Saltwater Aquariums

Before I get into the discussion of salt water aquariums, I have to warn you. Salt water aquariums are not for the novice fish owner. Even seasoned fresh water aquarium owners have experienced a great deal of trouble trying to maintain salt water tanks. It is very difficult to regulate these tanks and it takes a lot of effort and patience just to get the tanks fit for fish. One Aquarium shop owner my mom and dad dealt with regularly, when they had aquariums, told them that it is quite common to take a year to get the tank properly stabilized so that you can safely keep marine fish in it. Anyone that tells you that keeping saltwater tanks is as easy as keeping fresh water tanks either is lying or has never owned a salt water tank. One further point I would like to cover is the cost associated with maintaining saltwater tanks. The tanks themselves are about the same price as freshwater tanks. Everything else is much more expensive. The fish themselves can cost anywhere from ten dollars to thousands of dollars each. Now that you know that salt water tanks are a lot of work and expensive, I will go over the type of fish you should start out with.

Did you ever wonder why those beautiful fish tanks that you see in the movies look so much better than your freshwater tank?

The answer lies in the fish! Saltwater or marine aquariums are made to house tropical fish that you find around reefs in the ocean. These fish come in shapes, sizes and colors that make a dramatic impact. Most freshwater fish simply cannot compete with these natural beauties.

If you want these same gorgeous fish in your living room, you can set up and maintain a saltwater tank to house them. Once your tank is stable, you are ready to buy your first marine fish. The key is to choose hardy fish that will last. Saltwater fish are much more fragile and more expensive than their freshwater counterparts.

Some hardy fish you may want to consider for a saltwater tank include damsels, mollies and clown fish.

Damsels are probably the most hardy fish and should certainly be considered for a new tank as well as for beginners to marine aquarium ownership. These fish are fairly inexpensive, are not finicky eaters and can withstand poor water conditions better than any other marine fish. Although they are not the most colorful of fish, they are certainly your best bet until you become experienced and have a stable tank. The only caveat is that some can be aggressive so you should limit yourself to two per tank.

Mollies, the same fish that you use in freshwater tanks, can be acclimated to salt water tanks and are quite hardy. These fish are very inexpensive and a great way to start off your marine tank. If you buy mollies in the pet store from a freshwater tank, acclimate them by dripping salt water into the bag over a period of eight hours or so - removing excess water when the bag gets too full and slowly increasing the salinity.

While damsels and mollies may not be the most beautiful fish, the clown fish is certainly a colorful and interesting fish for your tank. These fish are fairly hardy but a bit more difficult to acclimate to a tank so you may not want to use them as starter fish. Clown fish are territorial but will only be aggressive with other clowns and are good for a community tank. Although clowns do like to live around a sea anemone, they will do fine without one which is good for the beginner since the anemone is fairly difficult to keep.

While starting off your tank with these three types of fish can be fun and exciting, you will eventually want to move on to other fish. Other fish you may want to try include hawk fish, grammas, dotty backs, wrasses and basslets. The fish that are more difficult to keep and should probably be avoided include seahorses, butterfly fish, blue ribbon eels, stonefish, and mandarin fish. Join a fish club that has members with marine tanks and learn from seasoned marine aquarium owners. Once you learn the requirements of marine tanks, you will love the colors and shapes of your new marine fish. Good luck with your new hobby.

Until next time,

Teia

PS You can also restrict your marine tank to different types of coral if you so desire. Make sure to discuss the types of coral and their care with your aquarium shop personnel or with marine fish club members.