List of fish/inverts that hobbiests should avoid
- Thread starter lion_crazz
- Start date
ophiura
Active Member
I would just clarify:
Linckia and Fromia stars need huge amounts of LR...sand sifters, Archaster, in fact, need the opposite - huge surface area of open sand.
I would add:
Crinoid (Feather Stars) - nearly impossible to keep in most systems; most will die within months. Acclimation is critical, be feeding them is virtually impossible for most hobbyists.
Basketstars - Like their relatives, acclimation is critical. This animal needs hands on daily feedings and is nocturnal. You will have lots of late nights if you intend to keep it, but generally they will starve. If successful, the animal will outgrow most tanks. Sadly, few get the attention then need.
Can't remember if it was added:
The orange spotted filefish - a showy and beautiful fish, but doomed in most systems as it is an obligate feeder on SPS coral polyps.
An excellent idea for a thread
Linckia and Fromia stars need huge amounts of LR...sand sifters, Archaster, in fact, need the opposite - huge surface area of open sand.
I would add:
Crinoid (Feather Stars) - nearly impossible to keep in most systems; most will die within months. Acclimation is critical, be feeding them is virtually impossible for most hobbyists.
Basketstars - Like their relatives, acclimation is critical. This animal needs hands on daily feedings and is nocturnal. You will have lots of late nights if you intend to keep it, but generally they will starve. If successful, the animal will outgrow most tanks. Sadly, few get the attention then need.
Can't remember if it was added:
The orange spotted filefish - a showy and beautiful fish, but doomed in most systems as it is an obligate feeder on SPS coral polyps.
An excellent idea for a thread
N
nereef
Guest
good work, lion.
arrow crabs+
dragonettes might be the biggest lfs mistake.
arrow crabs+
dragonettes might be the biggest lfs mistake.
miaheatlvr
Active Member
Originally Posted by NEreef
good work, lion.
arrow crabs+
dragonettes might be the biggest lfs mistake.
WHY arrow crabs? may I ask? Just want to know your opinion?
good work, lion.
arrow crabs+
dragonettes might be the biggest lfs mistake.
WHY arrow crabs? may I ask? Just want to know your opinion?
lion_crazz
Active Member
Arrow crabs eat snails, feather dusters, smaller inverts, and when they get larger, can even eat small fish. They are not something I would want in my aquarium, however, they are still able to be kept in captivity in the right system.
Dragonettes are another fish that are very keepable in the right conditions. Many things just come down to researching before making a purhcase and ensuring that you have the right tank specifications, water quality, and tank mates to go along with whatever you are looking to buy.
Ophiura, thank you for the clarification about the starfish, and the inclusion with the feather stars. I totally forgot about them because I have only seen them for sale a few times.
Dragonettes are another fish that are very keepable in the right conditions. Many things just come down to researching before making a purhcase and ensuring that you have the right tank specifications, water quality, and tank mates to go along with whatever you are looking to buy.
Ophiura, thank you for the clarification about the starfish, and the inclusion with the feather stars. I totally forgot about them because I have only seen them for sale a few times.
1journeyman
Active Member
Cucumbers and urchins are easy... I mean the common ones I see in the trade are anyway.
ophiura
Active Member
Originally Posted by JBAIR
How about Conchs, Cucumbers, Nudibranchs, and Urchins. Are these easy to keep and are they recommended for a new tank?
No, I would not call them "easy." Cucumbers, nudibranchs and urchins are definitely not for new tanks, and water parameters must be very good (esp specific gravity). Acclimation is critical. I would not consider any until the tank is at least 6 months old.
Cucumbers come in two types - filter feeders and sand sifters. Both have the potential to crash a tank and kill fish if they die. The colorful filter feeders such as sea apples are the greatest risk in terms of toxicity. These animals need to be fed specific diets of small particle sizes. Sand sifters need specific particle size substrate as they ingest it.
Urchins can be bulldozers of rock work and frags. Some are threats to soft corals, and other grow huge and have long venemous spines. They may eat coralline algae and this can be an issue for some people.
Nudibranchs are very very delicate in general, and often have very specific diets that are not met in our tanks.
How about Conchs, Cucumbers, Nudibranchs, and Urchins. Are these easy to keep and are they recommended for a new tank?
