Don't Keep by Andy Gordon and Michelle Stuart

ARTICLE INFORMATION:
Author: Andy Gordon and Michelle Stuart
Title: Don't Keep
Summary: A list of fish and invertebrates that are commonly found in aquarium stores but which do badly in captivity and almost always die prematurely. Their capture and sale should not be encouraged.
Contact for editing purposes:
email: Michelle Stuart: ds_michelle@hotmail.com
Date first published: 2003
Publication: Andy and Michelle's web site: Fishtanksandponds.net
Reprinted from Aquarticles:

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Don't Keep

by Andy Gordon of England, and Michelle Stuart of Ontario Canada
Reprinted, with permission, from their web site Fishtanksandponds.net
Aquarticles

DontkeepSeahorse.jpg (34097 bytes)
Seahorses don't do well in captivity. Photo by Andy

The Moorish Idol is a gorgeous fish by any standards and a very desirable one for any aquarium, or is it? Moorish Idols have a very specialised diet and nothing else is able to replace it. The result - 90 % of captive specimens die within a few months of being caught. None live their natural lifespan in captivity, they should be left where they are. There is an alternative in the Bannerfish, which if given proper care will adapt very well to captivity and is almost identical to the Moorish Idol, which makes it even more pointless trying to keep a Moorish Idol.

A Bannerfish will live for many years in good health in a well cared-for aquarium, whilst a Moorish Idol will die of starvation within a few months, however well cared for.

There are other fish which do equally badly in captivity and almost always die prematurely. But despite this quite a few of them are commonly seen for sale in fish shops. By buying them you are actively encouraging the trade to continue, if they die in the dealer's tanks he will be reluctant to replace them. In other words they won't catch what they can't sell.

- Shrimpfish (or Razorfish), Aeoliscus strigatus.
- Bandit Angelfish, Apolemichthys arcuatus.
- Multi-barred Angelfish, Centropyge multifasciatus.
- Foureye Butterflyfish, Chaetodon capistratus.
- Lined Butterflyfish, Chaetodon lineolatus.
- Ornate Butterflyfish, Chaetodon ornatissimus.
- Long-nosed Filefish, Microlabrichthys evansi.
- Blue Ribbon Eel, Rhinomuraena amboinensis.
- Nudibranchs - specialized feeders, when dead can highly pollute tanks.
-Carnation Corals - deep sea coral that requires darkness and lots of feeding.
- Octopus - require highly specialized environment to prevent them from escaping.
- Jellyfish - require a round tank with good water flow to keep them moving as they have minimal ability to propel themselves
- Cuttlefish - highly specialized fish that only live a couple weeks in professional care
- Flame Scallops - not enough is known about them and they require large quantities of zooplankton for feeding, generally unattainable in an aquarium.
- Most Sea Anemones, which generally only live for 1/80th of their possible lifespan when in captivity.
- Mandarin Fish - need a large mature tank with a natural food supply or they will die.

The choice is yours!