Are you interested in keeping saltwater aquarium fish rather than freshwater aquarium fish? Not a bad choice at all. Saltwater fish deserve just as much attention and praise as freshwater fish.
Contrary to popular belief, saltwater fish aren’t difficult to keep. The saltwater is just the main difference, and it is manageable. Chalk Bass is an unsung beauty of the marine world. It is an active little fish that has interesting colors and unique patterns.
If you want to learn more about keeping Chalk Bass, search no further. This thorough guide has all the details and encompasses all the aspects of keeping and caring for Chalk Bass.
Ideal Habitat
Chalk Bass hail from the Atlantic ocean and the Caribbean sea. The water temperature is tropical in such regions. This fish loves to stay in rubbles at the bottom of the sea.
It also hides in corals to safeguard itself from predators. It is essential to replicate this environment in its tank.
Tank Size
It is a slightly big fish, not too much, though. However, its tank should be at least 30 gallons, if not more.
Tank Set-Up
Temperature: The ideal temperature to be set for a tank with Chalk Bass is 72 degrees to 76 degrees Fahrenheit. This is because this fish originates from tropical regions where water temperature doesn’t go too low.
pH: The optimum pH to keep for Chalk bass is 8.1 to 8.4.
Water type: We all know that Chalk Bass is a saltwater fish. So, it will survive in saltwater. Hence, be careful about keeping the water accordingly.
Water Hardness: Keep it between dKH 8-12.
Plants: Chalk Bass loves to hide in plants and corals. So, give it plenty of options to do so. However, avoid reducing their swimming space too much.
Substrate: You can choose the type of substrate you like. The bottom of the tank should have plenty of rubble as Chalk Bass is used to staying in that in the wild.
Ammonia levels: The ammonia levels should be close to zero, best if kept at 0 ppm.
Nitrate levels: These should be kept under 10 ppm.
Tank Mates
When you keep fish, it is important to provide an appropriate and compatible company for them. You will be happy to know that Chalk Bass isn’t choosy about its teammates. They are semi-aggressive but do well with peaceful and other semi-aggressive fish.
Good tank mates for Chalk Bass are as following:
- Dwarf Angelfish
- Clownfish
- Butterfly Fish
- Cardinalfish
- Chromis
- Tangs
- Fairy Wrasse
- Anthias
- Banded Coral Shrimps
- Starfish
Avoid keeping Chalk Bass with bigger and more aggressive fish, as they will feel harassed and intimidated by them. Bigger fish can even hunt Chalk Bass down. You don’t want your cute little fish to fall prey, right?
- Can you keep Chalk Bass with other Chalk Bass?
They are friendly towards other Chalk Bass that are introduced at the same time as them. They like to school and pair with their species. This happens in the wild too. They are one of the most forgiving small to mid-sized fish you can keep in your saltwater aquarium.
Diet
Chalk Bass are carnivores. You should keep a variety in their food to help them have better health.
Below are a few of the food items that Chalk Bass like:
- High-quality flake and pellet food
- Dried brine
- Mysis shrimp
- Live gut-loaded brine shrimp
- Frozen foods
- Squid
- Table shrimp
- Crustaceans
- Chopped mollusks
They love to eat finely-cut meaty foods like the last two in the above-given list.
Fun fact: Chalk Bass are fast eaters.
Care
It is essential to clean the aquarium of your beautiful Chalk Bass very often. They need a clean environment to stay on top of their health.
Cleaning: Clean the tank by changing the one-tenth of the water once every two weeks.
When deep cleaning, take out all the components of the tank and clean each one thoroughly. Make sure to clean the algae off rocks, etc., too, as Chalk Bass is a carnivore. Algae will add to the uncleanliness of the tank.
Also, don’t forget to wipe the walls of the aquarium and remove all dirt. Then, bring the fresh and clean saltwater to the desired temperature before adding the Chalk Bass again.
Conclusion
How does it feel to know that saltwater fish are easy to keep as well? I am sure you are excited to get your first few Chalk Basses. Don’t pay heed to the myths spread around about saltwater fish.
They are just as precious as any other fish and deserve loving homes as well. I am positive you won’t regret investing your time and energy in keeping Chalk Bass.
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