What Fish Should I Get? - I hate those threads

[o2manyfish]

This is part rant and part showing off.

I have been a member of numerous boards for decades. And I am always thrown off by people who post...

"... Hi, my new salt water aquarium is cycled. It's 150 gallons. What fish should I get?"


I hate these kind of posts/threads/questions.

Now before you scowl at some old codger who hates newbies and doesn't want to help people be successful, that's not what's going on.

I love this hobby. I am an addict to it. My father put an aquarium in my nursery when I was born. And throughout my entire life the longest I have not had an aquarium is the first week of college until I went home and brought back a new 40g salt tank.


But how can you invest the time, money and effort to get into this hobby and not know what you want?

I understand if you have flame angel and want to know can I get a flame hawk -- or are fish like gang members and you can't have 2 'flames' in the same tank.

But when people ask, what fish should I get.... I don't get it. There are so many beautiful fish that I have always dreamed of having. And for me price tag is not necessarily part of a dream fish.


And with this hobby, you don't know what fish you are going to be able to get or when. I am spoiled I live in Los Angeles and have access to the millions of fish that come into the United States every week.

But if I lived in the middle of Nebraska and there are 3 fish stores within a 100 miles. I wouldn't know which fish I was going to get till I got to the store and saw the inventory and health of the fish.


I am happy to help people out in making decisions of which fish to add next to their collection. Or sharing the knowledge I have acquired through decades of putting fish into aquariums and seeing what happens.

But when I see someone who has a box of saltwater - and they are asking a group of strangers to create their fish list. It makes no sense to me.


But lets turn they tables. Here I am a life long fish addict.

If you have read to this part of the post, now I ask the same question to you....

"What fish should I get?"

Tank Parameters -
400 Gallon Display Tank
100 Gallon Sump
5' Fluidized Sand Filter
250g Rock Sump/ refugium
1500lbs+ live rock
180g Frag Tank
UV
Ozone
Bubble King Skimmer
Heavily stocked SPS corals.
All parameters are good. Test kits are undetectable (This means I don't have test kits). Tank finished it's cycle in 1990.

Existing Fish List

Angels Qty
Goldflake 2
Bellus 3
Golden 1
Yellow Belly - MisBar Regal 2
Flame 1
Venustus 3
Colini 2
Flameback 2
Tangs
Black 1
Gem 1
Achilles 1
Purple 1
Yellow 9
Hippo 1

Clowns
Percula 3
Black Perc 2
Midnight 1
Misbar 1
ORA Stubby 2
Wyoming 2
ORA Longfin Percula 2

Damsels
Starki 3
Orange Tail 3
Springeri 8
Kupang 6

Misc
Bangai 6
Spotted Mandain 2
Red Scooter 2
Mandarin 1
Jans Pipe 2
Dragon Faced Pipe 1
BlueStripe Pipe 2
Royal Gramma 3

Lawnmower Blenny 1
Escensius Blenny 1
Tailspot Blenny 4
Bicoor Blenny 1

Orange Prawn Goby 1
Pink Stripe Goby 1
Misc Gobies 4
Dispar Anthias 3
Firefish 2

PseudoChromis
Arabian Pseudochromis (ORA) 3
Flaviritex (ORA) 2
Sankeyi (ORA) 2
Indigo Pseudochromis (ORA) 2
Sailfin Molly 1
Frimandi (ORA) 8

Yellow Assessor 6
MacNeil Assesor 1
Randall Assessor 1


Out in the frag tank the fish list is:
Puple Tang 1
Naso Tang 1
Chevron Tang 1
Flame Fin Tang 1
Yellow Tang 7
Powder Blue Tang 1
Tomini Tang 1
Desjardini 1

Imperator Angel 1
1.5" Orange Regal Angel 1
Colini Angel 2
Venustus Angel 3
Navarchus 1

Dragon Faced Pipe Fish 1
Kupang Damsel 5
Springeri Damsels 8
Bangai Cardinals 6
Mandarin Gobies 3
Filer Fish 1
Designer Clowns 8



The next fish I am waiting to add (when available and looking healthy are):
2-3 Golden Angels
2-4 Borbonius Anthias
1-2 African Flameback
1-2 Joculator Angels
4-6 Springeri Pseudochromis (ORA)


So everyone --- What fish should I get?


I have a live web cam on both the display tank and the frag tank. It's PTZ with a decent zoom. You can take a gander at either tank and make sure I'm not fibbing on the current fish list.

o2manyfish.com/webcam and o2manyfish.com/fragtank

Nothing is for sale (fish or corals).

What fish should I get?


Dave B

[billdogg]

Yes.

hth!

