Things my local fish store told me...

anita

anita

Member
Ok, I'm very confused & frustrated because it turns out just about everything my local fish stores have told me today is false. The stores I went to today also said that my tank needs to be balanced, there needs to be fish that lay on the bottom most of the time, some in the middle & some at the top. Is this true? And how would I go about doing that? Anyways, now, I really don't have any idea how to go about starting a saltwater aquarium...well, I've atleast decided on a good size for my house, which is 50g. Another thing, I saw a dead fish at both stores & told them about it, neither store clerk removed them, both looked dead for awhile since only half the fish was left & others were picking it apart (that may be a sign of unattentive store clerks, right?) So, is it better to buy fish online or in stores? And, what kind of setup should I have? I found out today that starfish don't get along with rays, & rays don't do well in small tanks...& from I've read, you need to have all fish generally peaceful or generally aggressive....which is better? Also, I like starfish & it seems like the chocolate chip starfish is the easiest one. The stores also said it's good to have a part sand bed & part coral or live rocks, but after some reading today, I'm not so sure. So, any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks, Anita
 
dmitry

dmitry

Member
Let me suggest a great book for a beginner: Michael S. Paletta's "The New Marine Aquarium." He lays out everything you need to know to start in the hobby. There are many great photos, etc. He covers everything from live rock to aquascaping to skimmers to fish compatibility.
Stores can be a mixed blessing. Sometimes you get lucky and find clerks there who are really outstanding and don't steer you wrong. And often you find someone who really doesn't know much and is just trying to sell you stuff. Always ask for a second opinion, but don't get discouraged! When in doubt, ask someone else!
 
mr.p

mr.p

Member
I'm still new to this hobby and I know tomorrow more experienced people will help you but if it matters I doubt you need a fish for each level of the tank, i've never heard of that before. You do need rocks for certain fish to swim in and out of and hide in live rock being the best and what everyone does. It is important to have some bottom feeding fish or crabs or snails that help clean up your tank. Yup Rays need a big tank, I don't know a lot about starfish...it all depends on what your preference is about what kind of fish do you want, with your size tank i'd suggest a peacefull tank but that's my opinion. I don't know about to many aggressive fish that would fit in a 50 gallon but I could be wrong I know there are some but if you have fish hiding because one if aggressive they won't have a whole lot of places to hide because your tank isn't really big.
Good luck and do research it will pay off! i've learned a lot in my bried experience with this beautiful hobby. I know some people will come you more tomorrrow. (people are very helpful here.)
 
mr.p

mr.p

Member
Originally Posted by Dmitry
Let me suggest a great book for a beginner: Michael S. Paletta's "The New Marine Aquarium." He lays out everything you need to know to start in the hobby. There are many great photos, etc. He covers everything from live rock to aquascaping to skimmers to fish compatibility.
Stores can be a mixed blessing. Sometimes you get lucky and find clerks there who are really outstanding and don't steer you wrong. And often you find someone who really doesn't know much and is just trying to sell you stuff. Always ask for a second opinion, but don't get discouraged! When in doubt, ask someone else!


That does seem like a good book I was reading parts of it at my lfs and I'm thinking about buying it.
 
thegrog

thegrog

Active Member
Both of the forementioned books are excellent choices.
Kudos to you for learning what you can about this hobby before taking the plunge. There is a lot to learn, so read up and learn what you can before adding the first drop of water. You will save time, money and fishy lives by coming in with a good knowledge base.
 
jmick

jmick

Active Member
I agree with the above posters to get Fenner’s book (filled with great information, which will aid you tremendously). The key is to know what type of system you want before you begin. This will allow you to research the animals you intend to keep, which will allow you to set up your system to match their needs. IMO, saltwater tanks are rather easy to take care of once you have the information you need and the right equipment for you given set up. Granted, it can be rather expensive but what I did was start with a FO tank and over the years I upgraded my equipment and now have a Reef setup. Knowing I would eventually want a reef tank I selected fish that would be a good match.
LFS are hit and miss. I do have a few good ones in my area and the owners are very knowledgeable but I think their employees are lacking. Try to go in with a game plan and avoid impulse buys; what looks good at the store may reek havoc in your tank at home. It’s up to you whether or not you want to buy locally or online, I always like to see a specimen before I buy.
 
