The main problem with fish caught in the wild is the amount of stress they endure when introduced to an aquarium environment. Sometime figuring out which way to eat is a big problem. So the best way to have a good source of tropical or marine fish is to go directly to a breeder or from and aquatic pet store that deals directly with a breeder. There are different types of aquarium for saltwater use and in general they are divided into five different types.

Fish only saltwater aquariums

The first and probably the easiest of the five types of saltwater aquariums to keep is the fish only aquarium. There are many different species and marine fish live in a variety of water temperatures so you would have to choose fish of a similar species. Saltwater species can come as tropical fish that live in warmer waters or coldwater fish varieties. They cannot be kept together because of the difference in water temperature so you would have to choose one or the other. Usually to the beginner tropical fish have more varied and brighter colour patterns and therefore are very appealing on the eye. For this reason most people will gravitate to keeping tropical fish as opposed to the more mundane colours of the coldwater varieties. Most new aquarium users will be aware and familiar with some tropical fish like the Angel fish and Clownfish. They will probably be far less familiar with such fish as Tompot, Blenny and Shanny which are all cold water fish varieties.

Invertebrate only aquariums are the next type of saltwater aquarium to look at. Invertebrate aquariums usually contain a variety of creatures including sea cucumbers, prawn, starfish, shrimp and hermit crabs. Although not as popular as the usually tropical fish aquarium some of the more unusual creatures are both fun to keep and pleasing on the eye.

Another and third saltwater aquarium type is a mix of tropical fish and invertebrates. They are not as easy to maintain because of the feeding habits of the different species. Invertebrates do not feed on the same type of food as the tropical fish and indeed one could be the pray for the other if you do not research them properly. Before putting these different species in an aquarium together it is best to research the subject first or seek advice from your aquatic pet store expert to see what types of fish and invertebrates can live together in harmony. Another consideration to think about is disease. Disease can spread quicker in saltwater aquariums which hold both tropical fish and invertebrates and it is more difficult to prevent.

The coral reef aquarium is the fourth type of saltwater aquarium. Again they are not an easy aquarium to maintain and tricky to setup, so thorough research and advice is required before you attempt one of these. However once set up and running they are very attractive and easy on the eye.

The speciality aquarium is the fifth type of saltwater aquarium. Salt water aquariums house unusual and exotic types of animals such as sea horses. Other examples of speciality tanks could be octopus, rays or sharks. Each take a lot of care and we call them speciality aquariums because they are unusual and need a lot of research and more effort to keep. Take sea horses. They should not be kept with any other type of fish because. Take sea horses for example. They are a very timid and shy creature, and slow eater. If they are put in a tank with other fish there is a chance they would not receive any of the food. They also prefer to swim vertically rather than horizontally and so require a tall tank rather than a long one.

We keep saying it but regardless of which type of saltwater aquarium you finally decide to invest in you should research your subject thoroughly and listen to any recommendations from your aquatic store experts. Once you have made that commitment you then have to be willing to care for you aquarium and any marine life you invest in.