Fish you'd like to see less of...

[Cantbesaved]

Tho I know it would never happen... Fancy guppies. They are neat to look at, but they bring so much misery they are too weak.

More salt water fish would be better! When I move out next year, I will have a salt water aquarium, as well as my fresh water I want some clown fish!

*edit

WOW! I did not realize how long this thread has been dead for! LOL

 

[flash22]

In no order

Guppies (there to genetically weak due to being bred for there colours)
Blood parrots
Rtbs (due to new keepers buying them At 2cm then a year or 2 later there 8-10" aggressive monsters)
common and gibby plecs
silver sharks (as i bought one going on the info i had. then i saw a 12" one dumped at the lfs )

 

[BigC]

Blood parrots
Get rid of these abominations.

 

[Sparnon]

I don't agree that with the 'balloons' the body proportions are retained. If they were, and were they simply miniature versions of the normal variety i would see no difference, aesthetically, to the normal variety. Their bodies are bloated and larger in proportion to their heads than the normal variety. That's why they look 'deformed'. If they were true dwarfs surely they wouldn't look 'squashed' as you say, they would just look small.

You need to learn a bit about dwarfism and proportions then.

There are two basic types of miniaturisation, dwarf, and midget. A dwarf retains some/many proportions relative to the full size version, but is "squashed" down to a smaller size, making everything look charicatured. A midget on the other hand, is smaller overall, and retains proportions relative to ITSELF rather than the standard version, meaning it remains the size of a juvenile, or perhaps slightly larger. Sometimes the two can be inter-related, with varying degrees of one mutation or the other present in a single case.

When a fish is deformed, it is disabled because certain limbs, body parts, etc are out of place, or twisted, stunted, or just missing. In both dwarfism and midget mutation, everything is where it should be, meaning that the fish can still function quite normally. In some cases of gross dwarfism, deformation can occur due to the defective genetics involved. These types of disfunction however occur in all mutations and selective breeding is used to reduce and eliminate such things.

A blue ram is not what I would call grossly dwarfed, it is just slightly smaller, slightly rounder, and has more exaggerated features than the normal morph. Some people seem to react very strongly to this, when albinism, puffing (telescope eyes, bloated appearance), colour mutations or long fin mutations are seen as perfectly acceptable.

 

[VictorMeldrew]

Silver sharks, everywhere sells them, they sell you one when they are best kept in groups and i know places that would sell you one even if you told them you had a 30/40gl tank, i brought one when i first started when i did not know better, it just outgrew the tank in no time and ended back at the shop.

 

[oakes]

You need to learn a bit about dwarfism and proportions then.

There are two basic types of miniaturisation, dwarf, and midget. A dwarf retains some/many proportions relative to the full size version, but is "squashed" down to a smaller size, making everything look charicatured. A midget on the other hand, is smaller overall, and retains proportions relative to ITSELF rather than the standard version, meaning it remains the size of a juvenile, or perhaps slightly larger. Sometimes the two can be inter-related, with varying degrees of one mutation or the other present in a single case.

When a fish is deformed, it is disabled because certain limbs, body parts, etc are out of place, or twisted, stunted, or just missing. In both dwarfism and midget mutation, everything is where it should be, meaning that the fish can still function quite normally. In some cases of gross dwarfism, deformation can occur due to the defective genetics involved. These types of disfunction however occur in all mutations and selective breeding is used to reduce and eliminate such things.

A blue ram is not what I would call grossly dwarfed, it is just slightly smaller, slightly rounder, and has more exaggerated features than the normal morph. Some people seem to react very strongly to this, when albinism, puffing (telescope eyes, bloated appearance), colour mutations or long fin mutations are seen as perfectly acceptable.

