Feeding and Balance in a Saltwater Aquarium

In a decorative aquarium, you wouldn’t want the fish to breed and turn into breeding fish, right? Haha! If you do want to try it, please don’t attempt it in a coral tank. This is because breeding fish require you to feed them well, and overfeeding is strictly discouraged in a coral tank. A mature, biologically balanced decorative aquarium won’t leave fish hungry; algae growth and the reproduction of planktonic organisms provide food for the fish. A small amount of feeding once or twice a day is usually enough!

The food that corals require comes from planktonic nutrients in the water. Some organisms, like sea anemones, may eat larger fish meat chunks, but in general, you don’t need to intentionally feed the soft corals and other marine creatures in the tank. Trying to feed them might even deteriorate the water quality. I haven’t found any specific benefit from using coral and soft coral nutrient supplements in practice. I believe these supplements aim to replace the essential chemical elements depleted in the water. However, regular water changes every month should be enough to replenish these elements. Additionally, leftover food from feeding the fish will often end up as food for the corals. As for sea anemones, if you have them, you will likely have clownfish as well. Clownfish and sea anemones have a symbiotic relationship, where clownfish bring food to the anemones. You can also feed the sea anemone with frozen fish chunks once a week.

It’s important to note that feeding most marine creatures isn’t a big issue. However, some species may require special diets, such as live food or specific soft-bodied organisms. For these fish, I would suggest reconsidering keeping them. It’s not about how skilled you are in caring for them; it’s about acknowledging that some species, despite being charming, aren’t suited for a man-made environment. As evidence shows, these peculiar fish, whether in professional aquariums or stores, tend to result in losses.

Out of respect for wildlife and nature conservation, I encourage everyone to think twice: “Cherish life and take care of yourself.” Spending your hard-earned money on something that yields no results, while potentially harming other lives, is not something we should do.

TOP Daily Maintenance:

Every aquarium is made up of different factors, so maintenance points may vary. The following maintenance guidelines can serve as a reference for your daily care routine. Please treat each aquarium accordingly:

1. Don’t overfeed the fish.
2. Change 1/4 to 1/5 of the seawater every month.
3. Prepare a quarantine tank with the same water quality for new or sick fish.
4. Top up with freshwater (dechlorinated tap water) when seawater level drops due to evaporation.
5. Monitor changes in seawater specific gravity and temperature, and maintain constant temperature.
6. Test pH and KH values weekly, check if the filtration system is working properly, and clean the aquarium’s exterior to remove algae from the tank walls.

Maintaining a good aquarium environment requires consistency. The biggest challenge is having the perseverance to stick with it. You can’t treat today one way and tomorrow another. Just because you followed the routine this month doesn’t mean you should slack off next month. Even as a beginner, if you have successfully maintained your fish tank this far, you’re already somewhat of an expert! After more than half a year of practice, you’ll start to notice the phases when the aquarium is performing well, as well as the times when things don’t go as planned. Make sure to carefully assess what caused those issues and learn from them. Keep a regular, consistent maintenance schedule and take good care of the life in your aquarium!