Chalk Bass (Serranus tortugarum) A good choice for the Novice Marine Fishkeeper
Image Podolnaya Elena/Shutterstock
Chalk Bass are one of the Marine Aquaria’s best-kept secrets, small yet hardy, peaceful and relatively tolerant of the beginner’s mistakes. Thus they are the ideal starter fish, not too expensive but still attractive enough to light up a tank. Although Chalk Bass are seldom mentioned in beginners books they are worthy of consideration as a first Marine species for the beginner and are also nice additions to larger community marine tank for the more experienced aquarist.
Keeping Chalk Bass
Chalk Bass originate from the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea where they are found in rocky areas. Given this replicating their natural habitat to a degree will ensure you have happy fish. Tank wise aim for one no smaller than 36″ x 18″ x 12″ with a temperature of around 72-76 Fahrenheit. Given they will only grow to between 2”-3” you can keep a small group in a tank this size while still having the opportunity to add a bit of variety as your experience grows.
Décor should include plenty of corals or rocky hiding places and possibly some empty Conch Shells which they sometimes like to shelter in. Water-wise they are quite tolerant seeming to adapt fairly well to most levels of hardness etc; however, this should not be used as an excuse to neglect regular partial water changes and good tank maintenance.
They are best kept in pairs or small groups and can form part of a peaceful species community tank, however, despite being very hardy by marine fish standards it will not survive long if housed with species which constantly harass it. On this point, if you are going to introduce a small group to the tank it is best not to add them in stages as they can sometimes become territorial with their own species. They are renowned jumpers – so ensure the tank has a tight-fitting lid.
A small group of Chalk Bass makes a great addition to a larger reef tank set up
Image: Vojce/Shutterstock.com
Feeding Time
The Chalk Bass is a plankton eater in the wild meaning its diet is largely carnivorous. They can be a little picky in the tank when it comes to eating, however, they seem to like Brine or Mysis shrimps (either live or frozen) and will also take flake food and small pieces of frozen mollusc. Larger specimens may also take pellets, provided they are small enough for their mouths.
Breeding
It is highly unlikely that a home aquarist could induce Chalk Bass to breed in their tank, so like most marine species any offered by the trade will be wild-caught. However, if you really wanted a challenge keeping a few together would be your best bet as they are Hermaphrodites, reportedly changing sex regularly to ensure the continued success of the species. The eggs when laid are normally scattered into the mid-levels of the sea where they form part of the plankton, before eventually settling on a reef to hatch. This ensures that the range is maximised.
Hopefully, this will have piqued your interest as the video below shows they are delightful tank denizens.
Looking for something a bit more unusual then check out our other fish posts and see if something catches your eye.
