Fish that should come with WARNING stickers

[coldmachineUK]

I honestly do not believe much in the cookie cutter tank recs on cichlid-forum. Many times they are over stocked. I put more trust in the experts of malawimayhem.com than cichlid-forum. Africans are far too active to be in a 30 gal tank no matter what that site says. 16 fish do not belong in 30 gal unless it's guppies.

Well, the proof is in the pudding: fish will not grow, will not thrive, will not breed, and will develop ill health from stress before dying, if conditions are poor. Since this has not been the case in my experience, where I am now looking at two holding females and pondering what to do with the fry, I can only guess it's not been the case for other people also. The 30G tank of the month I provided a link to is also evidence that certain malawi cichlids are perfectly happy - and more importantly clearly thriving - in tanks of this size. Most breeders will also concur. By the logic you're putting forward, no fish should be kept in anything smaller than a 55G and this is unrealistic and relates to personal opinion rather than anything else.

Back on topic: colombian sharks, and GSPs are good examples of brackish fish which need larger-end tanks.

It boils down to education I guess: research your intended stock well, and you'll be fine. 'Banning' people from keeping fish is a bit extreme: help educate and inform them and you'll be helping provide a great home for a loved pet in the process.

 

[JustOneMore20]

I'll add Shovelnose catfish...because I think they get pretty big. (Too big for the tanks most people have atleast...10g, 20g, etc...)

And Channel Catfish (I've seen these at a couple chain stores) because they get huge!

 

[Fishyfanatic]

I never said that NO fish should be in a 30 gal. We are all entitled to our opinions. You have yours and I have mine.

 

[tropicalfish]

There should be a warning sticker on ALL fish
and the stores should stop selling fish bowls

 

[WaterPond]

Eel species should have warning signs. They sell yellow zigzag eels at my LFS for $2.50 and they are very popular, and sell fast because they are cool looking and cheap. But i am going to say that 1 out of 30 of these things go to suitable homes.

Other fish that should come with warning signs are FW and BW puffer species!!! They are the meanest things i have ever seen, but are my favorite fish. Theyjust need an owner who knows what they are talking about.

 

[dapellegrini]

As we are getting this fish out there, they seem to fall into three categories:

BANNED, OR SPECIAL LICENSE REQUIRED - Fish that get 10 feet long, or for that matter, 3 feet long should not be sold in the general hobby. If you are going to try and convince your kids that your house is cooler than Sea World by installing a 3,000 gallon tank, throw a few HUGE fish in there, but you should not be able to get these at the LFS. Red Tail Catfish, Arawana, Snakeheads, etc...

RED WARNING - This should go on fish that are very commonly purchased and almost as commonly incorrectly housed. Common Plecos are a good example. Convicts are another. The fact that these fish are also very cheap does not help things. There should be a very visible warning to folks that these fish are not appropriate in many cases.

YELLOW WARNINGS - For cichlids and the like, we all know these are mean fish. You should know what you are doing with these guys, but I wouldn't think you would have to insist too much. They already cost more than the other FW fish at the LFS. Most places already warn about aggressive fish.

I would love to see one of the big stores push for more "responsible fish keeping" with better signage, employee training, etc in their stores. I think that selling a few less common plecos would in the end make for a happier fish hobby with less problems, and ultimately more business for the LFS...

 

[Fishyfanatic]

and the stores should stop selling fish bowls

So true.

 

[WaterPond]

couldent agree more. I think all stres should carry 2.5gal+ glass and acrylic tanks. I dont think ANY fish can live in tanks that small. Except for my little betta finnigan, whom i have in a 1gal. Everytime i take him out, he gets so depressed and will not swim at all. hes an odd fellow.

 

[hc8719]

all tanks sold should be not under 20 gallon, imo. the magical inch rule has to many flaws, also this would make people who would normally just buy a 2 gallon tank, think before committing themselves.

pacus, african tiger fish, and ID sharks should be banned in commercial stores, and people should have to specially order them, and have proof they have a swimming pool tank, ID sharks grow like 3', tiger fish 10+' and pacus get the size of dogs

i have yet to see someone properly care for a pacu

i still cant imagine an oscar being able to get too much of his own space in a 75 gallon

 

[Toirtis]

BANNED, OR SPECIAL LICENSE REQUIRED - Arawana, Snakeheads, etc...

