are freshwater-tropical-fish anymore work than salt-water-tropical-fish?

Question

please dont give me "well if your a begginer stuff"

thanks

Answer 1

Freshwater are a lot simpler and cheaper. For a nice tropical set-up, you can get a starter kit from Petsmart or Walmart which will include a heater and filter. Research what fish you want before you buy a tank so you know what size to get (30 gallons is a good size if this is your first tank, many fish species can be comfortable in a 30). Learn about cycling and how to do a fishless cycle to cut down on fish death.

Answer 2

I have kept both for the past eight years and I think they're about the same once you get past the initial set-up. I still put the same amount of cleaning, water testing, etc. in freshwater that I put into saltwater for the same-sized tank.

This really all depends on your choice of fish - there are easy and hard to care for species in both. There are fewer diseases in salt. The fish are more colorful in salt, but also more expensive. There is more of a choice as far as saltwater invertebrates. Salt has a lower stocking rate than freshwater, so you don't get as many per tank. Saltwater fish tend to be more territorial (cichlid-like personalities), but there are some peaceful ones, too, that can be kept in schools.

The only real differences I see between the two is 1) having to make up the saltwater for water changes and 2) saltwater is less forgiving if you don't get something done when it should be.

Here's a good resource for both kinds of fish with some care info. Maybe this will help you out:

http://www.fishlore.com/ (fish profiles along right, freshwater at top, saltwater at bottom of page)

Answer 3

Tropical fish have elevated temps, I'm not sure what choices you have in tropical. Saltwater is quite different. If you want to go that route you will need a list of things that I will not go into at this time. But saltwater has salinity, a high ph, carbonate hardness, and it's parameters have to be perfect, such as ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates, not to mention your magnesium and calcium levels. I know I have three tanks. They are also much harder to keep. But the fish you could keep as far as salt in a 12 gallon are damsels, or a clown and a starfish combo. Both are hardy if you start with the clarkii and the serpent star. Are you just starting out, if so I would go with a betta for your 12 gallon, it is the perfect size. And they are hardy and easy to keep. Good luck!

Answer 4

A freshwater tank with tropicals is much easier to handle than a salt water tank for a myriad of reasons, not the least of which is cost!
I have had both, and salt water tanks require constant monitoring, dealing with algae blooms, etc...in my opinion, a freshwater tank is just easier to keep stable on the whole.

Answer 5

I think it's the other way around. Salt water being a little more involved than fresh water, keeping salt levels up,PH levels..etc.
But in the long run salt water is very rewarding once you've established your tank. Not to get into the beginner stuff, but you should be prepared for the cost!

Answer 6

People think they don't have to clean their salt water tanks, and this is somewhat true due to the fact that they run protein skimmers and usually have a lot of live biological filtration media in the tank like live rock, and filter feeder animals like anemones, as well as a good clean up crew of animals like snails, worms, crabs, etc. So most of the food gets eaten, unlike in a freshwater setup where most folks over-stock their tank with a heavy load of fish and then proceed to fatten them up by overfeeding. Uneaten fish food leads to waste build up and then you have disastrous conditions. You can put plenty of similar clean up animals like snails and crabs in a fresh-water set up too, but instead of an expensive protein skimmer, you must change about a fourth to one half of the water every two weeks or even once a week if you have a high fish load. I change the water in my tanks several times a week, and the fish thrive.

Salt water seems easier, but you must start with water that has been through reverse-osmosis and add your salt mix to bring it up to the proper amount of salinity and trace minerals for the sea-life to live a happy life... Since this is a pain in the butt for a lot of people as well as expensive, they just run a protein skimmer to help remove excess waste from their water column, so they don't have to do as many water changes.

Answer 7

In my opinion, salt water are Easier in the long run to care for. As long as you check your water. Fresh water fish tend to have a LOT more waste than salt water. In salt water it pretty much takes care of itself , with the right parmaters of course. Fresh water, I see here on Yahoo more problems than salt water. Cleaning, Cleaning, Cleaning, nitrates algae etc. I have none of these problems with my salt tanks. I have both. 9 fresh 6 salt. I'll take the salt over the fresh. You also have a wider variety of specimines to choose from to keep as well. Still it boils down to what do you like and what are you willing to take care of.

Answer 8

i have a 55 gallon tank with all tropical fresh water fish and its just like a normal fresh tank. i have almost 40 fish so the only unusual thing is i must feed them alot. other than that the ph and all other things stay stable. my saltwater fiddler crab tank is more difficult in my opinion.

Answer 9

Saltwater fish are a little more work because on top of ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, you also have to carefully monitor and maintain salinity.

Answer 10

In my opinion I think they're both the same work, I think that if you are willing to care for them, ''You can do it''.