Filling Your Saltwater Aquarium
Your have taken the time to carefully purchasing the right salt water aquarium and you have
taken the time to choose the right fish to put into it. There are many things that you need to do
in order to get your tank full of the fish that you really would like to have in it. It does not have to
be too hard for you to do this, but you should realize that it is necessary to fill your tank slowly
and give your fish the best opportunity that you can for them to survive and thrive in your salt
water aquarium.
First, start with healthy fish. Take a look at them. Do they look healthy? Are they swimming
around the tanks at the pet store easily? Is the water in the tank clean? You should be able to
trust your pet store salesmen. If you do not think that they know what they are talking about,
head someplace else. Some of these fish can be expensive! Do not purchase fish that are not
healthy for your tank.
Next, remember to only add fish one or two at a time. You should insure that the right levels are
met in your tank before you add the fish to it. You should insure that the pH level, the salinity
level and the water temperature are right for the fish that you have chosen. You should realize
that fish do not like the change either. You need to let them adapt to their new environment
before you add many fish to the aquarium. Adding just a few fish every few days is the best
thing for you to do.
Once you have your fish in the tank, make sure to feed them properly. To do this, you will want
to make sure that you know what the fish like to eat as well as how often they need to. As a
general rule, feed your fish every three days, keep them in water that is about 75 to 80 degrees
and give them a variety of foods including cut up pieces of shrimp and romaine lettuce.
Maintaining Your Saltwater Aquarium
You are enjoying your fish in your salt water aquarium. You have done all that you can to
provide you new little friends with a great home to live in. Now, you need to maintain it.
Remember, maintaining the tank is essential to keeping your fish alive. There are several
things that you will need to do in order to keep your fish happy and healthy.
The first thing you need to do is to remember to check the water of the tank every two weeks.
You need to check for the right levels of ammonia, nitrate, nitrite, pH and salinity. You should
know what these levels are based on what your fish needed when you purchased them. You
can find the chemicals that you need to adjust these levels at the pet store too.
Monitor the salinity of the water. Usually, it will be too high. To balance it out, add fresh
dechlorinated water to the tank. You will need to add salt to the water if the salinity levels are
too low. You should remove just about ten percent of the water from your tank each week and
replace it with fresh dechlorinated water. Every several weeks, take out 25% of the tank’s water
and replace it.
Finally, taking care of your salt water aquarium includes keeping it nice and clean for your fish.
You should monitor the amounts of algae in it and insure that you keep the sides, top and the
interior of the tank algae free. You should check the filter pads and check the alkalinity as
directed by the manufacturer. You will need to clean out the debris in the water and in the
gravel as well. Taking care of your salt water aquarium is necessary if you plan to keep it a safe
place for your fish. But, you can do this quite simply by knowing what needs to be done and
making it a habit. Then, it is less of a chore and it becomes something that you look forward to.
Aquarium And Fish Care Choices
Members of the family Characidae share many characteristics with other freshwater fish. They
are a member of the Ostariophysi super order, which includes around 68% of all freshwater
species in the world. This super order is characterized by the Weberian apparatus and some
sort of alarm substance that is released when the fish is stressed. Family Characidae were
originally discovered in South and Central America, but have also been found in central Africa.
There are two main variations of Characidae: carnivorous and omnivorous. The omnivorous
kinds will eat both vegetable matter and meat, while the carnivorous only eat meats. While there
are also herbivorous Characidae, you should probably avoid keeping them, because they will
eat literally every plant in your aquarium.
When choosing to keep carnivorous Characidae, there are some things you will want to keep in
mind. First and foremost, be aware that anything smaller than the Characidae will be considered
food. And mixing other aggressive carnivores will only lead to one or the other being eaten. You
will want to keep herbivorous fish that are much larger with Characidae. They will generally
leave anything bigger than themselves alone, and the herbivore will not be interested in
attacking unless provoked. In contrast to the piranha, which has similar jaws and eating habits,
a Characidae will attack both alone and in schools. Piranhas tend to attack only in schools. But
the effect either type can have on your hand is similar, so be careful. These kinds of fish are
definitely not recommended for the beginner.
Carnivorous Characidae will eat pretty much any kind of meat. Worms, smaller fish (a lot of
dangerous fish keepers will stock the aquarium with several small, cheap fish so the predator
has something to hunt), etc. Try to avoid giving them a taste for red meat, and do not put your
hands into the tank while feeding them.
Characidae live in the brackish waters of South and Central American rivers. Lots of peat and
vegetable matter contribute to hazy waters and a PH leaning towards acidic. When properly
kept, Characidae will breed in captivity, leaving eggs that stick to the bottom of the aquarium.
They will eat their young however, so if you are going to attempt to breed Characidae be
prepared to move either the adults or the young into a separate aquarium right after hatching.
