by P.D. Losaw

Created on: April 03, 2010

There are two main questions to answer when stocking a saltwater aquarium.  First, what animals will be kept in the tank?  Second, where are the best places to obtain these creatures?

It is best to decide what sort of fish, corals, and other invertebrates you are interested in keeping before you start to add any to your tank.  There are three main levels of stocking a saltwater aquarium.  The fish only aquarium houses fish, and possibly fake plants and other decorations.  A fish only with live rock, often abbreviated FOWLR, holds fish and uses live rock as part of its filtration and decoration.  The pinnacle of saltwater aquariums is the reef tank, which is home to corals, fish, and other invertebrates such as clams, shrimp, and crabs, as well as live rock.  Each type of aquarium has its own requirements in terms of equipment and maintenance, the fish only the ‘easiest’ and the reef the most difficult.

When planning the inhabitants of your saltwater aquarium it is important to research the animals to make sure they will be compatible in the tank.  Some fish eat corals, others eat snails, and others will eat other fish.  Certain types of fish will not tolerate other fishes of the same species in their tank, and others will get along fine.  Whether creating a biotope of a specific ocean environment or picking out everything that looks pretty at the fish store, it is important to read about the habits and needs of each creature you place in the aquarium.

Now that you have researched and decided on some animals to place in your saltwater aquarium, it is time to find a place to purchase them.  There are many options to choose from, and sometimes the prices can be very different.

The first option is at your local pet store, often referred to as a local fish store or LFS.  Stores like Petco are not normally the best places to shop, look in your local yellow pages for a specialty marine or saltwater store.  The employees there will be much more knowledgeable, and have a better saltwater selection than a large chain store.  Reef shops and other specialty stores can be quite expensive, but often the owners or employees are very helpful, and the animals won’t have to be shipped.

Another option is purchasing saltwater animals online.  There are many stores selling fish and corals on the internet.  Often the prices are lower, but the shipping charges can be very expensive.  Sometimes very rare fish or corals are available on the internet that would not normally be seen in stores.  If there are no local fish stores in your area, online reef stores are an excellent option.

Last, other saltwater hobbyists in your area are a great resource.   Reef keepers will often sell corals and fish at very low prices compared to fish stores.  People getting out of the hobby often sell animals and equipment cheaply as well.  The internet is a good place to look for deals like this, aquarium forums, message boards, and classifieds like craigslist often have postings of fish, corals, and other saltwater animals for sale.

Stocking your saltwater aquarium is one of the best parts of the hobby.  Making good choices about the animals that you keep in your aquarium and finding good places to purchase them are the most important factors for success.

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