Poll: Was there a single fish or coral that brought you into the hobby?

[Sump Crab]

For me it was a panther grouper. I was in high school and at the time had a 75 gallon freshwater aquarium with local bluegill and other random fish. When visiting a LFS I happened to see a panther grouper and subsequently made the switch to SW.

 

[chris85]

Yellow tang when I was about 6.

 

[tdileo]

Female bipartus leopard wrasse and euphyllia were the two biggest ones for me.

 

[DSC reef]

The first fish I saw that got me wanting to upgrade to saltwater was a coral beauty angelfish. The purple and orange were stunning.

 

[luckyazn6]

A midas and bluespot. They are still my favorite

 

[tiggs]

Powder Blue Tang for sure. The Australian variety with the more intense blue, specifically. I've only had one in my lifetime, but it was a 7" show quality specimen that I hated to part with when moving outta state.

 

[Bob Weigant]

Just wrasses in general. Love em

 

[mochaclownlover]

I'm not very unique, the occelaris clownfish, from the second I saw one(I was about 7) I wanted one.

 

[Salty.Reefer]

I went to a pet store to get a chameleon for my birthday when I was 13. I saw a frag tank and fell in love with acans and zoas. before that I never knew the private sales of corals was even a thing!
After that I sold all my lizards and went full saltwater.

 

[blueface]

Adult Blueface Angel

 

[NY_Caveman]

Mandarin Dragonet (Synchiropus splendidus)

EDIT: I should note this was in 1989.

 

[Tonysi]

Queen angel did it for me

 

[Mark Gray]

My first fish was a Ocelles clown

 

[OceanMariee]

I kept freshwater tanks as a teenager (still do), and I went to the local pet store to look around, and I saw a beautiful Mandarin dragonet. I was like, I'm gonna have one of those someday. It's still my holy grail fish. Maybe when my tank is more stable.

 

[squampton]

snowflake eel.

 

[RichReef]

Lionfish.

 

[Rispa]

Seahorses. My mom has always loved them and 10 years ago my sisters, cousins, and I all went out and got some off of Craigslist. I was better prepared than some, but not as prepared as I wish I was All in all it turned out okay. Oldest one lived to 7 or 8. I'm also glad I did it when I did instead of waiting. Her vision has gotten so bad she would not be able to see them now unless I got something like H. abdomalis.

 

[Anthony Kochevar]

Royal Gramma and Flame Angel.

 

[revhtree]

Clownfish

 

[Victoria M]

Clownfish with anenome, and a mandarin. I just had to have them!