Thank you for identifying my need to learn the above. I agree that the rams are less deformed (or misshapen, disfigured, altered, whatever term you prefer) than the mollies. I think my aversion to them stems from my love of the natural version. I can't understand why anyone would want to change the actual body form of such a magnificent fish.
As for the mollies, i am certain they are neither midgets or dwarfs. I'm not aware of any true dwarves of any species that have a body width and depth almost equal to their length, resulting in such an exaggerated, bloated appearance. In fact their form is so drastically altered it has affected their swimming behaviour.
I guess some people keep fish to appreciate their natural beauty which has taken millions of years to evolve via ordinarily very minor mutations in response to environmental factors. Others may appreciate the novelty value of fish that have been created through a major mutation and promoted in response to human motivations.
And yes, i know i have a mutant albino in my tank! You're right, we all draw a line in the sand somewhere, and it differs greatly. I guess for me it is where the basic body form of the fish is altered. Actually i generally dislike all albinos too, except for the b/n's, for some reason i find them attractive, but there you go!

 

[mike os]

total elimination of

dyed fish ... don't see many these days thank god
Hybrids

Less of

Discus..... As 99.9% of shops just can't do it right & everyone and the fish suffer as a result

Oscars, piranha, sharks (all of them), gibbiceps, red tail & plecostomus cats .... any fish that get too big or are too aggressive for most people

If you want big/specialist fish go to a shop that specialises in them....when you play that game you don't mind the travelling....I guess LOL ( I will do nearly 2500 miles between last weekend and the middle of next month for fish related stuff.....aaaggghhh I must be mad )

What I would really like to see less of in my LFS is ignorant, ill informed and disinterested sales driven staff, thank god most of the guys I deal with actually keep fish & know what is what.

 

[blue acara]

Id like to see less stunted, thin and misshapen discus in my lfs. I live near some quality lfs's but their discus certinly arent.

 

[Sparnon]

Thank you for identifying my need to learn the above. I agree that the rams are less deformed (or misshapen, disfigured, altered, whatever term you prefer) than the mollies. I think my aversion to them stems from my love of the natural version. I can't understand why anyone would want to change the actual body form of such a magnificent fish.
As for the mollies, i am certain they are neither midgets or dwarfs. I'm not aware of any true dwarves of any species that have a body width and depth almost equal to their length, resulting in such an exaggerated, bloated appearance. In fact their form is so drastically altered it has affected their swimming behaviour.
I guess some people keep fish to appreciate their natural beauty which has taken millions of years to evolve via ordinarily very minor mutations in response to environmental factors. Others may appreciate the novelty value of fish that have been created through a major mutation and promoted in response to human motivations.
And yes, i know i have a mutant albino in my tank! You're right, we all draw a line in the sand somewhere, and it differs greatly. I guess for me it is where the basic body form of the fish is altered. Actually i generally dislike all albinos too, except for the b/n's, for some reason i find them attractive, but there you go!

I personally find it hard to understand why anyone would have long finned black widow tetras, but thats because I fell in love with the standard version. So I can understand where you're coming from. But if that's what people want then let them have it.

The reason why I like dwarf rams is because they were the first one I saw, and I immediately fell in love with it. I happen to like rounder more diamond shaped, flatter fish, so it appealed to me. I like corys for their whiskers, blue rams for their shape, stripes over their eyes, and "mohawk", I like tiger barbs for their stripes and diamond shape, I like black widow tetras for their piranha shape and black stripes. And like you say we all have our line in the sand.

Sorry if I got a bit defensive over them. I just see a lot of people reacting to them as if they're so horrific, which is so ignorant because they're not really any different to any other mutation. If there were no mutated fish all our fish tanks would contain brown and silver fish, with brightly coloured varietys being considered rare and expensive.

 

[Syphoniera]

Boy, some very interesting old threads dug up recently.

One point I'd like to make, regarding the lack of research done by some people: not everyone has access to the internet, and a surprising number of people rarely read.

If people have been misinformed all their lives, they can hardly be blamed for doubting that their LFS would sell fish so grossly unsuitable.

How many people know that toxic waste, otherwise destined for monitored and maintained toxic waste sites - while properly labelled and handled en route - is, in the U.S., legally sold and driven to fertilizer plants, dumped into the mix, and thereupon handled and sold as fertilizer used on everything from lawns and gardens to grazing and cropland?

Would you make that sort of intuitive leap in either case without info?
Or would this simply be off your radar and unthinkable anyway?

