There’s an oft-repeated adage in this hobby that you can take to the bank: “Only bad things happen quickly in marine aquariums” (or some variation upon that general theme). In other words, while problems in marine aquariums seem to crop…
Fish Disease Symptoms Aren’t Always What They Seem
Most marine aquarium hobbyists keep a close eye on their fish for certain tell-tale signs of ill health. And that’s a good thing, since quick intervention in the case of fish disease can often be the difference between life and…
10 Tips for Limiting Marine Livestock Losses
Distilled down to its essence, success in the marine aquarium hobby is about keeping fish and invertebrates alive and thriving. And while it may sometimes seem as though fate plays a major role in how animals fare under our care,…
Salty Q&A: Highly Rated LFS Falls Short
Caribbean Chris and I get lots of excellent, thought-provoking questions from Saltwater Smarts visitors that we believe might be of general interest to other salties out there. So we thought it would be worthwhile to begin posting some of them…
Why Isn’t Cryptocaryon irritants a Major Problem for Wild Marine Fish?
During yesterday’s Thanksgiving get-together, which my wife and I host for my side of the family every year, a teenaged nephew asked me about marine ich (Cryptocaryon irritans)—the one fish disease he’s heard something about from a friend who keeps…
Treating a Sick Marine Fish? First Do No Harm!
When a fish in our care gets sick, it’s a perfectly understandable impulse to want to throw every cure we can lay our hands on at the problem. But sometimes rushing ahead with a medication or other treatment can do…
Is It Okay to Quarantine Multiple Marine Fish at Once?
As regular Saltwater Smarts visitors are well aware, “Caribbean Chris” and I are strong proponents of quarantining all newly acquired fish for at least four weeks before introducing them to a display tank. But what about keeping two or more…
Brooklynellosis (Clownfish Disease): A Subtle, Fast-Moving Killer
As with many illnesses that affect people, fish diseases often manifest themselves in the earliest—and most treatable—stages through subtle, easily overlooked symptoms. Further clouding matters, many fish diseases have certain symptoms in common and are, therefore, easily confused with one…
Want Healthy, Spawning Fish? Feed Them Properly!
Feed your fish. They are hungry. That may sound obvious, but most fish in captivity are starving to death because we are so fixated on water parameters. It’s fine to worry about water parameters, but you still need to feed…
