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Ram Zebra

Fish not to buy for the beginning aquarist

So you have or are planning to buy a modestly sized aquarium to get started in the hobby. Now it's time to get some fish! (Well, maybe not. First, read about cycling.) You walk into a big chain pet store and head for the fish section, where you are greeted by a variety of appealing species. Unfortunately, there is no information posted on care requirements for the species you're interested in, or the information is inacurate. So, you ask an employee about them. "Sure," they say, staring blankly at the wall of tanks. "That can go in your 10 gallon community tank."

Unfortunately, at the large chain stores the employees often don't actually know much about fish. They might specialize in a different type of pet, or perhaps they were hired for their shelf stocking prowess rather than any interest in or knowledge of pets. Maybe the employees know all about the fish, but are under pressure to sell them regardless of whether they are suitable for the customer.

Chain pet stores have a bad habit of selling people fish they can't care for in the long run. Fish that grow to be very large are the most common victim of this practice, but very aggressive fish or fish with very specific needs in water chemistry also frequently go home with unwitting fishkeepers. To combat that problem, I've written this list of the fish most commonly sold to people who won't be able to care for them.

1. Oscars

These pretty South American cichlids look like a great addition to any smaller tank when they're about an inch long. Unfortunately, they can grow to as large as 18 inches, and they don't always tell you that at the store. In addition, as they grow larger they'll need occasional feeder fish to maintain a healthy diet, making them more expensive in the long run than fish which can be fed solely on flake or pellets.

Instead, try: Bolivian Rams

This is a colorful South American dwarf cichlid which only reaches around 3 inches in length. It's both hardy and peaceful, making it suitable for a small community tank.

2. Common Pleco

These suckermouth catfish are often sold to novice aquarists as the solution to an algae problem. There are a couple of problems with this, however. First, these fish can and will grow to be two feet long, ruling them out for any tank smaller than 100 gallons. Also, algae problems are often a symptom of excessive nitrate in the water. In this case, adding another fish will only exacerbate the problem.

Instead, try: Dwarf Plecos, Clown Plecos, Corydoras, Otocinclus

Luckily, there are quite a few types of plecos, and many of them are of a much more manageable size. Bristlenose Plecos and Clown Plecos are just a couple of species that will stop growing at 4 to 6 inches. If you're just looking for a bottom-dwelling scavenger, the many species of Corydoras catfish are an excellent choice. These social fish swim in schools of 5 or more individuals and are much more active than the rather sedentary Plecostomus species. Most Corydoras species are between 1 and 2 inches, so adding a small school to your aquarium is feasable in tanks as small as 10 gallons. They aren't algae eaters, however, so if you want a suckermouth algae eater for your small tank, a good choice might be Otocinclus catfish. These tiny cousins of the Plecos grow to a maximum of about 1.5 inches.

3. Red Tailed Catfish

This catfish is very striking when young, which leads a lot of inexperienced aquarists to buy them, thinking they'll stop growing at a manageable size and keep that attractive coloration. Like the Common Pleco, however, the only thing that stops this fish's growth is death. Unlike the Pleco, this fish will also eat the rest of your fish as soon as it can fit them into its mouth. To add insult to injury, its coloration also fades as it gets older.

Instead, try: Small Plecos, Corydoras

Smaller Pleco species and Corydoras are a much better choice to fill the bottom dwelling niche in your tank. Not only are they of manageable size, they're also very peaceful.

4. Clown Loach

The Clown Loach is actually an excellent fish to have around, if you have the space. Most Clown Loaches sold by pet stores, though, are sold at between one to two inches, and often recommended as a solution to a snail problem. What they may not tell you is that the clown Loach can grow to be a foot long, and that it really shouldn't be kept in groups of less than 5. Five foot-long fish add up to quite a bit of biomass in your tank, and accounting for the fact that they like a lot of room to swim, this makes the minimum recommended tank size for a group 75 gallons.

Instead, try: Zebra Loach, Kuhli Loach

The Zebra Loach is a smaller cousin of the Clown Loach. It will grow to around four inches and attack snails with the same voracity the Clown is known for. If you're just looking for a social scavenger with some entertaining behavior, a group of Kuhli Loaches is a great choice, and adds very little load to the tank. While Kuhlis generally reach around 4 inches as well, their eel shape makes them much smaller than what you typically imagine in a 4 inch fish. Though they don't really have the inclination or natural tools to go after snails the way Botia loaches do, they're effective scavengers, leaving less uneaten food around for the snails to thrive on.

About the Author

Mark Fay is a web developer and computer security expert whose hobbies include fishkeeping, reading, and kayaking. You can find his fishkeeping website at http://fish.hawktopus.com.

How many of the following fish could I keep in a 20g long?

These would only be by themselves.

1. Endler's Livebearer
2. Scalare Angel
3. Fancy Goldfish
4. Flash Pleco
5. Mosquitofish
6. Zebra Danio
7. Rams/Bolivian Rams
8. Convicts
9. Boesmani Rainbow

A little different answer, in my honest opinion this is what can be kept...
1. 9... either all males or 3 males and 6 females... you will have a lot of fry with any females though
2. None... an 20L isn't tall enough or anywhere near enough room
3. 1... provided that you have a filter rated for atleast 40 gallons.
4. 1
5. 6.... like other livebearers either all males or 2 males and 4 females
6. 10... same with glofish and leopard danios that are all the same species
7. 2.... a male female pair
8. 0
9. 0

Zebra - Nuff niceness [Ram]

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