| Some fish will turn your aquarium into a beautiful | | | | and eat all the fish food and attack the other fish |
| and peaceful biosphere while others into a chaotic | | | | in the tank, even killing them. When you see this |
| boxing ring. | | | | type of activity remove the trouble maker |
| There are many factors to consider when | | | | before it is able to cause you any more problems. |
| selecting fish. You need to ensure that you have | | | | The key is just as much in the monitoring and the |
| the experience to look after the fish you select, | | | | action you take once a problem is identified as it |
| that the fish you buy are healthy, and that they | | | | is in initial selection. |
| are compatible with the fish you currently have. | | | | Some fish are more so territorial then plan |
| As a starting point, it is very import that you only | | | | aggressive, an aggressive fish will attack fish for |
| buy very healthy fish because the best way to | | | | seemingly no reason. A territorial fish will drive fish |
| keep strong healthy fish is to start with strong | | | | out of their territory but leave them when the |
| healthy fish. Buying a fish because it doesn't look | | | | fish is out of its territory. It is worth considering |
| well or happy and you feel sorry for it and want | | | | territorial behaviour when selecting fish. Some fish |
| to give it a better home in your display tank is | | | | like the Dottyback is territorial and can often be |
| not a very good idea. An unwell fish can introduce | | | | housed safely with many fish because its territory |
| diseases into your tank that can infect your other | | | | is small, leaving room for the other fish in the |
| fish, and may even cause them to die. It helps to | | | | tank, while some other fish like coral trout can get |
| become familiar with a species of fish before you | | | | so large that its territory can be the whole tank. |
| buy it as this will allow you to be clear on exactly | | | | There is a big difference between territorial, |
| what it should look and act like. Ensure the fish | | | | aggressive and predatory. Territorial fish drive fish |
| looks alert with clean clear eyes, fins and scales. It | | | | out of their territory, aggressive fish attack other |
| is also important that the fish appears eager to | | | | fish for what can seem like to reason but to |
| feed and can maintain its position in the water | | | | show dominance and predatorily fish eat other |
| column. And finally, as a precaution, only buy from | | | | fish. Predatorily fish don't have to be aggressive |
| a clean healthy store that you trust. | | | | or territorial. Predatorily fish are primarily |
| To break this down I simply refer to all fish as | | | | concerned with their belly, what can fit in their |
| number 1, number 2, or number 3 fish. I refer to | | | | mouth is what they will eat. A perfect example of |
| number 1 fish as fish that most people can easily | | | | a predatory fish if the lionfish. This fish is not |
| keep in regular aquarium conditions. Number 2 fish | | | | aggressive or territorial but it will eat any fish that |
| are fish that from my experience work for some | | | | will fit in its huge mouth, which is about the same |
| people and not for others and number 3 fish being | | | | size as it body. When selecting fish it is worth |
| those which don't work for most people. | | | | assuming that all fish are predatory. |
| Some examples of number 1 fish are Damsels, | | | | When creating you wish list also include when you |
| Clownfish, Dottyback, Triggerfish, Pufferfish, | | | | intend to adding the fish, because you also want |
| Foxface, Rabbitfish, most Wrasse, most Tangs, | | | | to gather comments on this. Most groups of fish |
| Blennies, Cardinal fish, lionfish. Some examples of | | | | are best added at the some time to reduce |
| number 2 fish are , most Tangs, Boxfish, Angels, | | | | territorially e.g. any tangs should be added |
| Gobies, Sweetlip. Some examples of number 3 | | | | together, any clown should be added together, |
| fish are Moorish idol, Powder Blue Tang, Achilles | | | | this is also true for many fish even Wrasse and |
| Tangs, Anthias, Filefish, pipefish, Mandarin fish, | | | | angels. |
| Butterfly fish. | | | | Many fish take about 3 day to settle into a new |
| Many people select marine fish by wondering into | | | | tank, in this time it is common for them not to |
| aquarium shores and looking around until they see | | | | feed and they may act differently. It is important |
| a fish that catches their attention at that time, | | | | to monitor new fish extra carefully for the first |
| they will them ask the staff member closes to | | | | week for stress, behaviour, aggression and |
| them if this fish will go with the few of their fish | | | | feeding habits. Always watch for changes in |
| that they remember to name. If the staff | | | | behaviour, action must be take when it is required. |
| member says yes then that is a green light to | | | | Some fish live in large schools in the wild and do |
| buy the fish. This approach takes very little into | | | | tend to fret with kept in aquariums singly or in |
| consideration and will as often as not result in the | | | | small groups. These fish are used to having a lot |
| person purchasing a fish that was not likely to | | | | of their own kind around them as an instinctual |
| work from the start. | | | | form of security, when they are placed in |
| After a considerable amount of time and money, | | | | aquariums lightly stocked with fish they stress |
| the person will start to understand which fish | | | | thinking there is danger because the rest of their |
