"Similar-In-Nature" Animal Groupings Chart
How To Pack-Up & Move Saltwater Aquarium PetsWhen making plans to pack-up and move saltwater aquarium fish and invertebrates, unless you have a small quantity of animals to move, and believe what you have can be combined safely, DO NOT MIX OR PUT THEM ALL TOGETHER IN ONE TRANSPORT CONTAINER!! It is important to evaluate what types of animals you have to move before you begin, and then use multiple containers along with common sense to split them up and pack them by "similar-in-nature" animal groupings as suggested in this chart when the time comes to put them into the prepared transport containers for the move.
| Delicate Species = those that react to even a slight level of ammonia and exposure to high amounts of waste in the water. Most have thin membranded fins and delicately scaled bodies. | This group includes, but is not limited to Angels, Anthiases & Grammas, Bannerfishes, Batfishes, Blennies, Box & Cowfishes, Butterflyfishes, Gobies, Mandarinfishes/Dragonets, Moorish Idols, Seahorses, Pipefishes, Squirrelfishes, Sharks, Rays, Tangs/Surgeonfishes (in particular Achilles, Goldrim, Power Blue and like species), Wrasses - Clams, all none-shelled invertebrates and corals. |
| Less-Sensitive or Hardier Species = ones that can withstand a somewhat low amount of ammonia in the water, and are less-reactive to high amounts of waste. | This group includes, but is not limited to Basslets/Fancy Sea Basses, Clown/Anemonefishes, Damsels & Chromises, Eels, Groupers & True Sea Basses, Hawkfishes, Parrots, Puffers, Scorpionfishes, Snappers, Triggers - Crustaceans & Shelled Mollusks such as Hermits, True Crabs, and Snails. |
| Heavy-Waste Producing Species = most any large or substantially sized fish or other marine animal that is a messy eater and consumes large amounts of food. Sometimes even when of medium size, many species in this group can foul up aquarium or transport water rather quickly. | In particular this group pertains to Naso, Sailfin and similar species of Tangs/Surgeonfishes. Because these fish consume large amounts of algae, and have very long intestinal tracts, it takes them some time to expel their waste, and when they do it's amazing how much they can produce. Carnivorous or predatory Triggers, Groupers, Eels, Hawkfishes, Scorpionfishes, Puffers, Sharks, Rays, and other animals such as Octopuses are also in this group. |
| Poisonous or Venomous Species = any type of marine animal that can excrete toxins from the skin or inject venom from stinging spines or projectiles that will cause illness and/or result in the death of other marinelife. | This group includes, but is not limited to Scorpionfishes, Box & Cowfishes, Rabbitfishes, various species of Puffers, Sea Cucumbers & Urchins, Blue-Ringed Octopuses, Sea Anemones, and Predatory Shelled Snails. >> Species Profiles |
~ Debbie & Stan Hauter
Related Content
• Introduction >> How To Pack-Up & Move Aquarium Pets in 8 Easy Steps
• Step 6 >> Put the Animals Into the Prepared Transport Container
• Emergency Evacuation Help - Should I Pack-Up My Wet Pets & Take Them With Me?
Related Topic Resources
• Moving Aquarium Livestock Topics
• Quick Reference Charts, Tables & Calculators
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