What Kind of Fish Do You Simply Not Understand Why People Keep?

I was listening to a podcast recently, and the interviewer asked the interviewee what fish they simply don't understand why people keep it, and that got me thinking. What kind of fish do others out there simply not understand why others want it?

So here is mine and my reasoning.

1) Monster fish.
Pretty obvious why, but just going to throw it out there, I do own a Mbu Puffer, but he was a rescue. I actually decided against getting one a while ago due to the size. My ultimate reason for this is why would your average person want a fish that grows 4ft or bigger. Being honest, the demographic of people who want them compared to those who can actually have a place for them is so off. I can walk into almost any shop and say 'I want a red-tailed catfish' and next week I pay $14.99 for one whom I can then keep in a 10 gallon like many others- let alone, in 4 months you're feeding it whole frozen shrimp, and in a year its like a pound a day and it just keeps growing. I am not going to limit this to just those either, I include things like oscars, red devils, Dovii, common pleco, god forbid if anybody gets an arapaima. I am not here to state these fish are not cool/pretty, but just stating that the majority of them who have them, probably shouldn't, and the retail industry sells them like mad. In addition to this, normal people think something like a 29 gallon is a 'big' tank and a 55 is 'huge'.

My second one, I hardly understand, but think is ridiculous is glo-fish.
There's all these other options out there to have a slice of nature with silk plants or fake plants with nice pea gravel, and you choose to get the neon pink gravel and have blue rainbow sharks and that bright green betta as a display tank. Sure? I guess.

This might just be my complaints with the retail fish industry in general, but I know there are some people who just don't understand getting a certain fish for the amount of work it is. Thank you for reading!

 

Would that confuse people if we just start calling them that?

Don’t know. Less appealing than algae eater. I can think of other names that would also be accurate and be more of a deterrent but I’m sure that the forum software would censor them.

 

I propose a name change to Chinese Slime Coat Suckers.

The german names translate to Siamese Sucker Loach for the CAE and Siamese Trunk Barb for the SAE. So I think that's not a problem at all. And yes, to us they are both siamese.

 

Mostly what i wonder these days is WHY do some people keep fish, not about what they keep. But i wonder that about my oldest with all pets. Great, you got these 2 cats you pay no attention to and cry because they hang out with us and give us all their lovins! Never is she allowed to have a fish in my vicinity no matter how old she gets.

 

Mostly what i wonder these days is WHY do some people keep fish, not about what they keep.

Reading a lot of threads here, many people think they make good decoration. Which, as any serious fishkeeper knows, is the one of the best approaches to kill fish.

 

Does anyone here have the misfortune of knowing what a parrothorn cichlid is?

 

Mostly what i wonder these days is WHY do some people keep fish, not about what they keep.

I think these days people are keeping fish because of covid. Many got into fish keeping from boredom. Many of these with the extra money the government was giving away just went out and bought without a clue and never looking up on upkeep of fish. On another site people have spent thousands on discus and are wondering why they die so easily. I can only imagine what’s going on on the salt water side. I’m thinking in 2years there will be a huge surplus of aquarium stuff on sale on all the selling sites.

 

I think these days people are keeping fish because of covid. Many got into fish keeping from boredom. Many of these with the extra money the government was giving away just went out and bought without a clue and never looking up on upkeep of fish. On another site people have spent thousands on discus and are wondering why they die so easily. I can only imagine what’s going on on the salt water side. I’m thinking in 2years there will be a huge surplus of aquarium stuff on sale on all the selling sites.

I heard some horror stories from a friend of mine when he was still the aquatics guy at petco.

 

I heard some horror stories from a friend of mine when he was still the aquatics guy at petco.

This sort of thing is what's keeping me from trying a job at a pet store. I know full well that most of the customers buying will probably be pretty uninformed, and a lot of them aren't willing to learn anything and assume setting up a tank is like buying a simple piece of furniture.
But hey, if this surge of fish-owning leads to a surplus of unwanted goods in a few years' time, that's money saved for me!

Anyways, I half-understand keeping oscars and other large and highly aggressive cichlids. My favorite fish have been personable critters that lived by themselves and reacted to my presence in cute ways, and apparently that's the whole appeal of an oscar. It's just... that's such a HUGE tank, with nothing in it besides water, a fish, and maybe some gravel. Some of those fish are so aggressive that they'll get hurt if their tank is anything more than an empty glass box. I got really into this hobby because of planted tanks, so the appeal is lost on me.

 

I just figured out humphead fish exist. And OHHHHHHH! They are SO gross. I hate them.

Sorry if you like them, but this is the only fish that has actually truly grossed me out. And this is not a challenge to you guys to get another gross fish.

 

I just figured out humphead fish exist. And OHHHHHHH! They are SO gross. I hate them.

Sorry if you like them, but this is the only fish that has actually truly grossed me out. And this is not a challenge to you guys to get another gross fish.

What exactly are you talking about? I can think of at least 8 species and two hybrids in fresh or saltwater that have humps on their heads.

 

Humphead glass fish

 

Ah, the poor things they dye in South East Asia.

 

Ah, the poor things they dye in South East Asia.

