Fish I decided not to keep

gone fishin · 01/22/2016, 10:52 AM

I was posting in another thread and it got me to thinking about some of the fish I like but decided not to keep. Other than price constraints I was curious what others had took a pass on.

The two that came to mind for me was the Catalina goby and the Splendid dottyback.

The catalina is a beautiful fish but since it comes from colder northern waters it typically does not do well in our tanks with the temps we keep our tanks at.

The Splendid dottyback was not a good fit for my relatively low key tank. If I ever decide to get a more aggressive tank then this fish will go in.

Sk8r · 01/22/2016, 10:58 AM

Worst decision I ever made was the most beautiful: a ghost eel. They said reef-safe. I was naive. It ate 300.00 worth of fish before I realized my beginner mistake. (reef-safe does not mean it isn't a carnivore.)

Second worst: a yellow dottyback. For low cunning and uncatchability, tops. Get a royal gramma instead.

jenjen · 01/22/2016, 07:25 PM

For me it's most tangs. I have a 180 gal and many 'fit' as far as min requirements but seeing a full size tang in a 180 gal just looks so out of place to me. I prefer the look of smaller fish that are more to scale with my system and are more likely to naturally live within a space similar to what I have to offer them.

I do have a 8" foxface who I've had since the start. He's the gentle giant of my system!

Cliving1 · 01/22/2016, 07:56 PM

Lol my post is similar to Sk8r's. I bought a Mexican dragon eel in college, after a few months, he/she decided he wanted to eat everyone... He was always friendly to me, but was not a fan of his/her tankmates.

Maritimer · 01/22/2016, 08:18 PM

Years ago, had a 55 that was _owned_ by a tomato clown and a magenta dottyback. Between the two of them, they killed every fish I ever tried to put in there.

I research more carefully now, (Mind you, the 'net didn't exist back then) and prefer perculas and grammas . . .

~Bruce

Texas Paul · 01/22/2016, 08:32 PM

Lol. I tried to keep fish I shouldn't have kept.

Texas Paul · 01/22/2016, 08:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maritimer

Years ago, had a 55 that was _owned_ by a tomato clown and a magenta dottyback. Between the two of them, they killed every fish I ever tried to put in there.

I research more carefully now, (Mind you, the 'net didn't exist back then) and prefer perculas and grammas . . .

~Bruce

Tomatoes are a&&$"@holes. Nothing but peaceful for me. Try the really shy fish. If you get nothing but them they do awesome together.....

Sk8r · 01/22/2016, 11:16 PM

The absolute worst---a mated PAIR of most things, particularly clarkii clowns, bless 'em---they have teeth. And will bite the hand that feeds them. A blue velvet damsel nearly 4" long and fat as a tuna ran in terror from that pair in a 100 gallon tank.

OrQidz · 01/23/2016, 01:33 AM

For me it's definitely mandarins. They are exquisite, but I just don't want the stress of always needing enough pods, or worse - watching it starve.

Marchillo · 01/23/2016, 07:06 AM

Bad advice from a lfs landed an atlantic blue tang in my 40g breeder. Did fine for a bit and I was going to upgrade tanks, so I'll keep it! But soon it was harassing my starry blenny brutally so I brought him back. I then discovered reef central and now have a happy community in both my tanks. My starry blenny is as happy as can be coexisting with many fish and gets all the algae to himself!

ZeeSparrow · 01/23/2016, 07:30 AM

As already mentioned, no mandarin or tang for me. I stop by the LFS and spend a few minutes watching theirs, instead.

dendrite · 01/23/2016, 07:33 AM

a diamond back Goby. Covered and killed a scoly, goniastrea, and a trachyphyllia . Finally had to bait a tiny hook and actually fish him out. Now resides happily if warily in a friends fowler

01/22/2016, 10:52 AM	#1
gone fishin Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Wyocena Wi Posts: 6,936	Fish I decided not to keep I was posting in another thread and it got me to thinking about some of the fish I like but decided not to keep. Other than price constraints I was curious what others had took a pass on. The two that came to mind for me was the Catalina goby and the Splendid dottyback. The catalina is a beautiful fish but since it comes from colder northern waters it typically does not do well in our tanks with the temps we keep our tanks at. The Splendid dottyback was not a good fit for my relatively low key tank. If I ever decide to get a more aggressive tank then this fish will go in. __________________ Tony Current Tank Info: 180gal DT, BM NAC77 skimmer,3 Maxspect razors, Maxspect Gyre 150, 30g QT

