours and then check the temperature again.  You’ll have to readjust if the temperature still isn’t right.

Besides taking note on the water clarity on a daily basis, water testing for PH, ammonia, salinity, or other tests should be conducted weekly.  Also, weekly or possibly monthly water changes are important in any aquarium.  Even though the water is constantly filtered to remove things like toxic components, various organic and inorganic compounds can accumulate in the water over time.  It could alter the chemical composition and effect the aquarium inhabitants if no water changes are done.  These alterations could include an increase in nitrate, in the concentration of phosphate, in organic compounds and a decrease in PH, the buffering capacity, and in various trace elements that are required by marine organisms, especially invertebrates.

It is also important to replace the water that has evaporated from the tank on a weekly basis.  Tap water can be used but, if the water is extremely hard, it can cause a chemical imbalance.  In this circumstance, distilled water should be alternatively used with tap water.  But remember, the water in both circumstances needs to be treated with a water conditioner prior to adding it to the aquarium.

The surfaces in the tank should also be cleaned on a weekly basis.  Pay close attention to the parts of the tank where salt has a tendency to accumulate like the aquarium cover, the hood, the top, and the sides of the tank.  The removable covers can be washed under warm water.  The aquarium glass can be cleaned with cleaning sponges or algae scrapers.  Special siphon cleaners can be used to dislodge debris from the surface of the filter bed.

A saltwater aquarium does take time to clean and maintain properly but, if these things are done correctly, you can save yourself time from dealing with bigger problems in the future and ensure the health and long life of the creatures living within it.

With such a large variety of tropical fish available, it can be hard to choose the right ones for a community saltwater aquarium.  The best thing to do is to become familiar with different fish species and their needs.  You’ll want to stick to those fish that are easiest to care for in order to gain the experience needed to tackle those fish that will need special requirements.

Damsels are an easy to care for beautiful fish.  They eat most types of food and are at home in reefs.  The Yellowtail Damsels are probably the most popular kid of Damsel fish.  They are naturally resilient and are comparatively peaceful.  Although, the more aggressive Black and White and Domino Damsels grow larger and are much more territorial often killing other damsels in a smaller aquarium.

Pseudochromis are a wonderful beginner fish.  Species include the Fridmani, Diadema and others.  They are carnivorous and will eat foods like frozen shrimp.  Some species in this family are aggressive so only one should be kept in tanks under 40 gallons.

Arguably one of the most recognized fish in recent years is the clownfish.  They are excellent beginner fish for smaller aquariums as well as larger reefs.  A few types of clownfish include the Ocellaris, the Percula and the Sebae.  The Oscellaris and the Perculas do well in pairs.  All anemone fish, including the clownfish, are born with active male and dormant female reproductive organs which give them the ability to change sex when isolated.

Royal Grammas are primarily bottom cave dwellers.  They are territorial to their own kind and often to the Pseudochromis also.  It is recommended to house only one per tank with plenty of rocks to hide in.  They will sometimes live together in larger aquariums that offer a ton of sheltered places to hide.

The Yellow Tang and the Regal Blue Tang, although look extremely different are both great beginner fish.  The Yellow Tang normally gets along well with other fish close to their size but, they cannot be kept with other Yellow Tangs.  The only exception would be if you have lots of them house together.  Like the Yellow Tang, the Regal Blue Tang is not always tolerant of other similarly sized tangs but do well in groups in larger aquariums.  They are a terrific reef fish that can be kept in tanks 40 gallons or larger.

The Spanish Hogfish, unlike the fish previously listed, are hardy but are not compatible with delicate corals and should be kept with fish only.  They are very active and are generally not fearful of other tank mates.

Koran Angelfish are hardy, but other considerations need to be addressed when considering adding them to your saltwater aquarium.  They should be kept in tanks larger the 75 gallons.  They are also aggressive and can not be kept within a reef because they will eat most soft corals.

These fish listed above are truly hardy fish but all have different requirements.  It is solely up to the aquarium owner as to which kinds of fish are going to be housed and whether or not you plan to add invertebrates and live rock and plants to the aquarium after you have gained enough expertise.  With the right amount of research, you can congregate the perfect fish for you.

Starting a saltwater aquarium opens doors to an array of spectacular fish, the opportunity to see an ecosystem close up and a new appreciation of the delicate creatures in our oceans.  When first starting out, it is better to begin with a fish-only aquarium.  It is the best way to begin in the marine hobby.