Not all snakeheads get large...take C. gachua and C. bleheri, for instance. As far as aros go, the average Petsmart/Petco/etc should not carry them, but I feel there is a place for them (in moderation) in specialty aquarium shops.

Personally, I am for retailer resposibility and trained staff, not bans or warning labels.

 

[Mr.Kelso]

Clown loaches. Most people have no idea how large these guys really get...defintly a warning sticker needed here.

Also, all goldfish, oscars, and most plecos...

Why Goldfish?

 

[Burks]

People think Goldfish only grow to the size of the tank they are in. While this is somewhat true, the truth lies in the fact the Goldfish DIES so of course it only grows to the size of the tank. That and a lot of people think Goldfish only grow to a few inches. W-r-o-n-g.

Anyone know why the Red Tail Catfish has suddenly become a huge seller? Only Petco and one other store in my area does NOT carry them. One store had them from 6" to just about 2.5'. My favorite store had them, probably a good 10-12, for $12.50 each not too long ago. Before he never carried them.

 

[Toirtis]

Anyone know why the Red Tail Catfish has suddenly become a huge seller? Only Petco and one other store in my area does NOT carry them. One store had them from 6" to just about 2.5'. My favorite store had them, probably a good 10-12, for $12.50 each not too long ago. Before he never carried them.

Beacuse recently cheap, plentiful, captive-spawned babies have become readily available to the trade....stores balked at buying them when cost was $25+ each, but now at about $7 each, they are a far more affordable risk.

 

[coldmachineUK]

BANNED, OR SPECIAL LICENSE REQUIRED - Arawana, Snakeheads, etc...

Personally, I am for retailer resposibility and trained staff, not bans or warning labels.

Exactly. I mentioned that education is key to the whole issue, in a previous post: if customers can be educated about fish and if the willingness is there to learn, then some of these fish may in fact find a loving caring home suited to their needs. And there's a way to educate that doesn't involve LFS staff yelling at customers on the one extreme, or handing over arowanas to kids with a goldfish bowl at the other.

 

[hsherman1986]

Clown loaches. Most people have no idea how large these guys really get...defintly a warning sticker needed here.

Also, all goldfish, oscars, and most plecos...

Why Goldfish?

because they are VERY messy fish, requiring much more space than the " inch per gallon" rule allows for. They also get HUGE, which most newbies are not prepared for. Ponds are the only proper homes for goldfish, IMO.

I have a trio of commons end up in one of my tanks from a friend of the familys wedding. He had bought a bunch of the $.25 feeders from petsmart, put three in each vase, and set them out on the table. I think my three are the only ones still alive, because even afterwards, the people that ended up with them didn't know how to take care of them (they never came out of the vases, from my understanding).

 

[hc8719]

because they are VERY messy fish, requiring much more space than the " inch per gallon" rule allows for.

i'd say the gallon per inch rule does not even apply to goldfish, they are active swimmers, and IME, smarter than other aquarium fish. surely everyone understands that a 4" golfish (or any fish in that matter) can't live in a 4 gallon tank, or even a 10 gallon tank

the gallon inch is idiotic, i wish we'd stop mentioning it,

 

[coldmachineUK]

the gallon inch is idiotic, i wish we'd stop mentioning it

I agree!

 

[squeekness]

I agree with the warning on irredescent sharks. I never thought mine would get so big. They were about an inch long when I got them and now my pair are about two feet long each. I have them in a 110 gallon fish tank and it really is too small for them. The guy at my LFS said that in captivity they shouldn't get much longer and I hope he is right. They are easy to care for in the sense that they are cheap to feed -- no live feeders for them, and they are really gentle. I just wouldn't have bought them if I had known they would grow so large.

 

[Toirtis]

now my pair are about two feet long each. The guy at my LFS said that in captivity they shouldn't get much longer and I hope he is right.

Yes and no...in your case, I doubt yours will exceed 3', but I have seen then reach full-size in captivity. Be glad you do not have paroon sharks ( Pangasius sanitwongsei ), which look similar and are uncommon, but not rare, in the aquarium trade:

http://www.aqua-global.de/Bilder/pangasius_sanitwongsei.jpg

...they get to 10' and 700lbs.

 

[richiestang_78]

I was sold a Common Pleco a few years ago before I knew much about fish, hes about 9inches now and is only in a 30gal. I know its too small for him and Im going to try to find a new home for him but the store I bought it from had its size marked as 3-5inches max.