So, I was surfing the ‘Net earlier and I found a great website. At Best Fish.com you can see exactly how a certain species of fish will fare in an aquarium setting. Each species of fish is listed along with a key stating what kind of reliability the fish has earned. Because I think that this key is extremely useful and universal, I’ve decided to write a blog post about said list and what exactly it means.
A fish labeled as peaceful is said to get along well with other fish. If at all possible you are going to want to choose fish for your aquarium that get along and won’t irritate or attack other species. A spirited species is more of a risk. While these species may not openly attack other species, they may cause irritation or stress to smaller species, which isn’t healthy. A mildly aggressive fish shouldn’t be placed in a tank with smaller species or fish that are timid. There is a risk that these fish will do harm to the previously mentioned species. A fish labeled as aggressive should only be kept with larger fish who will stay active and away from the particular species. A territorialfish usually isn’t well placed in a tank environment because they like to chase others of the same species, or species look alikes away from what they see as their area of the tank. This could lead to fighting, stress, and ultimately illness. A pugnacious fish isn’t suitable in a salt water aquarium. Fish in this category don’t get along with other species and would most definitely cause harm to vulnerable tank mates. Vulnerablefish are another type of fish that is hard to house because if you even have mildly aggressive fish, these little guys will be targeted as they are both timid and usually small in size.
When it comes to the health of your fish species, there are generally four categories in which a species can be placed. Hardy fish tend to do well in a tank environment and don’t usually become ill with hard to treat diseases. Moderately hardy fish operate in much the same way, but aren’t necessarily as strong as a hardy fish. Sensitive fish are often drastically affected by any change in water quality and may become infected by many different diseases. Some fish are classified as “subject to ich.” This means that the species is prone to become terrorized by this particular parasite and must be medically treated.
I hope this was helpful to everyone, because I found it quite interesting. Now I know exactly what each classification means and can feel confident when buying new fish for my salt water aquarium. Do you agree? Was this helpful? Well, let me know by posting a comment.