Once you’ve gone to the trouble and expense of setting up a marine aquarium, you’ll want to take care of your investment. You will need to maintain tank conditions that are ideal for your plant and animal life: water chemistry and temperature, filtration, appropriate light and water currents, and more. All of these factors can mean life or death for your living ecosystem. And of course, you’ll need to feed your fish. Saltwater fish are generally more expensive to purchase than freshwater fish, and some exotic species are particularly pricey, so simply replacing fish that die is not your best option. Be sure they get the nourishment they need.

Saltwater Fishing Lure Squid Daisy Chain, Teaser

12 Bids

US $11.50

17m

custom made 7' graphite fresh or saltwater spinning fishing rod 8-12lb. class

0 Bid

US $179.00

18m

Custom made 7' saltwater fishing rod conventional baitcast e-glass 15-25lb.

0 Bid

US $159.00

22m

Plastic or Resin Tropical or Saltwater Fish Figurine / Free Ship

0 Bid

US $4.95

26m

2pc Treble Fishing Steel Hooks for Sharp Saltwater Fish

0 Bid

US $6.76

26m

YEAH! 6000 L/H DUAL TWIN POWER HEAD PUMP SALTWATER FISH TANK

0 Bid

US $24.99

55m

GOOD FRESHWATER SALTWATER FISH TANK HANG ON FILTER 20 GALLON

1 Bid

US $23.90

1h 5m

GOOD 255 GPH FRESH SALT WATER FISH TANK AQUARIUM PUMP MARINE

0 Bid

US $26.99

1h 8m

YEAH! 320 GPH FRESH SALT WATER FISH TANK MARINE AQUARIUM PUMP

0 Bid

US $26.95

1h 13m

1	Powered by phpBay Pro

Different species of marine fish have different dietary requirements, so be sure to get complete feeding instructions from your dealer. And if you are mixing two or more fish species in the same tank, be sure to work out a feeding pattern, as these different fish may require different kinds of food, at different frequencies. Marine fish are often more aggressive than freshwater fish, and may steal each other’s food; you may need to feed your different fish at different ends of the tank, or follow other strategies to ensure that everyone gets fed.

In terms of diet, marine fish fall into one of three categories: herbivores, carnivores, and omnivores. The vast majority of saltwater fish fall into the latter category, and can consume both plants and meaty foods. This makes feeding not so difficult, and allows you to vary your fishes’ diet. You should always provide a “staple” diet, usually some kind purchased fish food that contains the proper balance of nutrients that your fish need. You can then supplement the staple diet with other foods or treats that provide additional nutrition as well as variety for your fish.

All marine fish require basic nutrients, just like humans; broadly, these nutrients are proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, trace elements, water, and oxygen.

Proteins are composed of amino acids, and out of the twenty-three-odd amino acids that have been identified, marine fish require ten of them. Carnivores, of course, get their proteins by eating other fish or invertebrates; carnivores can also be fed meaty food products. Other sources of protein, for herbivores and omnivores, include kelp, seaweed, and algae.

Carbohydrates are complex chemicals that can be broken down into simple sugars; they provide energy, and foods that are appropriate for fish contain the proper kinds of carbohydrates. Likewise, fish must obtain the fats they need from food they eat. Fish specifically require highly unsaturated fatty acids and omega-3 fats. Excessive carbohydrates and fats, or the wrong kinds of carbohydrates and fats, can make your fish obese and unhealthy -- just like humans!

Marine fish require certain essential vitamins to help them convert proteins, carbohydrates, and fats into energy-providing chemicals. Most prepared fish foods contain essential vitamins, but be sure to check the ingredients, and provide food supplements as necessary to ensure that all the essential vitamins are provided. Fish can only get vitamins through the food they eat. If you heat food before feeding it to your fish, or combine foods, the vitamins may be rendered useless.

Likewise, of the hundred-plus trace elements known to exist, marine fish require a diet of at least thirteen essential elements, all of which are contained in seawater. Marine fish ordinarily take in elements through their gills or skin, while some elements can be ingested with food. These elements act as catalysts for the chemical reactions that take place in a fish’s metabolism. You must ensure that your tank water contains these elements; test your water frequently and add supplemental additions of trace elements as necessary.

As for water and oxygen: maintain proper water chemistry, change your water regularly as recommended, make sure you use quality salt, and provide proper water circulation near the surface of your tank to ensure adequate gas exchange.

Most marine fish are nibblers: they eat small amounts, often. Feeding fish constantly throughout the day is impossible for most of us, but try to feed them at least three times daily. And you should not overfeed. Usually, if you’re feeding a school of a certain species of fish, they will all be frantic at the beginning of feeding. When you notice the most aggressive of the fish no longer showing the same amount of interest, slow down the amount of food you’re introducing to the tank. And when the least aggressive fish begin to show less interest, then stop feeding. As a general rule of thumb, you can feed an adult fish 5 percent of his body weight each day.

As for what to feed: be sure to discuss the specific needs of your fish with your dealer. In general, marine fish should be fed marine foods; they should not be fed land animals or land plants, and you should avoid feeding your fish foods that contain wheat or flour. Generic descriptions such as “fish meal” could mean almost anything; try to find out the specific contents. And feed your fish whole marine foods, meaning food that is derived from a whole animal, not just part of the animal. Whole foods include whole clams, krill, plankton, mysis shrimp (NOT brine shrimp), hermit crabs, raw anchovies, and marine feeder fish.

Next to live food, gelled frozen foods are the best form of packaging for your marine fish; the gel, which holds in the nutrients, is often made of kelp, itself a valuable food for fish. Frozen foods can also be good; freeze-dried foods often lose trace elements and other forms of nutrients in the process of freeze drying. Pellets have the advantage of encapsulating nutrients, but they often use wheat or gluten to bind the ingredients together; your fish can’t digest these land products, so they may pollute your tank. Also, if you feed your fish pellets, be sure to also feed them a protein supplement; protein in pellets is often derived from wheat, which won’t help your fish.

If you pay special care to your fishes’ diet, they will be healthy and give you years of pleasure.