What is the hardest fish to keep in this hobby?

[Karen00]

My blue crab .. I know it’s not a fish but she keeps climbing out of the tank .. I find her across my living room and sometimes all the way out into my kitchen

Wow that's crazy!! They don't look like they can climb up glass. It's surprising he's still alive after so many escapes!

 

[Northwest_Scapes_]

Honestly just any of the Coralivores are almost impossible. At least OSFF can be trained on to prepared with enough time, but I don't think any of the Butterflys or Leopard Blennies can.

 

[Northwest_Scapes_]

Ohhhh forgot about sea horses and jellyfish

Like burning $100 bills with a Bic-lighter for a few days of "look what I got"

Both need dedicated tanks and only last a few months at best



.

Funny enough Is that I've got 2 species of Jelly! Dwarf Lions Mane and the Moons. Both are aquacultured so that probably explains why they've been doing so well, from my experience so far they're not as hard as people make them out to be (the Moons are actually in a DIY Budget style tank). Wild ones will only last a few months if they're older and have parasites, but they could still make it a couple years if treated and are young

 

[guysmiley]

I seen a lot of short term success with these guys. People seem to keep them healthy around 5 years then they die. They don't seem to make it the 15-20 years they should. I always wondered why as there are many stories of "My idol was my most aggressive eater and fat, and then it was dead". Some people say diet and live sponge but it is all speculation.

they might also get lonely for a mate over the years as their often seen in schools, deppresions a real thing

 

[Mike Butler]

Great point.

PInnatus batfish comes to mind as a contender.

I agree, have had no success in keeping this fish. I just love them but have stopped trying to keep them because it's just a shame to see them die all the time.

 

[Fishenmann]

I would 100% agree with this, imo it should be kept in the ocean

Why is that ? Mine is 3 years old now .

 

[Espino963]

Choati leopard wrasse - very few success stories out there for this one.

Mine died in 2 days

 

[Mohamed Tawfiq.K]

For me it’s the Colin’s Angel. I’ve only ever tried keeping one but I tried feeding it at least 12 different foods and all I got it to eat was a single pellet

thts a pricy fish thgh

 

[chris_pull]

+1 Leopard Wrasse

Scared of its own shadow and after acclimation, difficult to even get eating live food.

The stars have to align with high quality water, perfect sandbed, no other intimidating fish, great endless supply of pods.

They are absolute PITAs. 100%

.

I’m so surprised by this. I got one and it’s easily the most active and interesting fish I have and it eats anything I feed it, even flake food! I didn’t even realise they were hard to keep and I must’ve been lucky with mine.

 

[Sharkbait19]

Definitely goldfish. I don't know why, but they just don't thrive in my reefs! They really do belong in the ocean, and not in captivity, for sure. Definitely not reef safe, either.

 

[Ricksreeefs]

I have purchased 5. One arrived emaciated and died in 3 days. The other 4 were thin on arrival but all started eating Masstick the day I received them (shipped overnight). Did you try Masstick?

Are these guys reef safe?

 

[Rtaylor]

Are these guys reef safe?

Their natural diet is the mucus from Acropora millepora coral. They don’t pay any attention to any of my LPS or softies. They do peck at my SPS, but they don’t damage it. Their mouths are essentially little tubes that they use like straws. They do bother them enough that I rarely see polyp extension.

 

[Paul B]

Definitely goldfish. I don't know why, but they just don't thrive in my reefs! They really do belong in the ocean, and not in captivity, for sure. Definitely not reef safe, either.

I am not sure about this. I have a goldfish reef and they do just fine.

 

[green behind the ears]

... a fish called wanda.

Kkkkkkkkk Ken

 

[Ro Bow]

Pinecone fish and flashlight fish

for real?

 

[N.Sreefer]

I imagine the bladefin basslet (Jeboehlkia gladifer) would be the hardest as they live 500-700 feet deep but alas I don't have the 10000 dollars to see if that's true.

 

[NowGlazeIT]

Octopus

 

[PeterZammetti]

What is the hardest fish to keep in this hobby?

A dead one };->

 

[lakai]

Black barred Wrasse and Copper band butterfly.

 

[vetteguy53081]

cowfish
boxfish