Hey my fish loving folks. It’s been along time. Kraig and I are back. We took a break from being fish parents and we got furry babies instead. UM…. 3 dogs and 1 cat to be exact! Do not JUDGE me !! LOL But here we are with 3 fish tanks again. Yes, I said 3. We have a 75 gallon, 27 gallon and a 15 gallon nano cube !! To catch you up – the 75 gallon has been going for about a year with just a Clown fish and an Angel fish – aka Marlin and Spectra. These 2 are original fish from 4 years ago.
Okay I would imagine you have questions. Well I have answers. What the hell happened to everyone els? Well to sum up 3 years of hard work and lots of mula the answer is we.do.not.know! Ha sorry not the answer you were looking for. Truth is – Picture this 2 beautiful tanks about 30 triving fish and lots of perfect flourishing corals just poof gone with the exception of 2 fish. Complete madness!!
We were at a loss and this is why we pretty much just threw in the towel. We decided lets just keep who is left…. alive and we started focusing on the fur babies. Our living room and pretty much a good portion of our home was taken over by dog and cat stuff. I am not going to say the animals are spoiled….like i said i am not going to say it!
Fast forward to about two months ago. I believe January 1st to be exact, Kraig woke up and said that’s it I’m reviving the tanks. So our journey had started again. Lots of hours of research and some serious man power both things done by Kraig. We are back in business!
Now it took 2 months to get were we are today. We learned that the last time some of the reasons why our other tanks didn’t make it. One was cleaning the filters the way we were was taking out too much of the good bacteria and reducing their effectiveness. Also causing ammonia spikes and the tank to do mini cycles everytime a water change was done. Ammonia spikes are toxic to both fish and corals. It can cause gill damage, stress and then ultimately death.
We took what we learned and applied it to the tanks we have now. annnnddd so far so good. Fingers, eyes and toes crossed!
What’s in the new tanks? The 75 gallon has 7 fish now, 2 clowns, 1 angel fish, 1 luna wrasse, 1 six lined wrasse, 1 blue hippo tang – aka Dory and a blue eye kole tang. In the 27 gallon my favorite baby a mandarin dragonette, 2 phantom clowns, a yellow goby and a lawnmower blenny. We have some corals in both tanks as well. It’s a slow start but it’s a start and going swimmingly * see what I did there*.
We decided, well Kraig decided he really, really wanted a nano tank. So we now have a 15 gallon nano. Anyway guys it’s super cute and looks amazing in my living room next to my tv. It’s ment more for corals but you can add a few fish to it. So we currently have 2 fish in there. A phantom clown and a yellowtail black blenny.
**nano tank example not our tank but imagine this in your living room – wink,wink – whispers beautiful right?!
—-this is what we are striving for
I know what you are thinking WHY in the name of everything holy would you do 3 salt water tanks again? Well……
Let’s be honest: saltwater fish are doing the most. Freshwater fish are cute and all, but saltwater fish? They look like they woke up late, panicked, and chose maximum color anyway. Neon stripes. Drama fins. Attitude. Absolute icons.
I’ve always loved saltwater fish because they feel less like animals and more like tiny underwater celebrities with personal brands. Every reef is basically a red carpet event, and everyone showed up dressed to be seen.
The Glow-Up Is Unreal
Saltwater fish didn’t just stumble into their looks. We’re talking electric blues, fiery oranges, highlighter yellows—colors so bold they look fake. But nope. Nature said, “Let’s flex.”
Clownfish look friendly until you remember they’ll absolutely defend their anemone like it’s a gated community. Tangs swim by like they know they’re famous. And don’t even get me started on angelfish—those are clearly royalty.
Everyone has a personality (and an Opinion)!
One of my favorite things about saltwater fish is that they all seem to have vibes.
Clownfish: Small, bold, and somehow always in charge
Tangs: Chill, graceful, definitely judging you
Lionfish: Gorgeous but dangerous—do not touch
Gobies: Tiny weirdos who deserve more respect
Just to name a few.
C’mon you can’t convince me these fish don’t gossip.
And that’s the salty scoop
Whether you’re already deep into the reef-keeping life or just window-shopping your future fishy roommates, remember: saltwater fish are equal parts drama, beauty, and pure serotonin. Care for them well, admire them often, and don’t be surprised if you catch yourself waving goodbye every time you leave the room. After all, life’s better with a little salt… and a lot of fins.
You have tiny divas with big personalities, and an aquarium that absolutely knows it’s the main character If you’re ready for a little attitude, a lot of sparkle, and the joy of being silently judged by a fish with better coloring than you, welcome to the saltwater life. Just remember: you don’t own the tank… the tank owns you. Now go forth and reef responsibly.
~Robyn
Trials, Tribulations and Fish "Tails" 