After getting home from a long day at work and getting the kids into bed you have worked into the wee hours of the night and most of the last few weekends to get your new saltwater set up just right. You have designed the reef system to be the envy of the neighborhood! Don't forget that you have tested the water faithfully as you cycled your aquarium. The time has now arrived that you can start introducing tropical saltwater fish to your tank. Now the decision is what kind of tropical saltwater fish do you add?
The very first thing to remember is that fish have personalities just like people and not everyone gets along well. As a result you need to give serious thought to who will call your new saltwater tank home. Also, the order in which you add fish and how many of the same type can make a big difference. Fish can be protective of their homes just like us. Here is a list of five tropical fish that are easy for beginners to handle and can live together in your new saltwater tank.
The Royal Gramma
The Royal Gramma Basslet or Fairy Basslet is a beautiful fish. The front half of its body and head are a bright purple, while the back half is yellow. It is a hardy fish that does well in a reef aquarium. Since it remains small (less than 3 inches), it is perfect for small reef systems. It is recommended for saltwater tank setups as small as 30 gallons.
They can be aggressive towards their own species, and as a result you should only purchase one for your aquarium. This tropical fish is a deep water dweller and prefers caves and extensive rockwork. It does well in a somewhat subdued lighting arrangement.
Powder Blue Tang
This tropical saltwater fish will be sure to entertain you! If you are not sure of which fish I am writing about think of "Dory" from the Disney movie "Finding Nemo." The Powder Blue Tang has an oval body shape with colorful markings. It is primarily blue and is accented with yellow and white. Bright yellow highlights the dorsal and pectoral fins while blue-black markings outline the face and tail. They do best in a larger tank. They like reef systems with passages that provide them with a sense of security. Unless your tank is really large you should only have one Blue Tang. They are also known to quarrel with the Brown Tangs. If you want to have these two types of Tang in your aquarium be sure to have a lot of space and reef with passages.
Clownfish
You can't think about a saltwater tank and not envision a Clownfish (Nemo). Clownfish have alternating bands of orange and white. Some varieties will have black lines as well. This is a great fish for saltwater tanks with reef systems. This peaceful fish will spend most of it's time at home in its anemone. If you plan to have more than one Clownfish it is best to add them in pairs and have at least one anemone for each pair you place in the tank. You should only consider more than one Clownfish if your tank is at least 100 gallons.
Flame Hawkfish
This is one of the most popular types of Hawkfish. This peaceful fish has a red body with darker markings along the dorsal fin and around the eyes. The Flame Hawkfish can be very personable fish. They make a great addition to any live reef aquarium as long as there are no small shrimp in the aquarium. The Flame Hawkfish will do well in saltwater aquariums as small as 30 gallons.
Fantail Filefish
This fish is very popular because of its exceptional color scheme. The Fantail is a cream color with brown striations on its face and a brown pattern covering the rest of its body. Its tail is in stark contrast with an orange then brown then yellow coloring scheme.
If you are planning a saltwater fish only aquarium this would be an excellent choice. They are not recommended for reef tanks as they enjoy eating invertebrates.
There are several other fish that would be considered great starter fish. The ones chosen above were listed for their ability to adapt well in a new tank, ease of care, popularity and, coloring. The most important thing to remember is that a saltwater aquarium is a long term commitment. So be sure that the fish you choose are ones that you and your family will enjoy.
The Author, Elliot Lawson, offers tips and advice about keeping saltwater fish. Please check out [http://www.theguidetofun.com] if you would like to learn more about setting up a saltwater aquarium and saltwater tropical fish.
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