Five Best & Worst Fish For Beginners

[daizeUK]

I came across this article  http/www.squidoo.com/the-best-and-worst-beginner-fish-for-your-aquarium
 
It lists the five worst fish for beginners:
 
1. Goldfish
2. Pleco
3. Dyed or deformed fish
4. Neon Tetra
5. Oscar
 
and the five best fish (apparently selected as close alternatives to each of the 'worst' fish above)
 
1. Platy
2. Cory
3. Glofish
4. Neon Rainbowfish
5. Kribensis
 
Would you agree with this article?  Are there any fish you'd choose differently on these lists?

 

[TallTree01]

Oh geez! That's a bit off.


It lists the five worst fish for beginners:
 
1. Goldfish What? These are great beginner fish. It's just that basically no one keeps them correctly.
2. Pleco. depends on species
3. Dyed or deformed fish. fair enough. I think they are the worst fish of all time tbh
4. Neon Tetra. pfft. Yeah Right!
5. Oscar. Fair enough
 
and the five best fish (apparently selected as close alternatives to each of the 'worst' fish above)
 
1. Platy fair enough
2. Cory fair enough
3. Glofish they're basically just zebra danios only deformed version. The authors are hypocrites!
4. Neon Rainbowfish fair enough
5. Kribensis fair enough

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Oh geez! That's a bit off.


It lists the five worst fish for beginners:
 
1. Goldfish What? These are great beginner fish. It's just that basically no one keeps them correctly.
2. Pleco. depends on species
3. Dyed or deformed fish. fair enough. I think they are the worst fish of all time tbh
4. Neon Tetra. pfft. Yeah Right!
5. Oscar. Fair enough
 
and the five best fish (apparently selected as close alternatives to each of the 'worst' fish above)
 
1. Platy fair enough
2. Cory fair enough
3. Glofish they're basically just zebra danios only deformed version. The authors are hypocrites!
4. Neon Rainbowfish fair enough
5. Kribensis fair enough

 
Goldfish - I think that was the point - generally the people who wrongly keep goldies are newbies.  Even if they've been keeping goldies like that, they are still newbies.
 
 
Glofish are not deformed.  They were genetically mutated, but they are now bred the same as any other commercial fish in the hobby.

 

[Brilly91]

I dont think there is such thing as bad fish for beginners. Lack of research is the only real issue.

 

[DerpPH]

Another bad fish for those who are beginners are puffers! Very sensetive! High nitrite/nitrate spike an theyre goners!

 

[Mamashack]

I think maybe goldfish are on worst list as they are quite messy/poopy fish and newbies tend not to do regular water testing or water changes as they should. Not saying that applies to all newbies, but I suspect the majority fit into that category.

 

[This Old Spouse]

Also, many people don't realize this:
 

 

[PrairieSunflower]

I dont think there is such thing as bad fish for beginners. Lack of research is the only real issue.

Yes, I agree with this.

I think that if people have done their research and can provide the appropriate cycled tank with proper water conditions... it becomes a matter of proper maintenance and feeding.

Personally... after the above is taken care of... for me "easy" fish criteria would mean a fish that has an easy diet for me to be able to tackle as a beginner.

 

[daizeUK]

I think that research opens up many more possibilities for a beginner, but there are still some fish that are too sensitive for an immature tank no matter how well you cycle.

Is that your goldfish Spouse?

 

[This Old Spouse]

 

 

[the_lock_man]

The first time I saw that photo, I think it was Fluttermoth that posted it, although I don't think it's her goldy either.

 

[This Old Spouse]

Yes, I saw it sometime last year, and it might have been her that posted it. I pulled this off the Internet, but there were LOTS to choose from. It's not Photoshopped or fake in any way. This truly is how big they can get, and no wonder they don't live for more than a few years in a fishbowl.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Agreed.  They can live for over 20 years if kept properly.
 
But many folks buy them for their kids (or win them at a carnival!) and put them in a classic "fish bowl" and think its normal for them to die immediately. 
 
 
I get upset when some people I talk to about fish keeping refer to fish as "disposable pets".  Many fish are far less disposable than most pets, including dogs.  A rat lives for two years at most, while many tetra species should live about 7 years. 

 

[stanleo]

Some people still believe the myth that a fish will not grow bigger than the tank that they are kept in.

 

[This Old Spouse]

Which is half true. Their bodies don't, but their internal organs keep growing.