No, I would not call them "easy." Cucumbers, nudibranchs and urchins are definitely not for new tanks, and water parameters must be very good (esp specific gravity). Acclimation is critical. I would not consider any until the tank is at least 6 months old.
Cucumbers come in two types - filter feeders and sand sifters. Both have the potential to crash a tank and kill fish if they die. The colorful filter feeders such as sea apples are the greatest risk in terms of toxicity. These animals need to be fed specific diets of small particle sizes. Sand sifters need specific particle size substrate as they ingest it.
Urchins can be bulldozers of rock work and frags. Some are threats to soft corals, and other grow huge and have long venemous spines. They may eat coralline algae and this can be an issue for some people.
Nudibranchs are very very delicate in general, and often have very specific diets that are not met in our tanks.
leftyblite
Member
Thank you Lioncrazz. I'm getting ready to set up another 150G tank and my wife really wants a dwarf lion for the tank. I showed her this post and now she isn't so sure about getting one. This thread is a really valuable tool for the newcomers to saltwater fish. :thinking:
lion_crazz
Active Member
Alyssia, Ophiura, thank you very much for your contributions!
Leftybite, I am glad I could help. If she wants a dwarf lion, I strongly recommend the fuzzy dwarf. This species usually ships VERY well, and is SUCH a personable fish. My fuzzy dwarf comes to the front of my tank when she hears me talking to her. She still feeds so calmly and peacefully right out of my hand (2.5 years later and fully grown).
Slesia, while I do agree that starry hermits are something that I would never put in my tank, people with triggers, groupers, etc. can make good use out of them usually.
Leftybite, I am glad I could help. If she wants a dwarf lion, I strongly recommend the fuzzy dwarf. This species usually ships VERY well, and is SUCH a personable fish. My fuzzy dwarf comes to the front of my tank when she hears me talking to her. She still feeds so calmly and peacefully right out of my hand (2.5 years later and fully grown).
Slesia, while I do agree that starry hermits are something that I would never put in my tank, people with triggers, groupers, etc. can make good use out of them usually.
1journeyman
Active Member
Originally Posted by ophiura
No, I would not call them "easy." Cucumbers, nudibranchs and urchins are definitely not for new tanks, and water parameters must be very good (esp specific gravity). Acclimation is critical. I would not consider any until the tank is at least 6 months old.....
I bow to your wisdom Ophiura.
My Carribbean cucumber has never been a problem, and my slate pencil urchin snuck in on some Caribbean rock and has grown fantastically.
Clearly I spoke without researching enough as I shouldn't go with personal experience as the only source of knowledge.
I think any "sand sifting" creature needs to be on the list as well.
No, I would not call them "easy." Cucumbers, nudibranchs and urchins are definitely not for new tanks, and water parameters must be very good (esp specific gravity). Acclimation is critical. I would not consider any until the tank is at least 6 months old.....
I bow to your wisdom Ophiura.
My Carribbean cucumber has never been a problem, and my slate pencil urchin snuck in on some Caribbean rock and has grown fantastically.
Clearly I spoke without researching enough as I shouldn't go with personal experience as the only source of knowledge.
I think any "sand sifting" creature needs to be on the list as well.
miamireefr
Member
Hey Lion
Definitely add a mandarin (spotted) goby. I didn't see it on the list and it's well known if they don't have alot of LR and pods to feast on, eventually that fish a person grows attached to for it's color and beauty will starve and die.
Definitely add a mandarin (spotted) goby. I didn't see it on the list and it's well known if they don't have alot of LR and pods to feast on, eventually that fish a person grows attached to for it's color and beauty will starve and die.
lion_crazz
Active Member
Yep, I will add the mandarin. Since I can no longer edit my first post, I will just allow this thread to keep going with suggestions, and then when it is all said and done, I will compile one huge list of everyone's suggestions, as well as all of my own, and then submit it so that it can be archived. That way, there will be one huge list in the archives, and this running list on the new aquarists board so that they can read different comments back and forth about the species we are talking about.
Please keep the suggestions and comments coming. With the amount of input everyone has given to this thread, I am sure this thread can be a great help to anyone looking adding a fish to their aquarium.
Please keep the suggestions and comments coming. With the amount of input everyone has given to this thread, I am sure this thread can be a great help to anyone looking adding a fish to their aquarium.
