Five fish not for the beginners

Newbies often wonder which fish should they pick for keeping in their aquarium and which fish could create difficulties. While a number of aquarium fish species are there, one wrong choice could lead to creating trouble for the new aquarists. When most of the fish stores don’t help in providing many details about the nature of the fish and their maintenance, picking the right one becomes more confusing.

Therefore, here we have provided a detailed list of some of the worst beginner fish for the newbies. Check them out and get an insight into the fish which could give a hard time to you and your patience so that you may keep them for having sometime later rather in the beginning.

Helostoma temminckii – Kissing gourami, Kissing fish

The reason why people love to own this fish is due to their unique kissing behavior which looks really funny. Maybe this is the reason why it is one of the most purchased fish during the Valentine’s Day. No matter how cute it seems as if you would know the weird behavior of the kissy mouth you would definitely back off buying it. The mouth of the fish can grow up to 25 cm.

Yes, that’s true, and this little fish could really take up the entire length of your small tank. It would also be interesting to know that their kissy mouth is not for showing affection instead to defend itself from the intruders. Every gourami meets mouths and pushes each other to know which one is stronger. They also use it against other fish. Besides, being omnivorous gourami doesn’t leave the aquarium plants at ease. They love nibbling the plants and could create more mess.

Carassius auratus – common and fancy goldfish

Every aquarist and especially the newbies escalate just with the idea of one goldfish dancing in their aquarium.  They look exotic, are very pretty and undoubtedly adds to the beauty of the tank. However, those who fancy the idea of having one don’t know that keep-up, and maintenance of a goldfish is not everyone’s cup of tea. It has been experienced that neither the normal goldfish nor the fancy ones can live in a bowl.

The common goldfish are perfect only for the ponds, and those who are fancy require approximately 75 liters of water per fish. Moreover, they love to live in masses. If you keep it alone, the chance of dying rises. Other than this, the reason why experienced aquarists don’t prefer to keep a goldfish is due to the amount they excrete. Therefore, the need for a large aquarium equipped with heavy filtration system becomes necessary to maintain a goldfish. Although they look charming, for beginners, they are enough to create a lot of fuss.

Carinotetraodon & tetraodon varieties – Pufferfish, puffers

When it is about intelligence, a puffer fish could outshine all. The interesting fact is this fish has a fascinating behavior and very odd looks. If you have it as your pet in the aquarium, you will remain entertained similarly like it is with a dog or cat. However, the only drawback of puffer fish is their high maintenance.  They require specific care in the tank as they are sensitive and highly aggressive. Moreover, their diet is also different and requires more attention.

Pufferfish are considered as messy eaters, and most of the aquarists add them to deal with the problem of a snail. But once all the snails are eaten, they start creating trouble for other fish in the tank. If you do some research, you will come across different kinds of freshwater and brackish puffers. Therefore, it is advised to chose wisely and think before you add it into your aquarium. If you are new in the field, it is better to stay away from puffers for a while.

Balantiocheilos melanopterus – Bala shark, Shark minnow

It won’t be an exaggeration to say that Bala sharks look cute. But before getting one, you must know that these cute little creatures can grow up to 30 cm. Although the pet owners do not leave any stone unturned to count the advantages of this fish, most of the time they forget telling the full size, it attains after few months. No matter how interesting they might sound, they could create a lot of troubles for the beginners.

As soon a Bala shark gets the chance it jumps out from the tank. Therefore it is advised to keep them in the group rather alone or with other fish. They are actually endangered in the wild. They seem a challenge to keep even for those who are experienced fish-keepers. So a Bala shark is a big NO for the new hobbyists. Instead, getting a captive fish would be a great option.

Pterophyllum scalare, Pterophyllum altum, etc. – freshwater angelfish

For a tropical aquarium, a freshwater angelfish is considered a perfect choice as a centerpiece. However, due to their highly social behavior, they are advised to be kept in groups rather alone.  Swimming alongside one another they create a very beautiful look in the aquarium. It has been seen that when kept in aquarium alone, they neither grow properly nor show their true potential and behavior. So you have to make sure that you are keeping a herd of them.

If you still want to have them make sure your tank is around 50 cm in height. Only it could provide enough space for them to grow correctly and flourish. It will also prevent the deformities that usually occur due to less space.

Wrapping up:

It is essential for a new hobbyist to select the right fish for its aquarium so that the interest in fish keeping retains and they don’t feel frustrated or annoyed with the fish’s behavior. So, do proper research on the fish and its requirements. Make sure you are providing the right environment to it.

Remember it is more important to have less but healthy and lively fish rather more and stressed fish in the aquarium.