The "They didn't get the Memo" thread.

[FINWIN]

This thread is for fish that don't behave according to convention or the 'experts'. Any of you have fish like this? I'll start:

My Oscar didn't get the Memo he's supposed to eat smaller fish.

My Parrots didn't get the Memo they should struggle to eat because of mouth shape.

My female Acara didn't get the Memo that SA cichlids are less aggressive than CA cichlids.

My male Hrps Mongo and Slade didn't get the Memo that bright colored fish 'instinctively' avoid the open.

Most of my hrps didn't get the Memo they're supposed to be more 'peaceful' centrals as they've skin stripped both of my syno catfishes.

 

[SalviniCichlidFan]

My jewel cichlid didn't get the Memo that he should be an aggressive fish.

My clown pleco didn't get the Memo that he can't fight against big CA cichlids.

 

[FJB]

My A. anostomus (aka Jerk headstander) has been a delight for the last three o four years. Even in a tank with angels and other long finned fish, he doesn’t bother anybody and also seems happy. It took some creative ‘choosing’ of tank-mates. At first it was a big jerk problem. Now it is a sweetheart. It has been with me for 6 years now, so probably is 7-8 years old.

 

[Deadeye]

My coral beauty angel didn’t get the memo that my clownfish owns the tank.
My kribs didn’t get the memo that they’re only 3 inches.

 

[duanes]

I find many of these "memos" put out by aquarium advice sites, are simply regurgitated info espoused by authors who have never actually kept the fish long enough, ( if at all), and due to that real inexperience, in my opinion have no business writing about them.
Almost all minimum tanks sizes (IMO) are BS (are too small) , most minimal filtration advice is understated or weak.
I always tend to over filter , and over do water changes, no matter what any commercial entity says is adequate.

Anyone that tells you that Acara's are not aggressive has not kept them long enough.

Whether a particular fish eats other fish ,or not in captivity is not really significant, in nature Oscar, gut examinations show oscars eat everything from insects, to custraceans, to other fish, even commonly Corydorus.
But if an individual gets trained to eat only pellets in captivity, then that's what it is. (its actually safer for that individual that way)

Also many maximum sizes for species are based on average sizes achieved in nature, these sizes take into account predation, and what size most are collected at.
In aquariums without the "survival of the fittest gauntlet" most species can attain much larger sizes if properly taken care of.

I must admit I ignore any advice from anyone without which I consider actual experience, and that's probably 98% of what on Yourtube or anywhere else on the net,
and when I read comments and much advice, its pretty obvious to me if the "advisor" has actually kept a species, "not just a few months", but years.
Since my interest is in cichlids, and most live for years, someone who has kept a species less than that time, well
I don't consider that advice to be even remotely relevant

If not sure, or the advice sounds to rosy, ask how long the advisor has actually kept that species.

 

[DrownedFishonFire]

The 13” L24 didnt get the memo that shes supposed to be chill with non-plecos. Charges and chases away any clown loaches, bumblebee cats, rainbowfish, congo tetras and allows the tiny 3” L32 in her domain minding its own business. She owns 2/3 of the tank, tries to rearrange the tank like a cichlid

 

[JustTheFish]

My pleco and bichir didn’t get the memo when they worked out for 3 months before I got rid of my plecos because they outgrew.

My silver dollar didn’t get the memo when he chewed the head off of a rosy red minnow for my bichirs.