Having saltwater fish is a great experience. They are so beautiful to watch and enjoy with all their really wonderful colors. Saltwater aquarium’s can be set up with coral and bring a bit of the living ocean right into your life every day.

Here some things that are super important for us to think about when we are buying saltwater fish.

Time Commitment …
Will you have the time to take care of your new fish ? Some need a lot of attention, especially at the start.

Other Fish …
Will your new fish get along with the fish you have in your tank right now ? You can ask about this at the store where you are buying your new fish. Also look at the tank at the store and see what other kinds of fish are in it and how the one you want gets along with them.

Eyes …
Your new fish should have clear, bright eyes. Make sure their eyes don’t have any kind of gray, cloudy film or misty look to them or are sort of “sunken” in their eye sockets.

Fins …
The fins on your new fish should be clean and straight [no ragged edges].

Mouth …
Check to see if the new fish you’re looking to buy has any kind of scraps or injury to its mouth. The skin on their mouth should be firm. An injury around their mouth can cause them to not want to eat.

Scales …
The scales, or skin, of your new fish should be smooth and full colored. Their scales should lay flat on their body, not lifted up. They should not be missing any scales. Look for any blotchy or bad colored areas.

Tummy …
Their tummies should be round and sticking out just a little bit. This is a sign of a good eater ! And if they are eating really well then that means you’re getting a healthy new fish. A fish with a sunken in tummy is, sadly, not eating very well and likely headed for trouble.

Nutrition …
Find out from the store you are buying your new saltwater fish at what kinds of food they have been feeding them. Ask them to feed the fish in front of you so you can see how well they eat.

Swimming …
Watch to see how good a swimmer your new fish is ! They should be swimming around and checking out the stuff in the tank and the other fish. They shouldn’t be staying in the same spot for too long a time, or speeding around the tank at 60 mph. They should also react quickly to your movements outside the tank. Be careful about fish that barely move, just sit up against the glass or stay at the bottom of the aquarium [unless it’s a bottom dweller].