Fish to avoid as a newbie

I would like to add Hillstream loaches, only because of their requirements- highly aerated water, lower water temp etc.
They're often sold as algae eaters for community tanks and don't survive long, labled borneo sucker or butterfly pleco.

Had to learn the hard way!

 

Skunk loaches, they are reasonably cheap and look interesting, but stay away please. Hides most of the time, but when it comes out it attacks all the other fish, ripping their fins to shreds and kills others, in particular your harmless catfish. Also these fish are not afraid of the bigger fish. Not advisable for a community tank.

 

True @Reedfish, I'm still very much a novice, and I have successfully managed to keep German Blue rams in a community tank, even though many people said they are really difficult to keep and rather fussy.

 

+1 @Reedfish, I also find that information is key in keeping any type of fish.

 

I believe you can keep any fish, no matter how difficult they may be, if you READ UP on the fish before you purchase. WHich is something even experienced aquarists should do. You need to know their basic care, ideal water conditions, how aggressive they may be and how large they will get. I think a common problem is that your lfs will not advise you on the fish you are purchasing if you don't ask, and from my experience they will then probably give terrible advice. Most people who buy a new tank just pick pretty fish and take them home which can be a problem because with most species the males will be colourful and the females won't, leaving people buying many males while some may be very incompatible if you have more than one, gouramis for example, it is better to have one male to two females. You can keep them in that ratio and they will be fine depending on the tank size but buying two males could end up with one being dead.

 

I have to agree with @Charine

 

I was sold one of these at the LFS as a community fish to help with a snail problem in my guppie tank. He was removed the very next day into my Tilapia tank because he was shredding the guppies tails. He is happy in the new tank and even come out to speak to me when I'm throwing in some snails for him, but won't get another one.

 

I agree 100% with the elephant noses being on that list. While they are very beautiful and unique, they are easily stressed and need lots of space to hide. They are slow fish meaning that they are best kept in a tank on their own, other fish might nip their fins. I had 5 elephant noses that all died in a short time, despite the research I did before the time. But its definitely a fish to google!