Gramma and Pygmy Basslets

Not only do these ranks as some of the most beautifully coloured marine fish, but their small size means they can be accommodated easily, furthermore, successfully aquarium breeding is becoming more frequent, but compatibility can be a serious issue in smaller tanks, because these fish can be territorial by nature.

Members from the Gramma and Pygmy Basslets species can be incorporated into an invertebrate aquarium set up. Rockwork with suitable retreats must be included into your tank as this matches the natural reef network they live in.

Sea Anemones

Sea anemones are typically the first thing that attracts people to reef aquariums, not to mention there relationship that some species have with anemonefish. Whats an Anemonefish you maybe asking, you may know it as "Nemo" or "clownfish".

However only 10 species are known to host the clownfish and compared to the other within the anemone family they can hard to maintain. Most of the anomones found in your local fish shop will contain photosynthetic algae and they will require high levels of aquarium lighting and excellent aquarium water quality.

The sea anemones stinging tentacles are capable of ensaring food particles, so most species benefit from regular feeding, remember that they have the ability to move around the aquarium and this may affect other fishes or invertebrates within the aqaurium. In stable conditions the anemones will remain in the same position for many years.

Angelfish

The Angel fish family includes some of the most attractively patterned of all reef fish. The size of angelfish can vary greatly between species. While dwarf angelfish (centopyge species) attain a maximum length of 5 inches, larger relatives can grow up to 24inches in the wild.

The young of the larger species will differ significantly in appearance to the adults, so bear in mind when choosing for your aquarium and don't buy based on current size as junveniles can quickly outgrow their aquarium.

Larger species of angelfish are more quarrelsome than their small relatives and not generally suited to e housed with invertebrates.

Blennies and Mandarinfish

The members of these two families require similar care requirements, and can even be kept together in the same aquarium set up alongside invertebrates and placid fish such as sea horses and pipefish.

Its important that blennies and Mandarinfish are not harried by other tanks fish, because they produce an unpleasant, protective slime from their bodies to deter assailants. Some blennies have evolved the predatory trick to copying the appearance of cleaning wrasse, and then biting chunks out of the fish expecting to be cleaned.

The mandarinfish is native to the Western Pacific, ranging approximately from the Ryukyu Islands south to Australia. It is also somewhat misleadingly known as the mandarin goby, due to its resemblance to blennies and gobies. Other trade names include "green mandarinfish", "striped mandarinfish", or "psychedelic fish".

Saltwater Quarantine Tank

More commonly known as a "hospital tank" but generally its purpose is the same to protect and cure marine fish from diseases.

The quarantine tank is a life saver and is recommended for beginners and veterans alike, if used properly can be successful in avoiding spread of disease that are often introduced when adding a newly purchased marine fish. Most fish die within two weeks of purchase and this can be caused by marine fish stress or poor water quality. Therefore its recommended to observe your new marine fish in your quarantine tank for at least seven days before releaing into your main tank.

Setting up your quarantine tank is much easier than setting up aquarium, the process is quick and easy and fairly inexpensive, genraly a 10 gallon tank will do the job. Basic equipment required is a tank, filtration system, aquarium lighting and aquarium heater.

A quarantine tank should be set up a few days in advance and to speed up the process use as much water as can be spared from your main tank to get the aquarium biological filter going as fast as possible. Also use gravel from the main tank, place it in a nylon bag and place in the hospital tank. Do not open the nylon bag and place the gravel on the floor of the hospital tank as its a temporary set up, adding the gravel inthe nylon bag will help to start the biologcal filtration.

You may wish to permanently run a quarantine tank as long as the fish that go from the store into the tank do not develop or show any symptoms of disease. Simply change some water at regular intervals and it should always be ready to use.

If, however a fish becomes ill, and/or you treat a sick fish in the tank, then you must empty and clean the tank thoroughly before using it again.

This is a real good way to protect your current fish from the potential dangers of new fish introduction.