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SUCCESSFUL MARINE FISH KEEPING Part 1, cont’d.

Species Specific Questions Concerning Behavior and Care Requirements

How large does it get?
When it reaches adulthood, will it even fit in the tank that you intend on setting-up?
How aggressive is it?
Who does it tend to be belligerent toward?
What does it eat?
Does it have specific dietary requirements that will be difficult to meet or does it have a more generalized diet?
Is it piscivorous (a fish-eater) or will it eat invertebrates you intend on keeping?
What are its habitat preferences?
Does it have any special aquascaping requirements?
Is it susceptible to disease?
Is it considered easy or difficult to keep, or does it fall somewhere in between these two ends on the hardiness continuum?

As you’re narrowing down your choices, you may find that you want to build the rest of your fish community around one of your “must have species.” For example, if one of the asterisked species is very aggressive, you may have to limit you fish collection to other aggressive fishes or species that your pugnacious “must have species” is more likely to ignore. Or, if your “must have species” happens to be a frogfish, you will have to choose tankmates that are too large for it to swallow, as well as species that eat sessile invertebrates (these fishes may nip at and damage your frogfish).

By coming up with this list before you purchase or set-up your aquarium, you will be able to aquascape the tank accordingly. Your fish list may also have some bearing on (within reason of course) the size and shape of the tank you purchase. For example, if I decide I cannot live without one or more of the more active species, say a threadfin snapper (Symphorichthys spilurus), I will need to have a larger tank with plenty of swimming room. This may mean keeping the décor to a minimum, selecting a tank with more surface area or a larger tank then I originally thought I would set-up. If one of the most important fish on my list likes to spend its time on or burying in the substrate, I will need to have some open sand bottom so it can do what comes naturally. If I keep species that are a little more pugnacious, I need to make sure and provide plenty of hiding places for all the aquariums charges.

After doing all this research, you’ll have whittled your list down considerably. Now, with the information you acquired, put the species in order from the least aggressive to the most aggressive (the least aggressive fish would be number 1, followed by the next species in the aggression hierarchy, until you’ve numbered them all). This is very important because you will need to add the least aggressive fishes to your tank first and the most pugnacious species last.

One word about the disposition ranking and fish aggression. There are a number of variables that come into play when determining how pugnacious a fish will be towards its tankmates. These include: the size of the tank, the size of the fish compared to its tankmates, the number of hiding places available, what species it is kept with, and even the number of times a fish is fed a day. There will also be that “freak” individual that breaks all the rules set for its species. Remember, fish don’t read the books — that is, they don’t always do what the literature says they will do. Therefore, the disposition ranking can only serve as a rough guide for a particular species.

Now figure out the carry-capacity of the tank you plan on setting-up. This information will be important when you go about making you purchases. Once you’ve completed this disposition ranking and figured out the carrying capacity of your tank, it’s time to go shopping!

That will do it for the first installment of tips to successful marine fish keeping. I hope this helps you put together a healthy and happy aquarium fish community! Until next time, happy fish-watching.

Previously in Fish Tales

Successful Marine Fish Keeping Part 0

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