what should hobbist not purchase because they do not thrive in our aquariums

mscarpena

mscarpena

Member
Building off my last thread I can not stand it when people buy things that will just wither away and die in home aquariums. There are so many things that are beautiful and will flourish in home aquariums. So lets post stuff here that people should not buy or if you have had success with anything listed here post that as well. I'll start, but I am sure I will miss a lot of them.
CARNATION CORALS
MOST NUDIBRANCH-UNLESS YOU CAN IDENTIFY WHAT THEY EAT
BASKET STAR FISH
STARFISH OTHER THAN THE ONES THAT ARE NOT REEF SAFE
DEEP SEA GORGONIAS
SEA APPLES
FILTER FEEDING CUCUMBERS
IN MOST CASES
GINOPORAS
SHARKS
STING RAYS
ELEGANCE CORALS-OTHER THAN AUSSIE ONES
SEA HORSES-UNLESS THEY ARE TANK RAISED AND YOU DO YOUR RESEARCH
PIPEFISH-SAME AS SEAHORSES
 
perfectdark

perfectdark

Active Member
Long Tentacle Plate Corals, Heliofungia actiniformis.
Sun Corals: Although not difficult to keep, they require frequent target feedings and can adversly affect your bioload if not monitored closely especially in small tanks.
 
matt b

matt b

Active Member
Originally Posted by PerfectDark
http:///forum/post/2604512
Long Tentacle Plate Corals, Heliofungia actiniformis.
Sun Corals: Although not difficult to keep, they require frequent target feedings and can adversly affect your bioload if not monitored closely especially in small tanks.

Maybe not for nanos or new people but if you know what your doing they are great corals
 
murph

murph

Active Member
It should be kept in mind that in years gone by this list would have been much larger and include many animals and inverts that now are kept by even novice hobbyist.
There seems to be some sort of bizarre need by many hobbyist these days to find a reason to feel "conscientious". Hence the regurgitation of these list over and over.
Lucky the pioneers of the hobby had no such desire or we probably would not even be discussing reef tanks at this point in time.
 
michaeltx

michaeltx

Moderator
thats true but there are some species that are listed that a unknowing person will buy think its going to be an easy animal to keep. which in fact the pioneers had a hard time of trial and error to be able to keep some of these animals. I personally feel that its a good idea to make lists like these. In time they will change though and some animals that are a NO NO now will become easier to keep because inovation and knowing what care they really need.
Mike
 
stdreb27

stdreb27

Active Member
Originally Posted by MichaelTX
http:///forum/post/2610482
thats true but there are some species that are listed that a unknowing person will buy think its going to be an easy animal to keep. which in fact the pioneers had a hard time of trial and error to be able to keep some of these animals. I personally feel that its a good idea to make lists like these. In time they will change though and some animals that are a NO NO now will become easier to keep because inovation and knowing what care they really need.
Mike
+1 you don't put your hand on a hot burner when you know it is hot in the name of innovation. Maybe invent a stove that is cold to the touch...
But that being said, I can't waite till someone solves the mystery of the morish idol. I saw a mature one in person the other day. And WOW what a glorious fish.
 
renogaw

renogaw

Active Member
Originally Posted by MichaelTX
http:///forum/post/2610482
thats true but there are some species that are listed that a unknowing person will buy think its going to be an easy animal to keep. which in fact the pioneers had a hard time of trial and error to be able to keep some of these animals. I personally feel that its a good idea to make lists like these. In time they will change though and some animals that are a NO NO now will become easier to keep because inovation and knowing what care they really need.
Mike

completely agree. YEARS ago people wouldnt even think of keeping anthias because no one knew their dietary needs. now, they are a beautiful addition to the RIGHT aquariums.
 
scopus tang

scopus tang

Active Member
Originally Posted by MichaelTX
http:///forum/post/2610482
thats true but there are some species that are listed that a unknowing person will buy think its going to be an easy animal to keep. which in fact the pioneers had a hard time of trial and error to be able to keep some of these animals. I personally feel that its a good idea to make lists like these. In time they will change though and some animals that are a NO NO now will become easier to keep because inovation and knowing what care they really need.
Mike
Not only that, but the misrepresentation of common names also leads some people to unknowingly buy corals that can't commonly be kept (guilty). I for example knew better than to buy a carnation coral, but purchased a orange finger leather from a not so local LFS, only to discover that it was in fact an orange carnation coral. Might I suggest adding photos to this thread ~ may help some recognize No - No's even if they are misnamed.
 
crimzy

crimzy

Active Member
I'm not really sure why sharks and stungrays are on your list... That's a bit of a generalization, isn't it? I had my epp for about 3 years before he was put out to stud in a 1200 gallon system. And I've had my yellow stingray for about 4 years.
If you mean that they should only be kept in appropriately sized aquariums then I agree. But if your position is that they should not be kept in aquariums then I'd have to think that you know very little about them. Actually, IME, many sharks and rays are hardier than a lot of fish. They are not overly sensitive to trates or common diseases. Mine have been species that readily breed in captivity. So please enlighten me as to why sharks and rays should not be kept in an appropriate size setup?
 
stdreb27

stdreb27

Active Member
Originally Posted by crimzy
http:///forum/post/2610788
I'm not really sure why sharks and stungrays are on your list... That's a bit of a generalization, isn't it? I had my epp for about 3 years before he was put out to stud in a 1200 gallon system. And I've had my yellow stingray for about 4 years.
If you mean that they should only be kept in appropriately sized aquariums then I agree. But if your position is that they should not be kept in aquariums then I'd have to think that you know very little about them. Actually, IME, many sharks and rays are hardier than a lot of fish. They are not overly sensitive to trates or common diseases. Mine have been species that readily breed in captivity. So please enlighten me as to why sharks and rays should not be kept in an appropriate size setup?
Because most people drop em into inappropriate sized setups.
 
sly

sly

Active Member
Originally Posted by mscarpena
http:///forum/post/2604398
So lets post stuff here that people should not buy or if you have had success with anything listed here post that as well.

