Saltwater Aquarium

Gregory Skomal

Description

The authoritative information and advice you need, illustrated throughout with full-color photographs--now revised and redesigned to be even more reader-friendly!

A saltwater aquarium provides a soothing, ever-changing mini seascape of color and motion. But saltwater fish require a constant, controlled environment. How do you set up and maintain a tank and select the right fish from more than 12,000 varieties? How do you care for marine fish? This updated guide provides the facts and advice you need and includes:
* Info on choosing, equipping, and setting up your aquarium
* Pointers on choosing compatible fish for a community tank
* The scoop on the best (and worst) fish for beginners
* Guidance on maintaining your aquarium and keeping your fish healthy
Part I: All About Marine Aquariums.

Chapter 1: Marine Fish Basics.

Aquarium Fish.

Saltwater vs. Freshwater Fishes.

Fish Anatomy.

Senses.

Chapter 2: The Saltwater Aquarium.

Meeting the Needs of Your Fish.

The Tank.

The Aquarium Stand.

The Tank Hood.

The Water.

The Nitrogen Cycle.

Types of Filters.

Aeration.

The Heater.

Lighting.

Inside the Tank.

More Accessories.

Chapter 3: Setting Up Your Aquarium.

Aquarium Maturation.

Bringing Your Fish Home.

Part II: Choosing Your Fish.

Chapter 4: The Community Tank.

A Fish Community.

Picking Out Healthy Fish.

Plan Ahead.

Poor Choices for Beginners.

Reef Tanks.

Chapter 5: The Best (and Worst) Fish for Beginners.

Angelfish.

Blennies.

Butterflyfish.

Cardinalfish.

Clownfish and Damselfish.

Dottybacks.

Gobies.

Puffers.

Rabbitfish.

Surgeonfish and Tangs.

Sweetlips.

Triggerfish.

Wrasses.

Families to Avoid.

Part III: Caring for Your Fish.

Chapter 6: Feeding Your Fish.

Dietary Needs of Fish.

How to Feed Your Fish.

Chapter 7: Maintaining Your Aquarium.

Vacuum.

Check the Filter.

Algae.

Test the Water.

Partial Water Changes.

Maintenance Checklist.

Replace the Gravel.

Chapter 8: Tropical Marine Fish Diseases.

Commercial Remedies.

Treatment Methods.

Common Treatments.

Common Aquarium Diseases.

Appendix: Learning More About Your Saltwater Aquarium.

Clubs.

Books.

Magazines.

Internet.

Index.

Sujets

• Aquariums
• Pets
• Fish
• Marine aquarium

Informations

• Publié par: Turner Publishing Company
• Date de parution: 20 novembre 2006
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9780470055847
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 6 Mo

Extrait

This book is printed on acid-free paper.
Copyright © 2006 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey. All rights reserved.
Photos copyright © Aaron Norman.
Howell Book House
Published by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available from the publisher upon request.
ISBN-13: 978-0-470-03795-9
ISBN-10: 0-470-03795-4
Printed in the United States of America
10       9       8       7       6       5       4       3       2       1
2nd Edition
Book design by Melissa Auciello-Brogan
Cover design by Michael J. Freeland
Book production by Wiley Publishing, Inc. Composition Services
About the Author
Gregory Skomal is an accomplished marine biologist, underwater explorer, photographer, aquarist, and author. He has been a fisheries biologist with the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries since 1987 and currently heads up the Massachusetts Shark Research Program. He has written numerous scientific research papers and has appeared in a number of film and television shark documentaries, including programs for National Geographic, Discovery Channel, and ESPN.
Although his research passion for the last twenty years has been sharks, he is also an avid aquarist and has written eight books on aquarium keeping. His home and laboratory are on the island of Martha’s Vineyard off the coast of Massachusetts.
About Howell Book House
Since 1961, Howell Book House has been America’s premier publisher of pet books. We’re dedicated to companion animals and the people who love them, and our books reflect that commitment. Our stable of authors—training experts, veterinarians, breeders, and other authorities—is second to none. And we’ve won more Maxwell Awards from the Dog Writers Association of America than any other publisher.
As we head toward the half-century mark, we’re more committed than ever to providing new and innovative books, along with the classics our readers have grown to love. This year, we’re launching several exciting new initiatives, including redesigning the Howell Book House logo and revamping our biggest pet series, Your Happy Healthy Pet TM , with bold new covers and updated content. From bringing home a new puppy to competing in advanced equestrian events, Howell has the titles that keep animal lovers coming back again and again.
Contents
Part I: All About Marine Aquariums
Chapter 1: Marine Fish Basics
Aquarium Fish
Saltwater vs. Freshwater Fishes
Fish Anatomy
Senses
Chapter 2: The Saltwater Aquarium
Meeting the Needs of Your Fish
The Tank
The Aquarium Stand
The Tank Hood
The Water
The Nitrogen Cycle
Types of Filters
Aeration
The Heater
Lighting
Inside the Tank
More Accessories
Chapter 3: Setting Up Your Aquarium
Aquarium Maturation
Bringing Your Fish Home
Part II: Choosing Your Fish
Chapter 4: The Community Tank
A Fish Community
Picking Out Healthy Fish
Plan Ahead
Poor Choices for Beginners
Reef Tanks
Chapter 5: The Best (and Worst) Fish for Beginners
Angelfish
Blennies
Butterflyfish
Cardinalfish
Clownfish and Damselfish
Dottybacks
Gobies
Puffers
Rabbitfish
Surgeonfish and Tangs
Sweetlips
Triggerfish
Wrasses
Families to Avoid
Part III: Caring for Your Fish
Chapter 6: Feeding Your Fish
Dietary Needs of Fish
How to Feed Your Fish
Chapter 7: Maintaining Your Aquarium
Vacuum
Check the Filter
Algae
Test the Water
Partial Water Changes
Maintenance Checklist
Replace the Gravel
Chapter 8: Tropical Marine Fish Diseases
Commercial Remedies
Treatment Methods
Common Treatments
Common Aquarium Diseases
Appendix: Learning More About Your Saltwater Aquarium
Clubs
Books
Magazines
Internet
Index

