When you "bonded fish" purchase do not bond.

[Mike in CT]

Has anyone else been disappointed when they have purchased a "bonded pair" through a online retailer and when you receive them they don't want anything to do with each other? I purchased a bonded pair of Kauderns Cardinal fish last spring and from the time I added them to the tank they never got along. Or I should say one harassed the other to the point it had to hide most of the time. It stinks because buying a bonded pair costs 2 to 3 times what just buying 2 would normally costs. Makes me think how bonded they really were, or were they just in the same area when they netted them... and not really a pair yet. Anyone else have bad luck like me?

 

[rayn]

This is a sticky point on another forum I am on. We laugh every time we see "bonded pair". It can mean so many things. Collected together, house together, mating pair, but there is no guarantee that they will get along once in your tank.

 

[Mike in CT]

Yes..I understand it does not mean "mated pair" but I least hoped they could tolerate being in the same in the same tank together... Lol. I probably would have been better if buying 5 of the normal fish at once for the same price and seeing if 2 paired up and giving/ trading the rest.

 

[JMSKI333]

I guess it would depend who you bought them from. I feel that some suppliers are more honest than others. I could totally see some venders just netting two clowns out of a tank of 50 and calling them bonded.

 

[jokervueboi]

I bought 2 flame hawkfish for $30ish each and they're always sitting together, eating together, swimming together.

 

[arnel0387]

Yup! I bought a "bonded" pair hybrid neon gobies and they are trying to kill each other! I contacted Live Aquaria Divers Den and they pretty much told me several days later after I emailed them that there's nothing they could do!

 

[powdermonkey]

My bonded pair of blotched anthias were not so bonded. This is probably the reason the bonded candy basslets have been on there for so long.

 

[Mike in CT]

It wouldn't bother me so much if they didn't charge such a premium for them being "bonded". To me if they don't bond, they should at least give you credit as if you just bought 2 separate fish. How you could prove that I don't know.... Lol
It would be nice if they could tell you... " there is 50/50 chance that these fish will stay bonded" just so you know what to expect.