These Fish SHOULDN'T Be In Aquariums!

[@danjensen7477]

Good list! Another rule of thumb. If it was ever featured by Jeremy Wade on River Monsters (e.g. Pacu, Arapaima), then it will probably not work in your home aquarium!

[@krazyjoe3162]

I agree with you 💯

[@nathanguice2417]

One episode with the Pacu centered around the fact that they became an invasive species, and started attacking humans...that episode made me cringe when they described HOW they attacked humans.

[@NotSure876]

Oh ya, check out monsterfishkeepers and you’ll see you’re wrong

[@36ydna]

Great advice danjensen 7477😎😎😎

[@sandradolbel2578]

I completely agree. I love watching river monsters...remember never to swim in that water....

[@Calilasseia]

There's a public aquarium near my home that houses a 9 foot Arapaima along with some other bruisers. Aquarium size? 250,000 gallons. You can float a small boat on the top of that aquarium. The decor includes bogwood ... in the form of two complete sunken trees. This aquarium is a civil engineering project. Probably the only aquarium I've ever seen that can house the Arapaima and a dozen adult Pacus, AND keep them all happy. Oh, and the filtration system is *literally* industrial scale. Forget Eheim. Their primary filter is 7 feet tall and 4 feet in diameter. It costs them £2,000 per week in electricity to run it. I dread to think what the heating bill for that aquarium is, but I suspect the monthly cost would buy you a Mercedes. That puts things into perspective nicely I think. :)

[@annaskippings6256]

😂love it!!!

[@brentlloyd7908]

There is a fishing and hunting store near me that has a similar setup, 130000 gallon tank with various sportfish. I don't even want to guess the monthly cost of keeping the tank.

[@renaultman4230]

Replicating nature gets expensive!!

[@Calilasseia]

@@renaultman4230 ... the marine aquarium in the same building that houses the Tiger Sharks is even more expensive. That's a 2 million gallon affair that's deep enough for you to scuba dive in :)

[@InkedGamerWolf420]

That’s almost 4x the size of @Ohio Fish Rescue 59,000 gallon pool pond that’s insane and you say this is a TANK?

[@nickbierman3640]

I used to run a large scale fish store and I had a 1500 gallon bow front aquarium that i put customers overgrown fish in. I had oscars, midas cichlids, a wolf cichlid, some weird catfish i was never able to identify, a clown knife, an african lung fish, and of course pacus. It was the first aquarium you would see when you walked in the store. I used it as a warning for customers to avoid buying these fish.

[@mermaid_at_heart213]

That's a great idea for any fish store. When people hear that a fish gets big and needs a big tank without specifics, sometimes they think things like, "Cool! I've got a 55 gallon at home perfect for these" when the fish needs at least double or triple that. Some people even think 20 gallons are big tanks. I once had an armored Plecostomus unlike any that I'd ever seen. No one else could figure out what it was either. I did a bunch of research, but only got close comparisons. He was a rescue and never got any bigger after I took him in. He was just a little guy and he was gorgeous; such a cool fish. I miss him.

[@26th_Primarch]

​@mermaid_at_heart213 Some fish stores may not have the room for such a massive tank but they could be using life-size cardboard cutouts of fully-grown adults for these large species to bring out when people ask to buy them.

[@JordieAnne-g1r]

​@@26th_Primarchthats actually a really great idea!

[@industrialiron90]

Great list, I'd also add the Arowana as well. Not only do they grow just as large if not larger than the first 3-4 fish they are also capable of jumping 6 feet out of the water.

[@reneedevry4361]

I agree. 👍 I was sure that would be the number 1 fish.