[Jekerry]

I can’t even begin to imagine what you would add to that collection! It is like a professional aquarium!

I do not have a ton of experience in fish, but dog training and competitions I am pretty well experienced in. Actually my husband even started as my student! I fell in love with his dog before I even noticed him.

Like you, I cringe when people ask me what kind of dog they should get. My cello teacher asked me that the other day. My answer was a cat! So much goes into a selection of a living creature to share your home with. And I think the question back to them should be, what is your motivation for getting this dog? Do you want to snuggle in the couch, go on long walks, compete in agility or obedience, do therapy visits to nursing homes? What do you want.

When we got our tank I wanted corals, an anenome and clown fish. My husband wanted a yellow tang. We got some corals, some fish including an adorable goby and my anenome. The anenome first killed the goby. Then it moved over to the gongonian coral and started harassing it. I then realized it was not in the right tank. So it was returned. Oh well! I plan to set up a smaller tank just for my future anenome and clowns! So you don’t always get what you want right away, but we are enjoying the tank so much it is ok.

I mean to say, great post and I have no idea. Maybe, like my cello teacher, a cat might be the best answer. The cat would enjoy watching your beautiful tank.

Jane

[o2manyfish]

Jekerry,

I'm deathly allergic to cats. So no cats.

The dog question is similar. I have 2 Brussels Griffons and have done agility with 3 of my Griffs in the past.

And if you like corals - then I agree corals go in reef tanks and anemones go in anemone tanks.

No matter how many people of photos you see of big reef with a gorgeous anemone in the middle. In my experience one day they move and then you have a trail of death and damage.

Our clowns are happy hosting in Clams, elegance corals, clavularia and duncans. They are spawning - So I don't think they mind.

Thanks

Dave B

[BigT75]

Holy snot bubble nice list ! I’ve been here a couple months and have learned a bunch and met some cool ppl I agree with that what do I get Deal I’ll be digging thru the forums for pics of your tank I’ll take a BP pill before thou lol


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[der_wille_zur_macht]

Originally Posted by o2manyfish

But when I see someone who has a box of saltwater - and they are asking a group of strangers to create their fish list. It makes no sense to me.

I think you're just seeing different motivating factors and/or different styles of hobby enjoyment.

Some people like learning and deciding on their own. Other people are much more socially driven, and regardless of their own knowledge or passion, they get the most enjoyment by involving other people in the process.

Also, I think that when you've been in the hobby for a very long time, it's easy to forget how vast and overwhelming it can be for newbies. When you're just starting out, it might just be the case that you know you want a marine tank but you don't yet have a good grasp on all the specific livestock that's available or possible. Asking people for ideas is a great way to figure out what's possible.

To each their own I guess.

[Fiver]

Originally Posted by der_wille_zur_macht

I think you're just seeing different motivating factors and/or different styles of hobby enjoyment.

Some people like learning and deciding on their own. Other people are much more socially driven, and regardless of their own knowledge or passion, they get the most enjoyment by involving other people in the process.

Also, I think that when you've been in the hobby for a very long time, it's easy to forget how vast and overwhelming it can be for newbies. When you're just starting out, it might just be the case that you know you want a marine tank but you don't yet have a good grasp on all the specific livestock that's available or possible. Asking people for ideas is a great way to figure out what's possible.

To each their own I guess.

I agree completely with this post. I tend to have a strong sense of what I want before I begin any project, but I completely understand why it's fun for others to throw out a question like that.

Involving others and starting such an open-ended conversation helps feed/maintain interest in the hobby. We all have our favorites, our old/former favorites and we all want more fish/corals/inverts than we have space for, so we all have a good answer for the "which fish" question. It's just fun.

[der_wille_zur_macht]

I would liken this to clothes shopping. I'm totally happy to go buy clothes on my own and I generally know what's out there and what I like.

My daughter, on the other hand, pretty much HAS to have one of her girlfriends along when she goes shopping, and they practically pick out each other's outfits. When we can't find one of her friends to play that role, She talks me in to playing it. We walk into a store and she asks me what she should try on. It's not that she doesn't know anything about clothes or can't pick out her own clothes, she just really enjoys having someone pick things out for her, or at least with her.

[pinnatus]

I agree with wondering why people ask to pick out fish. That is the thing I like the most, deciding which fish to get.

As for your tank, I recommend a Moorish Idol. I had one for 8 years, and it was the most beautiful, most interesting fish I have ever kept in my 43 years in the hobby.

