PRC
Stop Quoting Me!
Keeping a saltwater reef can be a very fun and rewarding hobby. But keeping a reef system is serious business, you have to be part electrician, plumber, aquascaper, chemist and overall master of your new domain. You are after all, your reefs complete ecosystem. You're in control of it, if it goes well that's because of what you've done, if it goes badly, that's also your responsibility. You're in control.
That being said, one of the largest responsibilites you have as a "reefer" is doing your research. What kind of research you ask? plenty. Let's keep this simple and talk specifically about fish.
One of the hardest things to do as a reefer is to walk into your LFS , see a great looking fish and walk out without buying it. You'll hear alot of veteran reefers talk about the hobby as an addiction. That's pretty accurate.
When you're considering your first fish, or adding a fish to your system, PLEASE DO YOUR RESEARCH FIRST!.. Don't buy a fish on a whim..After all, these are living things, nobody wants a dead fish, it lessens the enjoyment of the hobby, costs money, and causes unneeded stress to you and your system.
Great, so what kind of research are we talking about?
1. If you have a reef tank as opposed to a FOWLR, is the fish you're considering reef safe? If the fish has a "with caution" label attached to it, Why? is it going to eat your corals, snails, and shrimp? Let's find out before we purchase.
2. Next, we've found a fish for consideration, THIS IS IMPORTANT!! is your tank big enough to hold him/her when it's fully grown?, after all that's the goal right?, to keep a fish for it's entire expected lifespan.
3. Ok, so far so good...Now, is the fish in question compatible with the other fish that are in your tank? In what order should you add this particular fish?, should it be the first into the tank, or the last?
4. Is the fish compatible with the corals that you have or want in your tank?
5. Does the fish need lots of swimming room, or does it need hiding places? If it needs hiding places, do you have plenty of them?
6. What does your fish eat? Does it eat pods off the sandbed? if so, do you have plenty of pods to keep the fish healthy?
7. What is the fish's care level? If it's moderate or difficult do you have the skill level to take care of a fish that requires special care?
8. What is the fish's temperament? is the fish going to act aggressively toward it's tank mates? If so, how aggressively? is it going to be over territory, or is one of your fish going to be dinner?
You should be able to answer all of these questions before making a purchase of any fish. It's inhumane to put a fish that requires a 100g tank in a 50g, just because they're small now doesn't mean that they're going to stay that way.
Doing research about your system is the most important part of keeping a successful reef. It can also be very rewarding, it can be fun researching different fish and their needs, and when you find a fish that's compatible, you'll feel good about the decision.
Here is a site to research saltwater fish and their needs.
Saltwater Fish: Marine Aquarium Fish for Saltwater Aquariums
Compatibility Chart
Marine Compatability Chart
That being said, one of the largest responsibilites you have as a "reefer" is doing your research. What kind of research you ask? plenty. Let's keep this simple and talk specifically about fish.
One of the hardest things to do as a reefer is to walk into your LFS , see a great looking fish and walk out without buying it. You'll hear alot of veteran reefers talk about the hobby as an addiction. That's pretty accurate.
When you're considering your first fish, or adding a fish to your system, PLEASE DO YOUR RESEARCH FIRST!.. Don't buy a fish on a whim..After all, these are living things, nobody wants a dead fish, it lessens the enjoyment of the hobby, costs money, and causes unneeded stress to you and your system.
Great, so what kind of research are we talking about?
1. If you have a reef tank as opposed to a FOWLR, is the fish you're considering reef safe? If the fish has a "with caution" label attached to it, Why? is it going to eat your corals, snails, and shrimp? Let's find out before we purchase.
2. Next, we've found a fish for consideration, THIS IS IMPORTANT!! is your tank big enough to hold him/her when it's fully grown?, after all that's the goal right?, to keep a fish for it's entire expected lifespan.
3. Ok, so far so good...Now, is the fish in question compatible with the other fish that are in your tank? In what order should you add this particular fish?, should it be the first into the tank, or the last?
4. Is the fish compatible with the corals that you have or want in your tank?
5. Does the fish need lots of swimming room, or does it need hiding places? If it needs hiding places, do you have plenty of them?
6. What does your fish eat? Does it eat pods off the sandbed? if so, do you have plenty of pods to keep the fish healthy?
7. What is the fish's care level? If it's moderate or difficult do you have the skill level to take care of a fish that requires special care?
8. What is the fish's temperament? is the fish going to act aggressively toward it's tank mates? If so, how aggressively? is it going to be over territory, or is one of your fish going to be dinner?
You should be able to answer all of these questions before making a purchase of any fish. It's inhumane to put a fish that requires a 100g tank in a 50g, just because they're small now doesn't mean that they're going to stay that way.
Doing research about your system is the most important part of keeping a successful reef. It can also be very rewarding, it can be fun researching different fish and their needs, and when you find a fish that's compatible, you'll feel good about the decision.
Here is a site to research saltwater fish and their needs.
Saltwater Fish: Marine Aquarium Fish for Saltwater Aquariums
Compatibility Chart
Marine Compatability Chart