The Saltwater Fish
Chapter 1

Marine Fish Basics
I f you are interested in keeping a saltwater aquarium, this is the book for you. Perhaps you’ve had a freshwater tank and would like to graduate to the more complex marine environment. Perhaps, like me, you are a fish enthusiast. The world of fish is both fascinating and complex. This book will help you to understand that world and will teach you what you need to know to set up and maintain a successful saltwater aquarium. To do that, you’ll need a general knowledge of fish, their anatomy and biology. You’ll also need a thorough understanding of their proper care and husbandry.
First, we will take a look at fish anatomy and what makes these animals so unique. There are no fewer than 12,000 kinds of saltwater fishes, so it is difficult to describe the “typical” fish. For the most part, however, all fish have some common attributes.
Then we’ll examine the aquarium and the importance of meeting the biological needs of fish. As we do, I’ll describe the critical differences between freshwater and saltwater aquariums. We’ll walk through the basics of aquarium setup and proper maintenance. We’ll cover proper nutrition and feeding, fish health and disease, and I’ll tell you about some advanced marine aquarium techniques.
The only topic we will not discuss is saltwater fish breeding; so few have been successfully spawned in captivity that this is clearly an endeavor best left to the experts.
Aquarium Fish
The group of aquatic animals we call fish has evolved for more than 400 million years to be the most numerous and diverse of the major vertebrate groups (animals with backbones). Fish live in all the waters of the world, adapting with an incredible variety of forms, lifestyles, and behaviors. From the seasonal freshwater stream, desert spring, and salty bay to the coral reef, open ocean, and deep abyss, fish have found suitable niches. There are well over 20,000 species of fishes that currently inhabit Earth, and many more are being discovered every year.
Salt water covers more than 70 percent of Earth’s surface and freshwater only 1 percent, so you would expect that there would be many more marine (saltwater) species than freshwater species of fish. Surprisingly, only 58 percent of the world’s fish species live exclusively in salt water. Of these, only about 13 percent are generally found in the open ocean. By far, the majority of marine species live in the narrow band of water less than 500 feet deep along the coastlines of land masses.
As you move into the warm waters of the tropics, fish species diversify and the number of species dramatically increases. Fishes that inhabit the warm waters of the coral reef are usually the most sought after for aquariums because of their incredible beauty. This book will address the characteristics, requirements, and husbandry of these creatures.
Saltwater vs. Freshwater Fishes
The fundamental differences between freshwater and saltwater fish are directly linked to the two environmental extremes in which they live. In general, freshwater fishes are hardier than their marine counterparts, having evolved to withstand the rapid and dramatic changes in water conditions that occur inland. Most marine species have adapted to more or less constant environmental conditions; they have not evolved the adaptive mechanisms to deal with sudden environmental changes, such as those that may occur in the home aquarium. This, of course, makes saltwater fishes more difficult to keep in captivity.
Obviously