Saltwater Fish and Marine Aquariums

Tropical fish are classified into tropical freshwater fish and tropical saltwater fish. Most people keep tropical freshwater fish, but interest in the more exotic tropical saltwater fish is growing. Tropical saltwater fish are also called marine fish, and they are some of the most fascinating and colorful animals in the world. A lot of these fish look like they have been painted with very bright and vivid colors. They also tend to vary more in shape and size than their freshwater counterparts - often looking very unusual and exotic. Furthermore, their swimming and socializing habits are very different as well.

In the wild, saltwater fish live in oceans and seas while freshwater fish are found in rivers and lakes. Saltwater fish are a bit harder to find (they are however available at Pet World) and take a little more work to maintain than freshwater fish, but having these exotic creatures thrive in your home makes the little bit of extra time and work well worth it. Here is a list of some of the most popular saltwater fish that people keep: saltwater angelfish, saltwater puffer fish, dragon eels, dragon gobies, damsels, and clownfish (personified by Nemo the clownfish from the popular movie "Finding Nemo").

As you might expect, maintenance of saltwater fish is a little different than that for freshwater fish. However, a lot of the basics are still the same. As with freshwater fish aquariums, you will need a filter system, a heater, and a thermometer. An under-gravel carbon-type power or pump filter is a good choice for a filter system. You would also set the tank up just as you would a freshwater tank: put the under-gravel filter plate flat on the bottom of the tank, rinse out the gravel, add the gravel into the aquarium to a depth of about 2 inches on top of the under-gravel filter plate, and then hook up your filter, pump, and heater.

Next, fill the tank up with water. Then, plug everything in and try to set the tank temperature to about 78 degrees (a range from 76 to 80 degrees is usually fine), which is a good average temperature for most saltwater fish. PH levels vary for different types of saltwater fish and need to be looked up, or you can ask us when you decide which of type of saltwater fish you get. After making sure you have a tank water temperature of around 78 degrees and that the water is clear, you are ready to move on. Bring in a tank water sample of about 8 ounces to us to get it tested, just to make sure that everything is okay. You may want to invest in a test kit to test your tank water regularly, or you can bring it in to Pet World and get it tested regularly.

Now let us look at some of the differences in the maintenance of saltwater fish versus freshwater fish. To start, you will need a little larger tank for saltwater fish than you would need for a comparable size and number of freshwater fish. Second of all, you will need to add some salt to the water to simulate seawater, and you will need a hydrometer to test the salt content of your tank water. Add and mix in the salt carefully and a bit at a time. As an example, if you are setting up a 20-gallon tank, you should first add enough salt for about 15 gallons. Always use less than what you think it will take, as it is easier to add salt than it is to take water out and dilute it. Finally, saltwater fish will do better with crushed coral gravel or coral-based sand.

With the filter circulating the water and salt mix, it should not take too long for the salt to mix in. When the water looks clear, and the temperature is about 78 degrees, check the salt density with a hydrometer, and you want to shoot for about 1.020 on the scale. Now your aquarium is considered set up. Remember that after you set up your aquarium, you will still need to let your aquarium get "established" before adding any fish, just as with a freshwater tank. Aquariums are considered established after 6 to 8 weeks. Established means that there are enough beneficial bacteria present to break down the toxins and any other waste in the water, and that there has been enough time for the tank water to go through the ammonia and nitrite cycles. Establishment is very important, so please wait patiently.

For the happiest saltwater fish and maximum enjoyment by the owner, most saltwater fish hobbyists try to create and thereby duplicate a small part of the ocean, in all its natural beauty and breathtaking splendor, inside their aquarium. The resulting environment is often termed a "mini-reef" or "miniature reef." People achieve this by adding real or artificial coral (also available at Pet World) to their saltwater tank, and even marine invertebrates such as plankton shrimp.

Let us now take a look at which saltwater fish are good choices for beginners. Clownfish, and their cousins the damsels, are among the most popular fish in saltwater aquariums. Both clownfish and damsels are considered beautiful as well as very hardy saltwater fish that also get along well with most other tankmates. There are also many different colors and types of clownfish you can choose from such as Cinnamon Clownfish (which just by itself comes in red, black, and "fire" subspecies), Clark's Clownfish, False Percula Clownfish, Percula Clownfish, and Pink Skunk Clownfish.

Another good saltwater fish to start with is the very exotic and unusual-looking dragon eel. This fish is usually brown with white and orange or yellow spots, and can grow up to 3 feet in the wild. In addition, it has a mouth filled with fang-like teeth which it keeps open almost all the time, as well as two antennae that look like horns, making it look just like a funny little dragon. Saltwater counterparts of the angelfish and puffer fish are also available for the marine aquarium hobbyist, and these fish are considered pretty hardy saltwater fish as well.

Finally, you may also have heard of brackish water and brackish fish. Brackish water means containing a mixture of seawater and fresh water, and brackish fish are those hardy fish that can survive in both freshwater and saltwater environments, given some time for adjustment and acclimation. Mollies and dragon gobies are two examples. You can first try adding brackish fish to your saltwater tank if you have not yet decided on a true saltwater fish yet.

So, basically, the guideline is you should only start with just a few, hardy saltwater or brackish fish in your marine/saltwater aquarium. Feed your saltwater fish sparingly just like you would for freshwater fish, feed them about 1 or 2 times per day and give a few flakes per fish each time. And that is about all there is to setting up a saltwater aquarium. Give these exotic and beautiful fish a try! You will be one very admired fish owner and hobbyist!

If you have any questions regarding marine/saltwater fish and their care, just ask us and we will help you any way we can.

Back to the Fact of the Week Archives.