Selecting live rock, fish, and invertebrates for a new reef aquarium ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Invertebrates: There are an increadably large number of marine invertebrates. Selecting which ones to introduce to your reef tank generally is subject to availability, compadability, and personal preference. While it would be hard for me to come up with a list of invertebrates that would suit everyone, I will offer the following list of hardy corals for those beginning a new reef aquarium. Corals generally can be categorized into two areas, soft and hard: Soft Corals: •gorgonians •leather corals •mushroom anemones •star polyps •Xenia waving hand corals •zoanthids Hard Corals: •bubble corals •elegance corals •hammer coral •octobubble coral •open brain coral •plate coral Fish for reef aquariums: The introduction of fish into a reef aquarium setup is truely a matter of personal preference. Personally I believe that a reef tank is never complete without some number of fish. Below is a list of some of the more common fish found in reef aquariums. Check the FINS fish directory to get pictures of these species. These are by no means the only species which are compatable with reef aquariums: •clownfish •blennies •dwarf basslets •firefish •gobies •grouper •hawkfish •jawfish •mandarin fish •pygmy angels •royal grammas •tangs •trigger fish Live Rock: Live rock can be purchased from many sources. The main differences amoung live rocks is their origin. Live rock varies from around $3/lb. to over $10/lb.. This variation is due mainly to the differences in origin of the rock. For live rock that is to be used in a new reef aquarium, buy mainly the moderately priced stuff to use for the main reef structure. Since this rock must be cleaned before introduction into a new aquarium, there is no need to spend a lot of money on it. The place to spend money is on the seed rocks that you will use to promote growth on the reef structure. ------------------------------------------------------------------------