Basics of Saltwater Tropical Fish
Yvonne Volante


Some folks believe that the saltwater tropical fish aquariums
look better than the freshwater aquariums. But are they? Which
do you like? Below are some ways to choose which type to choose
for your home. Also, you may want to go to http://www.fhhome.com
for more home decorating ideas.

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. The freshwater fish simply cannot compete with
these natural beauties.

If you want these same gorgeous fish in your living room, you
can setup and maintain a saltwater tank with only a bit more
effort than your freshwater tank. They key is to choose hardy
fish that will last as 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 clownfish.

Damsels are probably the most hardy fish and should certainly
be considered for a new tank as well as for beginners. 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 2 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 8 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 clownfish 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. Clownfish 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 seas anemone, the will
do fine without one which is good for the beginner since the
anemone is fairly difficult to keep.

These three types are a great way to begin. But you will
eventually want to add other varieties of tropical fish.
Consider basslets, wrasses, hawk and grammas to complement your
tropical fish tank. Some difficult ones to keep, and therefore
avoid, are mandarin, certain eels, butterfly fish and
seahorses.

About The Author: Yvonne Volante, the author, is a big fan of
tropical fish and writes for tropicalfishcares.com, which is
the premier tropical fish resource on the internet. You can see
all of the articles over at http://www.tropicalfishcares.com



Totally Awesome Stuffed Plush Tropical Fish
(Shown is a clownfish)