If you thought marine fish are the most colourful fish out there, then you'd be wrong. And if you have been wishing to get a marine tank for Christmas then hold your horses for a while and take a browse through this page, as you don't really need a money burning, back breaking, time consuming saltwater tank, when all you need to do is select the right fish and decor before jumping ahead and going to the store buying the cheapest fish you come across, do a bit of window shopping first.
If you like the idea of having a marine tank because of the nicely colored decor, the coral reefs, the flashy invertabrates, the wriggling anemones, then you can buy all of these things for the freshwater tank, as your fish won't mind as long as they have plenty of places to hide.
You can buy dead coral for your tanks, however only use them if you are intending on keeping hardwater fish because it can alter the water chemistry.
You can also buy all sorts of rock for the marine tank that would also feel at home in the freshwater tank.
So you thought you couldn't have an anemone in a freshwater tank
This is a lifelike plastic one. They even move in the water flow like a real anemone:
I have saltwater tanks because I can afford them, but if you haven't got much spare cash, then how about this!
Instead of having these colorful marine fish, you can have freshwater substitutes.
Instead of having a clown fish AKA nemo....
You could have a clown loach.
Or a cheaper option could be a school of tiger barbs.
If you would like a humbug damsel, but would prefer to do without the salt mixes, the protein skimmers, and the UV sterilizers.....
Then this zebra cichlid is for you!
Wouldn't it be nice to get a cardinal fish that could be kept in soft water and not hide all day......
Well you can! This is a ram.
So you want a batfish do you?
No you dont! Why would you when you can have an angelfish that can live with your tetras.
So you want to spend your weeks wages on a school of these lyretail anthias?
Then you're an idiot. Just chuck a few of these in your tank.
You thought nothing could imitate the pantherfish?
Then what's this jaguar cichlid doing?
The end result is a beautiful freshwater tank, and your visiters won't even be able tell that it's not a setup of saltwater fish, corals, and rocks from the tropical seas.
Just goes to show that you don't necesserily need to epmty your wallet on marine equipment when you can make do with a freshwater tank.