What fish do you most regret not keeping anymore?

[myswtsins]

I've been thinking about all the fish I've kept in the past, which honestly is a small list compared to how long I've been keeping fish IMO. And there are a few that stand out as "man I wish I didn't sell those!". Oddly enough my top 3 are all in the same group, Mbuna! I was forced to get rid of them though so maybe that left a scar. I also reared 100s of babies with a little bit of selective culling so it was my most successful breeding experience too. My drive with these pictures isn't hooked up ATM but I'll try to find some pictures later.

Most regretted - My white labs. I got them well after setting up the main tank as bitty babies and grew them up separately. By the time they were big enough to be added to the main tank (or their own tank cause I loved them SO much) I had to sell all my Mbunas because my parents whose living room housed the tank hated the aggression, made my delicate mom cry so we couldn't have that. They were good quality too. I don't see a lot of good labs out there anymore and NEVER white ones.

2nd most - My acei, in particular my biggest guy, Walter. He was huge (good genes and I don't think he was done growing) and had a huge personality to match. One of the first fish I allowed my mother to name. She thought he looked grumpy like Walter Matthau and she was right lol. I also had babies given to me from a member of this forum that grew out separately, got attached to and just as they were ready to go into the main tank....yup.

3rd - OB Zebras. These are the ones I selectively bred/culled. I was aiming for females with the most blotches because most of my females lacked blotches so I made some that did. Really lovely ones! Once they were big enough....yeah same story. I had I think 11 tanks running during this time and 9 of them were grow outs lol.


So the white labs take the win because I have never seen white labs of that quality ever again. I can get more OB zebras no big deal but I could never replace Walter, which BTW I found out later the guy I sold most of my Mbunas to killed them all including walter! And I even did a screening with this guy to make sure he had a proper setup and knew what he was doing.


What about you guys? What fish do you most regret giving up? Or even which fish would you like to keep again?

 

[SnakeIce]

I haven't kept enough to have a list of regrets really. Still wish I could have some parental care breeding fish but that's a dream not a regret.

 

[Slappy*McFish]

Breeding pairs of T. Salvini and H. Lifalili.
Beautiful fish!

 

[fishorama]

My last group of clown loaches that lived next to my computer in MA were my all time favorite fish. They were so fun & people interactive unlike others we've kept over the years. I seriously thought of moving them but knew that wasn't realistic for us or them, sniff! Maybe again some day, if they can live next to me again in a big enough tank.

The discus fry I grew up from quarter size rank right up there but it may be partly from all the work I did for them. They were my husband's computer fish but I did daily WCs, fed them 5+ times/day, made special foods (beefheart & seafood mixes, eww!). They would hand feed & let me touch them. But, again, when we did the coast to coast move & I sold the to a friend, they paired up & bred for him. I'm not sure I'll ever have that level of dedication again but I may try larger discus just for their prettiness in a show tank. A friend made a beautiful oak stand for a 5ft tank customized to my height, delivered 3 days before we moved...it's never had fish in it 6 years later, again, sniff.

I'm not sure which fish would be third...of course several are loaches. My striped kuhlis were definite pets, as were histionicas. I loved sidthimunkis & striatas too, all I may well keep again.

Our breeding blue acara pair were wonderful as was our almost dog-like "common" pleco that we taught to "wink for a Tabimin". & then there's a pearl gourami that was pretty, fun & interactive with us both. I think only the gourami is on the "might keep them again" list now that I'm more into plants.

 

[myswtsins]

I haven't kept enough to have a list of regrets really. Still wish I could have some parental care breeding fish but that's a dream not a regret.

Really? You've been here longer than me so I have to assume you've been keeping fish longer than me too. I say I haven't kept much for my time because I am a long term keeper of just a few tanks (unless I'm breeding), you must be the same? I know a lot of other hobbyists rotate stock constantly. My "big" tank (72g) for example I have had almost since the beginning and it's only had 2 stocking setups. 3 yrs as Mbunas and 6 yrs as community with the same fish the whole time. I mean I have a rummynose going on 8+yrs old and I've only being keeping fish for 9 lol.

