What's That? The Top 10 Strangest Looking Saltwater Fish
February 03, 2017
Saltwater fish are some of the most beautiful and colorful animals in the world. All you have to do is look up pictures of a coral reef to see every color of the rainbow represented. Some saltwater fish exhibit bright solid colors while others are covered in intricate patterns. But there are also plenty of saltwater fish that are downright strange in terms of their appearance. Keep reading to learn about the top 10 strangest looking saltwater fish species that you can keep at home.
1. Lionfish
Even if you didn’t know what they were called until just now, you already know what a lionfish looks like. Lionfish are those striped fish that look like they are covered in porcupine spikes. These fish are strange-looking for sure, but it in a beautiful way. Do not be fooled by their beauty, however – they are some of the most dangerous fish in the ocean as well. Lionfish are carnivorous fish which means that they feed on meaty foods like shrimp, crustaceans, and other fish. These fish can also grow very large, over 1 foot in length! If you are thinking about keeping lionfish yourself, you should definitely plan on having at least a 120-gallon tank and you should think twice about adding other species to the tank.
2. Hawkfish
This group of fish can be found in tropical coral reefs throughout the Atlantic and Indo-Pacific oceans. Hawkfish have elongated bodies with large heads – they also have merged dorsal fins connected by spines that...
read moreWhy Are Tangs Some of the Best Fish for Reef Tanks?
November 02, 2016
If you are looking for the perfect fish to add to your reef tank, you may want to consider tangs as an option. Also known as surgeonfish or doctorfish, tangs make a great addition to the reef tank for a number of reasons. Keep reading to learn more about tangs and for recommendations on the best reef-safe species of tang.
The Basics About Tangs
You are probably familiar with some of the most popular tang species such as the yellow tang and the blue tang, but there are many more species out there to love. Tangs are generally peaceful fish that do well in community tanks, though they can sometimes be aggressive with other tang species. In the wild, tangs swim in large schools but this requires a lot of space so it is best to keep a single tang or a breeding pair in your home aquarium. There are a wide variety of different tang species available in the aquarium trade, but most of them grow to a minimum of 7 inches and a maximum between 10 and 15 inches. In addition to their size, tangs are also very active swimmers so they need a fairly long tank with at least 48 inches of lateral swimming space.
Why Do Tangs Do Well in Reef Tanks?
There are a number of reasons why tangs do well in reef tanks. For one thing, their natural habitat is very similar to a reef tank – shallow waters in tropical seas...
Marine Shrimp for the Saltwater or Reef Tank
February 17, 2016
What many aquarium hobbyists love about saltwater tanks is the fact that they are so easy to customize. There are thousands of different fish and invertebrates to choose from in stocking your tank so you can create a tank setup that is uniquely you. In selecting the inhabitants for your saltwater tank, you should consider adding some marine shrimp.
Marine shrimp may be small but they are mighty when it comes to keeping your saltwater tank clean. These little invertebrates are excellent scavengers and they are generally very easy to care for. If you are thinking about using marine shrimp in your tank, keep reading to learn more!
Pros and Cons of Marine Shrimp
One of the main benefits of marine shrimp is their cleaning ability. Different species of marine shrimp feed on different types of detritus and pests in the saltwater tank, plus they help to sift through the substrate to improve circulation. Many species of shrimp are classified as omnivorous scavengers because they will eat just about anything – you do have to be careful with them around very small fish, however. In addition to being excellent scavengers, marine shrimp are usually very easy to care for and they do not require a very large tank.
Although marine shrimp serve many useful purposes in the saltwater tank, there are a few downsides to consider. For example, some shrimp will feed on anything they can get their hands on which sometimes includes small fish. Certain species of...
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