01/22/2016, 10:58 AM	#2
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	Worst decision I ever made was the most beautiful: a ghost eel. They said reef-safe. I was naive. It ate 300.00 worth of fish before I realized my beginner mistake. (reef-safe does not mean it isn't a carnivore.) Second worst: a yellow dottyback. For low cunning and uncatchability, tops. Get a royal gramma instead. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

01/22/2016, 07:25 PM	#3
jenjen Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Langley BC, Canada Posts: 1,710	For me it's most tangs. I have a 180 gal and many 'fit' as far as min requirements but seeing a full size tang in a 180 gal just looks so out of place to me. I prefer the look of smaller fish that are more to scale with my system and are more likely to naturally live within a space similar to what I have to offer them. I do have a 8" foxface who I've had since the start. He's the gentle giant of my system! __________________ "Challenges forge the greatness in you" Current Tank Info: 180gal softy reef (Apr '09)

01/22/2016, 08:18 PM	#5
Maritimer Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: SW Connecticut, U.S.A. Posts: 419	Years ago, had a 55 that was _owned_ by a tomato clown and a magenta dottyback. Between the two of them, they killed every fish I ever tried to put in there. I research more carefully now, (Mind you, the 'net didn't exist back then) and prefer perculas and grammas . . . ~Bruce __________________ Because anything else ... is just a fishtank. Zoey's Reef has come to life! Zoas, 'shrooms and LPS of several sorts, CUC, dartfish, wrasses and others swim above the sand . . . Current Tank Info: Kingston & Zoey's Reef; 220g, Deltec skimmer, 2 MaxSpect Gyre x-50s, 2,500gph or so through the sump. SPS are surviving . . .

01/22/2016, 11:16 PM	#8
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	The absolute worst---a mated PAIR of most things, particularly clarkii clowns, bless 'em---they have teeth. And will bite the hand that feeds them. A blue velvet damsel nearly 4" long and fat as a tuna ran in terror from that pair in a 100 gallon tank. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

01/22/2016, 07:56 PM	#4
Cliving1 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2015 Posts: 1,923	Lol my post is similar to Sk8r's. I bought a Mexican dragon eel in college, after a few months, he/she decided he wanted to eat everyone... He was always friendly to me, but was not a fan of his/her tankmates.

01/22/2016, 08:32 PM	#6
Texas Paul Registered Member. Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Houston Posts: 88	Lol. I tried to keep fish I shouldn't have kept.

01/23/2016, 01:33 AM	#9
OrQidz Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Pacific Northwest Posts: 825	For me it's definitely mandarins. They are exquisite, but I just don't want the stress of always needing enough pods, or worse - watching it starve.

01/23/2016, 07:06 AM	#10
Marchillo Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Posts: 1,178	Bad advice from a lfs landed an atlantic blue tang in my 40g breeder. Did fine for a bit and I was going to upgrade tanks, so I'll keep it! But soon it was harassing my starry blenny brutally so I brought him back. I then discovered reef central and now have a happy community in both my tanks. My starry blenny is as happy as can be coexisting with many fish and gets all the algae to himself! __________________ 80G Frag as DT Proflex Sump Model2 Reef Octopus Skimmer 2xMP10 & 2XR30W Pros I love technology

01/23/2016, 07:30 AM	#11
ZeeSparrow Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Spokane Valley, WA Posts: 788	As already mentioned, no mandarin or tang for me. I stop by the LFS and spend a few minutes watching theirs, instead. __________________ Build thread: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2499447 Current Tank Info: 75G w/29G sump, Reefbreeders Photon 48, RO Classic 110-INT, Jebao DCT-8000, 2xJebao RW-8, 2xEheim Jager 150W heaters, Tunze Osmolator ATO, TLF GFO

01/23/2016, 07:33 AM	#12
dendrite Registered Member Join Date: May 2013 Location: denver Posts: 493	a diamond back Goby. Covered and killed a scoly, goniastrea, and a trachyphyllia . Finally had to bait a tiny hook and actually fish him out. Now resides happily if warily in a friends fowler