The last decade has seen enormous advancements in the culture of marine ornamental fish. It might seem as though there is some announcement of the first-time rearing of some new species every other day now. Aside from the obvious benefits for the natural environment, this trend has been a significant boon for saltwater aquarists from beginner to expert. It should be immediately obvious why; frankly any animal raised in captivity is going to be more adapted to captive conditions.
Imagine a wild fish, just minding its own business, swimming around in the ocean, doing its thing like countless ancestors before it. Then, out of nowhere comes the net (or in some cases a mini spear gun!). This may or may not be preceded by a shot of sodium cyanide (you never really know for sure). The fish is crowded into a holding tank with many other fish and eventually transported to a holding facility. Then to another. And perhaps another. But then, some number of days later, there is the big day—the big flight. It may or may not have eaten by then. So it might already be hungry, but it certainly won’t be eating during this trip. After a day, or two, or maybe even three, of wallowing in its own wastes and choking for oxygen, it arrives somewhere. By then the pH is dangerously low… the transport water may be extremely warm, or cold…
And just when it needs relief more than ever, now comes the worst part: unboxing and acclimation. It has spent days in total darkness, only to be blinded suddenly by bright light and jerked from the box. It’s stressed, panicking even. Then shocked as it is immersed in water of very different chemistry, something it has never had to cope with before it its ever stable ocean home. Home… not what it seems as it is finally netted again (not again!) and plunked into–a tiny glass box. A miniscule, rough representation of where it grew up. Exhausted and shaken, it’s now an easy victim for the pathogens and parasites it was exposed to in the numerous holding systems along the way. And it does get sick. But will it survive?
Maybe the above narrative is a bit dramatic. But that is essentially the reality for a wild-caught fish. Contrast that with a farmed fish, raised from a larva in the same glass box. Already adapted to a life in captivity. Adapted to aquarium food. Accustomed to a human, even with a hand in the tank. It’s hard to frighten such an animal, which is more likely to start begging for food at your approach. Certainly, it is comparatively very rare for a captive bred fish to contract and spread diseases. Especially if you’ve worked in aquarium shops or hatcheries, the difference between wild and cultured fish is day and night.
In this section you will learn the differences between wild and cultured fish, with in-depth information on select captive bred species.
There are a lot of blennioid fishes–something to the tune of like 900 species in 151 genera. Lots and lots of these are available for–and indeed quite appropriate for–the home aquarium. In general, blennies are hardy in captivity. They are small and so can live happily in smaller tanks. They are reef-safe and peaceful (though …
Keeping the Striped Blenny (Meiacanthus grammistes) Read More »
In many respects, the previous generation of marine aquarists got a raw deal; they caught just a teasing glimpse of what a reef tank could be–having access to a few hardy (generally soft and LPS) coral species–while not yet having access to the knowledge and advanced equipment we take for granted today. True, it was …
As someone who has worked in the aquarium industry for decades, I can say two things with certainty: (1) Beginning saltwater aquarium hobbyists should always start out with super-hardy fishes and (2) beginners are almost always obsessed with, and only want, color, color and color. While there are truly are many more joys to keeping …
Acclimation to a new aquarium home is a particularly stressful time in the life of any kind of captive fish. Like all aquatic animals, fish are shocked by rapid changes of water temperature or chemistry. Add to this the fact that fish take on a sort of psychological stress during this time, as they might …
One of the best parts about having a larger saltwater aquarium is being able to have larger fish. In a smaller aquarium, you are limited to the amount of fish you get and the size of the fish you add. A large aquarium will allow you to have a variety of different fish of different …
No doubt about it, sea horses are really weird and cool. For sure, they make great aquarium subjects. Seahorses are fairly simple to keep if they are housed in the proper type of aquarium system, kept with mellow, peaceful tankmates and offered the right sort of foods. But are they worth it? That depends upon …
