Whether you have Blue Spot Jawfish, Auriga Butterflyfish or any other type of salt water fish, you will need to ensure that the nitrate levels are kept low to protect the health of your precious sea creatures. Salt water fish tanks need lower nitrates than other aquariums for the health and color of the fish, as well as for the reduction of algae. When the nitrate levels get too high there are numerous unfortunate side effects that can occur.

In order to maintain the correct nitrate levels in salt water fish tanks it is necessary to feed the fish carefully. Just throwing food in whenever the fish look hungry will not work, because if there is uneaten food left over it can raise the nitrate levels when it gets trapped in the filters or blown into areas where it will be left to rot. A Blue Spot Jawfish will also have different feeding needs than an Auriga Butterflyfish or any other species of salt water fish, so you must be aware of their unique requirements. When feeding, shut off all filters and pumps and add small amounts of food, making sure the fish eat all of it and their bellies appear full.

Having too many salt water fish in a tank will also wreak havoc on the nitrate levels, so it's important for new hobbyists to start out with one smaller fish per ten gallons of tank water volume. After getting comfortable with maintaining the environment then it's okay to slowly add more fish. When the nitrates have started to rise after a new fish addition then it may be time to start looking at bigger salt water fish tanks.

This may seem obvious, but it is also necessary to change the salt water vacuum the gravel to remove any settled debris and change the filter pads frequently. Tank maintenance, as well as all these other steps, will ensure proper nitrate levels and healthy salt water fish.