Breeding pairs of T. Salvini and H. Lifalili.
Beautiful fish!

Absolutely! Salvini is on my wish list.

My last group of clown loaches that lived next to my computer in MA were my all time favorite fish. They were so fun & people interactive unlike others we've kept over the years. I seriously thought of moving them but knew that wasn't realistic for us or them, sniff! Maybe again some day, if they can live next to me again in a big enough tank.

The discus fry I grew up from quarter size rank right up there but it may be partly from all the work I did for them. They were my husband's computer fish but I did daily WCs, fed them 5+ times/day, made special foods (beefheart & seafood mixes, eww!). They would hand feed & let me touch them. But, again, when we did the coast to coast move & I sold the to a friend, they paired up & bred for him. I'm not sure I'll ever have that level of dedication again but I may try larger discus just for their prettiness in a show tank. A friend made a beautiful oak stand for a 5ft tank customized to my height, delivered 3 days before we moved...it's never had fish in it 6 years later, again, sniff.

I'm not sure which fish would be third...of course several are loaches. My striped kuhlis were definite pets, as were histionicas. I loved sidthimunkis & striatas too, all I may well keep again.

Our breeding blue acara pair were wonderful as was our almost dog-like "common" pleco that we taught to "wink for a Tabimin". & then there's a pearl gourami that was pretty, fun & interactive with us both. I think only the gourami is on the "might keep them again" list now that I'm more into plants.

So hard to leave all those fish behind. I try not to like clown loaches (doesn't work) cause I could never provide them the tank they deserve when they eventually become monsters and I am a long term, till they die type so re homing once they are grown is not an option for me.

Yup, those that we put a lot of effort into seems to stick with us. Raising discus REALLY requires a high degree of dedication, go you!

Wait is this 5ft tank with you or left behind?

I love kuhlis! I must confess that I envision them swimming through my 58g ALL THE TIME. lol They would love all that dense planting but alas they are not a hardwater fish and I'm trying to stick to my original plan, so hard. lol Sids are on my wish too.

Gotta love the water dogs! A common pleco, among just about any other big plecos is on my wish list as well.

 

[dougall]

I know this is the freshwater section... but meh.

Dwarf cuttlefish that were hatched from eggs.. Died off due to a water circulation problem.

 

[fishorama]

Salvini might be on my someday list, cuttlefish aren't but they're cute.

Yep, I still have the 5ft tank & stand, sitting empty in my "dining room". I'm a bit scared of the weight so it's on the slab LR/DR. I think I may be too old to drag floor jacks through the crawl space & then rearrange my other tanks. I'm not sure what I want to keep in it but they need to be bigger fish to see from the couch...like discus...

 

[SnakeIce]

Yeah, I'm a life span fish keeper. There are some things I've tried and wish I could do better with, like the chocolate gouramis I had were way cool, but I lost them due to a mishap with minerals in a piece of petrified wood. I didn't think that one through very well. I didn't have them long enough to make it to regret not having them. It is more that I learned something the hard way and that is what I regret more than not having the fish. I'd say I've had 4 long term communities and a bunch of sideshow stuff that isn't as memorable.

First was a tetra tank that got into their prime and then lost them to a power outage. It was a side trip on what I really had in mind since the fish I got to cycle the tank were not compatible with that original plan. Then I had a pet non show quality angelfish, started in a 20 gallon, moved to a 55 and then a 75. The 55 was it's own community based around pearl gouramis and the angelfish went into that tank for a bit. Then I had a forced break, including giving up most of my tanks.

Recently I've had creek chub for their life span in a 20 long. They are both interesting and boring at the same time. Way to big a mouth on them to keep anything size appropriate for the 20 long with them. Currently doing cool water stuff, so I have white clouds and am looking for some other fish that I haven't found yet.

Tetras were 3 years I kept that bunch
Angelfish lived for 6 years, it was a runt that I wasn't sure would make it when I got it. I liked the attitude and personality it.
I don't remember the pearl gourami tank as much, since it was set up over at a friend's house for most of their life. They got to have a fish tank, with less risk and out lay than they would have otherwise, being college students.
And the creek chubs began as 15 three week old fry, I had to cull some to control disease and 12 lived together till they got a little size on them. Then the territorial squabbles began and whittled the numbers down due to their carpet surfing. The one that ended up alone for the last 2 years I know was chased out twice, and lived to just past 6 years old.