[Dmorty217]

I have asked similar questions in the past when I had basically had my mind made up before posting, just to get others opinions (which may or may not be followed) I agree with the time, money and effort invested in this hobby, you should be educated enough to make your own stocking decisions. Some info about compatibility isn't easily accessible via books and only comes from first had knowledge. Fish wise I guess the question is what is your budget?? I suggest a rare angel of some sort since they always steal the show.

[pinnatus]

Asking about compatibility is one thing. Asking what fish to get is another. Of couse, the answer is G. Personatus.

[chaudhry]

Don’t intend to hijack the thread in any way.
I have a 100 gallon tank established for last 2 years. Mixed reef.
I had a quick question,
What fish should I get?


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[Jekerry]

Originally Posted by chaudhry

Don’t intend to hijack the thread in any way.
I have a 100 gallon tank established for last 2 years. Mixed reef.
I had a quick question,
What fish should I get?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Totally a dolphin! Or is that not a fish, lol

[heathlindner25]

Doctor Seuss soap fish are pretty ....

[davocean]

I hate I hate threads, cause I usually don't care what others hate, except today for about a second.

HTH

[WVfishguy]

I get ****ed when pet owners don't know squat about the critter they own or want, whether it's a mule, a lizard or fish. Growing up, I had one book on tropical fish, the Innes Book, and Tropical Fish Hobbyist magazine. Now we have the internet, all the info in the world at your finger tips. No excuses today.

[der_wille_zur_macht]

Originally Posted by WVfishguy

I get ****ed when pet owners don't know squat about the critter they own or want, whether it's a mule, a lizard or fish. Growing up, I had one book on tropical fish, the Innes Book, and Tropical Fish Hobbyist magazine. Now we have the internet, all the info in the world at your finger tips. No excuses today.

So, you think newbies have a responsibility to learn about fish, and you're suggesting they could use the internet to accomplish that. But, when someone posts a question on the internet, in an attempt to get other people's input (so they can learn), you're upset?

[WVfishguy]

Originally Posted by der_wille_zur_macht

So, you think newbies have a responsibility to learn about fish, and you're suggesting they could use the internet to accomplish that. But, when someone posts a question on the internet, in an attempt to get other people's input (so they can learn), you're upset?

Boy, did you miss my point. Don't know where you got that. I'm saying with the 'net, there's no excuse for ignorance. I've been in dozens of shops dozens of times when customers tell me they don't know what kind of fish they have - although they have access to the 'net. It's the people too lazy to use the 'net that tick me off. Not just fish, but any living thing. And/or they purchase an animal BEFORE they know anything about it. And the animal suffers.

[chaudhry]

I started my saltwater journey in 2015. Before that i had a tropical fish tank off and on. In 2015, i bought a 55 gallon bow front from craigslist. Seller was a super nice guy and hander me a red sea salt bucket for free along with the tank. Initially i did not know, what to do with it.
And then my journey started on the internet. Each step of the way, it had ben a learning curve. I guess the website that got me most interested in the hobby was vividaquariums.com. And the site that helped me most with learning was reef central. There is a wealth of knowledge out there. I remember spending insane hours on the forum. I lost my interest in watching late night movies, and would just sit on website and read multiple threads and get those views from different people. Be it an Alkalinity dosing or choice of a salt, its a learning curve. Choice of fish and there compatibility with corals. If you are not entering this hobby well informed, you will end up hurting both the animals and your pocket!
I, by no means consider myself an expert in the hobby but it has been a hell if a journey that i have enjoyed every moment off.



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[HippieSmell]

So, what fish SHOULD I get? :P

I have a question. Are all of those fish currently in your 400 gallon? That's...maybe too many fish and not possible? You'd need some sort of quantum fish superposition to fit them all.

[der_wille_zur_macht]

Originally Posted by WVfishguy

Boy, did you miss my point. Don't know where you got that. I'm saying with the 'net, there's no excuse for ignorance. I've been in dozens of shops dozens of times when customers tell me they don't know what kind of fish they have - although they have access to the 'net. It's the people too lazy to use the 'net that tick me off. Not just fish, but any living thing. And/or they purchase an animal BEFORE they know anything about it. And the animal suffers.

I think you're missing my point, too. How are people supposed to know everything about all these fish? Why is admitting your ignorance, and asking questions online or in pet shops, not a valid way to learn? This thread is about people who go online and ask for help coming up with a stock list. How do those people qualify as "too lazy to use the 'net?"