Green Mandarin/Mandarin Goby: I have successfully kept one for quite a while. I saw him last night and he was looking very fat and healthy. The problem is that they only eat live food. Mine does as well. He won't touch the food I give to the other fish.
I keep a refugium with chaeto, mangroves and all sorts of algae. I leave the lights on 24/7 although lately I have been turning them off some. A year before I got the mandarin I went to the beach and saw millions of pods scurrying along the sand as each wave hit them. I took a plastic bucket and scooped up some sand with the pods and brought it back home. I put it in the fuge to "plant" my mangroves. (risky I know but there have been no problems). I also got some live pods and rotifers from swf.com because they were on my free item list. Thought "why not".
Anyway a year later I decided to buy a mandarin. I had one before but it obviously died as do most other people's. I put it in the tank and over a year later it is still doing fine. I never feed him and so far he has not been able to overcome my pod population. There are countless many of them in my rock work and living in my fuge. I bought a red flashlight so I could see them at night without causing them to hide... They are everywhere...
With that said, now my mandarin is the easiest fish to keep. I literally do nothing for him. He eats what he finds and they just keep growing. Having a fuge and introducing a pod population beforehand is a must, IMO.
 
mscarpena

mscarpena

Member
Originally Posted by Murph
http:///forum/post/2610453
It should be kept in mind that in years gone by this list would have been much larger and include many animals and inverts that now are kept by even novice hobbyist.
There seems to be some sort of bizarre need by many hobbyist these days to find a reason to feel "conscientious". Hence the regurgitation of these list over and over.
Lucky the pioneers of the hobby had no such desire or we probably would not even be discussing reef tanks at this point in time.
I do agree with you, but I started this tread because I feel that there are many people that do not do their homework before buying corals. I see way too many thread saying please identify this and what are the care requirements. While many of those are easy to care for some are not and are destined to die. If anyone has had any success with any of these animals listed please post what was done to enable them to survive. I am just trying to save people some headaches and save a few animals lives. I really have the best of intentions. I am just saying do some research before you buy something that will just die. Buy things because they will thrive in your tank and you are able to care for them not just because they are pretty.
 
mscarpena

mscarpena

Member
Originally Posted by crimzy
http:///forum/post/2610788
I'm not really sure why sharks and stungrays are on your list... That's a bit of a generalization, isn't it? I had my epp for about 3 years before he was put out to stud in a 1200 gallon system. And I've had my yellow stingray for about 4 years.
If you mean that they should only be kept in appropriately sized aquariums then I agree. But if your position is that they should not be kept in aquariums then I'd have to think that you know very little about them. Actually, IME, many sharks and rays are hardier than a lot of fish. They are not overly sensitive to trates or common diseases. Mine have been species that readily breed in captivity. So please enlighten me as to why sharks and rays should not be kept in an appropriate size setup?
I agree with you 100%. Thats why I said in most cases. Most people can not afford 1200 gallon aquariums. I know I can not. I know people who have kept sharks in as little as 55 gallon aquariums. People do many things they should not. Sharks can be kept given the right conditions and research. I think many people do not understand the size that the shark or ray can get. Many of them get very large. I also think shraks get purchased for the wrong reasons. I know many people who just buy them because they think it is cool to have a shrak and it makes them feel tough or something....I don't know. I am not saying you did that because you obvisouly are pationate about your shark and that why you have provided it with the proper care requirements.
 
mscarpena

mscarpena

Member
Originally Posted by Sly
http:///forum/post/2611933
Green Mandarin/Mandarin Goby: I have successfully kept one for quite a while. I saw him last night and he was looking very fat and healthy. The problem is that they only eat live food. Mine does as well. He won't touch the food I give to the other fish.
I keep a refugium with chaeto, mangroves and all sorts of algae. I leave the lights on 24/7 although lately I have been turning them off some. A year before I got the mandarin I went to the beach and saw millions of pods scurrying along the sand as each wave hit them. I took a plastic bucket and scooped up some sand with the pods and brought it back home. I put it in the fuge to "plant" my mangroves. (risky I know but there have been no problems). I also got some live pods and rotifers from swf.com because they were on my free item list. Thought "why not".
Anyway a year later I decided to buy a mandarin. I had one before but it obviously died as do most other people's. I put it in the tank and over a year later it is still doing fine. I never feed him and so far he has not been able to overcome my pod population. There are countless many of them in my rock work and living in my fuge. I bought a red flashlight so I could see them at night without causing them to hide... They are everywhere...
With that said, now my mandarin is the easiest fish to keep. I literally do nothing for him. He eats what he finds and they just keep growing. Having a fuge and introducing a pod population beforehand is a must, IMO.
Many people keep them in tanks that are too small with too little live rock. I also think people do not research their requirements and buy them because they are pretty. I have had a mandarin for 4 years now in an established 75 gallon with 100 LBS of good quality LR. He has always looked great. Also he eats frozen foods. Again under the right conditions they can be a great aquarium species.
 
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