What is your most regrettable fish purchase? - Page 24 - Fish for the Planted Aquarium

xandert · 04-29-2008, 02:47 PM

Actually, it's a toss-up on one purchase I made and one rescue I accepted, both of which were species I did NOT know about.

Purchase - Small "electric blue lobster" (what the pet shop was selling it as). Cute as the dickens. Put it into a 55g with a baby oscar. Baby oscar didn't even last 24 hours before the lobster caught and ate it. I got rid of the lobster.

Rescue - Orange-finned loach, rescued at the same time as a young Firemouth cichlid. Add to a 125g community tank. Several fish massacred the first few days before I could finally figure out WHICH one of them was doing it! I actually and finally saw the loach attacking other fish. Removed it. End of massacre.

Since then, I don't buy or rescue ANYTHING without researching it thoroughly first!

dawntwister · 04-29-2008, 09:12 PM

A pair of killifish were my worst purchase. They arrived from Rhode Island in perfect condition. They jumped out of the tank, even though it has a good top, after 3 days. .

Goat · 05-17-2008, 02:56 PM

I'd probably say clown loaches, got a pair of large ones, one died within a week, replaced with a smaller loach and it ended up being 4x more aggressive than the larger, chasing angels etc. 3 months later - It had some seizures last week from stress, (newly acquired algae, surprise!, and co2) and died shortly after. Now the single mellow loach is left. I think in retrospect I'd prefer to get some emerald or gold corys for bottom feeders. Any bad cory experiences? I have 6 or so ottos and 2 golden algae eaters also.

ranchwest · 05-17-2008, 07:16 PM

You're the second person today I've run across who reported aggressive clown loaches. I'm not disputing what you say, but I must say that has to be pretty rare. I've had many, many clown loaches and I don't recall ever having one be aggressive. No doubt that I've seen them defend themselves quite ably and assertively, but I can't remember ever having one be aggressive.

bacod253 · 05-17-2008, 07:49 PM

Paradise fish. Way too aggressive for me and my other fish... No one told me...

ranchwest · 05-17-2008, 08:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bacod253

Paradise fish. Way too aggressive for me and my other fish... No one told me...

I hope this doesn't come across as rude, but it isn't their tank. You have to find out about the fish you put in your tank or you could have an unpleasant experience. Pretty much every specie of fish at the LFS is good for someone, but it may not be good for you.

cah925 · 05-17-2008, 09:04 PM

chinese algae eater - mine was extremely territorial and aggressive. I never lost any fish because of that one, but he was a PITA.

Goat · 05-19-2008, 07:51 AM

Clown Loaches :

Quote:

Originally Posted by ranchwest

No doubt that I've seen them defend themselves quite ably and assertively, but I can't remember ever having one be aggressive.

I'm hoping that it is somehow a fluke, my single one is very mellow and hangs out with my large golden algae eater. I've thought about getting another large one for him to hang out with and cross my fingers that it is not aggressive. I believe it may have something to do with their hiding places/cover. They hang out in a corner under some broadleaf plants (can't find it on here, must not be a true aquatic plant), but do not have a hole/cave to hide in. I know some people swear by having 4+ of them and they actually swim back and forth, mine only scavenges and hides.

ranchwest · 05-19-2008, 12:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Goat

Clown Loaches :

I'm hoping that it is somehow a fluke, my single one is very mellow and hangs out with my large golden algae eater. I've thought about getting another large one for him to hang out with and cross my fingers that it is not aggressive. I believe it may have something to do with their hiding places/cover. They hang out in a corner under some broadleaf plants (can't find it on here, must not be a true aquatic plant), but do not have a hole/cave to hide in. I know some people swear by having 4+ of them and they actually swim back and forth, mine only scavenges and hides.

What does happen a lot of times is that a clown loach will wander into another fish's territory and that fish attacks the clown loach. The cloach loach is a pretty fierce fighter and will defend himself to the hilt. I'm wondering if that might be what has happened.

isenblatter · 07-29-2008, 07:07 AM

After reading through this hilarious thread. I have one of my own to add. My wife thought it would be cute to try and add some shrimp to my cichlid tank. HAHA, nice try. Imagine the look on the kids faces, 4,5,7, when the Jack Dempsey was carrying the ghost shrimp around sideways in his mouth like a dog carrying a bone, except the Jack was bouncing the shrimps head off the glass because the shrimp was to big to fit all the way in his mouth. So the Jack spits out the shrimp and then swallows him head first, and all that is hanging out of the Jack's mouth is the rear end of the shrimp. Now my kids call the Jack "shrimp butt eater".