Keeping Fish That Do Not Belong in Aquariums

What we all know is that all types of marine fish sold in the market are great specimens to keep in aquariums if properly cared for. Unfortunately, that is not the case. Some saltwater fish simply should not be kept in home aquariums.

Why won't these fish survive in an aquarium? Let’s find out:-

1. Some fish that shoal (school) together in the wild, will not live for a long time if they are not kept with large numbers of the same species. There are however, a large number of shoaling fish that will do well if kept by themselves.

2. Some species may be particularly sensitive to certain disease vectors. Achilles and Powder Blue Tangs for example, do not handle stress well, and are particularly susceptible to lateral line diseases and Oodinium.

3. Some species may have special requirements that we cannot provide, such as a special diet. The Moorish Idol and almost all Parrotfish, for instance, feed almost exclusively on live coral, a resource too precious to be used as fish food.

4. Other species may only survive under certain conditions, or may not be kept in close quarters with many of the other available species, such as Seahorses or Pipefish.

5. Fish compatibility is the most difficult subject in the industry. To sum up in short here are some general rules to combine several specimens together to ensure safety in terms of compatibility. Add the least aggressive fish first and make sure it will be the biggest fish in the tank. Add fish in order of increased aggressive behavior with each fish being smaller than the last. The most aggressive fish is added last, and should be the smallest specimen in the tank. Using this method allows the more peaceful fish to set up their territories first. By making the more peaceful fish larger, you give them a fighting advantage over the more aggressive species.

Through this article I have tried to open the darker side of the hobby we all enjoy. There is no reason to sell species that have a history of being difficult. Hundreds of species will do well in aquaria, and have been proven to survive even longer, in some cases, than they would in the wild. Thus there is simply no reason to trade in, or display, species that do not have a good record of survival in aquariums.

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