Marine Aquarium Fish to Avoid

Marine Aquarium Fish to Avoid

Once your marine aquarium has been set up and all the pre requisites catered for, there comes the exciting as well as challenging job of selecting and purchasing suitable inhabitants to infuse life into it. A huge array of options ranging from the spectacular to the fearsome is mind boggling and confusing for most aquarists. It is always advisable to go in for just a few inexpensive fish initially. Make sure, you purchase them from a reputed and a trustworthy dealer. As you gain experience, you can add more varieties, as well as numbers.

Since the fishes would be living in close proximity within a confined area, it is imperative to select species, compatible in terms of size, dietary requirements, and behavioral aspects. Adaptability and health of the chosen specimens are the other parameters of vital significance. The following criteria warrant exclusion and must be carefully considered before making a purchase:

Poisonous: Some species are venomous and likely to bite, sting, or otherwise attack an aquarist, a viewer, or their tank inmates. Stonefish, lionfish, puffer fish, and boxfish are the examples of species, potentially threatening even to humans.

Fussy Eaters: Certain species have extremely specific feeding requirements, which are at times impossible for an aquarist to meet. They refuse to accept 'any' food and starve to death. Mandarin fish, pipefish, and sea horse belong to this category.

Adaptability: A few species, like Moorish idol, stingrays, & eels have highly specialized housing requirements and are vulnerable to sickness.

Size: Sometimes, the specimens look cute and tiny at the time of purchase, but grow rapidly thereafter, taking up a lot of space and threatening to outgrow the aquarium. Groupers, such as sharks and rays are examples of the same.

Sociability: Some fish are naturally aggressive and highly active. They must never be a part of aquarium, as they may cause fear and stress to smaller and quieter mates.

Carnivores: Fish preying on other fishes in the water tank are always to be avoided.

These are general guidelines and each purchase must be carefully monitored, as exceptions do exist. It is important to avoid picking up specimens with specific health or feeding problems. Observation and knowledge are the key tools to achieving that. Always buy fish that looks bright, alert, active, and strong. Be vigilant on parasites and sickness in fish and avoid those to prevent the aquarium from being infested.

Briefly, the most important factor to be considered while selecting an inmate for a marine aquarium is its survival rate and safety of the other inmates.

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