Peaceful Fish Marked as Aggressive!

[GouramiFanatic]

I went to a small lfs today to pick up some food and supplies for the fishies and of course I had to take a walk through the fish tanks to see what they have. I wasn't planning on buying, just looking (which is exactly what happened). The fish seemed to be healthy and the tanks were pretty clean with a few exceptions. At first I was pretty happy with what I saw, then it all changed! In tanks marked as 'AGGRESSIVE' I found the following fish: Ropefish, Bolivian Rams, YoYo, Clown, and Dojo Loaches. In tanks marked 'SEMI-AGGRESSIVE' were an assortment of Corydoras and Plecos, Danios, Barbs (ok I somewhat understand this one). I was completely shocked to see these marked as they were. I guess either I got lucky with the fish that I have as they're far from aggressive.

 

[WaterPond]

some places mark their fish's compatability by experience of the employees, but thats just outrageous, i dont think dojos, cories have an ounce of agression in them. I can understand the barbs... and even the yoyos, clowns, ropefish, and bolivians, because they can be nippy, but still, nippy usually means semi agressive, not totally agressive

 

[bs6749]

Maybe they just got a shipment in and didn't have time to/forgot to change the labeling on the tanks.

 

[gu2high]

I think they mark most of them correctly. For example, danios are semi-aggressive. My danios chased my guppy to almost death before I separated them. I think only those very peaceful fishes are not aggressive, like panda cory. Even neon tetra is somewhat aggressive if you put just two in the tank, one will bite/chase the other to death - this was what happened in my tank.

 

[theotheragentm]

I suppose if you use a loose definition of aggressive, almost anything is aggressive. Swimming fast towards one fish while it swims away could be considered aggression. Cories? Spastic, yes. Aggressive, unbelievable.

 

[GouramiFanatic]

I don't think they missed labeling the tanks or hadn't had time yet because every tank was correct with what was in it. They use the special marker (not sure what it is) and they write it right on the glass.

I was a little amazed by these fish being considered aggressive because when I think aggressive I think of a fish like a Red Devil or something that's just not well kept with other fish. I can understand the Barb thing because I know some barbs are nippers, but the Cories and Loaches I just don't see it. I have several loaches and I've gone through quite a bit of Cories, not one had shown any sign whatsoever of being aggressive or semiaggressive. As for Danios, I had those as well (Zebra and Longfin Leopard) and they were perfectly fine. They showed no signs of aggression. Plecos, I know some people have had bad experiences with these fish attacking other fish, but I've yet to experience this as well (That's not saying I don't believe the stories, I just haven't seen it). The Ropefish, from what I can recall growing up these are very peaceful fish. Yes, they'll eat smaller fish if they can swallow them, but it's not out of aggression it's for survival. That's the way I see it anyway.

 

[Toirtis]

The Ropefish, from what I can recall growing up these are very peaceful fish. Yes, they'll eat smaller fish if they can swallow them, but it's not out of aggression it's for survival. That's the way I see it anyway.

Bingo...not mean, just hungry.

 

[Jchillin]

Plecos, I know some people have had bad experiences with these fish attacking other fish, but I've yet to experience this as well (That's not saying I don't believe the stories, I just haven't seen it).

Most often, whenever I've seen these statements, it was the pleco enjoying a goldie's slime coat. Apparently the slime coats on goldie's are tastier or are just more attractive to plecos than other fish. My bristlenoses are constantly "attacking" my snails shells, hence I've labled them as aggressive.

 

[SeanMurphy]

Even docile tank-cows (comets) will eat anything small enough to fit in the mouth as my newbie friend found out when he tried to have a guppy/goldie tank, against my advice.

 

[7Enigma]

Let's put it this way, if they are going to screw up the labels, I'd rather have them err on the side of caution than the other way. "No sir, those fancy goldfish will go perfect with that betta".

 

[GouramiFanatic]

7Eingma - I suppose this is true! I'd really hate to buy a Red Devil who was labeled as peaceful much more than buying a Dojo who was labeled as aggressive! I feel better about it now, but yesterday was a bad day for me so seeing these fish mislabeled like that just really got under my skin!

 

[hc8719]

it doesnt help to have peaceful fish labeled as aggessive. someone once asked me if they could put a BGK in a african cichlid tank a lfs, stating both were labeled as aggressive.

if you arent familar with BGKs, they are the most passive, non aggressive, relucatant to start a fight, fish, though because they get 2' long, they tend to eat anything smaller than them, but even a 2 foot BGK cant take on african cichlids

 

[DepotFish]

Haha "tank-cows" that would be the midnight shubunkins and shiro bekko koi