[@jokervienna6433]

I was just going to write the same. I also want to include snakeheads. Yes, I know, there are some small species (I have had Channa gachua), but even the small species are batshit crazy. They will eat anything they can get their mouth around and they JUMP. Even at three inches long, mine could jump over a foot straight up. You seldom even get a warning, they just go into this S-shape and then BAM. For the bigger species... well, no. :)

[@AVportau]

yep Arowana and Saratoga too... one of my mates had them and both got too big and jumped out of the tank to their death. good tanks but fish just got too big and strong... couple of vids of the Arowana on my channel.

[@paperdoll1982]

I actually thought the number 1 fish was going to be arowana

[@geraudk]

Likewise. And the Arowanas are super easy to find. Easier than pacus actually where I live.

[@chaliceflame1314]

I've been saying for years that larger fish should be available as pets with a special order only. That way the folks with bigger aquariums can stil get them and the general public cannot.

[@giftofthewild6665]

I totally agree with this. That or they should be in a special tank labeled "monster fish - not for small tanks"

[@chaliceflame1314]

@@giftofthewild6665 I don't even think that would work because what a small fish tank is based on a person' perception. I remember talking about what people think a large aquarium is back on forums.

[@adrianzmajla4844]

​@chaliceflame1314 Spot on, if I can't lift it myself this four foot tank is massive. Good for life, I could probably fit more Oscars!

[@jamesmaybrick2001]

@@giftofthewild6665 "monster fish" would be the selling point for some though :(

[@mermaid_at_heart213]

@@giftofthewild6665 I'd add to your tank sign: minimum "however many" gallons and be accurate and truthful.

[@kevinullery8749]

I’ve had the honor of meeting Bruce the Arapaima. So if anyone wants one remember Bruce is housed in a 58,000 gallon what used to be an indoor pool. So yes Big Rich is the only person who should have one. Pretty sure there are 3 in that pool

[@kevinullery8749]

@@DireWolf1971 I was there at like 10pm got a private tour. Though his name was Bruce thanks for correcting me

[@zeuslea1]

It was over 20yrs ago and boy was I surprised. A local fish store (no longer in business) sold me a "cute little" catfish. This fish grew exponentially to a horrifying size in my 72. Research informed me that I had a Blue catfish. I had to use an actual fishing net to remove from tank.

[@cormacsaleem9966]

What did you do with it?

[@zeuslea1]

I did a lot of research. Although they had been indigenous to many local waterways, they hadn't been in IL since the 70's. All I can say is long road trip with a large tub & battery aerator. Not something I condone and again this was well over 20 years ago. I did what I thought was right at the time. ​@cormacsaleem9966

[@dubonett8239]

Shovel nose are good eats. I tried it in South America. If it gets too eat you can always eat it 😂

[@shalakabooyaka1480]

@@cormacsaleem9966 giant blue cat? It would have been dinner in my house.

[@Oxyacantha]

I won't deny I'm smiling as I watch this. It brings back memories of my favorite fish that I saw, fell in love with, and bought for my little 20 gallon tank as a child... the cutest tiny little 'common pleco' (at least that's what it was purchased as). Actually, it turned out to be a sailfin pleco, as best I could identify. It was gorgeous. Then it moved to a fifty gallon tank. Then it moved to a hundred gallon. Then it had to move to someone else's house, to live in their large indoor heated pond... I really miss that fish. So beautiful, with a huge dorsal fin! It was fascinating to watch it change colors - it was dark brown with vivid tan-yellow webbing all over when it thought no one could see it, and as soon as it saw someone looking, would visibly fade to a dull, mottled light brown all over.

[@SilveniumTheDrifter]

I ended up with a sailfin pleco as well under the "common pleco" name (much younger and uninformed). Had to change tanks 3 times...but he ended up being my favorite fish, despite having gotten one or two "prettier" fish at the time. Such beautiful patterns, and watching the colour shifts. "Kong" also had a very friendly personality, too.

