A fantastic hobby with many challenges. 

From the reef to your aquarium. What a trip.

 

Marine fish come from the tropical oceans of the world. They are subjected to a variety of handling or mishandling procedures that when understood should boggle the mind.

 

Imagine:

 

1. Being scooped up from your home (natural environment) into a net, hopefully without being drugged with a poison.

 

2. Being transported in a small plastic bag to a holding facility. Sometimes being transported with many other fish in the same bag.

 

3. Being put into a large tank with hundreds of other newly collected fish. Some of these other fish could be aggressive, agitated, stressed or sick.

 

4. Being picked out, and again being put into a plastic bag for a journey to a foreign country. Sometimes this journey takes 40+ hours.

 

5. Being put into an importer or wholesalers tanks. Some of these tanks do not have proper temperature control. Some importers’ tanks are contaminated with disease from the last incoming shipment or two. Some importers’ tanks have poor water conditions. Some importers use the lowest cost marine salts in an effort to increase their profits. This is the time to start using the best quality products available.

 

6. Being netted, and again put into a plastic bag for delivery to a local retail store or being air shipped to a distant city.

 

7. Being put into a dealer’s tanks, some of which are contaminated from the dozens of fish that were in the same system hours or days before. Hopefully the dealers’ tanks are clean, disease free and with high quality water.

 

8. Arriving in your home. This entire chain of events can take place in 6 to 10 days.

 

Three things are certain:

 

1) This shows how strong these wild animals truly are.

 

2) Some aquarium pets will get sick because they are totally stressed out.

 

3) Use only the BEST equipment available to enhance the lives of your animals and your enjoyment of them.

 

Marine fish display an unimaginable variety of colors, unique behavior and individual personalities. Most make great pets.When shopping for new marine pets, it is essential that you purchase the healthiest fish that accept a variety of foods. These fish will be in the store’s best tanks. Salt water aquariums are more demanding than freshwater. High quality heaters and accessories must be used in marine tanks. There is less dissolved oxygen in salt water than fresh water. Higher efficiency filters must be employed. Salt water aquariums require more lighting than fresh and require the use of marine salt.

 

A variety of salt mixes abound. Unfortunately most marine salts are not true seawater substitutes. Marine fish come from the ocean and should be kept in an environment that resembles ocean water. Check the S-15™ Report™ for information regarding which marine salts are worth consideration.

Brand Score 0-100
Marine Environment® 100 pts
BIO-SEA® 90 pts
Coral Marine® 79 pts
Tropic Marin® 29 pts
Instant Ocean®, Kent &Reef Crystals® 26 pts
Coralife® 23 pts