saltwater for beginners?

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lovespunaround

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Dec 29, 2005
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Spartanburg, SC
I've never kept a saltwater aquarium...to be honest, I'm generally more interested in freshwater fish (mostly cichlids). Nothing against saltwater; I was somewhat scared away from it though by all the massive amounts of precision I've heard it requires and the massive amounts of money I've never had to spend on saltwater.

But I've always kind of wanted a moray eel. I most likely would start out on something else, but it's what I'd like to work up to. Plus, my fiancee only really likes saltwater fish. My cichlids apparently aren't colorful enough for her and she doesn't care so much about personality.

Anyway, I was thinking I could start in a 20 or 29 next summer and I want to get as much research done as I can before then. So any suggestions on how I should start out? Fish, lighting, anything, etc...
 
lovespunaround;548081; said:
I've never kept a saltwater aquarium...to be honest, I'm generally more interested in freshwater fish (mostly cichlids). Nothing against saltwater; I was somewhat scared away from it though by all the massive amounts of precision I've heard it requires and the massive amounts of money I've never had to spend on saltwater.

But I've always kind of wanted a moray eel. I most likely would start out on something else, but it's what I'd like to work up to. Plus, my fiancee only really likes saltwater fish. My cichlids apparently aren't colorful enough for her and she doesn't care so much about personality.

Anyway, I was thinking I could start in a 20 or 29 next summer and I want to get as much research done as I can before then. So any suggestions on how I should start out? Fish, lighting, anything, etc...
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I would go bigger, for your first tank 40, 45, 50, 55, but 75 would be the best. As for fish, damsels, chromis, and clownfish. Morays get pretty big.
 
The smaller the tank the more precise you have to be. The bigger the tank the more you spend. I would start at a 55 as they are cheap. Protein skimmer and live rock works best IMO. When you decide to go up to a moray watch out, some need 125g tanks or larger. Stay away from damsels, you will find them too aggressive generally, and they get uglier the older they get.
 
RadleyMiller;548414; said:
I would go bigger, for your first tank 40, 45, 50, 55, but 75 would be the best. As for fish, damsels, chromis, and clownfish. Morays get pretty big.
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If you want an EEL you can get a snowflake eel, they stay fairly small..

But yes practice with fish first...


Keep in mind the "MORAY" family of eels can get 6FT+ and the thickness of a football (us football) they don't jsut grow to the size of a tank.
 
The other issue with most morays is that they tend to hide alot. You may not see very much of it except at feeding time or when it decide to poke its head out from behind the rock. How about some cleaner shrimp, goby and clowns? Or better yet, a lionfish and a ray! If you have the initial funds you can start a small reef, you dont always need halide lights, just get moderate light tolerant corals.
 
lovespunaround;548081; said:
I've never kept a saltwater aquarium...to be honest, I'm generally more interested in freshwater fish (mostly cichlids). Nothing against saltwater; I was somewhat scared away from it though by all the massive amounts of precision I've heard it requires and the massive amounts of money I've never had to spend on saltwater.

But I've always kind of wanted a moray eel. I most likely would start out on something else, but it's what I'd like to work up to. Plus, my fiancee only really likes saltwater fish. My cichlids apparently aren't colorful enough for her and she doesn't care so much about personality.

Anyway, I was thinking I could start in a 20 or 29 next summer and I want to get as much research done as I can before then. So any suggestions on how I should start out? Fish, lighting, anything, etc...
Click to expand...

I've thought about starting a slatwater tank myself. I hear 55g are the best to start with. I hear saltwater fish needs a lot more room than freshwater fish. I hear Lionfish are good beginner fish providing you have the room. And you wouldn't have to worry about the eel eating it.
 
Depends on the eel. Some of them like zebra morays only eat inverts and completely ignore any fish in your tank. The just finish off your shrimp, crabs and hermits ,"if they are desperate they don't usually go for hard shelled critters. IMHO a 50 or above is a great tank to start with they are pretty forgiving of newbie mistakes etc.

Fwiw, a salt water tank with a live rock based filtration system is really less work than f.w. once it's established. It will at least in part deal with it's own nitrates etc if you don't overstock or over feed. If you do go with a 50 gallon it also might be best to get smaller fish that way you could add more varieties and have far more interactions.

The s.w. fish need more room because they have different psychological needs than most f.w. fish. In their world they all have this little territory that they are constantly defending from similar fish and they really do need a place to hide etc. On that note you could still get quite a few fish in a 55 as long as they aren't too similar.
hth
Max
 
if yo so bad want a morray eel you could get a freshwater morray it gets about 0.5m and its cuite easy to keep. the harp part is to get it to eat.may take a while but shrimps(live ones) and small fishes can get it eatng in notime. an adult wants about 50-60gallons and you can have other fish with it (not to small) i strongly recomends thees ones its alittle more easy then buying a saltwatertank (skimmers,agood corallreef and you will have to count with hes gonna redecorate in the tank)..and its NOT a beginners fish in slatwater area they are quite skilled escapers and a bite HURTS!.So start whith a freshwater they are quite sheep..

Exuse my spelling i am from sweeden and im not the no1 in spelling.....




MORRAYS KICK ASS
 
Get a 55 or 75 an get a lionfish, you wont regret it. My dad had a 55 with and aniname(sp?) and clowns. it was so fun feeding the lion.

I might get my own SW setup soon. I miss my lionfish.
 
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