Adding Fish To Your Saltwater Aquarium

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If you have had a freshwater aquarium for a while, you might be considering an upgrade to saltwater. You might have heard horror stories about what a nightmare saltwater fish tanks are to maintain, but actually, they are not so different from freshwater tanks as long as you do the proper research before making decisions. When people start a saltwater tank, they often make the mistake of purchasing fish that do not actually belong with one another. When fish cannot coexist, one of them usually ends up losing the battle. With saltwater fish being as pricey as they sometimes are, you certainly do not want to learn by trial and error. Instead, use this handy guide to know the four different types of fish and their individual needs.

Carnivores: Carnivores, of course, will eat other smaller fish; they will also eat crustaceans and invertebrates, so if you get a carnivore like a puffer or a dottyback, keep this in mind, because these fish will not care how much you spent on another fish if they are hungry. Make sure you only keep such fish with fish who can hold their own.

Herbivores: These fish eat plants and algae, and while this might seem harmless, think twice before adding a fish such as a tang with live plants. The money you spent on those live plants may as well have been thrown out the window, as those plants will disappear rapidly in a tank with such fish.

Omnivores: As long as you feed your fish regularly, omnivores are generally quite safe, as they will be content to eat what you feed them and to not wreck the rest of your tank. If you do forget to feed your omnivores, you will end up losing your plants, coral, and crustaceans to their appetites.

Filter feeders: Filter feeders, of course, are the simplest animals to keep in your tank, as they get their nutrients from organisms that are floating in the water. But even though such filter feeders as starfish, sponges, and coral are great, you will surely want fish to go with them!

Take the time to study the fish that can coexist with one another and the plants that you can add to your fish tank without worrying about them disappearing. It only takes a bit of extra time to study up, and this study will make a big difference in your saltwater experience.