-The new WHAT NOT TO BUY list-

[ryebread]

Originally posted by Litmus
Green Brittle Stars
Not safe with fish ...
Green Brittlestars will eat dead or dying fish typically. If they are fed properly........no problems with these guys either. Need to be spot fed.

 

[saltynewbie]

no probs with my CBS....

 

[ryebread]

Things I would say you don't have a good chance of keeping alive are.......
Moorish Idols
Flame Scallops
Certain Sponges
Batfish......can be tough
There are many more of course.........these are just what I was looking at on the availability list at work.

 

[rbmount]

Damnsels!

 

[cprdnick]

Arrow crabs if you like your bristleworm population.
I think this list should be aimed towards a certain type of tank setup. Certain reefs should not have certain corals mixed. Certain tanks should not have certain inhabitants, ie.. reefs-no CC stars, eels, triggers, puffers, etc...!

 

[gregvabch]

coral banded shrimp should be moved from the hard to take care of list to the tries to catch your fish list when they get too big
i've got something not to buy, tacky plastic decorations meant for freshwater tanks, crushed coral, and anything that you know nothing about

 

[michelle13]

Emerald crabs! Mine didn't eat bubble algae, but loved my xenia, feather duster, and shrooms. I must have had a bad one!

 

[karajay]

Horseshoe crabs - cute but destructive and high maintenence

 

[cprdnick]

Sand sifting stars.
No matter how much the LFS tries to tell you they are beneficial, do not buy an Aiptasia anemone.

 

[angelofish]

Flowerpots,or the big hermits with orange legs and white spots. Any supplements with no ingredients listed.

 

[thomas712]

Do not buy -
Undergravel filters - for any tank
UV sterilizers - for any reef tank
Flintstone live rock grabber (

some of you will get that)

 

[aarone]

i got ya thomas but I already wasted my money on it.... damn the no winking smily face!!!
How about sweeping motion powerheads....any heaters that cost less than 10 bucks make that any full time equipment :-D

 

[aarone]

I wish my 6 line would clean!
Im reffering to the wrasse that looks similar to neon gobies. They usually die without parasites to feed on.

 

[ekclark]

Second on the powersweep powerheads, bought two at christmas, neither works now. What a waste.

 

[scottk]

Nudibranch also have problems with things they don't encounter in the wild, like powerheads and filter intakes. I had a lettuce nudi for about 6 months and looking good when he wandering into a PH while I was away......
Many butterflies and other critters must eat coral or other specialized food, so they won't make it.
Research, research, research......

 

[1journeyman]

Rio powerheads
damsels
Any fish to cycle your tank

 

[jeepboy]

Crushed coral....it just turns green and needs to be vacumned. Tank looks much better with sand and the critters keep it clean.

 

[cprdnick]

Not all nudibranchs eat algaes. Most of the purple nudibranchs that the LFS's sell require red sponges to survive. Some require other types of sponges, some need certain critters. We just can't keep up with the dietary needs of these critters.

 

[drakken]

Originally posted by footbag
Purple Lobster(haven't seen him in months)
I've seen mine a few times but mostly I see the damage it inflicts. He's taken snips out of my firefish and he killed my favorite little buddy yesterday, my LMB. I will see him once more on his trip back to the LFS.

 

[daisy]

This may seem like a no-brainer, but anything that you don't know exactly what it eats/needs to survive. Nearly everything I've bought that has died in my tank did so because I didn't do enough research on it first.
And also beware of animals that have a split opinion on this board -- like emeralds or peppermints, etc. Some of us love ours, and some don't because some are nice guys and some are not, so
CAVEAT EMPTOR on these animals.