| Once all the research, planning and waiting | | | | ocellaris) |
| is complete and the aquarium is full of water | | | | |
| and has finally finished cycling you will | | | | * Percula clown (Amphiprion percula) |
| finally be ready to introduce your first | | | | |
| fish. | | | | Clownfish can be purchased tank bred and if |
| | | | this is an available option it is recommended |
| It is important to ensure that you make the | | | | that you follow this option. |
| right choice though as there are some fish | | | | |
| which are suitable to be added at this stage | | | | Orchid Dottyback |
| and there are fish which are not. | | | | |
| | | | The orchid dottyback (Fridmani pseudochromis) |
| Do you know what you are looking for in the | | | | is a relatively peaceful fish which grows to |
| selection of your first fish? | | | | around 3-4 inches in length. The good thing |
| | | | about the orchid dottyback is that they can |
| Firstly and foremost the fish you choose must | | | | be purchased tank bred. |
| be relatively hardy. The reason for this is | | | | |
| that the saltwater aquarium is new and the | | | | One thing to be noted is that you should not |
| water will not be completely stable. Another | | | | mix this fish with other fish of the same |
| reason is that as aquarists we all make | | | | shape (ie the royal gramma below) or with |
| mistakes at one time or another and with | | | | other dottybacks. |
| having a hardy fish they are more forgiving | | | | |
| to these mistakes. | | | | Once the fish has become accustomed to life |
| | | | in your aquarium it will become quite bold |
| You will probably have an idea as to the type | | | | and swim happily around the aquarium. |
| of fish you would like to keep in your | | | | |
| aquarium therefore it is imperative that this | | | | Royal Gramma |
| fish you choose now will be compatible with | | | | |
| future tank mates. If you added an aggressive | | | | Royal grammas (Gramma Loreto) are a peaceful |
| fish for example at the start then whenever | | | | fish with the exception of their own kind and |
| you decided to add a new fish there would be | | | | are very colourful fish with the colours |
| fighting in the aquarium. Not what you want | | | | changing from purple to yellow along the |
| at this stage really is it. | | | | fishs body. |
| | | | |
| Which fish are good fish to start with? | | | | There are other fish which can easily be |
| | | | confused with the Royal Gramma as they look |
| Below is a list of what I believe to be good | | | | very similar so ensure that it actually is a |
| starter fish for a saltwater aquarium. They | | | | Royal Gramma prior to purchasing it. |
| are all relatively hardy, peaceful and none | | | | |
| of them have special feeding requirements. | | | | Blenny |
| | | | |
| * Clownfish | | | | There are a couple of blennies which in my |
| | | | opinion make good additions to the aquarium |
| * Orchid Dottyback | | | | as starter fish and there are the Midas |
| | | | Blenny (Ecsenius midas) and the Bicolour |
| * Royal Gramma | | | | Blenny (Ecsenius bicolor). |
| | | | |
| * Blenny | | | | These are both fantastic to watch. They both |
| | | | like to either rest on a ledge or find a hole |
| * Chromis | | | | and simply watch the world go by. |
| | | | |
| * Firefish | | | | Chromis |
| | | | |
| Lets have a look at each of these in a little | | | | Chromis (Chromis viridis) are great to add to |
| more detail : | | | | an aquarium. They are relatively hardy and if |
| | | | you have a larger aquarium then you can add a |
| Clownfish | | | | small group. They normally come in two |
| | | | colours (blue and green). |
| The clownfish to me is a fantastic little | | | | |
| fish. The way it swims, the way it lives in | | | | One of the good things about chromis is that |
| corals etc and especially the colours - a | | | | they do not grow to be that large. They |
| great addition to any aquarium. They are also | | | | normally do not grow larger than 2 inches in |
| one of the most popular starter fish. They | | | | length. |
| are quite hardy and are very well suited to | | | | |
| captive life in an aquarium. | | | | Firefish |
| | | | |
| You can keep these singularly or you can keep | | | | The normal firefish (Nemateleotris magnifica) |
| them in pairs. When kept in pairs the most | | | | and then purple firefish (Nemateleotris |
| dominant fish sometimes will turn into a | | | | decora) are great starter fish to add to the |
| female and the two may even end up breeding. | | | | aquarium. Both of these are very colourful |
| | | | fish which grow to a maximum size of about 4 |
| There is a mis-belief that clown fish must be | | | | inches. |
| kept with an anemone. This simply is not the | | | | |
| case. Clownfish will be more than happy in an | | | | The firefish has a large dorsal fin which it |
| aquarium without one. Anenomes are quite hard | | | | uses to lock itself into a hole in the rocks |
| to keep and at this stage of the aquariums | | | | which is normally down at the bottom. This |
| life the aquarium is not yet ready for one, | | | | hole is where the fish retires to when the |
| possibly neither are you. | | | | lights go out but it also uses it when it |
| | | | becomes startled. These fish are prone to |
| There are various species of clownfish, | | | | jumping when startled therefore you need to |
| however the best ones to start with are : | | | | take care to prevent this. |
| | | | |
| * Common clown (Amphiprion ocellaris) | | | | Unless you can locate an established pair I |
| | | | would recommend that these are kept |
| * Black and white clown (Amphiprion | | | | singularly. |