Inverts and Corals Best Avoided Or Left To Experts:
Cephalopods, Octopi, Cuttlefish, Squid (Class Cephalopoda): These must have species tanks and require a lot of research before attempting them
Non-photosynyhetic Corals and Gorgonids (Sun polyps, Carnation, Devils Hand, Chili Coral, etc.): If it's a soft coral and not green or brown in part and is very vividly colored odds are it's non-photosynthetic and requires more small particles of food than most aquarists are willing or able to provide.
Christmas Tree Worms (Spirobranchus spp.): Filters feeders that rarely live long in home aquaria
Coco Worms (Protula bispiralis): See above
Flowerpot Coral (Goniopora spp.): Some progress has been made, but still miserably low survival rates and mopst are still doomed, stokesi is the most common and seems to be among the most difficult in the genus
Feather Starfish (Himerometra sp.): Require huge amounts of flow and large amounts of tiny planktonic organisms
Basket Starfish (Astrophyton muricatum): Similar to feather stars above, but even less suitable for typical aquarium life
Crown of Thorns Starfish (Acanthaster planci): Just seeing if you're still paying attention...
Linckia Starfish (Linckia spp.): Disease issues and shipping stress kill a large percentage, the ones that remain often slowly starve to death
Wild Acropora Corals (Acropora spp.): Wild colonies can be particularly adapted to flow and light from their natural environment and often do poorly once in aquaria, seek out hardier aquacultured specimens
Sea Apples (Pseudocolochirus spp.): Often slowly waste away if not offered large amounts of food appropriate for filter feeders, also a chance for toxins to be released and possibly kill other organisms
Margarita Snails (Margarites pupillus): From temperate waters and don't seem to adapt to warmer waters as well as some other clean up crew members from similar waters
Green Brittle Starfish (Ophioarachna incrassata): Can get large and boisterous, some reports of them actually ambushing unsuspecting or sleeping fish
Sea Pens (Order Pennatulacea): Terrible additions to home aquaria and are very short-lived
Sea Slugs and Nudibranchs (Subclass Opisthobranchia): Very specialized feeders, a couple can be useful to elimate pests but it is very difficult to sustain a food source for even those, they're also very prone to damage by overflows and pumps
Flame Scallop (Lima scabra): Filter feeders that usually waste away in home aquaria, the same goes for other scallops which are less frequently encountered in the trade
Anemones (various genera): Most anemones should be placed in specialty tanks and also have very poor survival rates, beginners should not attempt Anemones without extensive research
Bright Yellow Anemones (dyed; and done most commonly with Sebae, but also seen on occasion with long tentacle and carpet anemones
Harlequin/Clown Shrimp (Hymenocera picta): Must have live starfish to feed on to survive
Camel/Mechanical Shrimp (Rhynchocinetes durbanensis): Not reef safe but often sold as as such
Elegance Coral (Catalaphyllia jardinei): Recent poor survival possibly due to a disease, other factors might relate to them coming from higher nutrient environments
Pipe Organ Coral (Tubipora Musica): Often hacked off from a larger colony, recent survival seems better than in the past
"Decorative" Sponges (Porifera) Often hacked off from large colonies, also exposed to air for too long which often leads to their demise, bright orange and yellow colors are common
Horseshoe Crab (various genera Limulus polyphemus most common) Grow too large for home aquaria but will die of starvation long before they have the chance
Venomous and/or Toxic Species:
Blue Ring Octopus (Hapalochlaena spp.)
Flower Urchins (Toxopneustes pileolus): Rare in the trade, but outside the trade there are reported deaths from this species
Black Longspined Sea Urchins (Diadema spp.): Can inflict painful wounds, some debate exists whether or not they are really venomous, but it's wise to handle all urchins with care
Cone Shells (Conus spp.): Rarely encountered in the aquarium trade, can be deadly
Box Jellyfish (Chironex fleckeri): Quite deadly but of no concern to aquarists
Hell's Fire Anemone (family Actinodendronidae): While all anemones are capable of stinging, this is the one of the few to be concerned about, very painful stings
Hydroids: Usually just cause skin irritation if anything
Fire Coral (Millepora spp.): See hydroids
Sea Mat, Button Polyps, Zoanthids (family Zoanthidae): Some of these can contain Palytoxin which can be quite dangerous, they're quite frequently harmless but if you want to err on the side of caution rubber gloves are a good idea when handling them, as are goggles when fragging them
Cephalopods, Octopi, Cuttlefish, Squid (Class Cephalopoda): These must have species tanks and require a lot of research before attempting them
Non-photosynyhetic Corals and Gorgonids (Sun polyps, Carnation, Devils Hand, Chili Coral, etc.): If it's a soft coral and not green or brown in part and is very vividly colored odds are it's non-photosynthetic and requires more small particles of food than most aquarists are willing or able to provide.