I thought that was indian glass fish?

 

Same genus. Parambassis ranga and P. pulcinella. Juveniles look almost dentical. Both are used for that dye method.

 

I had to look them up, I don’t think they are too bad in their natural form (not dyed), interesting, but weird though!

 

I popped to my LFS earlier to pick up some root tabs and saw a tank of all fully grown red belly piranhas, 3 for £100...

 

I popped to my LFS earlier to pick up some root tabs and saw a tank of all fully grown red belly piranhas, 3 for £100...

Bargain.

 

I really don't get the rage over some of the fancy plecos. Like yeah they look kinda cool... but you never see them! The price tag and fuss over them just doesn't make sense to me. This kind of goes for any fish you never see.

Plus, plecos are quite destructive and messy. I don’t get it either, to be completely honest.

 

I popped to my LFS earlier to pick up some root tabs and saw a tank of all fully grown red belly piranhas, 3 for £100...

I actually had one many, many years ago, I got it very small, but it grew extremely quickly, got too big and I had to give it away. I wouldn’t get them again.

 

Bargain.

My LFS is pretty cheap and they often rehome big fish. Very reliable. In other local shops a single piranha would be sold for several hundred likely, such as a Geryi's piranha that's been living in a different nearby LFS for years. Looking at it's sheer size and teeth I can see why nobody wants to buy it...

 

I doubt they sell for several hundred. Usually a fully grown redbelly goes for 50-75€. The Geryi's indeed is rarer and getting a fully grown specimen is a jackpot for a collector. The price is likely also so high to keep people away that only want to own a little monster but don't know whack about fishkeeping.

 

Any artificial looking fish. Glofish.
Why do I have 2?
Because I liked them when I was younger. Now I just want them to die so I can have more space! 1 is a 4 3/4 pink glofish and the other one is a 3 3/4 year old yellow glofish. They just NEVER die!
Any kind of large catfish. Why?
Because they are creepy.
Also, axolotl. Why?
Because they are creepy!
Hillstream loach and Dojo loach.

 

I propose a name change to Chinese Slime Coat Suckers.

I have referred to them as Chinese Fish Eaters for a long time.

As for "glo fish" I was considering making glow bettas but then the glo fish people made them. But they made garbage ones. Why didn't they use good stock?

Still occasionally tempted to make nice glow betas or glow haplos. The mercury injector would be ~500$ and then the glow genes are cheap. All you need is easily collectable eggs. Glow cories maybe? When I kept shrimp I was considering glowing them but the geneticist I was talking was not sure that would work. So it would be a 500$ gamble.
Glow Haplo because after you fill the rest of your tank with glo fish, glow gravel, a black light and a black light Hendrix poster as the back ground you still need some bottom feeders that glow. Probably also need a motion sensor that plays Jefferson Airplane's White Rabbit to.

As I understand the glo fish were originally created to test water quality. I wonder if the patent is for that or aesthetics? I suspect as other gene patents were beginning to have issues they may just not have had to fight for their patent.

 

I fell into the common pleco trap years ago. He’s big , hungry and moody but I still love him !

I can’t get on board with dojo loaches, they just freak me out for no good reason. Also the bog eyed gold fish are a no from me !

I can understand the bigger fish attraction but again it’s the logistics of owning them. Would I turn the kids bedroom into a huge tank when they move out? Probably if I had the money to keep it up

 

As for "glo fish" I was considering making glow bettas but then the glo fish people made them. But they made garbage ones. Why didn't they use good stock?

Still occasionally tempted to make nice glow betas or glow haplos. The mercury injector would be ~500$ and then the glow genes are cheap. All you need is easily collectable eggs. Glow cories maybe?

Wow, you know how to do stuff like that? Are you a geneticist or is this just an advanced hobby? Anyway, I think cories are better choice than haplos, as they are smaller, and better suitable for a typical Glofish tank. I always wondered, do they use albino versions of fish for this, or do glow genes overpower natural pigmentation? Wouldn't it be cool if, say, you make a glo C. sterbai, but the natural pigmentation remains and in normal light only the usually white spots look coloured. Would make a gorgeous fish IMO.

I can’t get on board with dojo loaches, they just freak me out for no good reason.

Dojo loaches are so cute! Then again, I'm yet to meet a loach I don't find cute. I mean, they're just so goofy

 

Dojo loaches are so cute! Then again, I'm yet to meet a loach I don't find cute. I mean, they're just so goofy

I think it’s the movement , they remind me of worms ! I have a bit of a parasitic phobia going on , although I rescued a caterpillar today so yey !
Unpopular opinion , I don’t like balloon mollies either ! Dont shoot me …

 

Unpopular opinion , I don’t like balloon mollies either ! Dont shoot me …

I think it's a rather popular one.

 

I think it's a rather popular one.

Phew ! Good to know , now I can let loose

I think they look deformed , bent backs like they have tb and the faces look pointy and silly like they are always staring to the sky. I feel better now I got that off my chest !

 

As for "glo fish" I was considering making glow bettas but then the glo fish people made them. But they made garbage ones. Why didn't they use good stock?

