Common Unwanted Monsters?

[FJB]

In general, JERKS !
Although some of these don't get as large as true monsters (the first two can), often people consider them as such, because they become problematic in many aquaria, thus becoming unwanted.
Distichodus lussuoso
Distichodus sexfasciatus
Leporinus spp., mainly fasciatus and sexfasciatus
Abramites hypselonotus
Anostomus anostomus

 

[GentleGiantsCichlidKeeper]

I agree with other members. I think on my list the Top Three would be Common Pleco, Oscars, and Giant Gourami. I've actually made that mistake with the Giant Gourami and had to take it back to the store after it got about 8 Inches. The store actually placed it with the Opaline Gouramis and I had got it, biggest mistake in a 37 Gallon.....

 

[esoxlucius]

I've got a slightly different take on this. We know that research is possibly the most overlooked part of the hobby, and as a result some hobbyists may acquire fish with absolutely no idea how big they are going to get. Add this to the fact that the fish i'm about to mention are always found in local stores as tiny juveniles amongst your run of the mill community fish, and you then have a recipe for unwanted fish further down the line.

My choices are oscars, bala sharks, common plecos and clown loach, although the slow growth of clown loach means it's many years before they become an issue. They can all hit 12" plus and will inevitably become "unwanted" sooner or later just because the casual hobbyist simply couldn't be bothered doing a bit of simple research beforehand.

 

[Fishnerd360]

From what I noticed at my fish stores, I’ll see a lot of adult jack dempseys, silver arowanas, clown loaches, flowerhorns, and common plecos. They all looked like they been in someone’s tank before, but are being resold. But they usually seem to do their best to steer people away from monster fish.

 

[Kelly_Aquatics]

I made the mistake of getting a common plec I got it for my koi pond at 10" I had to take the koi pond down and now I have a 13" pleco in my 125g with my oscars I would love to gt rid of it but my mom wont let me she loves him but not really the other fish she says he is nice. but the oscars are too mean the pictus cat is slimy , the delhezi bichirs look like snakes and so on It makes me sad to think of all the cool fish I could get get if I got rid of him lol But I dont have any other open tanks he ca go in everything full so he is chilling with my oscars now

 

[DrownedFishonFire]

Kelly_Aquatics my mother was in town visitng for a week and said the same thing about my fire eels. She said they are pretty but too creepy looking now you mention it.

She does not like snakes whatsoever. ?

 

[DrownedFishonFire]

My top 5 I see too often

Pacu
ID sharks
Gars
RTC x something else
Goldfish/kois

 

[burntrubber]

In general, JERKS !
Although some of these don't get as large as true monsters (the first two can), often people consider them as such, because they become problematic in many aquaria, thus becoming unwanted.
Distichodus lussuoso
Distichodus sexfasciatus
Leporinus spp., mainly fasciatus and sexfasciatus
Abramites hypselonotus
Anostomus anostomus

I have past experience in the last 3 species. I have 5 of the Marble headstanders in my 220g community tank. These should not be kept singly or in pairs. Numbers of 5 or 6 is ideal and they won't molest any other tankmates.

 

[Joshuakahan]

#1 Red Tailed Catfish
#2 Silver Arowana
#3 Gar
#4 Common Pleco
#5 Temensis Peacock Bass

Common pleco
Bala shark
Tinfoil barb
Oscar
Red tail catfish

 

[duanes]

Its obvious that any fish that gets too big for a tank will be a problem, no matter what species (even a JD will be too big for a 55 gal in a year if properly taken care of).
What I see as the "real problem", is the maintenance.
Most people don't realize as any fish grows, the amount of work it takes to keep the tank from looking and smelling like a pig stye increases with every inch that fish grows.
LFSs will tell you an oscar, an iridescent shark(not really) , or red devil, can live in a 75 gal for life, but what they don't say, is to keep the tank, and the fish healthy, and unscarred by hole in the head disease, the tank will need 50% water changes every other day by the time it reaches 10", and/or by the time it hits 15", it will need 75% or more water changes every day, no matter how many filters line the back of the tank.