Being informed is good, I agree. But none of us were born experts. I also agree with you that people who buy on impulse before doing ANY fact finding at all are putting the animal at risk, but I didn't think that was the point of this thread. And at least they came back (to the pet shop or online) and asked questions, or else you wouldn't have overheard the conversation or seen the thread, right? So they're trying. Marine aquariums are complicated, and that's not always how they're presented to complete newbies - a lot of these people are probably ignorantly ignorant, they didn't realize there was so much to learn because they were a quick sale for the LFS, instead of an education opportunity. They may be lazy, sure. Or they may just not know any better. Instead of blaming the person, we should consider the bigger picture.

I get that we all need to sit around and complain some times. But we can also all go do something about it. If you overhear a conversation from someone new to the hobby, point them to the forum. They might not know about it, or they might have been talked into thinking marine aquariums were easy and are just now realizing they're in over their heads. Or just answer their questions right there in person. Maybe some day they'll be like us old farts with decades of experience, but we were all brand new and making mistakes once, too. When I started the hobby, I certainly didn't realize I'd one day "need" to be an expert on things like calcium dosing or microbiology or DIY'ing LED lighting.

Or if you're bothered by the types of threads in the forum, go start a thread on a topic you find more interesting. Go hang out in one of the specialty subforums instead of the reef discussion forum The forum is just a collection of it's members. If it's not what you want, go be part of the change to get it there.

[Dmorty217]

Some of us posses the ability to skip over a thread entirely and not post something... sounds like there needs to be a class on this

[CHSUB]

Blue Throat Trigger!

[o2manyfish]

Originally Posted by HippieSmell

So, what fish SHOULD I get? :P

I have a question. Are all of those fish currently in your 400 gallon? That's...maybe too many fish and not possible? You'd need some sort of quantum fish superposition to fit them all.

Question 1 - Well the list includes my display tank and my frag tank.

I did not include the fish in the 250g rock sump / refugium. It's got over 600lbs of live rock so never sure what's really living in it.

Maybe 6-10 Yellow Tangs
Maybe 12-25 Assorted Damsels
2 Copper banded butterflies
Giant Female Marroon - 15+ years
Tomato Clown
A few Bangai Cardinals
File Fish
Some kind of Giant 8" goby
Some kind of assorted tang
3 Sailfin Mollies
And who knows what else....



Question 2 - How did I fit them all in....

Well I had my display tank built with an entirely open top - No center braces and no lids - So I put them in through the top?



Now back to the thread....
1) I'm shocked by how far off topic some people got, and how much seriousness went into steering away from my original sarcastic intent

2) It's interesting that so far the majority of the people posting are older members.

3) My intent was not to point out stupid people, or people not willing to research their purchases... But people that get into a hobby with not knowing what they want.


Again - I have no problem answering a question like I have 4 clowns, a damsel and 3 clown gobies - Should I get file fish. Or what would be a good fish to add that's red.

But its these blind questions - Of my tank is cycled what do I get?

The clothes analogy with the the daughter is kind of on point - Other than I am sure your daughter and her friend know when they are heading to the store that they aren't buying a tuxedo, she's not going to the army surplus store (and if she is I'm not judging (please laugh at this)) and your daughter probably won't be going to buy a $1500 women's business suit.


I relate it more to a person that walks into Carmax (if they existed 30 years ago) and a guy smoking a cigar wearing a lime green polyester suit comes sauntering over and the customers says - "Hey I got a license, I got a shopping bag full of cash, what car should I get?"


And yes there is so much information available to hobbyists these days. And since they are able to post these questions which 'annoy me' that does mean they have the ability to type a question into Google.

I mean part 2 of my fervor is the question I see at least every 24 hours of someone posting a photo of their tank - "Hey my tank is 1 week old, what is this brown stuff all over my sand, rock and glass?" What do I do.


Now these people are so lazy. Every single online users group - that doesn't limit members by making them proove they have 3+ years of experience and 5 figure credit card debt directly related to this hobby - has this same question posted every single day. And these people post without scrolling, searching, or even reading the post 25 minutes eariler asking the same darn question.


And my last addition to the Rant... There is no such thing as 'Ich'

I have been in this hobby for 4 decades. I have travelled the country and the world meeting hobbyists and their aquariums.

And every time someone shows me a fish that has what they think is ICH. I cure ICH the same way - I make them clean their glasses and wipe down the front of their tank- And the ICH always goes away -

Turns out ICH isn't a fish disease - It's an abbreviation for ICKY when your glasses or aquarium glass gets dirty and dusty and your fish don't look good.

But now with the Internet this ICH becomes the excuse for why some people keep killing their fish.

---- If you took all that seriously - please find a post it note and write - "Do not ever read an o2manyfish post ever again" and stick it to your computer screen.


Dave B

[tonysi]

Titan trigger.....but id rather go with a pair of golden angels, joculators i dont think are as pretty to me anyways.