No one starts a saltwater aquarium because they hate challenges. Indeed, it is the difficulty (or at least perceived difficulty) of maintaining these systems that is so alluring to many first-time marine aquarists. That being said, it’s always good to take the stroll towards full-blown reefkeeping in baby steps. Veteran hobbyists have seen it so …
Livestock Management
Saltwater aquaria offer opportunities to have some fun with–and test our skills in–many different areas. For example, we are chemists of sorts when we test and manipulate water parameters. We are engineers and technicians when we build/operate equipment. We are artists when we aquascape. But across the board, the one reason that we all really love to keep aquaria is to keep animals. Thus, one’s biggest role as an aquarist is as a zoologist and zookeeper. Properly managing aquarium livestock (especially reef aquarium livestock) itself requires a head for many hats. Though we collectively refer to ourselves as mere hobbyists, the typical reef aquarist is of a pretty impressive cut of cloth. With relatively meager resources, no formal training in marine biology or aquacultural technology, little direct assistance and oftentimes very, very little time, aquarists pull off seemingly impossible feats like breeding/rearing rare fish species, cultivating corals, etc. And, these successes never arise from lucky accident; rather, they are the fruit of calculated livestock management. Yes, livestock management involves handling. But it also entails so much more. To start, managing a community of captive reef animals requires planning (and lots of it). In the very least, after some forethought as to what sort of environment the aquarium will provide, the aquarist should carefully select (based on thorough research) aquarium species based on suitability for that environment. Then, almost as importantly, the keeper should plan the order in which each animal will be added to the system. Even so, one should know in advance everything they’ll need to know about the animal before acquiring it. Examples of issues include special requirements regarding acclimation or quarantine, diet, placement, special sensitivities, etc. In this this section you will learn how to prepare for and care for your valuable collection of animals.
Keeping the Striped Blenny (Meiacanthus grammistes)
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 …
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The Scribbled Angelfish: King of the FOWLR Tank
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 …
Coral Beauty Angelfish: The Best First Angel
As someone who has worked with coral beauty angelfish 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 …
How to Acclimate Your Captive Bred Invertebrates
Aquarists like to broadly divide classes of aquarium livestock into two big groups, the fishes and the invertebrates. The second group is a huge catch-all, as it includes all non-fish livestock ranging from sponges to crabs. Though invertebrates are overall more sensitive than fish to sudden environmental change, ideal acclimation procedure varies somewhat between the …
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How to Acclimate Your Captive Bred Fish
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 …
Unique Algae Eaters for your Aquarium
Even though battling algae is best done by finding and solving the underlying nutrient or lighting issue, it certainly doesn’t hurt to have a few algae eaters in your tank to help keep it in check. Home aquariums naturally have more nutrients than wild ecosystems, and the slightest change in maintenance can lead to short …
A Deeper Look at Tang Fish
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 …
Most Beautiful Saltwater Fish for Aquariums
Most people in the reef or saltwater aquarium hobby can agree that it is the fish that attracted them to the hobby in the first place. While corals may have taken a closer place in your heart, fish can be equally as crucial to adding another level of depth to your aquarium. You should take …
Unique Symbiotic Relationships
It seems like every beginner aquarists’ dream nowadays. They set up the tank, cycle it, and want a pair of clownfish to start out with that they can eventually introduce an anemone to. Many time, the clowns don’t recognize their new home and refuse to be hosted by the anemone addition, leaving their owners confused, …
How to Choose Healthy Saltwater Fish
One of the most exciting parts of fish keeping is going down to your local aquarium store, browsing through their selection of fish, and picking out a few to take home with you. Or, if you buy marine fish online, getting your box from the delivery truck and unboxing your new pets. But unfortunately, many …
Dealing With Aggressive Tank Mates
One of the most important aspects to think about when adding new fish to your aquarium is the aggression from your established inhabitants. Stress is one of the biggest killers of aquarium life. Animals travel thousands and thousands of miles to America, then board another plane and truck to get to your local fish store, …
A Look at the Harlequin Shrimp
It is probably safe to say that the majority of aquarists (especially marine aquarists) are initially awestruck by the visual impact that a well-maintained aquarium can create. While they are certainly attracted to the bright colors that so many reef animals bear, they may also find themselves fascinated by the unusual behaviors that these creatures …
Utilizing the Trochus Snail (Trochus spp.)
Algae, of course, is not an inherently bad thing; without it, the natural world could not exist as we know it. However, there are many types of algae that readily grow in plague proportions under certain environmental conditions. Imbalances of nutrient levels (whether in nature or in the home aquarium) can quickly result in blooms …