Christmas Tree Worms (Spirobranchus spp.): Filters feeders that rarely live long in home aquaria
Coco Worms (Protula bispiralis): See above
Flowerpot Coral (Goniopora spp.): Some progress has been made, but still miserably low survival rates and mopst are still doomed, stokesi is the most common and seems to be among the most difficult in the genus
Feather Starfish (Himerometra sp.): Require huge amounts of flow and large amounts of tiny planktonic organisms
Basket Starfish (Astrophyton muricatum): Similar to feather stars above, but even less suitable for typical aquarium life
Crown of Thorns Starfish (Acanthaster planci): Just seeing if you're still paying attention...
Linckia Starfish (Linckia spp.): Disease issues and shipping stress kill a large percentage, the ones that remain often slowly starve to death
Wild Acropora Corals (Acropora spp.): Wild colonies can be particularly adapted to flow and light from their natural environment and often do poorly once in aquaria, seek out hardier aquacultured specimens
Sea Apples (Pseudocolochirus spp.): Often slowly waste away if not offered large amounts of food appropriate for filter feeders, also a chance for toxins to be released and possibly kill other organisms
Margarita Snails (Margarites pupillus): From temperate waters and don't seem to adapt to warmer waters as well as some other clean up crew members from similar waters
Green Brittle Starfish (Ophioarachna incrassata): Can get large and boisterous, some reports of them actually ambushing unsuspecting or sleeping fish
Sea Pens (Order Pennatulacea): Terrible additions to home aquaria and are very short-lived
Sea Slugs and Nudibranchs (Subclass Opisthobranchia): Very specialized feeders, a couple can be useful to elimate pests but it is very difficult to sustain a food source for even those, they're also very prone to damage by overflows and pumps
Flame Scallop (Lima scabra): Filter feeders that usually waste away in home aquaria, the same goes for other scallops which are less frequently encountered in the trade
Anemones (various genera): Most anemones should be placed in specialty tanks and also have very poor survival rates, beginners should not attempt Anemones without extensive research
Bright Yellow Anemones (dyed; and done most commonly with Sebae, but also seen on occasion with long tentacle and carpet anemones
Harlequin/Clown Shrimp (Hymenocera picta): Must have live starfish to feed on to survive
Camel/Mechanical Shrimp (Rhynchocinetes durbanensis): Not reef safe but often sold as as such
Elegance Coral (Catalaphyllia jardinei): Recent poor survival possibly due to a disease, other factors might relate to them coming from higher nutrient environments
Pipe Organ Coral (Tubipora Musica): Often hacked off from a larger colony, recent survival seems better than in the past
"Decorative" Sponges (Porifera) Often hacked off from large colonies, also exposed to air for too long which often leads to their demise, bright orange and yellow colors are common
Horseshoe Crab (various genera Limulus polyphemus most common) Grow too large for home aquaria but will die of starvation long before they have the chance
Venomous and/or Toxic Species:
Blue Ring Octopus (Hapalochlaena spp.)
Flower Urchins (Toxopneustes pileolus): Rare in the trade, but outside the trade there are reported deaths from this species
Black Longspined Sea Urchins (Diadema spp.): Can inflict painful wounds, some debate exists whether or not they are really venomous, but it's wise to handle all urchins with care
Cone Shells (Conus spp.): Rarely encountered in the aquarium trade, can be deadly
Box Jellyfish (Chironex fleckeri): Quite deadly but of no concern to aquarists
Hell's Fire Anemone (family Actinodendronidae): While all anemones are capable of stinging, this is the one of the few to be concerned about, very painful stings
Hydroids: Usually just cause skin irritation if anything
Fire Coral (Millepora spp.): See hydroids
Sea Mat, Button Polyps, Zoanthids (family Zoanthidae): Some of these can contain Palytoxin which can be quite dangerous, they're quite frequently harmless but if you want to err on the side of caution rubber gloves are a good idea when handling them, as are goggles when fragging them
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