When deciding if you should have a saltwater or freshwater fish tank there are many things to consider. First you should know what you are wanting from your fish tank and how much time and money you are willing to invest. Choosing a saltwater or freshwater fish may depend on your preference or it may depend on how much time and money you are willing to spend on your tank. This will be your first decision and the most important.
First, you need to think about the environment you are trying to create. Freshwater fish come from lakes or rivers while saltwater fish comes from the ocean. It is harder to recreate the ocean than it is to recreate a river. Since rivers and lakes are smaller the temperature fluctuates while in the ocean it stays constant. This is much harder to mantain in a tank than in the ocean. Going along with this you will need a bigger tank in order to keep saltwater fish.
Next, their are many more breeds to choose from in freshwater fish. Their are only twenty saltwater breeds versus thousands of freshwater breeds. Although the saltwater is rare there are many freshwater that are rare as well.
Also, expense plays a big role in saltwater or freshwater fish. Saltwater fish not only cost more to purchase but are also more expensive to keep up. You will need the salt, a great filter, bigger tanks and special lighting.
Last, everyone wants a healthy fish. One of the easiest ways for fish to get sick is before they are even purchased. When choosing saltwater or freshwater remember that freshwater come from a tank or a river while saltwater come from the wild. It is much harder for the saltwater to survive that it is for the tank raised fish that is used to these conditions. Also, these fish need time to adjust before you purchase them. Make sure that the fish you choose has been in the store for at least two weeks. This gives this time to settle down and any sickness will show.
Although there are many things that make it seem there is no reason to get a saltwater fish. They tend to be harder to raise and more expensive to keep up but they also have their perks. Once you decide what it's going to be all your planning can begin. So whats it going to be, saltwater or freshwater?