People commonly see aquaria with obviously suitably sized fish, many of these very commonly acquired types which will normally grow outsized for most purposes where not stunted or killed by inappropriate conditions.
And then some fat-headed twerp comes along and says, 'Boy, did you know that those Angels or Goldfish need a much larger tank, not a 10 or 20 gallon' when they can SEE the fish isn't that big, and people have done this throughout their entire lives 'without any problems', except the fish likely died of 'old age' within a few years when they might have lived decades - but the owners just don't know.

How can they know, if someone who might be expected to know, like the pet store who made the sales, doesn't mention this or has even assured them otherwise, and the fish they keep have always been kept in that manner by many all around them?

If large/aggressive/otherwise unsuitable fish are indeed being sold incognito by stores in the hope of larger tanks and more expensive equipment being purchased down the line, this would, I suspect, backfire in many if not most cases - large numbers of people have left the hobby through discouragement, and winding up with Moby Dick or Jaws in one's tank would certainly contribute to that.
Not to mention that many can't afford/haven't room/haven't sturdy enough flooring for large tanks, and that many people also rent and move frequently, or have landlords/spouses/roomates, etc. who'd object.
Accurate information and reasonable pricing would vastly increase profit in this area through the vastly increased market and repeat sales, and MTS would be at epidemic heights, even if still mostly not large tanks...

If entering an LFS which sells common plecs or hazardous fish or whatever without info being offered, and you do not already do so, why not ask (in a civil fashion) why no labelling is present or if requirements are made clear to prospective purchasers?
For the average LFS employee, especially in chain-stores, a minimum-wage worker who may have little experience or even fondness for fish, the sales/cleaning job they hold may supply them with whatever information they have and repeat - and rocking the boat may get them dumped right out.
But if enough customers question such a situation, the issue will repeatedly surface and when it becomes evidently one which may affect sales, a more responsible attitude may be fostered from the top down as a good business practice, even where the animals and customers remain cyphers on a spreadsheet.
Lots of people already do this, but a few more just might shift the balance, eventually altering general practices in the large.

Shoppers tend not to think of having to research purchases, and fish are widely regarded as an easy-care (groans the waterbearers) pet, or often more of an ornament or decoration tool.
The diversity in requirements and potential among various species tends not to form the concern of those seeking diversity in colour and appearance.
The same old song, sung to whatever tune desired:

, And who's to know how big will grow that pretty little swimmer,
when once advised it's smaller-sized by some appalling sinner?
What water range, if it be strange, what sort of care and feeding -
or what the heck one should expect when seized, dragged in, and bleeding?

Most of the situations of this type deplored throughout this thread would never occur as being possibilities to any without education.
What people don't know can hurt them, as well as others within their care - but you'll never know what you don't even know exists.
And blaming people for this doesn't do the affected and suffering fish a whole lot of good.

 

[NottsFishy]

I would like to see less of the following

1. Red belly pirahnas every lfs near me sells them just no need for so many.

2. Silver sharks (same as above)

3. Arowanas as not every one has a tank big enough for them if you want one then go to a breeder or a specialist not a petshop same goes for other large oddballs such as rays and RTC .

4. Electric eels there is just no place for them in a aquarium sure there great fish but who actually wants a fish that could possibly kill you

5. Sturgeon as just one can cause havoc with the local ecosystem if it escapes from a pond.

 

[chesterscot]

id like less guppys platty goldfish and neons for a variety of reasons lol
scot

 

[matchstickman47]

I'd like to see less mbuna cichlids in mixed tanks and no positive IDs on them.

didnt you use to b a mod??? ?

and eeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr imo its gotta be the discus ....

 

[bala]

Bala Sharks, as owners tend to have no idea of the size they get too and LFS dont tend to advice people of that. and thos digusting goldfish with big bumps on there head and bugged eyes, looks like there mutated.

 

[Amberleaf]

Lols. XD

All that I want to see is that they STOP selling little tiny mickey mouse platys and keeping them together.... Lol, I was just researching them the other day; mine had grown HUGE in their tank and, SUPPOSELY, they will grow to be about 1-2 inches LONG. DX