Damselfishes (Family Pomacentridae) like the orangetail damselfish have been heavily favored by marine aquarists ever since there was a thing called a marine aquarium. There are plenty of reasons for this lasting popularity. First and foremost, damsels are among the hardiest of saltwater aquarium fishes. They are usually brightly colored and remain quite small in …
A Look at the Orangetail Damselfish (Chrysiptera Parasema) Read More »
The reef aquarium hobby is not just about corals. Otherwise, it would be called the coral hobby. It is not just about fish either. If it were, it would be called the saltwater fish hobby (for some people it is that). The reef aquarium hobby is about having corals, fish, and inverts all live in …
When it comes to saltwater aquarium (especially those for a reef tank), there are a lot of different attributes to consider. Of course, one of the first things we look for in an “ornamental” fish species is a pleasing or striking appearance. Then, when keeping (or planning on keeping) small, timid fishes or vulnerable invertebrates, …
The Court Jester Goby: An Essential Nano Reef Fish? Read More »
Some fish are desirable for their rich personality. Others are sought for their intense coloration. Particularly amongst reef aquarists, some are valued solely for their grace. And there is hardly a reef-dwelling animal more graceful than the lyretail angelfishes (Genicanthus spp.). The lyretail angels, from the common Lamarck’s angel to the “holy grail” masked angel, …
For a long time, forktail blennies have been a staple of the marine aquarium fish trade. There are several reasons for their enduring popularity. To start, this sizable family is among the hardiest and most disease-resistant of all saltwater aquarium fish groups. Blennies are also quite easy to feed. They are relatively peaceful with other …
A Look at the Goldline Rabbitfish If you have worked in this industry–the ornamental fish trade–for any significant amount of time, you certainly will notice that different species, genera or even whole families of fish go in and out of style. One example of a family of marine fish that has been underrepresented (and, arguably, …
They may look the same, but captive bred and wild-caught Green Mandarin Dragonets are different for many reasons. When it comes down to deciding which is better, the captive-bred kind is definitely it. Keep reading to find out why. Diet The biggest difference between captive-bred Green Mandarin Dragonets and specimens that are collected from the …
Captive Bred v.s. Wild Caught Green Mandarin Dragonets Read More »
The angelfish species has some of the most elegant fish to exist. These fish, however, can be massive. For example, Queen angelfish can reach 17 inches, which is not something that is wanted in the average reef tank. The alternative to this is Dwarf angels. These are a smaller, less aggressive, and more manageable version …
Once upon a time, all of our saltwater fish, invertebrates, and corals were wild caught, there was no captive bred livestock anywhere. Hobbyists were still using compact fluorescent bulbs and tap water in their reef tanks, under gravel filters were still cutting edge technology, and most people had their fish for six to twenty four …
I should have done this! I should have done that! Throughout your experience in the saltwater aquarium and reef hobby, you will be finding yourself commonly saying these things. Maybe you did not dip your corals, or you bought the wrong additives, or maybe you added a fish without properly preparing your tank. This fish …
How to Set Up an Aquarium for a Green Mandarin Dragonet Read More »
These days, it seems that most marine aquarists are reef aquarists. And reef aquaria almost always house one or more tangs. This should seem reasonable enough, as representatives of this sizeable fish family (Acanthuridae) are found in abundance in pretty much every shallow water coral reef ecosystem on Earth. But their strong presence in the …
For so many aquarists, the green mandarin fish (Synchiropus splendidus) is a must-have species. Its endearing personality, exquisite finnage and intense coloration rarely fail to impress. Given these highly desirable traits, it has for long been among the most popular marine aquarium fishes. Thus, many thousands of specimens of this species are sold in the …
Feeding the Mandarinfish with a Mix of Live and Prepared Foods Read More »
Hobbyists, vendors, captive bred fish breeders and, of course, the fishes are all cheering on this year’s developments in saltwater aquarium fish aquaculture. We really can say that the last five or six have been extraordinary; it’s been a nice, long winning streak where we saw more new families of fish commercially cultured than we …
There is hardly a more iconic saltwater aquarium fish than yellow tangs (Zebrasoma flavescens). We can just start out by stating the obvious; it is a real stand-out. Nothing “pops” like the bright yellow blaze of this species. Its highly laterally compressed body and pronounced snout give it an undeniably exotic, “marine” appearance. Boldly pigmented …
