What was your 1st SW fish?

Waynerock · Mar 25, 2019

dang orchid dotty back I got 3 years ago after a 12 year break. I hate it! It bully’s my wrasses and any new editions. My wife picked it out so what chu gonna do. I figured when I changed tanks in November I would of been able to catch it but it found a hole in the rock and went deep. The rock was out of water for an hour and it still survived.

Saveafish · Mar 25, 2019

A yellow bow tie damsel in 1985
My goodness i just dated myself ugh.

Jose Berry · Mar 25, 2019

My first saltwater fish was actually a freshwater dweller. I say this because he’s a Green Spotted Puffer(GSP). Wife always wanted a puffer fish and being new to the aquarium hobby I set out to find a fresh water puffer. I found one at my LFS, cost me 10 bucks I was thrilled. We named him puffy eventually changed to Bloat and we got another named Bloat Jr. Upon receiving them I wanted to know what I was getting into. Upon research and reading I came to find out they are brackish fish and can live out there life in full marine aquariums.

I wanted what was best for them so I slowly increased the salinity in my tank gradually over 4 weeks and boom bloat is now a full time salt water fish. Technically making him my first saltwater fish.

Geebs19 · Mar 25, 2019

A maroon clownfish that would probably defeat a 12 ft great white. She was a mean one, drew blood on my fingers nearly everytime I would put my hand in the tank. Pretty sure she was part piranha.

Mariette · Mar 25, 2019

ca1ore said:
Maroon clown …. 1987, or thereabouts. Had it for 12 years.

Another vote for the clowns.

Mariette · Mar 25, 2019

Fin-up reefing said:
Mine was a Blue Fiji Devil Damselfish. I started my tank back in 2014. He was in a 75 gallon FOWLR but he currently lives in my 210 gallon reef. I'll tell you though, he's a trooper. He has survived 3 tank crashes, and he jumped out of my tank maybe 4 times.. He still lives. Lol.

Wow. I’ve got a trooper of a fish too. Survived 2 tank crashes. But hey, nothing compared to your trooper. That fish is bulletproof!

Mariette · Mar 25, 2019

Geebs19 said:
A maroon clownfish that would probably defeat a 12 ft great white. She was a mean one, drew blood on my fingers nearly everytime I would put my hand in the tank. Pretty sure she was part piranha.

Oh wow. I didn’t know they could d that

Mariette · Mar 25, 2019

tidefanjam said:
Starry blenny, 18 months now

Aww look at it poking its little head out

Mariette · Mar 25, 2019

Jose Berry said:
My first saltwater fish was actually a freshwater dweller. I say this because he’s a Green Spotted Puffer(GSP). Wife always wanted a puffer fish and being new to the aquarium hobby I set out to find a fresh water puffer. I found one at my LFS, cost me 10 bucks I was thrilled. We named him puffy eventually changed to Bloat and we got another named Bloat Jr. Upon receiving them I wanted to know what I was getting into. Upon research and reading I came to find out they are brackish fish and can live out there life in full marine aquariums.

I wanted what was best for them so I slowly increased the salinity in my tank gradually over 4 weeks and boom bloat is now a full time salt water fish. Technically making him my first saltwater fish.

Love the backstory

evolved · Mar 25, 2019

A pair of B&W ocellaris. 9 years later, I still have them.

mattzang · Mar 25, 2019

the first lfs i went to hooked me up with their plan of dumping in biospira and then putting in any fish i wanted, so my group was red firefish, sixline wrasse, ocellaris clown, bangaii cardinal, valentini puffer, yellow clown goby, and a flame angel. then a few days later they got a royal gramma in so i put that in too. suffice to say everything except the sixline died a couple of weeks later. not sure if it was biofilter overloaded or velvet or whatever.

so anyway, i still had the sixline after i dumped the tank out and started back over. kept him for a few months until i started getting serious about the hobby and researching stuff for myself before adding fish. so at that point i decided the sixline had to go, despite him being mostly peaceful for me so far. so now he resides in a frag tank at an lfs

Mariette · Mar 25, 2019

mattzang said:
the first lfs i went to hooked me up with their plan of dumping in biospira and then putting in any fish i wanted, so my group was red firefish, sixline wrasse, ocellaris clown, bangaii cardinal, valentini puffer, yellow clown goby, and a flame angel. then a few days later they got a royal gramma in so i put that in too. suffice to say everything except the sixline died a couple of weeks later. not sure if it was biofilter overloaded or velvet or whatever.

so anyway, i still had the sixline after i dumped the tank out and started back over. kept him for a few months until i started getting serious about the hobby and researching stuff for myself before adding fish. so at that point i decided the sixline had to go, despite him being mostly peaceful for me so far. so now he resides in a frag tank at an lfs

Wow. What a story. That sucks. I once bought a court jester goby because the guy told me they’re easy. Explained my tank specs, current livestock, and lack of pods. Was assured he’d do fine. Needless to say, I watched him starve and hide for a few days before giving him away to a different lfs where o was assured he’d be held u too he started eating. 2 days later, he was gone. Sold prematurely and I assume didn’t do well

Mariette · Mar 25, 2019

Waynerock said:
dang orchid dotty back I got 3 years ago after a 12 year break. I hate it! It bully’s my wrasses and any new editions. My wife picked it out so what chu gonna do. I figured when I changed tanks in November I would of been able to catch it but it found a hole in the rock and went deep. The rock was out of water for an hour and it still survived.

Hahahaha I’ve been there.

jvalentine · Mar 25, 2019

Mine was a yellow tailed Damsel. He was in my tank from shortly after it cycled until I took the tanks down 4 years later. Sold him back to the same store I got him from. I know a lot of people have issues with damsels being aggressive toward other fish, but this one was a model citizen

Mariette · Mar 25, 2019

jvalentine said:
Mine was a yellow tailed Damsel. He was in my tank from shortly after it cycled until I took the tanks down 4 years later. Sold him back to the same store I got him from. I know a lot of people have issues with damsels being aggressive toward other fish, but this one was a model citizen

Aww. One of my favourites. I’ve got one and he’s been a model citizen this whole time. First to eat. Survived 2 bouts of disease. No complaints w that one