Seriously though. I have never seen a single glo-betta that looked healthy, let alone attractive. They always are stubby-finned, small, and lethargic. Or just dead. I know this isn't just poor care on a store's part, because the glo-bettas are like that no matter where I find them, even when the other bettas look alright.

That's not even getting into their appearance. I've sworn off bettas but I still admire them for the variety of beautiful colors. Glo-bettas are either a solid and sickly tennis ball green, or tennis ball green with maroon fins. So only two options, and they both look awful.

 

The question being "what fish don't you understand why people keep": skirt tetra and black mollies (specifically black ones)

While I may not personally see the appeal of things like monster fish or deformed goldfish, I understand why others may like them.

But skirt tetra and black mollies? I worked a stint at my local Petsmart. The sheer number of people who walked up to the fish wall just fawning over the black mollies or the skirt tetras was ridiculous. Like seriously? Petsmart doesn't have a great selection, but we still have tons more interesting/pretty/cool options than an ugly old skirt tetra and a solid black fish. They also sent us both of those in hordes... they must sell well at other stores too. I don't know... I just don't get it. Long Skirt tetra are much more interesting than the short skirt ones (either color) but people still only wanted the short ones... Same with the other colors of mollies.

 

The question being "what fish don't you understand why people keep": skirt tetra and black mollies (specifically black ones)

While I may not personally see the appeal of things like monster fish or deformed goldfish, I understand why others may like them

But skirt tetra and black mollies?

Are these the American equivalent of black widow tetras ? If so I have 8! And I love them, they always school, they fill the middle space in my tank and when they get bigger and chunkier they look great admittedly they aren’t the most colourful fish. it just goes to show doesn’t it , it’s all relative. What one person lives another hates !

 

Are these the American equivalent of black widow tetras ? If so I have 8! And I love them, they always school, they fill the middle space in my tank and when they get bigger and chunkier they look great admittedly they aren’t the most colourful fish. it just goes to show doesn’t it , it’s all relative. What one person lives another hates !

Yes, I believe it is the same.
For me, it's not so much the color (or lack thereof) in regards to the skirt tetra, I just find them very awkwardly shaped in an unappealing way, I find their temperaments to be disagreeable and bland, and they don't shoal in an appealing way. But yes, as you say, it's all relative! For me, it's just the one I have the hardest time understanding

 

Yes, I believe it is the same.
For me, it's not so much the color (or lack thereof) in regards to the skirt tetra, I just find them very awkwardly shaped in an unappealing way, I find their temperaments to be disagreeable and bland, and they don't shoal in an appealing way. But yes, as you say, it's all relative! For me, it's just the one I have the hardest time understanding

I have the same with balloon mollies , they are just a strange shape to me so I understand ! It’s a good thing we all like different or we’d never be able to get fish ! Apart from glofish it seems

 

Wow, you know how to do stuff like that? Are you a geneticist or is this just an advanced hobby? Anyway, I think cories are better choice than haplos, as they are smaller, and better suitable for a typical Glofish tank. I always wondered, do they use albino versions of fish for this, or do glow genes overpower natural pigmentation? Wouldn't it be cool if, say, you make a glo C. sterbai, but the natural pigmentation remains and in normal light only the usually white spots look coloured. Would make a gorgeous fish IMO.

I have someone who is a PHD geneticist and was able to explain it and if I got the stuff, help out making abominations.
The one thing that would require pros (or be impossible) would be trying to make glow live bearers unless you can do something with the parent fish so its babies will glow. I didn't ask about live bearers as she was talking about using eggs with the mercury injector.
Order the DNA and wait for it to show up. Grab egg, put in injector, add the new DNA, put egg in egg tumbler and hope it lives/hatches. No idea how high/low the success rate would be.

PS: red squirrel loaches are the cutest loaches. Unfortunately the are cool/cold water loaches who will need a chiller to survive hot summers with no AC. My poor loaches

 

I like the lyretail black mollies, but I get why you wouldn't like them, get pretty big, kind of bland, and are mean. But I don't know, for me, they just look elegant.

 

Is this the right thread for posting pics of my monster Glo-fish?

 

Is this the right thread for posting pics of my monster Glo-fish?

Despite my earlier post about disliking glofish, I would actually like to see that.

 

From an earlier discussion:
"Well bowfins do breed in the river near me in the spring.. Steal their eggs and try making Glofins?"

 

Honestly, I don't understand why people keep eels unless you like getting your fingers bitten off every time you clean the tank. They're scary. xD

Edit: What's the point of them? They don't do a whole lot.

 

Honestly, I don't understand why people keep eels unless you like getting your fingers bitten off every time you clean the tank. They're scary. xD

Edit: What's the point of them? They don't do a whole lot.

'Eels' can be a loose term.

In freshwater most eels are just long bony fishes, like fire eels or peacock eels. True eels are hard to come by and usually not very ideal. I do love my peacock eels as an accent to my tank. Its always a treat when they are in the front of the tank.

In saltwater... Yeah if you've got a bigger tank I can see a snowflake being cool or some smaller species, but moray's? I'll pass lol.