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Saltwater Aquarium Fish – Why I Will Never Keep Them

2016/5/3 17:12:51

You will never catch me keeping saltwater fish as pets. I have nothing against them; on the contrary they are incredibly beautiful creatures. When you learn about them you will see that their lives are so different to ours that it is like learning about another planet. Their mannerisms as well as their incredibly beauty have made them increasing popular with the aquarist.

Exhausting The World’s Oceans

Some of the latest scientific studies of the world’s oceans have shown that the depletion of fish is on the increase. That may seem impossible – the ocean running out of fish. Due to increased commercial fishing our fish stock is depleting and it is having grave effects on our oceans as it disrupts the natural order. In some of these cases the perpetrators have been pets for the fish trade.

Have you ever wondered where the fish from the pet shops originate from? In regards to freshwater fish they are generally a captive – bred stock which means that they have been raised and have lived in a man-made environment all their lives and have adapted to their situation. For example all types of aquarium gold fish.

In the case of saltwater fish this is not the case. They are caught as babies or as adults out at sea, put into containers and then are shipped around the world in an artificial environment. Their water cannot be maintained in the process long enough for them to survive so over 50% of saltwater fish that are caught will die before they reach the pet shop. This is even before they are purchased by people who may have a faint idea on how to maintain them.

The Cost Involved

Saltwater aquariums are a costly hobby, even though the technologies such as filtration and water circulation systems have increasingly improved over the last twelve years or so. One of the things that prevent me from purchasing these fish is the money. The cost of a clown fish in good health can set you back a couple of hundred dollars compared to the cost of a common goldfish which is about fifteen cents (US).

If you intend to go down this road remember that saltwater fish need a large investment of your time, money and energy. Do a lot of personal research in what is needed to take care of these beautiful creatures. Ensure that you have all the right food, water chemistry sets filters ad sump pumps, overflow boxes and water chillers to ensure that their environment is duplicated in your home.

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