Marine marvels: Do you keep uncommon fish in your tank?

[Peace River]

Marine marvels: Do you keep uncommon fish in your tank?

Many reef keepers keep the standard array of fish in their tank including clownfish, damsels, chromis, tangs, common wrasses, and other fish that can be found in nearly every local fish store. However, sometimes we come across unusual fish and, with some research, we are able to add them to our tanks and provide a healthy environment for them to thrive. Please tell us about your experience with keeping fish that may not be considered “mainstream”. Do you keep uncommon fish in your tank?

Pro Tip: Buying an uncommon fish that catches your eye can be very tempting, however it is important to understand their requirements before they are added to the tank so that you can create the space for them to thrive. This includes understanding elements like water parameters, tank size, compatibility with fish and coral, and any other challenges.

Photo by @SaltyT


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[Gumbies R Us]

Later on down the road, I will end up keeping maybe a few uncommon fish just to have something that is "different"

 

[Townes_Van_Camp]

Uncommon in the hobby? No. Uncommon in people's bedroom, yes.

 

[Alfie]

I have great barrier reef chromis that arent very common

 

[vetteguy53081]

I have many fish. Uncommon to me would be My Harlequin, Betta and engineer goby

 

[i cant think]

Does uncommon count if they’re on the rarer side in the hobby or a PITA to keep alive for many?
If so… Here’s just a few of my many uncommon fish I’ve yet to struggle with but everyone else seems to struggle with or they’re just uncommon and 3 digits.

 

[Slocke]

I keep a lot of uncommon even rare fish and I’ve done it without paying ridiculous prices!

 

[knockout]

uncommon and rare are marketing ploys

 

[Rusty_L_Shackleford]

I have a yellow half barred cave goby. Very cool fish. Very difficult to get a photo of because he spends all his time hanging upside down from the roof of caves. He likes to sit right inside the entrance and wait for food to go by where he'll dart out grab a piece and dart back in. He came to the lfs misidentified as a war paint goby. Which ime is how a lot of uncommon fish come in reasonably priced.

 

[Slocke]

uncommon and rare are marketing ploys

Thus why I emphasize I didn't pay a ton for mine. I am really annoyed by the stores that throw around "uncommon", "rare", "collectors" and other nonsense just so they can sell it for many times more than its worth (looking at you online vendor that charges $300+ for a yellowtail tamarin, a common fish you can easily find for $30-$80 at a LFS) .


My fish are rare because they're weird or because my LFS got it to me for "normal fish" price

 

[Petcrazyson]

looking at you online vendor that charges $300+ for a yellowtail tamarin

Don’t forget the 500 for a CBB and 4000 for the Madascar flasher!

 

[Petcrazyson]

I used to own a very uncommon fish, though now I don’t, I do plan to add some very uncommon fish however particularly some rare wrasse

 

[Zionas]

@vetteguy53081 Love the Tusk. How long have you had it for? Do these guys get big in captivity? May consider a Bali Aquarich CB one, but worried they get too big for most tanks.

 

[vetteguy53081]

@vetteguy53081 Love the Tusk. How long have you had it for? Do these guys get big in captivity? May consider a Bali Aquarich CB one, but worried they get too big for most tanks.

This one I just sold and got a smaller one. The one in pic was 9". I have a 6" one.
Last one was moving coral around and frustrated me to find he was seeking a different home due to tangs trying to take over his other one.

 

[Borat]

I have a pair of clownfish - they are highly uncommon (aka HOLY GRAIL FISH).

 

[Sharkbait19]

Red pygmy roosterfish is my most uncommon fish. Had some store credit so it didn’t cost too much.

 

[Flame2hawk]

TO ME…CONSPIC ANGEL, MOORISH IDOL. BLUE LINE ANGEL, REGAL, PESONIFIER, H TUSK….

 

[Fishfreak2009]

None of these are super rare by any means, but all are pretty uncommon in the hobby. Honestly, most butterflies and large angels are now, not because they're particularly hard to acquire or super expensive, but because most people (at least around me) keep smaller sized reefs where these fish would be incompatible. A lot of the fish I keep are pretty easy to acquire, just nobody around me keeps them.

Probably the most oddball thing I'm currently keeping would be my upside down jellyfish. Pretty easy to care for, so long as you design the tank around their needs.

 

[zoomonster]

None of these are super rare by any means, but all are pretty uncommon in the hobby. Honestly, most butterflies and large angels are now, not because they're particularly hard to acquire or super expensive, but because most people (at least around me) keep smaller sized reefs where these fish would be incompatible. A lot of the fish I keep are pretty easy to acquire, just nobody around me keeps them.

Probably the most oddball thing I'm currently keeping would be my upside down jellyfish. Pretty easy to care for, so long as you design the tank around their needs.

Love the Harlequin Bass. He was actually one of the first fish in the Winter Park WWC store. Got him for next to nothing, months later, because nobody wanted him. Unfortunately, he only lived a few years. Not really "reef safe" but Harley had one endearing quality (aside from personality)... he liked to eat damsels LOL. Twice I saw him snap a blue sapphire in half. If only I had listened to him as the two sapphires I have now are starting to act like belligerent damsels.

 

[littlefoxx]

Ive got a marine betta, dwarf fuzzy lion, engineer goby and a saddleback butterfly fish! I also have a sea hare and a horseshoe crab for uncommon inverts.