When you buy your first reef tank, we understand that the excitement might just be too much, and that you really want to start adding a lot of fish of all kinds to your new tank… However, it would be wise of you to pick your new saltwater fish carefully, as fish with certain attributes are a much more suitable match for new tanks and aquariums. Below are the attributes you should look for:

1) Adaptability.

The most important attribute of the new fish should be adaptability. You need fish that are able to withstand the imperfect conditions of your new tank without needing a lot of care.

2) Non-aggressive.

As you start adding fish to your new tank, they will naturally get used to their new environment and start marking their territory. An aggressive fish dropped into an aquarium with fish that have been there for a while doesn’t have a territory to defend. If you start by adding an aggressive fish into an empty tank, however, it might define its territory as the entire aquarium, and fight to protect it. So start with the non-aggressive fish and leave the aggressive ones for later.

3) Compatibility.

This is related to the non-aggressive attribute. You don’t just need fish that are non-aggressive in general, but you need to research the compatibility of different kinds of fish together. You can discover the compatibility of different fish together by preparing a list of the different fish you are considering and posting it on specialized forums such as REEF2REEF, where more experienced tank keepers are always happy to share their knowledge and experience.

4) Reef Safe.

Not all saltwater fish are reef safe. Many of them will are very likely to tear up your corals! So if you’re set about having corals in your tank, you need to do a bit of homework before deciding which saltwater fish to purchase. REEF2REEF can also be quite helpful in this regard. Why reinvent the wheel when you can build on the collective knowledge of decades of reefing experience!

5) Tank Size.

Different saltwater fish have different requirements when it comes to tank size. And it’s not just about how much water the tank can fit, it’s also about the geometrical dimensions of the tank, mainly the depth and length of it.

Finally, it is important to note that after you pick your starter saltwater fish, you will need to quarantine them before adding them to your tank. We will be explaining the quarantine process in next week’s article, so stay tuned!

As always, if you have any questions or feedback, please get in touch with us at [email protected]. We’d love to hear from you!

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