Start with a tank size that you will be comfortable maintaining.  Although it is possible to house marine fish in a tank smaller then 20 gallons, it is not recommended.  Consider how many fish you would like to own in the aquarium when considering the size of the tank.  Generally you should allow 3 to 5 gallons for each inch of fish capacity.  The general rue is; ten gallon tank equals two one inch fish.

A good filtration system is of the utmost importance.  Plus, you will need a heater and thermometer, to maintain the recommended temperature of 78-80 degrees for tropical fish and a hydrometer which is a device that measures the salt content of the water in the aquarium.

When purchasing a fish always remember to bring in a water sample for the store to test.  A bacteria culture is essential for cycling the aquarium.  Bacteria can be added once the aquarium has been prepared meaning it has been de-chlorinated, heated to the right temperature, and salted to the proper level. This process can take between a few days and a week or more.  When the water quality allows, the starter fish can then be introduced.

Because of their hardiness and their ability to survive the conditioning period of the tank, a great starter fish is the damselfish.  They are classified into many genera and species including the domino damselfish, the blue chromis, and the anemonefishes also known as clownfishes.  They live a long time, they are not very particular about their food, they are active, colorful and inexpensive.  But, like anything else, they have their disadvantages too.  They are highly territorial and aggressive towards unrelated species and their own kind regardless if the fish is much larger then themselves.

The most important thing bout picking fish is to be aware of where the fish you are buying comes from.  This may not be a concern when you are filling you aquarium with the common species of fish but, most reef fish and coral are wild caught.  It is estimated that wild coral structures contain about 25 percent the planet’s marine life.  Coral reefs are being harmed by bad weather and stress.  Marine hobbyists have to be aware that, although the wild marine life may be plentiful at the time being, harvesting may soon begin to play a role in the destruction of such a magnificent splendor if it hasn’t already.

Until you get to be more experienced in your hobby, stay away from mini-reefs.   But, if and when you decide you want to keep any corals, do some research.  They have different light requirements for different species and they are not as hardy as they seem.  But, if you are willing to take on the task; good luck and enjoy.

In order for a saltwater aquarium to succeed, a certain amount of algae is necessary.  It performs certain beneficial functions like, the production of oxygen and the removal of various nitrogen compounds like nitrate.  It also provides an excellent source of food for many fish and invertebrates.  Actually, many marine fish need algae in their diets for their survival and good health.

Unlike some other plants, algae do not have roots, leaves, and stems.  There are three different kinds of encrusting algae; green, red and brown.  It is the green kind that is the most beneficial to marine fish.  Most likely in a new aquarium that is being set up for the first time, after about a week of the aquarium being in operation, you will notice brown algae on the substrate, coral, and rock.  It is totally normal and the first stage in establishing the aquarium.  The brown algae called diatoms, require little light to develop and are very tolerant of various types of water conditions.  But, if enough light of the right intensity is provided for the aquarium for at least eight to ten hours a day, you will notice that the green algae will grow and begin to replace the brown algae.  Most likely, it will take several weeks to about a month to see a difference and it will be most noticeable on the rock and coral closest to the light source.

Besides the familiar encrusting algae, there are also many other types of higher algae known as macroalgae.  They make very attractive decorative additions to any saltwater aquarium.  The most suitable and hardy types that are commonly available for aquariums are species of Caulerpa, Penicillus, Udotea, and Halimeda.

Like other algae, macroalgea require a lot of light.  When they are first placed into the aquarium, they should receive a continuous amount of light for about 48 hours to help establish them in the new environment.  Macroalgea, like fish and invertebrates, do not do well unless they are provided with good water quality, filtration, and water circulation.  Plus, they need to have the correct concentrations of nutrients and trace elements in order for good growth.

Various species of Caulerpa are the easiest to grow.  It is a favorite food of herbivorous fish and invertebrates so it may be hard to grow in tanks with such animals.  Although, once they are established in a tank, they usually grow so rapidly that regular harvesting is required.

Penicillus, Udotea and Halimeda represent some if the calcareous algae, each with varying degrees of calcification.  Because the calcium in them, they have a degree of rigidity which protects them from being eaten by herbivorous fish.  They also tend to be slower growers then Caulerpa.  These types of algae are also important indicators of an important water quality parameter; calcium.  If there is enough calcium present in the aquarium water, these plants will flourish.

Ounce believed that a clean tank was the best thing for a saltwater aquarium, marine hobbyists now know what an important part algae plays in the role of a well functioning, healthy tank.

Using concrete in your saltwater aquarium helps saving the nature and also it’s a beautiful addition to your tank.