Actually I do have regrets about some plants I've had. I had some lovely cryptocoryns I miss (my 75 had five species and 50 or 60 plants.), and some other java fern cultivars that were neat: Narrow leaf, trident, and one that looked like normal but no matter how vigorous or strong a plant got it stayed 1/2 to 2/3 the size of standard java fern.

I'm currently enjoying one cool water moss, a fissidens species I collected personally.

 

[myswtsins]

I know this is the freshwater section... but meh.

Dwarf cuttlefish that were hatched from eggs.. Died off due to a water circulation problem.

We will allow this digression just once! I never even considered cuttlefish as an option for a pet! How did you end up with eggs?

Salvini might be on my someday list, cuttlefish aren't but they're cute.

Yep, I still have the 5ft tank & stand, sitting empty in my "dining room". I'm a bit scared of the weight so it's on the slab LR/DR. I think I may be too old to drag floor jacks through the crawl space & then rearrange my other tanks. I'm not sure what I want to keep in it but they need to be bigger fish to see from the couch...like discus...

I'm coming over, we gotta get this tank setup! How do you resist? lol I know, logistics, planning etc.

Yeah, I'm a life span fish keeper. There are some things I've tried and wish I could do better with, like the chocolate gouramis I had were way cool, but I lost them due to a mishap with minerals in a piece of petrified wood. I didn't think that one through very well. I didn't have them long enough to make it to regret not having them. It is more that I learned something the hard way and that is what I regret more than not having the fish. I'd say I've had 4 long term communities and a bunch of sideshow stuff that isn't as memorable.

First was a tetra tank that got into their prime and then lost them to a power outage. It was a side trip on what I really had in mind since the fish I got to cycle the tank were not compatible with that original plan. Then I had a pet non show quality angelfish, started in a 20 gallon, moved to a 55 and then a 75. The 55 was it's own community based around pearl gouramis and the angelfish went into that tank for a bit. Then I had a forced break, including giving up most of my tanks.

Recently I've had creek chub for their life span in a 20 long. They are both interesting and boring at the same time. Way to big a mouth on them to keep anything size appropriate for the 20 long with them. Currently doing cool water stuff, so I have white clouds and am looking for some other fish that I haven't found yet.

Tetras were 3 years I kept that bunch
Angelfish lived for 6 years, it was a runt that I wasn't sure would make it when I got it. I liked the attitude and personality it.
I don't remember the pearl gourami tank as much, since it was set up over at a friend's house for most of their life. They got to have a fish tank, with less risk and out lay than they would have otherwise, being college students.
And the creek chubs began as 15 three week old fry, I had to cull some to control disease and 12 lived together till they got a little size on them. Then the territorial squabbles began and whittled the numbers down due to their carpet surfing. The one that ended up alone for the last 2 years I know was chased out twice, and lived to just past 6 years old.


Actually I do have regrets about some plants I've had. I had some lovely cryptocoryns I miss (my 75 had five species and 50 or 60 plants.), and some other java fern cultivars that were neat: Narrow leaf, trident, and one that looked like normal but no matter how vigorous or strong a plant got it stayed 1/2 to 2/3 the size of standard java fern.

I'm currently enjoying one cool water moss, a fissidens species I collected personally.

See, again I would never think to keep creek chub either. How did you end up with them?

Love white clouds. Rachel O'Leary has some meteor varieties again and I'm gonna get my hands on some (again) when the fry come around. What else are you currently looking for?

Crypts are one of my favorite plants! There has to be hundreds of them in my 58g atm considering I planted 150 of them 10 months ago and I've even given away about 100 as well lol. Love java ferns too but they hate me, always wanted some trident. Fissidens are awesome too! Never owned them but would love to get some one day.

 

[dougall]

I never even considered cuttlefish as an option for a pet! How did you end up with eggs?

Collecting trip, at an LFS...