Saltwater And Marine Species
Clownfish Articles:
Breeding Clownfish: Breeding clowns is a very rewarding experience, and it's not nearly as hard as you might think. Obviously the first thing you need is a mated pair. There are several options to getting these.
Clarkii Clownfish. The Clarkii Clownfish is one of the most hardy, and therefore, one of the most common clownfish in home aquariums. A 30 gallon or larger aquarium containing an anemone of any type is desirable. It is semi-aggressive towards other clownfish and passive tank mates.
Maroon Clownfish. Do not move the Maroon Clownfish with a net as its cheekspines will become entangled. Use a specimen container if capture is necessary.
The Ocellaris clownfish comes from Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is best kept in a small school of 5-7 specimens in a large tank. A 50 gallons aquarium with lots of hiding spaces is recommended.
True Percula Clownfish. It can be found individually, or more commonly, in pairs or small groups within the same anemone such as Heteractis magnifica or Stichodactyla mertensii. Tank raised Percula Clownfish are usually mostly orange and white when young. As the fish matures the black sections between the white stripes will darken with age.
The Tomato Clownfish is a bright orange-red with one white vertical stripe behind the eye. A 30 gallon or larger tank with lots of hiding places is desirable. An anemone host such as Bubbletip (Entacmaea quadricolor) or Leathery (Heteractis crispa) is preferred, but not required.
Damselfish Articles:
Damselfish are often used to break in or cycle a new fish saltwater tank. It is important to remember that even though these fish are hardy and can handle the adverse conditions of a new aquarium, they may become quite aggressive among themselves, and toward other tankmates.
Marine Angelfish Articles:
The Cream Angelfish is hermaphroditic (all males result from female sex change), very difficult to breed in an aquarium. keep only one per Tank.
The French Angel is found around shallow reefs and reef rubble in the Atlantic. These fish do fairly well in aquariums and prefer lots of rockwork to feel comfortable.
The Fisher's Angelfish demands high water quality since dwarf angels don't tolerate nitrates well. A 30 gallon or larger tank with lots of hiding places and live rock for grazing are recommended. Not a good reef dweller, the Fisher's Angelfish is prone to nip at stony and soft corals (sessile invertebrates) including clam mantles. It will also graze on diatoms on the tank surface.
Marine Angelfish: Color and Style. Fish from the Pomacanthidae family, the marine angelfish, are probably the most popular species of saltwater fish kept by marine aquarists. The fantastic colors and relatively hardy nature of these fish make them extremely desirable. There are approximately 80 species of angelfish, all from tropical seas (typically between the latitudes 30 degrees north and south of the equator).
Pygmy angelfish in reef tanks. Are these fish a threat to your invertebrates?
Looking at their natural diets, it would seem as though they would pose no threat to sessile invertebrates. However, most of these angelfish do feed on detritus, and coral slime falls into this category. So, although they usually do not feed directly on coral polyps, they will graze on the slime they exude.
Pygmy angelfish aggression and compatibility. Because the members of this group are small, they are often housed in small aquariums, which is the worst thing you could possibly do if you plan on keeping passive fish (e.g., seahorses, pipefishes, batfishes, leopard wrasses, flasher wrasses, highfin shrimp gobies, fire gobies, dart gobies) in the same tank.
Pygmy angelfish selection and health. Some specimens, especially those taken from deeper water (e.g., multicolor angelfish), may be injured when they are brought to the surface. This can lead to internal infections that cause the sides of the fish to swell and then burst.
Pygmy angels captive breeding. If you want to try and breed pygmy angels, the aquarium should be at least 75 gallons and should contain a lot of rockwork and/or artificial coral to provide ample shelter sites.