Fish you will never keep... Nope Fish

[j.falk]

PJ Cardinals or any other cardinal . They just sit in The water Column and exist and have zero personality. I’ll save the space for more entertaining fish.

Ha! I thought I was the only one that thought that...so many people buy them for their tanks and they don't do anything. LOL

 

[cpbartak]

Any expensive fish that is primarily black or black, white, and gray in color I don't get. I want color in my tank! Black longnose tang? Eh. Arcuatus angel. Uh, why? So many beautiful, more colorful fish out there.

 

[Qasimja]

clown tang, purple tang, and powder blue tang

 

[Bpfor3]

Are you positive he's not the one that turned him over in the sand?
Hummmm.......

Yes. Saw it fall.

 

[Angel_Anthias lover]

Any expensive fish that is primarily black or black, white, and gray in color I don't get. I want color in my tank! Black longnose tang? Eh. Arcuatus angel. Uh, why? So many beautiful, more colorful fish out there.

I kinda like the black and white contrast to the beautifully coloured other species, just kinda completes every colour for me. But i can see where youre coming from.

My multibar angel kinda completes that for me.

Im not sure theres any fish i wouldnt keep except naso tangs and batfish. Just don't believe they belong in any but the largest tanks

 

[stanleo]

Any fish that I have to target feed or will only ever be interesting while feeding. Fish like sharks, rays, frogfish. The only exception would be lionfish and eels. And I would only do those in a tank dedicated to them. I would be afraid to put anything in there with them that I didn't want them to eat.

 

[stanleo]

PJ Cardinals or any other cardinal . They just sit in The water Column and exist and have zero personality. I’ll save the space for more entertaining fish.

Total agreement there! My husband went to the fish store shortly after I setup the tank while I was at work and asked, "What hardy fish can I put in our new tank?" He came home with 5 PJ's. Now I'm just waiting for them to die. I wouldn't mind if they were at least attractive and boring.

 

[stanleo]

Another fish that I think is overrated is a mandarin goby. I was fascinated by them and did all kinds of research and patiently waited for my fuge and the whole system to mature and enough pods to proliferate in order to successfully keep one. I finally got one a couple months ago and he is doing quite well but I hardly ever see him. He is always hunting deep in the rock work and comes out rarely. I actually thought he died once cause I couldn't find him for a week and then one day he was back. He is stunning but even when I see him he just goes around pecking at things and I get bored looking at him after a minute or so.

 

[Ksull72487]

Another fish that I think is overrated is a mandarin goby. I was fascinated by them and did all kinds of research and patiently waited for my fuge and the whole system to mature and enough pods to proliferate in order to successfully keep one. I finally got one a couple months ago and he is doing quite well but I hardly ever see him. He is always hunting deep in the rock work and comes out rarely. I actually thought he died once cause I couldn't find him for a week and then one day he was back. He is stunning but even when I see him he just goes around pecking at things and I get bored looking at him after a minute or so.

Lol I’m with you on the Mandarin Goby. They need a really mature system. Gobidae in general can be a boring fish or a really cool fish or surprise. The Mandarin Goby in general just needs too much for what it’s worth.

 

[Mical]

A few years ago, my naive brother got a panther grouper. Beautiful fish. Grew quickly. Ate his other fish. Then died. NOPE!

That's funny, I've had one for 5 years and it's as tame as a puppy. I can literally pet it. It's been a model citizen and buddies up daily with a foxface.

 

[Mical]

Any fish that could send me to the hospital

Guess you won't be having a foxface

 

[RobMcC]

Ha - I found another "fish list" that I had developed, this is a bit more comprehensive than the other one I posted this morning. I had forgotten about this. I did remember that Dr. Carlson had told me about Exallias blennies never living, so I ran a search in Word through my fish disease book and found this!

There are some species of marine fish that are more delicate, or that adapt poorly to captivity no matter their source. The following tables identify most of these “poor doers” that are currently found in the trade. While there certainly are some exceptions, do not use them as an excuse to acquire these fish in the vain hope that you'll "get lucky". The people who succeed with these species are proactive and are usually advanced hobbyists.