[@nancystanton955]

I remember watching 'River Monsters' and seeing Jeremy Wade get hit in the chest by a jumping Arapaima. Wade staggered and for a while afterwards his team had to monitor his heart rate as the strike knocked his heart out of rhythm. Ward's show about the Pacu was interesting. Pacus have been released in Southeast Asia for some reason. Fisherman were being bit in a sensitive area of the male anatomy quite frequently. There is a fish store nearby in Glen Burnie, Maryland that has a massive Giant Gourami in a HUGE tank just you enter the store. I cannot remember her name but she is 20 - 30 years old. It is the only place I buy my fish.

[@WarriorSoul357]

I remember that River Monsters episode with the Arapaima.

[@billydeewilliams9104]

@@WarriorSoul357 Watched him catch a 9 foot Bull shark out off a fresh water lake one time. THAT creeped me out.

[@ashblossomandjoyoussprung.9917]

Aren't they a freshwater fish that pretty much due immediately in saltwater?

[@paladinjones1833]

It's the same in herps, some of the worst pets are the cheapest and most accessible - green iguanas, sulcatas, red-eared sliders. Right now, my local Petsmart has dinosaur bichirs for sale for $8 : (

[@AnimalsVehiclesAndMore]

Luckily, PetSmart does show the maximum sizes of the fish they sell, as well as those fishes minimum tank sizes.

[@CaptainDCap]

Green Iguanas, Sulcatas and red-eared sliders all make great house pets, though? Like, you can't slap 'em in a terrarium and expect it to go well, but a sulcata is totally fine just roaming around the house, and red-eared sliders are perfect for in even the smallest of backyard ponds(assuming you have a good fence). The Green iguana is the most troublesome of the tree, but even it should be fine if you keep your living room nice and toasty and don't mind getting whipped every now and again.

[@kissedbysun2517]

To be fair, captive bred Senegal bichirs rarely get over 10 inches and don't have much bulk. An adult can easily be kept in a 55 gallon. Some other species of bichirs can get huge for sure.

[@mermaid_at_heart213]

They make fine pets, but only if you can provide for them. People should always do research before getting any pet. I took in a tiny red eared slider for a friend whose pet shop got run out of business by a big chain. It was such a shame because he was very knowledgeable and ethical. Gamera was too small to sale, but his teacher friend only wanted one, so he got left behind. He is now almost 27 years old and such a character! He LOVES cilantro; goes crazy for the stuff! lol 🐢

[@Lulusnotreadyforthis]

I'm in the UK and one of my kids is asking for fish now. Glad I found this video because Bala Sharks are *everywhere* in fish stores in the UK.

[@RipleyMusic]

Same with redtail cat fish small when you get it but it can grow over 4 foot long..

[@NinniAquariums]

If you google the fish name and "Seriously fish", you get to a homepage with a lot(!) of excellent info about almost every type of fish available in pet stores. There you can find what the fish needs when it comes to aquarium size, water parameters, food and so on, and also info about it's behavior, if it's suitable with other fish or not. Look at what size of an aquarium you can get, find a few types of fish that is interesting and see if any of them can be a good choice. If your kid like active, cool looking fish that's oftentimes easy to care for, look at the group of danios. There's many type of smaller danios that's a lot of fun and looks amazing!

[@JrueThrondsen]

Just get some tetras an a planted tank.

[@thadrepairsitall1278]

I know Jeremy Wade did an episode of River Monsters about the pacu. Apparently someone let about 14,000 of them into a new habitat. They castrated some guy and have destroyed the ecosystem.

[@Khaeris]

That episode was nightmare fuel.

[@marksellers6537]

He also has a payara piranha in the tank with the pacu

[@billydeewilliams9104]

Never skinny dip where large fish hang out. Heck, I have a mole on my back that gets attacked by Blue Gill at the lake. 😀

[@theletterm8865]

really doubt the castration part, because unless the guy deliberately put the fish's head near his balls, it probably wouldn't happen everything else though? totally believable, and terrible.

