[120gallons]

Here's an article from my blog at 120 Gallons that I figured would be helpful to folks here. Please add to it with other good practices for picking out fish.


With the still rampant use of cyanide in fish collection, as well as the difficulty of sometimes visibly determining that a fish is sick here are some tips to help improve your odds of bringing home a fish that will live a long happy fulfilling life.

Make sure the fish is upright.

The fish should not just accept being attacked by other fish if in a tank with multiple fish, it should try to avoid conflict or fight back.

Check all the fins on a fish and make sure they are 100% solid and intact.

Ensure the fish has no obvious wounds.

Fish with rapid gill movement should be avoided.

Coloration on the fish shouldn't be dark and washed out. Know what the fish is supposed to look like as far as colors go.

The fish should have no white or black spots (except those natural in its coloration) or growths.

Try to buy fish that have been at the store for a few weeks. Some stores will hold fish for you if you are interested and they just arrived.

Ask to see the fish eat. Don't buy those that don't eat.

Do not frequent stores where the tanks are dirty and there is a lot of dead fish in the tanks.

Use online references to find where fish are from and avoid ones from the Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, the Maldives, Sabah, and Tanzania. These are known places where cyanide is used to collect fish. Cyanide use is more than likely a death sentence for the fish.

In addition there are many fish that just do not do well in captivity. Do you research and avoid those. One good list to check out is at List of marine fish that should not be kept in captivity.

Don't buy on a whim and research, research, research since knowledge is power.