Fish you have/had kept but wouldnt keep again

[srad750c]

Rock beauty. I had one that sort of fell into my hands. Didn’t know what it was and just added him to the tank. Dude ate pellets and whatever other garbage I threw in. Then I ID’d him and realized he shouldn’t even be alive, by most accounts. Never once provided sponge nor did he nip corals.

Died In QT when got trapped under a rock, would never repeat just because of the eating habits they supposedly have.

They live very well on meaty foods and algae based foods. Had one for a long time back in the day, I didn’t even know those very available anymore.

 

[Alexreefer]

Strawberry dottyback. Beat all my fish up even my yellow tang. After removing and rehoming peace was restored.

 

[Nathan Milender]

I have a yellowtail damsel that is a pitbull, always biting me when I’m cleaning tank, even when I try to catch him. Hate to say that I still love that a..hole. I have the terrible 3, purple tang, black percula clown pair and two yellow tail damsels and oh, let’s not forget the :mad: coral beauty. He flushes out the fish that hides so the purple tang can hammer him and the rest seals the deal.

Welcome to the thunderdome

 

[Jesterrace]

I added Zebrasoma Tangs to my list because I don't like the energy they bring into an aquarium of 4 ft long or less. They are aggressive constantly pacing, constantly driving other fish out of their area. It stresses me out to watch them. My current tank has no Tangs, just a Foxface and it's a very peaceful, calm tank. A number of people have quoted me stating "I've never had a problem". OK great. It's my opinion and my experience. Yours may differ.

You and I had very similar experiences with our 4 foot long tanks. I had a Yellow Tang 3-4 inches long in my 90 gallon tank and it was fine for the first month and then turned into an unholy terror on my Coral Beauty and tried intimidation behavior towards my Melanurus Wrasse as well. Gave him the boot and replaced it with a One Spot Foxface and the tank is much happier.

All of the Zebrasomas I have seen are jerks in some way shape or form once they get established unless they are in a 5-6 foot long or larger aquarium with another fish that can keep them in check. That said, I have to say I have been impressed with the Scopas that I have seen. Generally they are the best behaved of the bunch and more often than not the ones I see getting picked on by other tangs. Too bad the Scopas didn't stay a little bit smaller or have more color and they would be the perfect choice for a 75 gallon or larger tank.

 

[sstanley223]

You and I had very similar experiences with our 4 foot long tanks. I had a Yellow Tang 3-4 inches long in my 90 gallon tank and it was fine for the first month and then turned into an unholy terror on my Coral Beauty and tried intimidation behavior towards my Melanurus Wrasse as well. Gave him the boot and replaced it with a One Spot Foxface and the tank is much happier.

All of the Zebrasomas I have seen are jerks in some way shape or form once they get established unless they are in a 5-6 foot long or larger aquarium with another fish that can keep them in check. That said, I have to say I have been impressed with the Scopas that I have seen. Generally they are the best behaved of the bunch and more often than not the ones I see getting picked on by other tangs. Too bad the Scopas didn't stay a little bit smaller or have more color and they would be the perfect choice for a 75 gallon or larger tank.

I've had a good experience with Scopas! I'd definitely recommend! Did well in my 65g for over a year waiting for the upgrade too

 

[norfolkgarden]

Giggle. Dottybacks, strawberry, diadema, royal.
Beautiful mean fish.

 

[RtomKinMad]

Never damsels again. I liken them to a yappy chihuahua that thinks it’s a beast.

That is so true! Good analogy! Lol

 

[RtomKinMad]

Ours would be lime green wrasse- grew very fast, eats zoas and invertebrates and killed four other wrasses including flame wrasse!

And then Caribbean blue tang. Very agressive and dumb, even goes after triggers, large angels and a very large Sohal gets beaten up by all of them and keeps goes back for more. Constantly showing scratches and bites. I don’t know what else to do with it. So I just leave it have tried it in three tanks with different mates it’s now in the agressive tank with four large angels, Sohal, puffers, the green wrasses got moved too, and two triggers this is 8’ 300gal! So no Caribbean blue again!

 

[Angel_Anthias lover]

Ours would be lime green wrasse- grew very fast, eats zoas and invertebrates and killed four other wrasses including flame wrasse!

And then Caribbean blue tang. Very agressive and dumb, even goes after triggers, large angels and a very large Sohal gets beaten up by all of them and keeps goes back for more. Constantly showing scratches and bites. I don’t know what else to do with it. So I just leave it have tried it in three tanks with different mates it’s now in the agressive tank with four large angels, Sohal, puffers, the green wrasses got moved too, and two triggers this is 8’ 300gal! So no Caribbean blue again!

Sounds like a very colourful tank, sorry about your wrasses it sucks

 

[ReefParadox]

Heres my list,
1. Neon dottyback - vicious little fish, destroys anything she decides she doesn't like, I'm waiting for her to die cuz I can't catch her
2. Caribbean blue tang - psychotic nutcase, tore the tank down to get him out
3. Powder blue tang - he's gorgeous but a pure a hole to my beautiful little Lavender tang, after I nursed him back from near death! My fault, I knew better...thankfully she's quicker than he is
4. Hawkfish of any kind - snail and hermit assassins
5. Maroon clown - bites me incessantly even when I'm nowhere near her precious anemones, (my wife loves her and thinks it's so funny when she bites me, otherwise she would be twirling down the toilet!)