[@kevinfudge9886]

I've seen nearly every episode of River monsters, and I can confirm that Pacu do attack humans. The episode was in Nugine,spell checker off, the pacu was somehow introduced, and quickly took over. They started running out of food and began attack the privates of the natives.

[@mermaid_at_heart213]

I saw that one, too. I felt so bad for the people whom that happened to. In the pacus' defense, though, they do eat tree nuts in their natural habitat. (I believe Jeremy Wade mentioned that in the episode.) Those human-like teeth are used to break nut shells. Ouch!

[@Eraiso]

That episode they show them going after the crocs or alligators in New Zealand from being so hungry after clearing the water of plant matter

[@Jeswald1]

I wish sellers would be require to say "pond only." I have been lucky enough to have had ponds on properties I've owned. Also, there are "hardiness zones" for plants; why not fish? I am USDA hardiness zone 6A for plants. The USDA should regulate big fish just as they regulate plants. I can legally grow a cotton plant in my state, MA, and I have; the flowers are pretty. However, my cousins in VA cannot legally grow an ornamental cotton plant! Aren't fish one up from plants?

[@DasBoot83]

I wish more people would watch videos like this before getting fish. My partner and I took in a 29 gallon tank from someone in our area and we had to rehome half of the fish we got because the previous owner had 2 koi, a small dragon eel, a tiny baby dragon eel and a pleco that were too big. Luckily we still have 5, two blue gourami, two white tetras and one rainbowfish and they are all gorgeous. Though I was frustrated at the previous owners for going "hey that looks cool, let's get it!" with no thought toward quality of life for the fish, it threw us right in the fire of learning about aquariums, so I am thankful for that.

[@jamesbickle4912]

Gourami are great, friendly fish to have. Blue are my fav.

[@SeverusSnape12345]

I'd also add the common pleco to this list. They are in virtually every pet store. Pretty much every pet store I've seen them in claim they stay small, but they are capable of getting gigantic.

[@williamturcotte8588]

Some species like bristlenose max out at 6inches but the common plecos should not be available at most stores

[@SeverusSnape12345]

@williamturcotte8588 I agree, which is why I specified common pleco. ^^ Bristlenose should be available in most pet stores instead because of their smaller size. I had one and it was fun to watch it. :) bristle noses are rare to find for some reason. To make things worse for the common pleco, the pet stores lie on how big they get too. They usually claim they only get to maybe 6 or 7 inches.

[@DougNagy]

I have a common pleco around 10 inches long he’s ridiculous I think he’s about 5 years old

[@brycealthoff8092]

When I was working for state fisheries years ago one of our stations caught a pleco on one of their sampling trips that was over two feet long. Quite the surprise given that that was in Iowa!

[@SeverusSnape12345]

@@brycealthoff8092 dang, that is one huge pleco!

[@robinlucifer6095]

I used to work in a pet store. I had one customer coming talking about his new fish when I asked him what it was. He told me it was a red tail catfish.... he saw my face and all you could ask was what's wrong. I explained to him where he got himself into see the guy 3 months later telling me that it has tripled in size

[@rrrrramone]

I’ve seen every single one of these at my local fish store for sale at one time or another. Arowanas too. People still believe the myth that fish only get as big as their tank though.

[@StraightOtohGunga]

I agree that there should be more precaution around these fish, perhaps they should be marketed as pond fish for tropical areas only

[@hongluong3427]

My dad donated his giant gouramis to the local Zoo, at first they didnt want it but the dude managing the aquarium section took it in, apparently the guy was working in that LFS where my dad got them all those years ago 😅

[@ancientegyptandthebible]

The craziest fish I ever saw sold in a pet store was a sturgeon. I really wish I was making that up.

[@salmansengul]

😳

[@steel8231]

I know someone who could probably house an Arapaima, just in an enclosure he made out of an old above ground swimming pool that he built several large windows into and built a massive patio around. He's in a region that doesn't really get cold so the heating setup doesn't break the bank, but he's only interested in keeping a massive Koi school right now.

