Marine Fish

[De-Niro]

Hello all, I have changed my fish tank from tropical to marine about a week ago now. I am obviously not looking to put fish in yet but have am looking for some advice on a good starter fish for when the tank is going properly.

Is there anywhere on the web that i can get a print off of a fish encyclopedia with good advices on their likes and compatability?

Any further tips anyone can give me would be most helpful.

Thanks in advance.

[heathfield]

Warm or cold?? You don't say.

There's heaps of advice and links if you look under marine aquarium ''starter fish'' on Google. Too much to list.

[hammerman]

Firstly...keep away from Damsels. They're classed as "starter fish" but will quickly become highly aggressive and attack any new fish.

Personally, i'd draw up a wish list....a list of fish you want to keep and then work out the order you're going to stock them in.

As i have no details of your tank....size, filteration, skimmer etc, it would be hard to chose for you. However, you really can't go wrong with a small pair of common (or percula) clownfish (nemos !!!). Once they've settled in, you could think about a goby or a royal gramma maybe. Then a small dwarf angelfish or maybe a small group of chromis to dart about in the water flow.
If the tank is big enough, a yellow tang or one of the bristletooth tangs would be nice as would a blenny or two.

And....have a look through http://www.aquarank.com .....choose a forum and ask lots of questions.

Good luck and keep asking

[De-Niro]

Sorry i did forget to mention that my tank is warm water and is a 200 litre.

Thanks for the advice, I will have a look

[hammerman]

In a 200 ltr tank, i'd go for the following....

2 common clownfish (orange white and black. 2" each max)
Midas Blenny (gold snake like fish...a real charachter. 3")
Royal gramma (half magenta, half yellow. 2"
3 small chromis (blue green. 2" each. dart around in current)
Emperor Cardinal (a pair if you can get them...black and silver....weird looking but beautiful fish 2" each)
Flame or Coral beauty dwarf angelfish (flame is brilliant orange/red with black markings, coral beauty is dark purple and orange/yellow...3")
Yellow tang (single colour...brilliant yellow. 3")

That will give you a good balance of shape, colour and interest and if you get a pair of emperor cardinals, they might breed as might the clownfish !!!

[De-Niro]

Thanks for your advice hammerman. I will have a look into that. I think the clownfish and yellow tang is a defo.