Saltwater Species
Marine environments have many saltwater species and are often much more complex than common freshwater tropical fish communities. Freshwater set ups often include both fish and live plants as well as a number of ornaments and decorations where the fish can find places to hide and rest.Marine aquariums often include a much wider range of living organisms. While including fish and some various marine macro-algae instead of plants, they can provide a support for other types of organisms such as invertebrates, corals and living decorations such as live rock, where almost anything can appear once it has become accustomed to the environment.
It is well known that marine reefs often support a wide variety of saltwater species, both animals and plants, and even some organisms where the line between them seems to occasionally blur.
Unlike freshwater aquariums where the various living organisms like fish and plants seem to be distinct and independent from each other in their own habitat, marine reef aquaria are much more integrated in nature. The fish do move around and often use the entire volume of the aquarium capacity, but a strong and thriving support foundation is much more important; and often quite symbiotic.
In most cases, a foundation of living rock provides a variety of saltwater species and organisms that enter the tank along with the apparently bare rock. As it recovers from the rigors of selection and transport in the new aquarium, a lot of surprises can appear. In addition, the live rock provides the correct living conditions for many beneficial bacteria that are vital to the health of the entire system.
Corals and macro-algae require a number of nutrients and can manufacture quite diverse types of compounds, some of them can become a problem if allowed to concentrate. Excellent filtration is mandatory, quite often additional equipment such as a protein skimmer is required, these are not used in freshwater installations very often.
Without proper filtration, a marine aquarium can have serious problems maintaining healthy conditions for the assorted saltwater species.
Lighting also becomes paramount to the health of the reef, or even fish tank that supports the occasional coral or invertebrate. Unlike a freshwater community aquarium, where the lights are most often used to highlight the colors of the fish, and the plants often seem to survive on minimum light, saltwater aquariums require much more sophisticated lighting if corals and many other specimens are to remain vital over time.
A much larger part of the purchase investment in any saltwater set-up must be budgeted for the lights. Without proper lighting, the entire system will suffer.
Whether you are setting up a marine aquarium, or just want to add something new and unique, Centre D'animaux NATURE Pet stores offer a wide range of marine species.
We also have numerous marine display aquariums where it is possible to watch the way the various species interact and cohabit. Come in to one of our convenient locations in the greater Montreal area to see firsthand the selection we keep for your needs.
- Angel
- Blennie
- Butterfly
- Cardinal
- Clownfish
- Damsels
- Firefish
- Goby
- Grouper
- Lionfish
- Puffer
- SeaHorse
- Snapper
- Tang
- Trigger - Surgeonfish
- Wrasse
- Coral
- Invertebrates
- Live rock