[@TheCrabLord_]

My dad once brought home a giant gourami and I can't remember what species of catfish, but it was big. Being a little kid the size of them scared me lol. He said that his friend was downsizing and selling his home and couldn't take his two fish and couldn't find anyone that could take them. Well he told my mum that it was an aquarium with two fish but didn't specify the size, so she was thinking like a meter long at max. Well we came home in the evening the day it was brought over and boy were we in for a shock. The tank was on the floor and almost up the ceiling and took up most of the dining room, like the tables and chairs had to be removed that's how big it was. No idea how they got it inside. It was a beautiful setup but my mum was understandably furious. The gourami was huge (so was the catfish) and they would both follow you and come right up to the glass because of them learning that it was humans that fed them. Apparently the catfish species was known to be tank busters and at night you would hear it, apparently it was how the fish used to pester the owner for extra food but it would worry my mum because even though the glass was apparently thick enough for the catfish not to bust through she always had the fear. Anyway my mum didn't want to keep them so we had them for a few months, she had never had fish like this and felt bad that she may not be caring for them properly (plus we didn't have a dining room anymore because of the size). She knew a guy who she knew was into large aquariums and was really into the hobby. She told him about the fish and he offered to let her see his set up and give tips on caring for them. She checked out his home and he already had huge aquariums and basically had his whole home dedicated to his fish. So she asked him if he would like the fish and the tank for free or if he knew anyone that would take them. He excitedly took them in thankfully, my mum said as long as he arranged pickup he could take them. I remember seeing how excited he was when he came to get them. He kept asking if she was sure she didn't want money for them because fish the size they were were usually quite expensive, as well as the huge tank. She said as long as they went to a good home and were looked after properly that's all she wanted in return. I was around 6-7 at the time and I know he still had them when I was a teenager. We saw them once and they seemed very happy and healthy. Thankfully these guys ended up with someone who could look after them, can't imagine all fish that grow to be large are as lucky though :/

[@brantonlightcap]

The worst part is when you tell people you know about how these fish will NOT work for their aquariums THEY DONT LISTEN

[@Xeuthymia]

"But it's so cute" 💀

[@corey1788]

But yet you have it for sale in your shop and you’ll still sell it to them to make a buck! Maybe place a little responsibility on the shop owners.

[@Xeuthymia]

@@corey1788 I want a fish shop to actually tell the new fish keepers how to keep a fish. Not only dumb selling.

[@corey1788]

@@Xeuthymia you’re still not getting it. The guy is blaming the consumer but if these fish are so bad they shouldn’t be for sale in the first place. If shops refused to sell them then there wouldn’t be a need to “teach new fish keepers how to keep them!”

[@Xeuthymia]

@@corey1788 Actually, when you will buy a new fish is your responsibility to know it parameters and tank size, mates, etc. However, if the owner of the shop gives you the specifications of the fish before you buy it, it would be more easy to take away those fish because nobody will buy them.

[@JustinWillerton]

I know pacu and Piranha look similar but im very certain that the fish in the tank shown are Piranha. I had Piranha in the past. They look like piranha. Piranha have the bull dog Jaw

[@derekblackman3704]

Yes. I noticed that too. Piraya, caribe, and standard red piranhas

[@BlazSean]

The underbite is the give away you are 100% correct

[@MakoyUnggoy]

I was thinking the same thing

[@marksellers6537]

Yes sir definitely a piraya the yellow bellied mine just passed awhile back but was easily 15 inches

[@edwardchristian9529]

Pacu and piranha come from the same family. Pacu have teeth like a human

[@gabrielpsaila7102]

In the uk, when I was new to the hobby a large store (pets at home) sold me 2 yo-yo loaches stating that they would be good in my 40L tank. 40L! No mention of how much they grow, really sad. Thankfully I got really into the hobby and know better and have other tanks now.

