Sea Water is the most important factor, when considering to maintain a marine aquarium. The proper maintenance is essential to the health of the fish who will dwell there. To collect fresh sea water from miles out to sea is the perfect choice for the water to fill the aquarium. However, not all aquarist live by the coast or have access to collect seawater, but the ones who are must filter the water before filling the tank.

Folks still interested in creating marine aquariums, may rely on the artificial salt water. It is purchased in salts , packaged and compounded, which needs fresh water for usage. Dissolve the salt in the water and let it dissolve for a couple of days. After it is dissolved, filter the water before in troducing the water inside the aquarium.

SALINITY CONTROL:

Fish that dwell in marine aquariums are sensitive to the level of salinity in the water. Through evaporation most of the water is lost. The water evaporated is pure, meaning that the minerals dissolved with the water in the aquarium are left behind as a residue, therefore increasing their level over the amount of water. In order to replace the water lost, it must be replaced with distilled water or tap water that has aged for about a week.

pH VALUE:

The pH scale ranks from 0 to 14 levels of acidity, 0 being the highest level of acidity and 14 the base. Therefore making 7 neutral. The pH value for sea-water is 8.4, but for marine aquariums should be between 8 to 8.3 To measure the pH value of the aquarium a pH meter could be used, but it may not be available at the aquarium store therefore, using color dyes and chemicals would be an alternate in testing the pH value.

Aquarium Diseases

An unbalanced diet initiates diseases in the fish. The liver, the body's distoxification organ may be infected and malfunctioning therefore, not getting rid of toxics. The fish is caused to lose weight or gain fat. This means that a fat fish may be dying of malnutritrition. The fish's eating habits should be observed to see if it eats. If they appear to be normal, then an intestinal blockage is causing the fish's excessive weight. An effective treatment would be, to place a small drop of mineral or vegetable oil with a dropper into the mouth.

COTTON MOUTH DISEASE:

Symptoms: Appears as a tuft of cotton or white discoloration on the mouth. Sometimes seen with white patches on other parts of the body.

Treatment: Furan-2 or T.C. capsules or E.M. tablets or triple sulfa.

BACTERIAL HEMMORRHAGIC SEPTICEMIA:

Symptoms: Blood streaks without sign of skin damage. Seen in goldfish as blood streaks in the fins.

Treatment: Furan-2 or T.C. capsules or E.M. tablets or Nala-Gram

ICHTHYOPHTHIRIUS("ICH"):

Symptoms: A few or many raised white spots, the size of grains of salt. Fish may scratch against gravel or stationary objects.

Treatment: Super Ick Cure, or Liquid Super Ick Cure

GILL DISEASES:

Symptoms:Bacterial-Fish remain near the surface. Labored breathing. Shimmy. Gills are opened wide, and gill membranes appear very red. Parasitic-In addition to the above symptoms, small white gill worms can be seen.

Treatment: Bacterial-Nala-Gram or E.M. tablets or Furan-2. Parasitic-General Cure.

FURUNCULOSIS:

Symptoms: Open red sores, (ulsers), which sometimes appears as small raised lumps.

Treatment: Furan-2 orT.C. capsules or E.M. tablets or triple sulfa.

POISON:

Fish die poisoned usually from the water in the tank. Frequent poison elements are chlorine and chloramine. Buildup of digestive wastes poison the water of the tank.In order to prevent, this a portion of the water must be changed frequently once or twice a month. Wastes that are released from the fish's gills and anus can cause to slow their growth. Plenty of space in the tank and frequent maintenance of the water avoids possible poisoning in the tank.

BACTERIA:

Bacteria can live in the fish tank without any visible signs shown on the body of the fish. Identifying bacteria can be difficult because different symptoms from the same type of bacteria can be shown on different fish.

Clown Triggerfish

Buying Fish:

Obtain your fish at a reliable shop. Remember to ask the dealer about proper procedures being used at the shop. Check that all the fish at the shop look healthy; unhealthy fish are slow in reacting to a tap on the glass of the tank. Some of the marine fish are transported from other parts of the world and brought to the shop. On the arrival, the fish should have their water changed, and be adapted to the local water temperature. Check that this procedure is followed by the owner's of the shop. Also, ask if the fish have been in quarantine and have had time to develop diseases.

Once you have purchased the fish, the dealer will give you the fish in a plastic bag with water and some thermal insulation. When you arrive home with your new fish, follow these procedures:

• Float the unopened bag of fish in the aquarium for twenty minutes to let the fish adjust to the temperature of the aquarium.
• Open the bag and pour some aquarium water into the bag.
• Wait five minutes and pour more aquarium water into the bag.
• Wait a final five minutes and then carefully release the fish into the aquarium. This gives new fish to adapt themselves to the environment before being released into the aquarium.