New Encyclopedia of the Saltwater Aquarium

INTRODUCTION Interest in saltwater aquaria has grown greatly over recent years for a number of reasons. Firstly, there is the obvious fact that these fish are interesting to keep and, even if they are not especially colorful in all cases, they are frequently bizarre in appearance. There is also tremendous scope within the hobby. You may decide to opt for a species-only setup, perhaps containing just an individual fish, which you can tame to the extent that it will come to recognize you and take food from your fingers, or a group that will live together in harmony. Alternatively, you may prefer to build a mixed community aquarium, where a number of different species can be housed together. The other possibility is to keep not just fish but also a range of invertebrates in what is often described as a reef tank. This can be a microcosm of reef life and can have a similar structure, since the tank is decorated with natural rock. Although this type of aquarium places more demands on the fishkeeper, the end result can be very striking. Colorful crustaceans and fish create movement here in the company of live corals, sea anemones, starfish, and sponges, not overlooking other reef invertebrates such as clams. As nature programs on television have brought the beauty and fascination of the reef directly into people's homes, it is not very surprising that there has been a growth of interest in recreating this environment in miniature. It is perhaps also not entirely unexpected that some of the keenest saltwater aquarium enthusiasts are also enthusiastic divers who have experienced the world's reefs at first hand.Jennings, Greg is the author of 'New Encyclopedia of the Saltwater Aquarium ', published 2007 under ISBN 9781554071821 and ISBN 1554071828.