I’m hoping to end up with salt water fish . . . ?(easy question if you know about fish!!)?
but i knw they’re really hard to look after and fresh water are much easier.
what i want to know is will the skills I learn from fresh water fish help when i start on salt water fish? or is SWF (salt water fish) an entierly different set of skills?
and can i use the same tank or do i have to use a special tank with a filter (or something) for swf? I know you need quite a big tank for swf but does it need to be different?
or could i keep the fresh water fish in the salt water aquarium without adding any salt?
Honestly salt water fish are not that difficult to care for, they just go by a slightly different set of rules that is all.
Everything you know about fresh water fish are basically the same in salt. It isn’t so much about skill as it is knowledge.
Yes you can use a freswater tank for salt. The tanks themselves are no different. They are just tanks for fish. Although you can get a different filter for salt including a protein skimmer, I have a 30 that I have had running for many years with no skimmer and just a whisper filter on it.
The main difference in salt fish vs. fresh water the level at which the PH has to remain. Salinity and patience. That is about it.
They still need fed, as with any fish food needs to be what the fish needs. Beneficial Bacteria take longer to develop ina salt tank especially without live rock, however live rock is also not needed.
As far as expense, you can make it as expensive or inexpensive as you like. I know people that pay hundreds of dollars for fresh water fish. It is a matter of where you shop and what you want to keep.
You will develop skills in freshwater fish that will help you with saltwater fish. However, there is a little more the the water chemistry of Saltwater than fresh. I have to commend you for asking a really good question! There are some things to keep in mind when thinking of switching from fresh to salt. One of which is the amount of space that most salt water fish need. You will have to consider this based on which SWF you wish to keep in the future. Most saltwater aquariums (by volume) would be considered monsterous by freshwater standards. Many people keep huge saltwater aquariums because the water paramaters are much more stable with a larger volume of water. A good way to get some experience is with mollys or guppies. Both species can be slowly converted over to a full marine salinity. My only suggestion at this point is to read as many books as you possibly can before you buy one piece of equipment or one single fish. Perhaps speak with the owner or manager of a local fish shop that has both freshwater and marine fish. Tell them your goals and they will be able to help you design a good plan. Good luck and keep asking intersting questions!
January 22nd, 2010 at 4:50 pmReferences :
yes!!!! totally!
January 22nd, 2010 at 5:00 pmyou will definatly learn how to take care of marine fish from taking care of freshwater fishes!
marine fishes need just a bit more care and time!
yes you can use the same tank but i recommend getting a filter that has all 3 stages of filtration!
i recommend marineland products!
yes! you can keep freshwater fish in a saltwater tank without any salt!
References :
marine biologist and owner
I would keep an acrylic nano cube aquarium. I believe thats the kind you are supposed to get, I know they are the best you can get
January 22nd, 2010 at 5:42 pmReferences :
check out thatpetplace.com they are’nt a scam I orderd abou 4 times.
yes you can learn good skills,
do you need them? no
i was a negligent fresh water fish keeper until i decided to start a SW tank, if anything for me it is the exact opposite, i learned to take better care of my fresh water fish by keeping a S.W. tank,
a SW tank done right is far more expensive and i mean FAAAAAAAAR more expensive, but if done right from the beginning take little regular maintenance, so long as you start with easy care beginner fish
January 22nd, 2010 at 6:16 pmReferences :
Honestly salt water fish are not that difficult to care for, they just go by a slightly different set of rules that is all.
Everything you know about fresh water fish are basically the same in salt. It isn’t so much about skill as it is knowledge.
Yes you can use a freswater tank for salt. The tanks themselves are no different. They are just tanks for fish. Although you can get a different filter for salt including a protein skimmer, I have a 30 that I have had running for many years with no skimmer and just a whisper filter on it.
The main difference in salt fish vs. fresh water the level at which the PH has to remain. Salinity and patience. That is about it.
They still need fed, as with any fish food needs to be what the fish needs. Beneficial Bacteria take longer to develop ina salt tank especially without live rock, however live rock is also not needed.
As far as expense, you can make it as expensive or inexpensive as you like. I know people that pay hundreds of dollars for fresh water fish. It is a matter of where you shop and what you want to keep.
January 22nd, 2010 at 6:43 pmReferences :