Scientific Name Common Name

Anampses sp. Tamarin wrasse
Aspidontus sp. False cleaner fish
Centropyge (Paracentropyge) boylei Peppermint angelfish
Chaetodon austriacus Exquisite butterflyfish
C. baronessa Triangular butterflyfish
C. melapterus Arabian butterflyfish
C. meyeri Meyer’s butterflyfish
C. ornatissimus Clown butterflyfish
C. triangulum Triangle butterflyfish
C. trifasciatus Red-fin butterflyfish
Exallias brevis Leopard blenny
Labroides phthirophagus Hawaiian cleaner wrasse
Macropharyngodon sp. Ornate wrasse (getting better over time)
Plagiotremus sp. Mimic blenny
Pseudanthias pascalis Forktail anthias
Solenostomus spp. Ghost pipefish
Stethojulis spp. Orange shoulder Wrasse
Marine fishes that almost never survive past the year mark in closed system aquariums



Scientific Name Common Name
Centropyge (Paracentropyge) multifasciatus Many banded angelfish
Chaetodon citrinellus Citron butterflyfish
C. lavartus Masked butterflyfish
C. reticulatus Reticulated butterflyfish
Doryrhamphus sp. Banded pipefish
Holocanthus tricolor Rock beauty angelfish
Gorgasia preclara Gold-banded garden eel (ok if handled properly)
Ostracion sp. Boxfish
Oxymonacanthus longirostris Orange-spot filefish (getting better with these lately)
Platax pinnatus Red-rimmed batfish (tank-raised are now available and do better)
Pseudanthias tuka Tuka anthias
Pygoplites diacanthus Regal angelfish (Except Red Sea)
Rhinomuraena quaesita Ribbon eel
Scarus sp. Parrotfish
Zanclus canescens Moorish idol

Marine fish that rarely survive past the year mark in typical closed system aquariums



Scientific Name Common Name
Chromodoris, Phyllidia & related sp. Nudibranchs
Dendronephthya (Roxasia) sp. Soft coral
Goniopora sp. Flowerpot coral
Hapalochlaena sp. Blue ringed octopus
Iodictyum sp. Lace bryozoan
Lamprometra and related spp. Crinoids
Lima sp. Flame scallop
Pseudocolochirus violaceus Sea Apple
Spondylus sp. Thorny oyster
Trikentrion flabelliforme with Zoanthid Red spider sponge
Invertebrates that rarely survive past the year mark in closed system aquariums.

Jay

I think success with anamapses wrasses is dependent on how they are captured. I had three female red tails for several years. One turned male after two years and did just fine. They may still be alive for all I know, as I had to break down my tank during a house move. I got them from TMC in the UK.

 

[Clownfish_Boy]

Domino Damsels and Lionfish.

 

[Indytraveler83]

Ooh, I have to react to a few comments here:

1) I'd add Mandarins and anything with extreme food requirements to my never list. My anthias are about as "needy" of fish as I'm willing to take on.

2) Why the hate for Cardinal fish? I get that they aren't the most active animals, but with such a unique body shape and widespread compatibility, they are the perfect addition to especially smaller systems with timid fish. Bangaii's are gorgeous animals to me!

3) Black and white fish are very cool looking, especially when they starkly stand out against a backdrop of green/red/orange corals and blue tinted lighting. Some white fish can almost glow under typical reef blues.

And-

I have two Platinum Percula clowns that are coming up on two years with me. They've never bitten me, shown aggression to anything other than the magnetic scraper (don't know why) or been any sort of problem in my system. Do I have weird clowns?
(Yes they are white. I love white reef fish!)

 

[Rp8]

Pistol shrimp, they are real jerks! Killed and ate curious fish. Killed and ate hermits and decorated his cave with shells

 

[jnvd3b]

Clownfish. They have the temperament of a chihuahua

 

[Back where it all began]

We bought a porcupine puffer as YOUNG as possible. Hand feeding, and now I can pet him. He's our favorite fish by far. I've been told and read (although time will be the judge) that if we condition him and provide ample food, we can prevent problems with other fish/inverts. But holy COW is he cute and awesome.

Also, agree with 6-line wrasse. I also will not do a box fish. They are ugly and heard if they die they essentially just nuke the tank.

Hi, I have a mature boxfish as well as a cowfish and both have great personalities. They like to eat from my hand. The poison thing is overblown from what I know.

 

[UkiahTheTurtle]

Guess you won't be having a foxface

Hmm probably would not but It seems a lot safer than a lion fish but very very dangerous and if i had one my tank would have a lid

 

[Thomashtom]

Well that is their natural food source...

Gotta research fish before you get them!!!

 

[pochaxoo]

After yesterday....definitely the Marlin....
but for me the Lionfish, I am sad everytime I go diving in the carribean.