anita

anita

Member
Thanks for the advice on books, I ordered the Fenner book & pocket book to marine fish on Amazon today...I have to wait a week since we got standard shipping, lol! I've read it's probably better to have a fish only tank first, which is fine with me. Jenn said that cc stars are good for that. Could you have the rest be seahorses? That would be nice, they are peaceful too, right?
Anita
 
anita

anita

Member
See, the only reason I'm unsure of buying fish in the store, is because I don't know if I'm being given a good fish, based on everything these 2 stores have told me...oddly enough these 2 stores are the only pet stores within 40 mile radius that sell saltwater aquariums/fish. Even with tanks, One store offered the 40 g tank with pumps, stand, filter, & all equipment (minus setup) for $500, another store offered the 50 g with alol equipment (minus setup) for $800... is that a good deal? The next closest is in LA. See, I'd like to get my tank & have to worry about this problem in the month long cycling period...but it's probably better to have an idea of what I'm getting first.
Anita
 
jmick

jmick

Active Member
I think that for a beginner sea horses would be very challenging due to their specialized feeding…I would not attempt it until you have a mature tank and refugium.
I’m not sure what equipment they are offering in their packaged deal but I’d be willing to bet you could do better (most of the equipment I’ve seen in prepackaged deals is lower quality gear). I think you’d be better off buying a tank/hood seperatly (I’ve seen 50g tank/hood combo go for $80-$100 in my area). I built my stand, which is well built and sturdy for around $100. I would avoid a canister filter and instead invest in a good skimmer (Aqua-C goes for $200). I think a simple hang on the back filter running activated charcoal would be a good idea (those go for $30-$60). You will want a couple of good powerheads (I like Hagen) and two will run you upwards of $140. A good trusty heater will run you $40-$60. Sand and live rock can be pricy but you with rock you can always add more over time.
I hope this helps.
 
anita

anita

Member
Yes, Isaved all your equipment recommendations in Word, thanks. I'd really like to have a cc star(is that a good idea?), so live rock is probably not the best. Until my books come in, what are other fish that will get along?
Anita
 
jmick

jmick

Active Member
By cc star do you mean chocolate chip starfish? If so, it’s not an animal that I’d put in my tank because they are very opportunistic feeders (if you ever plan to have corals in your tank this animal will probably consume it).
Also, live rock is incredibly beneficial to your tank (not sure what you mean by live rock is probably not the best)? I think you need to do research to determine what type of tank you want and the types of fish you’d like. You don’t need to figure it all out in a day—it takes time so be patient.
 
anita

anita

Member
No, I meant live rock probably wouldn't work w/a chocolate chip starfish, since they eat it. I'd like a starfish, and chocolate chips seem nice. I don't know if I should get a live rock tank or fish only...is it just a matter of personal preferance? Or is one better suited for a first tank?
Anita
 
alextrif

alextrif

Member
Hey Anita:
I use to live in SoCal and I loved Orange Coast Tropical Fish in Buena Park. I've been away about 7 years so I don't know if they are still around. If they are, you should check them out. I think they are on Western Avenue - near Knotts.
 
dr. evil

dr. evil

Member
hey Anita chocolate chip starfish are not reefsafe at all like Jmick said they are opprotunistic eaters and they will eat your snails too i know i learned this the hard way with bad info from a fish store the guy flat out lied to me after i asked him is this starfish reefsafe he told me ohyeah its reefsafe that liar i ended up taking him back cuase my snails and even my crabs were gone glad i didnt have any corals or we might have had some issues at the fish store. like the others said read, read ,read and then read some more dont trust the fish store. anyway i think starfish are for intermediate to advanced hobbiest i could be wrong there is someone who knows all about starfish on these boards but i cant remember her name though maybe someone here knows hey guys whats her name i'll let you know if i think of it
 
J

jdragunas

Guest
Hey anita!

The whole layer thing with the fish in the middle, on the bottom and on the top is really for freshwater tanks, from what i've learned. You don't need anything like that for saltwater. CC stars don't eat the live rock, they'll knock it over, which could put your other fish at major risk for being smushed! The only nice thing about a CC star is the way they look...lol It's in everybody's best interest for you to get LR, as this is a form of filtration for your tank, and it also provides hiding spaces for your fish.
As for the buying fish in stores, you want to ask the attendant to feed the fish. If he does, and the fish eat, it's a very good sign. If the fish don't eat, that's a bad sign, and it's also a bad sign if he refuses to feed the fish (although some LFS's have very strict feeding times, and won't feed off-schedule).
Jenn
 
rberhow

rberhow

Active Member
I think you may be thinking of Ophiura. She is a mod and has wonderful insight when it comes to starfish among many other things. Anita, I must agree with everyone else, take your time, do your research, and try not to impulse buy. We have all done it and it has come to bite us all in the rear end at some point or another. I too, like you, wanted a cc star and my hubby wouldn't hear of it, didn't like them. Well, after getting home and researching, trying to convince him, I ended up convincing myself not to get one instead. Its really up to you and you need to do what you want since its your tank but the people here are so great at giving helpful advice, so don't hesitate to ask. We all make mistakes, seems like I've made enough to last me 2 lifetimes of fish care and we've only been doing this for 3 months. One thing I am positive of is that if you take your time, make well informed decisions, you will have less regrets in the future. Good luck and can't wait to hear what kind of tank you decide on. :happyfish
 
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