PFK 10 worst fish for community tank

verbal said:
I also looks like they tried to take fish that might be labelled "community fish". How else do explain a list that does not include iridescent sharks, oscars and pacus.
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That was another bad assumption of the list really. While even the worst store employee will probably not suggest Mbuna or even cichlids in general for a community tank, I've seen plenty of cases where many types of barbs and even brackish puffers were suggested for community tanks.

It is understandable that Oscars arn't on the list. But including the Common Pleco and Pictus Cat and leaving off Columbian and Irridescent Cats is just plain silly (hell, Goldfish would have been a better warning then Plecos). Or listing Tetras but completely ignoring Barbs.
 
Irridescent shark was the most unpleasant fish Ive ever been tricked into buying. I was 9 and it was after the first Shark Week. The largest one lost an eye @about 9" from bouncin around off the glass like a lone pacu ina small tank. The Golden Wonders I have only attack my sick or old tetras so it doesnt bother me, they were gonna die soon anyway. No Botine Loaches, modesta is a territorial pain but I love to feed him
 
Maybe I'm wrong, but the way I perceived it, this piece wasn't about tankbusting fish, or goldfish, or aggressive fish or brackish fish. The list was limited to 10, when it probably needs to be closer to two dozen, but for whatever reason they chose these fish...which DO appear in the "community" section of chain pet stores like P*mart who separate their goldfish, aggressive fish, and community fish.

CAE and pleco...yes, these needed to be on the list. I'm not too familiar with "dory catfish" but they might actually be IDs.

Angelfish and blood parrots? IMO they are not among the top 10, but they are commonly considered community fish.

I'm glad barbs were not on there, because I feel like they are not nearly as nippy as serpae tetras and other scale eating tetras. They've gotten a bad rap because tiger barbs are often not kept in ample enough tanks with enough tankmates. This is one of those hotly debated issues, and it doesn't help that what's commonly called "serpae tetra" is actually 3 different species of tetra.

I don't really think bettas should be on the list, for one thing they are not usually considered community fish. Female bettas can work much more easily than males, male bettas are much more tricky, and it's obvious that males are what they primarily meant.

I am surprised loaches were not on there, especially clown loaches. Oddball fish like ghost knives and peacock eels were probably not on the list because they're oddballs, but I thought "eels" in general deserved a mention.

Mollies are too controversial a subject, but I feel they are not community fish...and some of their other articles express the same views. However, it's important to remember that every article in PFK is limited to the opinions and viewpoints of the authors :)
 
Terrible list.

Livebearers are generally good community fish, unless you want to get all nitpicky about it. The article seems to focus on how the fish acts in a community setting, so that's what I'm going by also. They also fail to mention that BN plecos are great community fish.

I think the major factors that would qualify/disqualify a fish for being a community fish are -
1. size
2. aggression (territorial or breeding)

And not that I like tetras or anything, I think they are one of, if not, the most common schooling fish that people keep.
 
BUAHAHAHAHA I've kept all of them except killis and suckin loaches and never had a problem :P
 
How about a top 10 list then?

You could have:

1. Guppies
2. Bettas
3. Zebra Danios
4. Bristlenose Plecos
5. Neon Tetras
6. Platies
7. Harley Rasboras
8. Black Skirt Tetras
9. White Clouds
10. Ghost Shrimp (You have to throw some kind of invert on there)
 
I was thinking begginner, not community, instead of the bettas something like cory cats could go in there (popular bottom feeders, the lesser evil of bottom dwellers)
 
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