Freshwater vs Saltwater fish, which one do you like better?

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
Deadeye said:
Welcome to the forum!

I personally think that saltwater is generally more graceful and beautiful. Freshwater can look amazing, but a nothing compares to the calm you feel when watching a huge reef.
Freshwater has more monsters and cool fish imo. No freshwater fish compares to tangs or angels, but no marine compares to piranhas, tigers, wolves, and snakes. Plenty of freshwater fish (cough cichlids cough) are as good looking as marine too.
Both have equal amounts of intelligent and interactive fish, puffers and eels on both sides, cichlids are just tangs, damsels, and angels adapted for freshwater imo.

I think that you would wind up enjoying working with a freshwater more, but the payoff of a reef is one of the best in the hobby.

Just to tip the scales for me... saltwater has sharks (that you can get your hands on), and sharks are better than any freshwater fish...
Click to expand...

I feel the same way about sharks and rays. I was extremely excited when I purchased my first Bamboo Shark pup.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Sunofthebeach, Jexnell and Deadeye
If anyone is looking for a beginner reef tank, the fluval 13.5 is a good starting point. Enough for a pair of clowns and some gobies and pretty cheap.
 
  • Like
Reactions: tlindsey and Jexnell
Sunofthebeach said:
Hi everyone, my first post here so I'm sorry if I made some mistakes.

I was wondering what fish species do you like better in general, FW or SW, and why?

I've kept both and while I love my Jack Dempsey and Green Terror I can't deny that I like SW fish more. I feel like they have more personality and in some cases, more interesting behavior? For the record I've kept a wide variety of SW fish like Niger Trigger, Tang, Puffer, Eel, etc... When it comes to colors both FW and SW are beautiful in their own way, so it's all about personality for me. But that's just my opinion.
View attachment 1454618
View attachment 1454619
View attachment 1454620
Click to expand...
I kept reefs and rift tanks for years and I found them both equally enjoyable. Since I discovered monster/oddballs the last few years, I like those a little more than the other two. The one thing I like about salt are the inverts and aside from the work of mixing water, I found salt to be easier. But IMO, nothing beats a freshwater monster tank.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Sunofthebeach, Deadeye and Jexnell
Milingu said:
I cannot exactly put it into words. But salt water never gave me that spark that made me so obsessed with fish. I like to watch it and enjoy it, but I never felt like I really wanted to own it. Even before I knew how complicated salt water can be.
Click to expand...
I think a lot of people over complicate salt tanks, I found my reefs to be easier than my rift tanks.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Sunofthebeach, Milingu and Deadeye
Deadeye said:
Welcome to the forum!

I personally think that saltwater is generally more graceful and beautiful. Freshwater can look amazing, but a nothing compares to the calm you feel when watching a huge reef.
Freshwater has more monsters and cool fish imo. No freshwater fish compares to tangs or angels, but no marine compares to piranhas, tigers, wolves, and snakes. Plenty of freshwater fish (cough cichlids cough) are as good looking as marine too.
Both have equal amounts of intelligent and interactive fish, puffers and eels on both sides, cichlids are just tangs, damsels, and angels adapted for freshwater imo.

I think that you would wind up enjoying working with a freshwater more, but the payoff of a reef is one of the best in the hobby.

Just to tip the scales for me... saltwater has sharks (that you can get your hands on), and sharks are better than any freshwater fish...
Click to expand...
I had a shark in a saltwater pond waaaaaay back in the day, once the novelty wore off, it was actually pretty boring
 
  • Like
Reactions: DrownedFishonFire and Deadeye
Joshuakahan said:
I had a shark in a saltwater pond waaaaaay back in the day, once the novelty wore off, it was actually pretty boring
Click to expand...
I can see that being the case. Sharks are active, but it is just a mindless cruising.
I think that for a shark setup, you need to have other small fish in there to compliment it.
 
Joshuakahan said:
I think a lot of people over complicate salt tanks, I found my reefs to be easier than my rift tanks.
Click to expand...
I agree. Salt takes a lot more work to get things perfect and ready, but it isn’t too hard. Coral is complicated, but even then, if you just let the tank do it’s thing, it is very easy. No sense in throwing money at the tank for chemicals that don’t do anything long term. Mine has been doing great, and things only go wrong if I do something stupid, otherwise it isn’t much more maintenance than my freshwater setups.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
MonsterFishKeepers.com
Top Bottom