07 Selecting a Saltwater Fish
Description
This article is from the Beginning Saltwater FAQ, by Thomas Sasala with numerous contributions by others.
07 Selecting a Saltwater Fish
Since saltwater fish are usually more expensive than freshwater fish,
you have a great stake in getting them home alive and keeping them
alive for the long term. You must realize that most fish you see in
stores were swimming around the vast ocean a mere week ago. As such,
the stress of capture and transportation can wreak havoc with the
biological processes of the animal.
The most important thing when buying a fish is to not be overcome by
the buying impulse. Before buying any animal, you should ask `Can I
keep it happy'. Merely keeping the fish or invertebrate alive doesn't
mean it is happy. Fifty goldfish may live in a 10 gallon tank, but
they certainly won't be happy or healthy. Buying a fish you know
nothing about and then asking if you can keep this fish happy is a
very bad practice. Also, as hard as it is to say this, don't feel like
you are doing a sick fish any favors by taking it home. If you have
the room and time to nurture the sick fish, then I suggest you help
out the environment and care for the sick fish rather than letting it
die. However, if you are just going to place the fish into your main
tank because you don't have the time or inclination to set a up a
quarantine tank, then don't bother. It will only result in the death
of the fish and the lightening of your wallet.
Once you decide on a particular fish, don't be afraid to ask the store
to hold it for you. A good store will always hold a fish for you
(don't patronize stores that won't!). Also, ask to see the fish eat.
If the fish is healthy and eating, then it most likely is a good
specimen. Finally, check the fish closely for spots, irregular
patches, missing scales, and wounds. Torn fins will usually heal and
are not much of a problem.
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