A salt water fishaquarium may be harder to set up than a fresh water tank, but there are many benefits to housing salt water fish. Not only is it more rewarding to rise to the challenge of a more difficult tank, but many people also believe salt water fish species are the most beautiful and exotic. There are many differences between salt water and fresh water tanks, and there are different challenges that face aquarium owners with either of these varieties. On of the most basic differences between a salt water aquarium and a fresh water tank is the salt.
Salt water fish simply have a lower salinity than the water itself, so the fish lose water to their environemtn and have to keep drinking more to keep hydrated. This is the biggest difference between fresh water and salt water fish species, since fresh water fishes have more salt in their bodies than in the water of their natural habitat. The most important part of setting up and keeping a salt water aquarium is maintaining the specific gravity of the water. The level of salt in the water will specifically affect the ability of the salt water fish to survive.
The specific gravity that salt water fish species are comfortable in must be maintained at all times, so some people even hire fish tank professionals to maintain their aquariums. Other differences between the two types of fish are the types of foods that they eat. This will vary from species to species, but in general the salt water variety will be more particular about what they will and won't eat. Setting up and maintaining a salt water tank is more complex than a fresh water tank, because there is more responsibility on the part of the owner to ensure that the water quality is correct. The benefits of keeping a salt water aquarium, however, are the beauty and mysteriousness that they exude.
