Looking back at the various marine aquariums I’ve kept over the years, it occurs to me that one particular species has probably been included in my livestock lineups more often than any other—Falco’s hawkfish (Cirrhitichthys falco), a.k.a. the dwarf hawkfish.…
Marine/Saltwater Fish
Score One for Sustainability: Clarion Angelfish Aquacultured
Here at Saltwater Smarts, promoting sustainability in the saltwater-aquarium hobby is a major component of our mission. In keeping with that objective, we encourage hobbyists to choose captive-bred fishes and invertebrates over wild-caught specimens whenever possible. Captive-bred fishes have much…
Green Mandarinfish: Gorgeous, Good-Natured, and a Very Finicky Feeder
Many coral reef fishes are renowned for their spectacular coloration and patterning, but there’s one particular species, commonly available in the marine aquarium hobby, that arguably surpasses them all in this regard. I’m talking about the green mandarinfish (Synchiropus splendidus).…
5 Techniques for Catching Fish in a Marine Aquarium
At one point or another, every marine aquarium hobbyist is faced with the necessity of capturing and removing a fish from a fully operational system—perhaps because the specimen is bullying tankmates, the victim of another specimen’s bullying, sick or injured,…
Royal Gramma: A Hardy, Beginner-Friendly Beauty
One of the true piscine treasures hailing from the Caribbean is the royal gramma, a.k.a. the fairy basslet (Gramma loreto). Not only is this little gem a real showstopper aesthetically speaking, but it’s also a hardy, beginner-friendly, and generally very…
6 Tips for Choosing the Right-Sized Tank for Saltwater Fish
Have you ever noticed that species profiles written about marine fish almost always include a recommended minimum tank size for the species? Have you also noticed that tank-size recommendations for the same species can vary wildly from one author, dealer,…
Odonus niger: A Toothy but (usually) Nonviolent Trigger
Say “triggerfish” to a group of experienced salties, and you’re apt to evoke bloodcurdling memories of once-kept triggers massacring fellow fish, shredding sessile invertebrates, mangling submerged equipment, toppling rockwork, or even biting the hand that feeds them. Let’s face it,…
Acclimating Saltwater Fish in 10 Easy Steps
Contrary to popular misconception, introducing a new fish to a saltwater aquarium is not a simple matter of floating the shipping bag in the tank for 15 or 20 minutes and then releasing the fish into its new home. Sure,…
The Anatomy of an Invasion: Lionfish
As iconic ornamental marine fish, Pterois spp. are coveted for their unique beauty which is bookended by elegant (but venomous), banner-like finnage. Native to the Indo-Pacific region, lionfish were reportedly discovered in South Florida as early as 1985 with sightings…
4 Reasons There’s No Better Eel Than the Snowflake Moray
That’s the point I tried to communicate to my wife, Melissa, when developing the livestock list for the 125-gallon FOWLR (fish-only-with-live-rock) tank that now resides in our living room. I really wanted to include a snowflake moray (Echidna nebulosa), a…