| work in their aquarium, mind you most will have | | | | school is absent. This can be the case when all the |
| given up marine fish before this time has arisen. | | | | other fish appear fine but an individual seems to |
| Instead of the impulse approach where you | | | | be jumpy and breathing quickly, some examples |
| slowly learn the hard lesions of fish selection, I | | | | of these fish are Blue Tangs, green chromis and |
| strongly recommend starting with a wish list. | | | | anthias. |
| A wish list is simply a list of fish that you wish to | | | | If you are going to introduce fish to a tank with |
| keep together in your tank. The beauty of a wish | | | | Coral and invertebrates it is important to identify |
| list is that you are able to show it to other | | | | which are likely to be a threat to them. This could |
| experience aquarists to get their opinions on how | | | | be identified as A, B C fish. Some fish e.g. C fish |
| these fish are likely to go together. If you have | | | | will eat coral like Butterfly fish and Angelfish. |
| fish already you can add them to the top of the | | | | While others e.g. B fish will nip at it sometimes like |
| wish list to reduce the chance of adding other fish | | | | Triggerfish, Pufferfish, Foxface, Rabbitfish most |
| that won't work with the fish you have. If you | | | | Wrasse, most Tangs Moorish idol. Others are |
| have a wish list you are likely to seek out experts | | | | mostly safe with coral e.g. A fish like Damsels, |
| to ask in order to gain the right advise. With the | | | | Clownfish, Dottyback, Blennies, Cardinal fish, |
| impulse approach you are far more likely to ask | | | | lionfish, Anthias. Filefish, pipefish and Gobies. |
| the nearest sales person and hope that they | | | | Your wish list is a way of reduce the risk of |
| know. With the wish list you are able to use the | | | | introducing a coral eater to a coral tank. If you |
| opinions of a range of experts to save you a lot | | | | get a fish that only nips a particular type of coral |
| of time and money learning hard lesson on paper | | | | you can consider avoiding that piece in the future. |
| instead of with real fish. This is a very responsible | | | | Hungry fish are more likely to graze on coral , |
| and economical approach. | | | | even if your fish is not eating the coral it may |
| When selecting fish for your aquarium there are | | | | stress it by nipping it regularly coursing it by often |
| several things to consider before purchasing it e.g. | | | | closed, depriving it of light. |
| diet, aggression, territoriality and weather it will nip | | | | Most fish need similar amounts of nutrients but |
| at your corals. | | | | the way they process the food means that not |
| A simple thing that you need to remember is that | | | | all foods are appropriate for all fish. You must |
| fish don't want to die. They will only die if you | | | | consider what you will be feeding that tank when |
| don't provide them with at least their basic | | | | you buy fish for the tank. Herbivores have long |
| minimum requirements. By researching a fishes | | | | digestive systems and a designed for consuming |
| basic minimum requirements first and asking a | | | | green food stuffs while predators have a short |
| few people for their experiences keeping that fish | | | | digestive system for eating fish meat. Some high |
| you can massively increase the amount of | | | | quality pellet and flake foods can be fed to all fish |
| success that you have when keeping marine fish. | | | | but many natural food like fresh fish and seaweed |
| The use of the wish list is going to help you make | | | | are not suitable for some fish e.g. Meat is not |
| sure you are mixing fish that will commonly work | | | | good for herbivores and seaweed is not good for |
| together. Regardless of where you are at it is | | | | predators, this is because of the way that the |
| worth asking the right person the right questions | | | | fish process that food. |
| to ensure that the fish you add are likely to work | | | | It is very important not to introduce new fish |
| together. Regardless of how qualified the advice | | | | unless that your aquarium is running perfectly for |
| you get, fish are fish and in the end they do what | | | | the last month. You will increase the chances of |
| they want how they want. Just because 10 | | | | problems like Whitespot if the fish are introduced |
| experts tell you something is likely to happen, it | | | | more regularly than once a month, so add some |
| doesn't mean that that will happen. Understand | | | | fish then wait a month then add some more then |
| that the fish you buy are your responsibility and | | | | wait a month. It will also help to ensure that you |
| your responsibility alone. So if the fish you buy | | | | are running a lower salt level e.g. 1.020 when you |
| don't seem to be mixing well, it is up to you to | | | | introduce new fish, this will help lower osmotic |
| separate them, before too many fish affected by | | | | stress on the fish and also help reduce the chance |
| the troubles. | | | | of problems like Whitespot. |
| It is important consider aggression when selecting | | | | A quarantine tank is a very good idea to help |
| fish. Monitor the aggression of the fish you keep | | | | protect your display tank from decease out |
| and only add fish that will be able to compete | | | | break. |
| with the fish that you have and not over | | | | All fish can thrive as long as their basic minimum |
| compete. If you add a fish that is too aggressive | | | | requirements are met. |
| for the fish you have it is likely to act boisterously | | | | |