Saltwater Fish

In our previous article on Keeping Seahorses in Aquaria, we looked at options for stocking your seahorse tank with everything other than the ponies themselves. In this article, we'll look at actually selecting your ponies and how to keep them happy and healthy. Where to Get Them Where you...

Photo by @FishRForMe In our previous article on Keeping Seahorses in Aquaria, we examined the process of aquascaping and achieving the excellent water quality. In this third article of our 6-part series, we will explore options for stocking your seahorse tank (looking at options other than the...

In our first article on Keeping Seahorses in Aquaria, we looked at an introduction to seahorses and setting up a seahorse tank. In this second article of our 6-part series, we will examine the process of aquascaping and achieving the excellent water quality which is so crucial to maintaining the...

This article is the first in a 6-part series that is designed to help those of you who already have the knowledge and ability to keep marine life in an aquarium, but want to learn the particulars of keeping greater seahorses. I will be assuming that you already understand the cycling process...

Fish Spotlight: Anthias Anthias are very popular in the hobby because of their beautiful colors and ability to keep them in groups. Bright pinks, oranges and yellows make them very attractive to hobbyists. The belief that they are “nice” community fish or that they stay small is also attractive...

Picking Your Clownfish You wouldn’t believe how many times I have been brought a betta bowl and asked “How many Nemos can I put in this?” No kidding, once a week at least! Now, these people are usually steered toward the bettas with no trouble at all especially after I start on the list of...

I would like to discuss one of my favorite fish, the pipefish. Pipefish to me are so much different from normal fishy looking fish that I can't help but to love them. There are more things different in pipefish than similar to normal looking fish. They are so different that at one time, in...

I decided it was time for a large "predator" type fish. After some research I decided a comet fish / marine beta was the correct choice for my reef. They look pretty sweet - have an 'eel eye' type spot on their tail, they're meticulous hunters, and have a good rep as far as messing with...

The very best way to select the fish you will keep in your tank is to start well before you even purchase a tank. Wait. What? I don’t even have a tank yet and you want me to start selecting fish?! Quite simply, yes I do. In this hobby, a very good portion of the fish we keep require special...

Moorish Idols. Impossible to keep. Better left in the wild, right? Anyone that has been in this hobby for nearly any length of time has read things like this or can at least recognize this iconic fish. Many of us grew up seeing this majestic fish in photos and documentaries. Whether seen...

Introduction My name is Hunter and I am a wrasse addict. Admitting such is the first step to buying another wrasse, I think. Wrasses are not only my passion, but my niche in this hobby since 2010. My tank is full of them, and unfortunately “regular” species are no longer exciting enough for...

Buying a new fish for your aquarium can be both an exciting and nerve-racking experience. Is this fish healthy? Is this fish a good fit for my aquarium? If I get this fish, am I sacrificing another fish down the line? These are a few of the many questions that may pop into your head, and are all...

Many years ago while traveling around the Outer Banks of North Carolina on a family vacation, my aunt started joking about a large billboard at the city of Nag’s Head’s entrance. “Fish have feelings too” the billboard read, and my aunt quickly started joking about the “ignorance” of such a...

* this is for "regular-sized" seahorses only and cannot be used in determining tankmates for Dwarf Seahorses. 0 Risk Rating no aggressive tendencies no food competition (*) mostly benthic/cryptic and keep to themselves 1 Risk Rating no aggressive tendencies minimal food competition mostly...

I don’t really consider myself the tang police. By that, I don’t head out on the internet or to local fish shops, with the sole goal of telling people not to keep tangs under certain conditions. However, I do advocate keeping a healthy, sustainable aquarium based on the principles I have...

It is something I read often: “Where can I buy a female for my male ____ wrasse?” Or: “I want to buy another ____ wrasse and pair them up!” Wait! Time out for a minute! First, we really need some understanding of how wrasses interact and live in their natural environment. In the ocean, most...

So what's the deal with tangs? How do I keep them together? Why are they so aggressive and difficult to keep sometimes? It's a common discussion point. Some may dissent with what I have to share but I've never had less than three tanks running at a time, up to 7, and have been in the hobby ~15...

The Bold and Curious Tinker’s Butterflyfish Chaetodon tinkeri The Tinker’s Butterflyfish (C. tinkeri) is a member of the marine butterflyfish genus Chaetodon (familyChaetodontidae) and one of five species in the subgenus Roaps. It isnamed for Spencer W. Tinker who discovered it in Hawaii...

Male and female Macropharyngodon bipartitus in the author’s aquarium. The Blue Star Leopard Wrasse, also referred to as the Divided Wrasse, Vermiculite Wrasse (as well as a few other common names) is one of thirteen species of leopard wrasse in the Macropharyngodon genus. As with most leopard...

The Indian Gold Ring Bristletooth Tang (Ctenochaetus truncatus) is named for a short tail fin that does not have the elongated shape with pointed ends that is typical of other members of the genus. Other common names for this species are Spotted Bristletooth and Squaretail Bristletooth. C...