 

[Angel_Anthias lover]

Doesnt appear to be many butterflies on these lists apart from the copperband

 

[Lateral72]

Pretty much all of them. I'd prefer to try something else. Diversity is the spice of life.

 

[RtomKinMad]

Sounds like a very colourful tank, sorry about your wrasses it sucks

Thank you. The reef tank use to be colorful. Now only one Anthias and one wrasse left. Then we have 5 tangs, 2 angles and some others. We really loved the wrasses though. I’m a little nervous to try them again. Thank goodness we also had a large agressive fishonly tank that we moved the bullies to. I see you like Anthias, have you gotten them to live long? I lost three within one year in our reef tank and now just one left now. Thank you, kindel

 

[Angel_Anthias lover]

Thank you. The reef tank use to be colorful. Now only one Anthias and one wrasse left. Then we have 5 tangs, 2 angles and some others. We really loved the wrasses though. I’m a little nervous to try them again. Thank goodness we also had a large agressive fishonly tank that we moved the bullies to. I see you like Anthias, have you gotten them to live long? I lost three within one year in our reef tank and now just one left now. Thank you, kindel

Ive had a male lyretail anthias for 3 years now , and 2 females for just about a year and a half, and 2 red saddle anthias for just over a yeat now, so maybe not very long but they seem to be thriving and spawning often. I think they key to them surviving is a peaceful tank and well settled individuals you have seen in person and frequent feedings. However my lyretails are quite bossy they never killed the red saddles, everywhere suggests my red saddles shouldve died from fear long ago so i dont know if im just an exception to a rule and my experiences count as irrelevant to what you may expect . What kind of anthias do you have

 

[lion king]

Doesnt appear to be many butterflies on these lists apart from the copperband

I think thats because most people know how delicate they are and many times dont fit in. I started to do a butterfly tank and quickly became discouraged, lack of availabilty. A couple died at the lfs before I could even pick them up, and I never even got any out of qt. So needless to sqy, I scrapped that plan

 

[S_OS]

Maroon Clownfish, unless species only

 

[ccombs]

Chromis

I think they are stunning in groups, but I got some and brought Uronema into my system and it led to me doing a complete tear down and restart. I went to the zoo the other day and they had a bunch of them in a saltwater exhibit and they made me so uncomfortable.

Had I QT'd I would have been fine... it is really my fault here, but I still have beef with them lol.

 

[RtomKinMad]

Ive had a male lyretail anthias for 3 years now , and 2 females for just about a year and a half, and 2 red saddle anthias for just over a yeat now, so maybe not very long but they seem to be thriving and spawning often. I think they key to them surviving is a peaceful tank and well settled individuals you have seen in person and frequent feedings. However my lyretails are quite bossy they never killed the red saddles, everywhere suggests my red saddles shouldve died from fear long ago so i dont know if im just an exception to a rule and my experiences count as irrelevant to what you may expect . What kind of anthias do you have

Ive had a male lyretail anthias for 3 years now , and 2 females for just about a year and a half, and 2 red saddle anthias for just over a yeat now, so maybe not very long but they seem to be thriving and spawning often. I think they key to them surviving is a peaceful tank and well settled individuals you have seen in person and frequent feedings. However my lyretails are quite bossy they never killed the red saddles, everywhere suggests my red saddles shouldve died from fear long ago so i dont know if im just an exception to a rule and my experiences count as irrelevant to what you may expect . What kind of anthias do you have

 

[RtomKinMad]

Im not sure what kind this one is.

Ive had a male lyretail anthias for 3 years now , and 2 females for just about a year and a half, and 2 red saddle anthias for just over a yeat now, so maybe not very long but they seem to be thriving and spawning often. I think they key to them surviving is a peaceful tank and well settled individuals you have seen in person and frequent feedings. However my lyretails are quite bossy they never killed the red saddles, everywhere suggests my red saddles shouldve died from fear long ago so i dont know if im just an exception to a rule and my experiences count as irrelevant to what you may expect . What kind of anthias do you have

I’m not sure what kind is is. We started with 4 and only one left. Tank was not peaceful at first but now has settled down a lot. It is 300 gal reef. Have had this one for about 2 years now. I think we over stocked in the beginning and are lightly stocked now due to loss of the wrasses and others. We moved out 5 tangs and put them in our other tanks due to agression. Finally have a tang balance now. I really like the Bartletts anthias. Just hard to find here.

 

[RtomKinMad]

I think thats because most people know how delicate they are and many times dont fit in. I started to do a butterfly tank and quickly became discouraged, lack of availabilty. A couple died at the lfs before I could even pick them up, and I never even got any out of qt. So needless to sqy, I scrapped that plan

I love the pyramid butterflies. They seem more hardy and eat well. ?