What Fish Do You Wish Would Never Grow Up?

[brokeaquarist]

I love puffers. if i could keep a toy dogface in a 30gal or something that would be amazing

 

[ReefBeta]

i think @evolved has a pic of one in the all about reef safe wrasses thread too

Cool. it didn't look toooo off from juvenile, just like turned to middle age man losing some hair XD

 

[Leslie Tabor]

The dragon wrasse! Why oh why can't they stay that cute!!

 

[Leslie Tabor]

If a dragon wrasse would stay looking like the juvenile below AND not eat coral, it would be in my tank.

I see I am not alone...I just didn't get far enough into the thread! Lol I LOVE this...the adult, not so much.

 

[SAWFISH]

+1 on the emperor angel. First one I thought of when I saw this post!

The circular pattern combined with the fade from white to blue in the juvenile emperor is one of the greatest parts of this fish.

 

[SAWFISH]

i think @evolved has a pic of one in the all about reef safe wrasses thread too

Still a pretty awesome looking fish, I'd like to find a picture of it flaring in order to see the top fin better

 

[OrionN]

I remember the first time I saw a juvenile chevron tang, I thought it was one of the coolest fish of all time. I remember my disappointment when seeing the adult chevron did not retain its juvenile coloration! What are the fish you wish would retain their juvenile coloration?

I like Chevrons better as adults those lines are a metallic green you don't see much in saltwater but it doesnt photograph at all. For me it would be Pinnatus batfish hands down.

I actually like the color of my adult Chevron tang better than juvenile.

 

[mort]

What does timor wrasse turn to as adult? I thought it doesn't change much.

It looses that lovely orange vibrancy which is why it stands out for me as a female. The males look more like halichoeres margaritaceus which isn't so impressive. They also get big. Still not an ugly fish but not a stunner.

 

[SAWFISH]

I actually like the color of my adult Chevron tang better than juvenile.

Really an amazing fish, I will admit the pattern looks stunning. The greenish blue colors on the top fins are really beautiful as well. I still just love the orange blue combination of the juvenile! Thank You for sharing

 

[fishybizzness]

We LOVE this fish. He's a bit bigger now, but we'd love him to stay the cute small fish he was.

Every few years in the Caribbean where I live it seems like the conditions are right and they reproduce en mass. You can literally pick up hundreds of them along certain shorelines all about an inch long.

 

[fishybizzness]

I just had to rehome my smooth puffer! They are really cute when they are small but get to be a pain as they get older! Here it is after eating my coral banded shrimp! It got to a point where I couldn't put my hand in the tank without it trying to bite me! Anything that is edible, it will eat!

 

[McCarrick]

The circular pattern combined with the fade from white to blue in the juvenile emperor is one of the greatest parts of this fish.

ABSOLUTELY! I was kind of disappointed, when I first got into the hobby I saw a picture of this fish and thought it was just amazing, then found out that it doesn't stay like that forever :'(. Though it still looks neat as an adult

 

[kingoftheHiLLpeople]

Long horn cowfish. They start out all cute and then end up like your first girlfriend from the Midwest 30 years later.

Hahaha

 

[Bpfor3]

Easy one for me. My cute tiny clown trigger, who tripled in size in 4 months and started to do what Clown Triggers do. Had to rehome him.

 

[AchilesTang]

For me it is the Koran Angel. Juveniles are awesome and adults have muted colors. Mine is 1.5 years old and still has mostly juvenile colors. Sorry he hates the camera so tough to get a shot of him. I hope he stays exactly like he is even though I won’t.
Still always excited to see them change as they grow older.

 

[ReefRondo]

Emperor angel for me. Just love the juvenile colours and markings

 

[rcillig]

queen angel for me, I got a juv and love her colors now. Not the best photo.

 

[ReeferJay86]

queen angel for me, I got a juv and love her colors now. Not the best photo.

The blue faced angel as well, it seems the 3 have the same blue and white patterns as a juvie

 

[Paul B]

Manta Ray.

 

[Tom Giddens]

I will have to find one to see in person then! I hadn't ever heard of the pinnatus batfish. What an awesome looking fish! I may have to get one for my tank. From what I saw on google they lose their black coloration with age?

Yes they lose those orange and black they get giant and ugly they are hard to acclimate and getting to eat. This is one of those fish that should not be sold as a pet