Pets: Salt Water Fish, where do I start?

Selecting a Salt Water Fish to be your New Pet

Salt water fish are usually more expensive than freshwater fish, so choosing the right ones that you can take care of is crucial. You should realize that most of the salt water fish in stores were swimming around the vast ocean a mere week ago. As such the stress of capture and transportation can wreak havoc with the biological processes of the salt water fish.

Once you decide on which fish are right for you check the fish you are selecting from closely for spots, irregular patches, missing scales, and wounds. Torn fins will usually heal and are not much of a problem.

Need more help? Types of Saltwater Fish: From beginner to amateur.

As Dave Wolfenden of Marine World Magazine describes; "It is easy to make mistakes when setting up your first saltwater tank. Both for the sake of the fish and your wallet, start with only a few hardy inexpensive fish. Most marine fish are collected in the wild rather than captive raised, so your mistakes impact the world's oceans!"

Marine World Magazine recommends the following salt water fish as pets from beginner to amateur:

Damsels
The best beginner salt water fish for a marine tank are damsels. These fish are very hardy, being able to withstand varied water conditions and diets. Though easy to care for they are known for having a temper so it is often wise to limit how many you have especially if you intend on having shy or delicate fish in your aquarium at a later stage.

Mollies
Some people like to break in a tank with mollies which have been acclimated to salt water. This gives you the benefit of starting with inexpensive salt water fish and get used to maintaining salinity and pH on not-so-sensitive fish. Although safer, you don't achieve much marine experience this way.

Clownfish
Clownfish are related to damsels, and are fairly hardy. However they are more difficult to acclimatise to a new tank. Tend to have the same temperament as damsels towards their own species, so similarly to damsels quantity of these salt water fish should be limited.

Blennies/Gobies
These small salt water fish are fairly hardy and unlikely to cause trouble to other salt water fish in your tank. Some of them show a lot of personality, though they will get lost in a large tank. Many of these fish are excellent additions to a tank to help control algae.

Tangs (Surgeonfish)
Tangs are fairly hardy, though they are very susceptible to the parasite Marine Ich. Being algae eaters, they are useful to introduce when your tank starts growing algae. They must be fed leafy greens if there are no suitable algae growing in the tank (green algae).

Triggerfish/Lionfish
If you have some experience with salt water fish you may wish to try out lionfish or trigger fish. These are larger aggressive fish, but are good when amateur as they are hardy. However, mistakes with them can be very costly, so you may want to practice on less expensive and easier fish. Also, carnivorous fish such as triggers and lions should be fed plenty of shell fish and other marine life.
Salt Water Fish to Avoid as Pets

Angels and Butterflies
These are salt water fish that must be ignored while in the pet store - all are both delicate and difficult fish to keep. Many butterflies have specialized diets which make them hard to maintain in captivity
Also: Pipefish, Seahorses, Long-nosed Filefish, Blue Ribbon Eels, Stonefish, and Moorish Idols. Mandarin fish should also be avoided in non-reef tanks (they are hard to feed).

Final Tips before you begin your Salt Water Fish Aquarium
As described by Marine World Magazine when selecting tropical fish and marine life for an aquarium, you'll need to make sure that they can all be comfortable in the same habitat and that they can all be comfortable with each other.

Never buy tropical fish just because they grab your attention when you're in the shop - always do your research first, even if you do it by talking to the staff and looking at their books. You'll need to determine what water parameters they prefer. Do they like acid or alkaline water? How salty should it be? What temperature range are they happy in? You'll also need to find out how much space they'll need and how their fish tank should be decorated. Do they need sand to burrow in? Do they need hiding places? Do they need a lot of plants, or do they prefer open space? If you plan to keep several different species of fish in your aquarium, make sure you can match these factors as closely as possible.

Marine World Magazine offer a full encyclopaedia of tropical salt water fish and marine aquarium equipment, from beginner to expert. For more information visit Marine World Magazine online.