someone mentioned jellyfish - that's right - some people keep them, but in dedicated tanks w/ very specific filtration properties (designed to limit current and ensure safety around lift tubes etc.).
Fish NOT for the Beginner
- Thread starter MonoSebaelover
- Start date
Correction, these fish grow to nine feet in the wild, TFH did a great article on them in the DEC. 2006 edition.
(Not that it really makes a difference to the purpose of the article)
I've compiled a list that of fish that should not be kept by beginners and the reasons why, so here goes:
Panther Grouper- look adorable as babies but soon grow to a 2 foot unattractive monster. (their heads stop growing and their bodie keep growing)
Feel free to add more but this is a general list and does not include all. Research should always be done before buying a fish. (Orion-sticky please)
Sorry, but again, correction, 36" in adult length.
I would still class them both as the same [edit: as mandarins] with regards to experience and tank maturity needed....
Niko
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from the experience i have had with my dragonette, they are easy fish to keep. they arent sensitive, dont get ich, etc. however, they do have requirements that are almost necessary for their survival. They need to be supplied with a large amount of pods. an just because you have 100 pounds of live rock doesnt mean you have a lot of pods. I think the experience when purchasing this fish to knowing their limits, habits, and also your tank. some tanks with much less live rock may have millions of pods, but the population is not likely to survive because there arent places for them to breed or hide. Also, especialy when tanks are younge, pod poulations tend to fluctuate a LOT. You need to give the tank time to mature in order for thier numbers to level out at a constant mean. Then if you have enough pods, it can be done pretty easily. In order to have a tank with an established pod population, i would suggest putting these fish in tanks no younger than 1 year (this does not count moving a 5 year old tank to your house and putting a mandarin in the next month). So i would definatly say this fish is not for beginners. because a beginner is goign to have a very new tank. and once they get more experienced, so does their tank to the point that they may be able to keep one. Of course though, they do require great water, as do all fish. But the thing about them that makes them not for beginners is their feeding habits and what they require for them. and that is my outlook on it.
To add to what fishieness said, pods can be added to the tank from cultures available on the net (if interested shoot me a PM I know a great lady that will hook you up with a deal). The benifit of this is that you know the pods are there. The down side is that you still have to give them time to populate the tank, you can't toss in a bottle of pods and go buy a fish that relies on them.
To add to the list any fish in the Syngnathidae family or any type of Cephalopods. Leave these fish alone untill you have a FEW YEARS under your belt and have done the required research.
To add to the list any fish in the Syngnathidae family or any type of Cephalopods. Leave these fish alone untill you have a FEW YEARS under your belt and have done the required research.
I completely agree - Sharks are not for Beginning Aquarists.
Sharks require perfect water conditions, and a well maintained & stable tank/pond.
While I also agree that no shark can be successful kept for it's entire life in a tank less than 200 gallons. I don't agree that only the Coral Catsharks (Atelomycterus sp.) can be kept in tanks under 1,000 gallons. Bamboos, Epaulettes, and the Horn Shark are often successful kept in tank/ponds in the 300-600 gallon range. These sharks species do require ponds of about a 1,000 gallons or more - if the aquarist is planning on breeding them.
While all active sharks - such as Smoothounds, & the Leopard need ponds/lagoons that are well over 1,000 gallons. Smalll requiems(like the Blacktip Reef) due to the very active nature & the fact that they must to swim in order to breath - need at least tens of thousands of gallons.
Sharks require perfect water conditions, and a well maintained & stable tank/pond.
While I also agree that no shark can be successful kept for it's entire life in a tank less than 200 gallons. I don't agree that only the Coral Catsharks (Atelomycterus sp.) can be kept in tanks under 1,000 gallons. Bamboos, Epaulettes, and the Horn Shark are often successful kept in tank/ponds in the 300-600 gallon range. These sharks species do require ponds of about a 1,000 gallons or more - if the aquarist is planning on breeding them.
While all active sharks - such as Smoothounds, & the Leopard need ponds/lagoons that are well over 1,000 gallons. Smalll requiems(like the Blacktip Reef) due to the very active nature & the fact that they must to swim in order to breath - need at least tens of thousands of gallons.
