So, you have decided to take the leap, and are ready to begin your very first marine -- or saltwater -- aquarium. One of the very first questions that you will want to ask yourself is what kind of fish to start out with; after all, not all fish are nitrite tolerant during the beginning stages of aging a saltwater aquarium.
One common suggestion is to use Clownfish -- also known as Anemonefish -- because they tend to be very hardy fish. This is indeed true, and they are probably just as hardy as their cousins, the Damselfish. Both of these fish belong to the large family of fish known as Pomacentridae.
While you could easily use Clownfish as the starter fish for your aquarium while the nitrification process is getting under way, I am hesitant to recommend them for one reason; and that is because in the wild, they live in a symbiotic relationship with sea anemones, and they would not be very happy without the comfort and protection of a nearby anemone. In fact, they probably would not sport their best colors without their anemone hosts either.
Having said that, I would recommend some Damselfish instead, and there are many to choose from. Damselfish are very nitrite tolerant, so if you put three to six in a five foot saltwater aquarium to get things going, they will fare quite well. This is because your fish density will be low.
One Damselfish in particular which you should consider is the very common Humbug Damsel. Its scientific name is Dascyllus Aruanas. They are also known as Three-Striped Damsel, Humbug Dascyllus and White-Tailed Damselfish. They are black and white and remind me a lot of orca whales. Here where I live, Humbug Damsels are literally everywhere. They are like freshwater guppies or goldfish due to their plenteousness.
Below is a picture of a Humbug Damsel:
As I said, Damselfish are very hardy, but they are also extremely pugnacious and territorial. What this means, is that if you use Damselfish -- or even Clownfish for that matter -- as your starter fish, they will claim your entire tank as their territory, and they will probably remain at the top of the pecking order, regardless of whatever other fish you may eventually add to your saltwater tank. You may end up with fish that are either hiding all the time, not getting enough food to eat, and being challenged or physically attacked all the time. In fact, in my years of keeping saltwater fish, I have had both Clownfish and Damselfish attack my hand as I clean a tank. They can't really hurt you, but I do find it a bit funny that they attack the hand that feeds them.
My point is, if you choose to go with Damselfish -- as I think you should -- this means that if you decide to introduce other fish to the aquarium later, you must make certain that the new fish are equally aggressive, and can hold their own. For example, triggerfish would be an excellent choice, because they are just as nasty and pugnacious as Damselfish. Picasso Triggerfish abound here just as much as Damselfish, and they will sometimes attack swimmers' feet and legs if one gets too close to one of their burrows.
Whatever you do, in your enthusiasm, do not overstock your saltwater tank, or you will just be asking for problems. Give nature time to work. As I said, three to six good-sized Humbug Damsels will be perfect for a four foot tank, and they will age your tank in a matter of about four to eight weeks.
Happy Saltwater Fish-keeping,
TheFishGuy
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