name me some artic salt water fish...(that don't need a heater)?

Answer 1

If you can't afford a heater for your tank, how can you afford the other things like the lighting (can be very expensive), power heads, and protein skimmers, not to mention all of the chemicals/salts needed to create a marine environment (the fish are also very expensive).

If you want some freshwater fish that don't need a heater you could do goldfish (make sure you have at least 20 gallons), white cloud mountain minnows, or paradise fish.

Answer 2

You won't find any salt water fish that don't require a heater sold in aquarium stores. It would be much better for you if you invest the $30 or $40 for a good quality heater if you want to try your hand at salt water fishkeeping.

If this is your first fishtank, I wouldn't recommend salt water in any case. The fish/coral/etc can be very sensitive to water conditions/temperature, and are not for beginners.

Answer 3

99% of salt water fish you find at your typical pet store are tropical fish. This means that they typically need warm water, and yes, a heater.

If you don't already have a salt tank established,Your best bet at a coldwater fish is your typical goldfish. They thrive in fresh (not salty) water that is about 60-65 degrees.

Your basic heaters aren't horridly expensive.. I would say anywhere from $20-$40.

Answer 4

Unless you are an expert at salt water this may be tricky

Corking Wrasse is one of the better fish however they grow fast.

There are also a few fish that you should avoid because they have a very potent sting - the Lesser Weaver fish is one example. If you get stung by one of these it will really hurt for 48 hrs. and you will need medical attention, so make sure you know what you are doing in advance.
Good cold water fish
Shanny, Lipophrys pholis. This is a very common little fish, found in and around rocks and never in the open or over sand. It is a member of the blenny family. It eats almost any meaty food and is particularly fond of shellfish and small shrimps.
They grow to about 7" and can spend quite a time out of water without harm, in fact they sometimes do this voluntarily and bask on a rock above the water surface. I have also found them living in small damp crevices at low tide but well above the water line. They should be provided with a cave (for each specimen) a large shell is ideal for this. And they should be kept in a group. A word of warning: although they are quite small they do possess strong jaws and sharp teeth, and will not hesitate to use them. They are easily capable of drawing blood with their bite too (personal experience).

Rockling, Ciliata mustela. Grows up to 8". I recommend that you do not try to keep this fish. I have caught two specimens (they look like eels with large whiskers) and each time the fish died within 24hrs., even though every care was taken and the tanks were fully mature and with a stock of healthy fish already present. No noticeable bullying occurred and the water parameters were all acceptable.

Fifteen Spined Stickleback, Spinachia spinachia. Grows up to 6". they will only accept live food and require feeding several time per day. They will eat daphnia, tubifex, etc., so it is still easily possible to keep them. It should also be kept in a species tank because it is a fin nipper. This is one of the few species that if you can manage to feed and keep healthy it is very likely to spawn in captivity.

Bull Rout, Myoxocephalus scorpius. Grows to 12". This is another one to treat with caution. The books say, although not unanimously, that this fish is not poisonous. But if you get stung with one of the spines the wound will be very painful and it will swell. I would not risk touching one myself because they look like they are dangerous. They do make great subjects for the aquarium though. At first they tend only to accept live food, but with patience they will learn to take dead food so long has it moves, i.e. falling through the water. It eats small fish, so only keep it with larger fish. They are found in seaweed at the edge of rockpools.

Rock Goby, Gobius paganellus. Found in S.W. England. Grows up to 4.5". This is a very dark, almost black fish. After a while would eat flake food. A little bit secretive but easy to keep. There is a light orange tip to the first dorsal fin of the males. It is pale yellow in the females. You will have noticed that I said the first dorsal fin. Gobies have two dorsals one behind the other, and blennies have one long dorsal - that is how the two can be told apart at a glance.

Care
To keep the fish you should set up a tank in the same way you would for any marine fish, with the obvious exception of a heater. The starter units for the fluorescent lighting should be kept away from the tank too, because these are coldwater fish and will suffer at high temperatures. Although having said that, they are more tolerant of small changes in conditions than are most marine fish. They have to be, because when in a rockpool a sudden heavy shower can reduce the salinity of the rockpool water, and temperature can also quickly drop if they are in full sun in summer one minute, and dark shade and raining the next.

Ammonia - 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - < 10 pH - 8.2 to 8.4
SG - 1.021 to 1.025
Temp < 65F
Stocking level - 1 inch of fish to 4 gal.
Water changes - 25% every two weeks

Stocking Level
I suggest a really low stocking level due to the water being cold. The normal biological breakdown of waste takes much longer at lower temps, so the tank should be very well maintained and the use of a skimmer is very highly recommended.

Feeding
Almost without exception these fish require a diet high in protein. They will do well on a diet of proprietary frozen food intended for their tropical counterparts.
Mysis shrimp, lance-fish, krill, chopped mussel, red plankton. In some cases marine flake.