Top 10 Saltwater Fish Beginners Should Avoid
- Aug 14, 2021
- Anshika Mishra
- 218 0 0
Let us look at the top 10 saltwater fish that beginners should strictly avoid according to Mad Hatter's Reef:
10. Canary Blenny
Canary Blenny is a semi-aggressive fish that needs about 30-gallon of tank. It is a magnificent bright yellow fish, which gets most people in trouble with these guys.
They need moderate care-level, and it comes from Fiji. The one thing that is needed to be considered with this fish is that it is a venous fish. It has a fang, and if the fish were to be getting eaten, it would actually bit the inside of the other fish while it is being eaten, and that is the way it wards off the predators.
So, if you have kids who stick their fingers in the tank, then this is the fish you want to avoid. He is also a timid eater. So, if it is in a tank with more aggressive fish, it's probably not going to do that well.
9. Filefish
This fish needs reasonable care. It is peaceful, but it is something that is not considered reef safe. It is famous for nipping at soft as well as SPS corals.
It is considered a moderate care level fish because it needs multiple forms of food served many times throughout the day. However, for many hobbyists starting in saltwater fish keeping, this fish that requires a lot of attention and isn't realistic when you consider how many times sit needs to be few.
8. Stripe Damsel
One of the benefits of this fish is that it is incredibly inexpensive, which lures many new hobbyists into buying this fish. But do know that this fish is the devil.
Most often, people will buy this fish and put it in the tank first, which is the worst thing you could do. This fish will develop territories and entirely run your tank even though it is a tiny fish. So, take this for what it's worth. It is best to stay at the pet store and don't even bother it.
7. Fathead Sunburst Anthia
It is stunning fish. They require a dimly lit tank and many hiding spaces as well as probably the most demanding part of this fish is the multiple feedings daily. This is not just a prerequisite for a Fathead, and this holds for almost all the Anthias across the board. They need a lot of feeding throughout the day. They are very active fish, they constantly swim, and they feed primarily on planktons.
When you consider all these things, you will realize that it is not a good fish for beginners.
6. Copperband Butterfly Fish
This fish is considered a moderate care-level fish. It is peaceful, and the big thing is that this fish is often used for eating up glass anemones or Aiptasia. A significant consideration with this fish is that it is not always considered reef savvy, and the reason is not picking on corals but picking up things on the corals.
It requires a large population of worms to feed on and anemones and often will starve in a reef aquarium if it is not provided the proper care. The Copperband Butterflyfish requires a giant aquarium with plenty of live rocks and hiding places.
5. Six-line Wrasse
Beginners also fall for this fish. It will be okay for the first few days, but once it develops its territories, it will beat everybody in the tank. So, in a nutshell, never get this fish at the beginning of your hobbyist's journey.
4. Long Horn Cow Fish
This fish is so hard to keep; it is a timid fish that grows to a humungous size. This fish can grow upwards of twenty inches, and for most people, that's a little unrealistic to keep in a home aquarium. Therefore, it is also recommended that if you keep this fish, you keep it in the largest aquarium that you can afford, and it first to the aquarium, so it does not get beat up by its tankmate.
3. Many Banded Pipefish
This fish needs expert-level care and the reason behind it being tough to keep is its feeding requirements. It needs to have a healthy dose of copepods daily, and it also is considered a non-reef-safe fish. The Pipefish grows to 7-inches in length and needs to be introduced into an established aquarium.
2. Mandarin Dragonet
These fish are probably some of the most stunning fish in the saltwater hobby. They are incredibly peaceful fish, so you want to ensure they are in a tank where their tankmates cannot pick on them. In addition, they need a healthy population of copepods to thrive. One of the critical factors to keeping a healthy copepods population is having an established aquarium and good aquarium husbandry.
The term aquarium husbandry it's thrown around a lot, and the first time you hear it, you might not understand it. Still, all it is is the act of performing mantainance on an aquarium, and to maintain a Mandarin Dragonet, you need to have top-notch aquarium husbandry as well as a solid population to have a Mandarin Dragonet thrive.
1. Achilles Tang
This Tang is gorgeous of all the Tangs. Although likes most Tangs, it needs a huge tank along with a robust flow. Unlike most Tangs, who are typically aggressive towards other Tangs, this one will be aggressive towards all the Tangs.
There will always be exceptions to the rule, but it still is a big gamble considering the price point of an Achilles Tang. But all that aside, it is a stunning fish.
Note
The idea for this list was not to discourage people from buying fish but to make sure you become educated and equipped to take care of these fish so they live a long, happy life.
Happy Fishkeeping!
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