What was your 1st SW fish?

[Bigfish of La.]

PJ Cardinal 3 1/2 years ago, and has a streamer 1/2”long. Now has 15 tank mates.

 

[MombasaLionfish]

My first fishes were two maroon clowns one domino damsel and one yellow tailed blue damsel. The female clown passed a few months after I got her she just stopped eating the male I still have. The domino damsel disappeared one night and I haven't seen him since. The yellow tailed damsel passed away from ich when we were doing a freshwater dip.

 

[minus9]

My first SW fish was a Molly that I used to cycle the tank. I slowly brought the salinity up over several weeks in preparation for the fish I really wanted, a clown trigger. But, as an 11 year old kid in 1980, I couldn't afford a clown trigger, so it was substituted with the next best thing, an undulated trigger.
I knew they were a little aggressive, but my thought was that the Molly would have plenty of hiding places among all the beautiful bleached dead coral skeletons that adorned my tank, but in a flash all I saw were scales fluttering in the water column and my new trigger looking directly at me with a disappointing look to his eyes. I'm sure he was thinking, "is that all you have?"
Of course he outgrew the tank and eventually made his way back to the LFS, but we spent several years together and he had such a cool personality and big appetite.
I've never owned another trigger after him, but would love to set up a very large fish only tank with a clown trigger or maybe a pair of triggers?

 

[FLSharkvictim]

The first real fish that I can remember is the NigerTigerfish!! I had him in my 1st fish only tank that I had up and running in 1993 thru 1995.

 

[JasPR]

Pipefish from the bay collected while snorkeling ( 1966). Attended the First MACNA in Toronto driven by a 90 gallon housing a pearly jawfish and a clownfish. I was off and running---- Today? One 440 gallon fish only tank, one 120gallon all anemone ( bubble tips and rock anemone). One 180 reef and one 135 gallon delicates and 'rule breakers' like Regal angel, copper band, harem of bicolor angels.

 

[Mariette]

My first SW fish was a Molly that I used to cycle the tank. I slowly brought the salinity up over several weeks in preparation for the fish I really wanted, a clown trigger. But, as an 11 year old kid in 1980, I couldn't afford a clown trigger, so it was substituted with the next best thing, an undulated trigger.
I knew they were a little aggressive, but my thought was that the Molly would have plenty of hiding places among all the beautiful bleached dead coral skeletons that adorned my tank, but in a flash all I saw were scales fluttering in the water column and my new trigger looking directly at me with a disappointing look to his eyes. I'm sure he was thinking, "is that all you have?"
Of course he outgrew the tank and eventually made his way back to the LFS, but we spent several years together and he had such a cool personality and big appetite.
I've never owned another trigger after him, but would love to set up a very large fish only tank with a clown trigger or maybe a pair of triggers?

That’s one heck of a beginner fish

 

[Mariette]

Pipefish from the bay collected while snorkeling ( 1966). Attended the First MACNA in Toronto driven by a 90 gallon housing a pearly jawfish and a clownfish. I was off and running---- Today? One 440 gallon fish only tank, one 120gallon all anemone ( bubble tips and rock anemone). One 180 reef and one 135 gallon delicates and 'rule breakers' like Regal angel, copper band, harem of bicolor angels.

Oh wow. How’d you like to post some pics? I’d love to see these tanks

 

[Mariette]

The first real fish that I can remember is the NigerTigerfish!! I had him in my 1st fish only tank that I had up and running in 1993 thru 1995.

Wow. You don’t play around do you lol

 

[McPuff]

Domino damsel, two of them. They did great even though I had very little idea what I was doing. This was probably in 1994 so I definitely do not have them anymore. :0)

I made the mistake of buying another domino or two about 10 years later. That will never happen again.

 

[MombasaLionfish]

Domino damsel, two of them. They did great even though I had very little idea what I was doing. This was probably in 1994 so I definitely do not have them anymore. :0)

I made the mistake of buying another domino or two about 10 years later. That will never happen again.

Same thing happened to me I got another yellowtail blue damsel and the night we put it in it got in a fight with the other one in my tank and in the morning all that was left was a head laying on the bottom of the tank.

 

[Wendybright]

a fairy wrasse, who is still with me!

 

[Mariette]

Same thing happened to me I got another yellowtail blue damsel and the night we put it in it got in a fight with the other one in my tank and in the morning all that was left was a head laying on the bottom of the tank.

Mental note: scrap plan to introduce another yellowtale damsel

 

[Backreefing]

Yellow tail demsel

 

[aquaman67]

I started my tank with a clown fish pair in 2002.

As of this morning they were both still alive.

 

[BestMomEver]

2002.... bought one tiny domino damsel for a 500 gallon tank. He was absolutely adorable. I guess he was purchased to cycle the tank which is kinda funny since he was so tiny and the tank was so big. He ended up almost 5” long, a muddy black-brown color, and mean as the devil. I had to catch him with a hook and some shrimp. Took him back to the LFS. They put him in their DT where he lived another 10 years or so.

 

[BestMomEver]

I started my tank with a clown fish pair in 2002.

As of this morning they were both still alive.

That’s insane! 17 years!

 

[MombasaLionfish]

I started my tank with a clown fish pair in 2002.

As of this morning they were both still alive.

wow

 

[tony'stank]

Blue Damsel 35 years ago. Back then we used a so- called inexpensive tough fish to start our cycle. Most perished. This one survived and lived for 7 years. One tough mother

 

[Oshengems]

Tessellated Eel lol

 

[MombasaLionfish]

Tessellated Eel lol

Wow tell more.