This fish wasn't all it was cracked up to be.....it was a let down?

Have you ever gotten a fish that you were so excited about but it ended up being a bust?

  • Yes (please tell us what in the thread)

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  • No

    Votes: 96 35.8%
  • Other (please explain)

    Votes: 11 4.1%

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Russell Casey

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Percula Clownfish, If I knew at the time how aggressive they can be I probably would have waited for a new setup before buying one. I had one on its own for about 3 months and it didn't like any tank mates really until I added another Oscellaris to calm down her down. Takes out a lil anger on the Clown here and there but it definitely has relaxed on the aggressiveness after having a friend and isn't bothering other fish as much for sure. The only problem with this whole situation is I have a 25G and I don't really like the idea of keeping 2 Clowns in a 25g cube. I plan on getting a 5ft soon :). Very beautiful fish but I should have followed every Youtube videos advice out there and kept it high on the list of fish to get last. Oh well, I love my tank and love my fish and I just did a water change :D.
Follow your nitrates/phosphates they will tell the story keep them in check and you will be fine to you get your five footer.
 

Russell Casey

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Longnose hawkfish. I had one for almost 12years. He was hugh and mean as heck. Killed almost any new fish i tried to put in. Was cool but never again!
Did you hawkfish eat snails and hermit crabs? I love the hawkfish but was going to put them in their own tank do you think they would kill each other? I don't know how to sex them. I guess I could take one out of the water shake his/her booty and see if I have five other fish which ones are into it. oh wait that works on humans not fish lol :)
 

maleshka21

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Have you ever gotten a fish that you were so excited about but it ended up not living up to your expectations? Let's talk about those fish today and why they weren't all you wanted them to be!

1. What fish were you excited about but turned out to be a let down?

2. Why did this fish not meet your expectations?



Huma Picasso triggerfish, Rhinecanthus aculeatus This is a royalty-free image from Pixabay.
reef-triggerfish-2274544.jpg
angel fish :/ she was picking on my SPS
 

MoMoTheMonster

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Yellowtail damsels. Description said, "Active and hardy fish that adds beautiful color to your tank." The description should have said, "Violent bully that loves to feast on human flesh and is essentially impossible to kill." I'd "re-home" the three I have to my toilet if I could catch them.
Mine is a devil spawn also! I swear it never sleeps, so I can't catch it!
 

Anchor

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IF I could only make an entire list..

Any blenny you expect to eat copious amounts of algae - They dont..
Every clownfish wants a chunk of you - I think its cute.. :)
Eels hide.. its in thier nature.
crabs hide, its in thier nature
Never trust anything shaped like a puffer in a reef.
If its reef safe with caution, expect its not reef safe.
 

Cpc83

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Hawkfish was the first fish I added when I started my first tank in the 90s. Didn't know anything then just read the descriptions "reef safe not aggressive". Little did I know that monster would eat everything I put in after except a 3" trigger was the only thing he wouldn't mess with. He beat up a scopas tang a coral beauty and 5 damsels. Never again unless I build a fish only predator tank
 

onefern

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Bought a pair of ORA radial filefish off live aquaria after reading that they “should be reef safe” as they’ve never seen corals before. Huge mistake. Little Sh8$ts aight a bunch of my leathers, zoas and sps. Had to put them up for adoption.

Other than that, super cool fish and tempted to try them again ;)
 

acanman

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Hawkfish was the first fish I added when I started my first tank in the 90s. Didn't know anything then just read the descriptions "reef safe not aggressive". Little did I know that monster would eat everything I put in after except a 3" trigger was the only thing he wouldn't mess with. He beat up a scopas tang a coral beauty and 5 damsels. Never again unless I build a fish only predator tank
What kinda hawkfisg was it? How big?
 

Blue Meg

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My Clownfish. I love them but they kinda annoyed me as they won't host anything except a algae scrubber. They also bite a lot
The only fish that has ever attacked me is my oldest clown. Until I moved the anemone, that corner of the tank was always a bit dirty because of the bites. It doesn't hurt, but its always a shock. The only fish that has attacked me in the wild was a damsel while scuba diving. The damsel family is full of jerks.
 

Bouncingsoul39

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Yes, mine killed two clownfish. So much misinformation out there on them.
No, not really. Yours is the first account of this in 15 years. It’s a freak occurrence that isn’t common at all. I’ve kept every hobby species of pistol shrimp in multiple tanks and had zero issues with them hurting fish. Did you actually see the shrimp attack both fish? I’m guessing not and the shrimp was scavenging on already dead fish or something similar.
 

NowGlazeIT

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Lysmata amboinensis
My first shrimp and almost my last. This shrimp had a bottomless stomach and when all the food was out of the water column, it went straight for the corals to steal their half eaten meals
 

Joem820

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Snow flake eels. They hardly ever come out except to eat and then go back into hiding.
IMG_3551-L.jpg


When I do get to see them it is fun so I wouldn't call the a complete bust though.
IMG_3560-L.jpg

I had hoped they would become more active but it hasn't happened in months.
I've heard thats typical, but mine comes out semi frequently and for some reason likes my frag rack so i can usually find it if i look.
 

WVNed

The fish are staring at me with hungry eyes.
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I've heard thats typical, but mine comes out semi frequently and for some reason likes my frag rack so i can usually find it if i look.
I know where they are. I have 2. One is in the bottom in the back and the other is in the tube in the aquascape and has his head out most days.
 

Joem820

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I know where they are. I have 2. One is in the bottom in the back and the other is in the tube in the aquascape and has his head out most days.
Gotcha, I know some people who honestly don't know where their fish are or if they are even still alive since they haven't seen them in a while. Personally, if I can't find every single one of my fish every time I feed or stop and look at the tank I start feeling anxious.
 

Downfall

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Yes, I had a pair of ORA Kamohara blennies. They didn't really do much and didn't have much of a personality.

I loved my first tail spot blenny and was hoping the pair of Kamohara blennies would have been similar... not even close.
 

Royal Gramma Man

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Melanarus Wrasse. Absolutely beautiful but despite being known for friendliness, it put the butt in wrasse when it came to interacting with tankmates
 

A worm with high fashion and practical utility: Have you ever kept feather dusters in your reef aquarium?

  • I currently have feather dusters in my tank.

    Votes: 73 37.6%
  • Not currently, but I have had feather dusters in my tank in the past.

    Votes: 66 34.0%
  • I have not had feather dusters, but I hope to in the future.

    Votes: 25 12.9%
  • I have no plans to have feather dusters in my tank.

    Votes: 28 14.4%
  • Other.

    Votes: 2 1.0%
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