What Fish Do You Regret Buying?

[GaryE]

Pretty well everything I ever bought on an impulse, without reading about it first, has been a problem. Fish that get too big (or maybe tanks that are too small), fish that poop like cows, aggressive fish that looked so sweet and friendly in the store - I learned my lesson.

And while they weren't fish, the cute little red eared slider turtles a family member wanted in 1984 - 2 of the 3 died of old age this year, and one is still going strong. I've never really liked them, but I inherited them 20 years ago after promising to care for them for their lifespans. 37 years so far.

 

[biofish]

New one to add: glo zebra danios. I got them as a recommended companion for my guppies and. Well. It was alright at first. Sure they nipped at my guppies a lot and chased them around the tank, but the main issue came when I started trying to put older male fry in the tank. The fry I put in were NOT small and even started getting their colors in. But every single one I put in the male tank vanished. While my danios got fatter and fatter. My poor babes.

 

[JuiceBox52]

New one to add: glo zebra tetras. I got them as a recommended companion for my guppies and. Well. It was alright at first. Sure they nipped at my guppies a lot and chased them around the tank, but the main issue came when I started trying to put older male fry in the tank. The fry I put in were NOT small and even started getting their colors in. But every single one I put in the male tank vanished. While my danios got fatter and fatter. My poor babes.

I've never heard of zebra tetras, do you have a scientific name or a photo?

 

[Essjay]

They could be glo zebra danios or glo skirt/widow tetras (both names, skirt tetra and widow tetra, are used for the same fish).
The tetras are nippy fish and danios can be nippy if kept in a tank that's too small.

 

[biofish]

I've never heard of zebra tetras, do you have a scientific name or a photo?

OHH. DANIOS. ZEBRA DANIOS. WHOOPS. I’ll uh. Go edit that lol

 

[biofish]

They could be glo zebra danios or glo skirt/widow tetras (both names, skirt tetra and widow tetra, are used for the same fish).
The tetras are nippy fish and danios can be nippy if kept in a tank that's too small.

There are 6 of them and I put them in a 29 gallon. Maybe I just didn’t have enough for them to properly school so they didn’t feel safe enough, hence why they chase my male guppies. And ate my not small fry.

 

[JuiceBox52]

There are 6 of them and I put them in a 29 gallon. Maybe I just didn’t have enough for them to properly school so they didn’t feel safe enough, hence why they chase are my male guppies. And are my not small fry.

Zebra danios are notorious for nipping and aggression. I try to keep them in schools of 10-12 minimum to help with that

 

[biofish]

Zebra danios are notorious for nipping and aggression. I try to keep them in schools of 10-12 minimum to help with that

I was thinking of moving them to my currently fishless 10 gallon and just have them in there with no other fish type. Would that be big enough? And would 6 work in there or would I need more danios or do I need a bigger tank for the 6 I have?

 

[JuiceBox52]

I was thinking of moving them to my currently fishless 10 gallon and just have them in there with no other fish type. Would that be big enough? And would 6 work in there or would I need more danios or do I need a bigger tank for the 6 I have?

A 10 gallon is much too small unfortunately, they do best in a longer tank with more swimming room. What size tank do you have right now?
Mine are in a standard 20, but thats not ideal. They do better in a 20 long or a 29+ length-wise. I'll be moving mine to a 42 gallon for foot tank soon

 

[biofish]

A 10 gallon is much too small unfortunately, they do best in a longer tank with more swimming room. What size tank do you have right now?
Mine are in a standard 20, but thats not ideal. They do better in a 20 long or a 29+ length-wise. I'll be moving mine to a 42 gallon for foot tank soon

Unfortunately the only tank suitable for them is my 29 gallon high tank they are already in. I got them when I was a new fish parent because LFS and yeah. Regret, haha. I have a 20 gallon with all my female fish but that tank regularly has newborn fry in it and I wish to save as many fry as possible. And I have two ten gallons.

Edit: though the danios have proven to be by far my most hardy fish. One time I had to evacuate all my fish to a bucket to do something to the tank and one of the danios jumped out and I found him flipping around ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE ROOM. So he’d breakdanced across my entire room without me noticing. I Immediately put him back in the bucket (and covered the bucket with a lid) and he’s still swimming strong today. But dang that scared me so bad.

 

[anewbie]

They could be glo zebra danios or glo skirt/widow tetras (both names, skirt tetra and widow tetra, are used for the same fish).
The tetras are nippy fish and danios can be nippy if kept in a tank that's too small.

People (and I mean lots of people) say tetra are nippy fishes but i've never seen it. While I don't have skirt i do have serpae (with angels) and rosy white fin tetra. Mind you my serpae are terrified of the angels but that is a different matter.

 

[Essjay]

Many years ago I bought some serpae tetras. I now know I should have bought more than 6, but this was pre-internet and books said a group of 6 was OK. The following morning every other fish in the tank had bits missing, and the serpaes spent their time swimming round the tank in precise V formation. It was like watching a display at an air show. Two days later they went back to the shop, and the other fish regrew their fins.

Different experiences with different numbers and in different tanks.



I have never kept skirt/widow tetras and while their reputation doesn't match my experience with serpaes others do report them being nippy when there aren't enough of them.

 

[anewbie]

Many years ago I bought some serpae tetras. I now know I should have bought more than 6, but this was pre-internet and books said a group of 6 was OK. The following morning every other fish in the tank had bits missing, and the serpaes spent their time swimming round the tank in precise V formation. It was like watching a display at an air show. Two days later they went back to the shop, and the other fish regrew their fins.

Different experiences with different numbers and in different tanks.



I have never kept skirt/widow tetras and while their reputation doesn't match my experience with serpaes others do report them being nippy when there aren't enough of them.

This is really interesting; I only had 3 (long story) and now 3 years later i have 2. I do sometime sit and watch them as they mostly avoid each other but also the other fishes. I wonder if part of the situation is tank layout as well as tank mates. This is their tank; so they have lots of room to spread out. Still in the mornings I usually find them in the open middle waiting for bits of food.

 

[TheTenthDoctor]

Okay I’m going to jump in here…my guppy-endler colony….it’s the worst…and I have like 6 males and like 100 females….

 

[2tank]

15 widow tetras, way to many for my tank