By Jennifer Dawson. Photo David Clode
Over 13 million households in America keep fish in their homes, including 2.5 million that keep saltwater fish. They are a beautiful and captivating pet that are relatively easy to keep. They also come with numerous health benefits including reducing stress, lowering your heart rate and blood pressure, and even improving disruptive behavior in dementia patients. Now you know why so many doctors and dentists have fish in their waiting rooms. If you are thinking of putting an aquarium in your home, there are plenty of saltwater fish that will thrive in a large tank.
Choosing sustainably sourced saltwater fish
As an angler, you will be aware of the fragility of the ecosystem. The oceans need to be kept clean so that they can sustain life. When you are choosing fish for your aquarium, it is important that you pick ones that have been caught in a sustainable way. Many fish in America are captured using cyanide so that they can be caught easier. However, this is causing significant havoc to the environment, in particular coral reefs which are extremely fragile. To ensure that the fish that you have purchased are captured in an ethical way, make sure that the supplier has Marine Aquarium Council Certification.
Lawnmower Blenny
The Lawnmower Blenny is a must-have for any saltwater aquarium, especially if you are a beginner at keeping fish. It is also known as the Sailfin Blenny, the Jeweled Rockskipper and the Rock Blenny. They have a mottled body and oversized eyes and are found all across the reefs, particularly in the Indo-Pacific ocean. The Blenny is extremely efficient at eating green hair algae. New aquariums tend to grow large amounts of algae, particularly as the nitrate levels start to rise and the Blenny can help to keep this under control. They are generally peaceful to other fish, so can be kept in a mixed aquarium.
Ocellaris Clownfish
The Ocellaris Clownfish are extremely popular, thanks in part to the Finding Nemo movies. Their vivid white and orange bodies reflect the water beautifully. These saltwater fish are extremely territorial, so if you even keep them in a five foot tank, you will find that they will generally stay in one corner of the tank. If you are keeping Clownfish, they breed easily, so it may not be long before you find yourself with little ones in the aquarium. The fry should be kept separately however, until they are fully grown, if you have other species living with them, or they may end up as dinner.
Yellowtail Damselfish
The Yellowtail Damselfish are extremely hardy and non-aggressive. They have a beautiful vivid blue body and a striking yellow tail. Originally from the Indo-Pacific, they are best kept in small groups, as they are extremely sociable. The Damselfish adapts to aquarium life extremely easily and doesn’t require any kind of specialist diet unlike some saltwater species.
Firefish Goby
Firefish Goby are a delight to watch in an aquarium. They are a very sweet-natured fish with bags of personality. They are best kept in a tank that is at least 20 gallons with good lighting. They should also be kept in an aquarium with a lid, as they have a tendency to jump. Firefish are excellent at eating the algae and zooplankton that you have growing in your tank, but their diet should also be supplemented with brine fish, which you can buy frozen.
Having an aquarium at home means that you can always watch the saltwater fish that you love. Choosing sustainably-sourced species means that no harm will be done to the fragile ocean ecosystem.