Q1) Is marine fishkeeping difficult?

A) There is no straight yes or no to this question but It need not be difficult if approached in the right way. As with other pet hobbies, a certain amount of preparation is required before investing in costly hardware and livestock. Read books on the subject. Go to your local library, surf the internet for information, ask friends who are already involved in the hobby. Decide if it is REALLY for you. Marine aquaria require regular maintenance which, if ignored, will make life for you and your pets very problematic. After all, you would not buy a dog with the intention of NEVER taking it for a walk! It is a daily activity that the majority of owners thoroughly enjoy. Marine fishkeeping is very much like that. There are regular tasks to be performed and if you are going to despise them, then there is no point in taking up the hobby. (Stamp collecting is much easier and does not involve the potential loss of valuable livestock!).

Although there are a number of skills involved, these are easily and quickly learnt by almost anyone who is enthusiastic enough. Never assume that you will be unable to cope because you are “not clever enough”. With a modicum of common sense, almost anyone can make a success of the hobby.

 

To the casual observer, gobies may not initially be an overly attractive prospect for the marine aquarium; but look a little closer. This extremely large family of fish (and there are well in excess of 1,500 species in both salt and freshwater environments) contains some of the most appealing and adaptable species available to the hobbyist.

Coral reefs have often been referred to as 'deserts of the sea' and paradoxical as this description may seem, it is perfectly accurate. For, although teeming with an abundance and great diversity of life, nutrients are in surprisingly short supply when compared to the seas in other areas of the world. The gin-clear waters bear testament to the fact that plankton and other food particles do not flood the reef in any massive quantity, yet still these are some of the richest and most densely occupied locations to be found on the planet. How?

The spawning of clownfish nearly always takes place in the late afternoon and is a delightful scene to observe. A common precursor to this and a good indication of imminent egg laying is the ritual cleaning of the chosen spawning site. Both male and female clean the site vigorously with their mouths until they are both satisfied that the surface will be suitable. Meanwhile, the egg laying tube, or ovipositor will have become clearly visible in the female, while the male's fertilisation tube may only just be obvious.