[@kbombach]

Add leperinus (sp?) to the list. They grow huge in a 55-gallon tank but are so cute and small when they are sold in the aquarium shop. We had one when my daughter worked in animal care at PetsMart and a customer tried to return it because it was so large. My daughter informed him that the fish couldn't be returned, so the customer left it on the counter when no one was looking. My daughter brought him home and we kept him. I checked the information card for the fish at the store; it said they grow to six inches. Ha! This guy was at least fourteen inches long and huge. I can't imagine how big they grow in a larger tank. He ended up the only fish in the tank and lived for years.

[@WarriorSoul357]

Good list! I will add some variants of *puffer fish* . I am far from educated about these species, but I have seen some so large the poor things have a hard time turning in standard aquarium. These poor fish rub the front of their faces across the width of the tank when they turn. I will add this, to the mention of *Alligator Gar* We used to have a house at a lake. I would regularly fish, boat and dock, from that lake. The largest fish I pulled out of that lake, was an alligator gar. The thing was nearly as long as my leg! And that long mouth, full of needle teeth was as long as both of my hands, fingertip to fingertip. Let us also not forget their eating habits!

[@SlippyMcKnot8472]

I think the iridescent shark should be on this list. I ended up adopting my sisters 29-gallon tank when she moved across the state. In the tank, she had a beautiful iridescent shark. Until watching you guys and other youtubers, we had no clue how big they get. I don't know what to do about it. I was able to afford to get it into a 40-gallon breeder, but I know that isn't anywhere close to what it needs. I don't have the resources to buy a monster tank or the space for one. The pet stores never inform you about these things, and this poor fish has to suffer for it. Is there any suggestions on what I can do for him?

[@bradleyloria4541]

My fish store had a 6 inch iridescent shark that nobody wanted for weeks. They finally asked me to just buy him one day and sold him for $20 because nobody wanted him. Well now he is in a 75 gallon tank and he is over a foot long. I don’t even know what to do with mine. I have been trying to find someone with a pool pond but no luck yet

[@eehee2428]

look for fish rescues, advertise online, ask aquariums, fish stores, otherwise put the poor thing down instead of making it invasive

[@mikenco]

I'm new to tropical, and just bought my first tank. It's currently settling for a week and currently going through it's first algae bloom. It's very small, but I have no ambitions to get anything bigger than Tetras. I wrote down your list here, so when I go the fish place this weekend, I'll know the species to avoid. Thank you!

[@daynajabin63]

I love your channel. You helped me so much with my otocinclus. I just love them. I have a 60 gallon and they are the stars in my tank. You were absolutely correct when stating that they are not hard to keep. They require certain things. I was giving them some seaweed today and noticed there are eggs all over the java ferns. Keep up the great work!

[@CaptainDCap]

Otocinclus are so rare to breed in captivity, there hasn't been any breeding reports on them. Document everything about your tank, because if those eggs are fertile(and actually from your oto's), you may have a breakthrough for our hobby on your hands that many people would love to learn about.

[@icegypsy99]

Frequently see Ghost / Clown Knives at our local petsmart. There's always some kid begging to get one. (I think the size thing on the tank says 55g) I will usually approach saying that they are very cool, that I wish I could have one but they get too big. The parent will usually ask and I show them with my hands, sometimes show them photos on my phone. They quickly move on. It's sad that stores are still putting tank-size suggestions that are way too small.

[@NinniAquariums]

I do the opposite :p I work in a pet store, and when I make the signs for the aquariums, I often write a bit bigger tank size than actually needed. At our signs we have the name of the fish, some short words about it's behavior/needs and info about the water/aquarium size. So, if it needs a 8 gallon, I oftentimes write 9-10 gallon. That's because people come and look at the fish, saying "well it's about 8 gallon" when it's actually 5-6 gallons, or they don't have an idea, or they put too many fish in, or just do something else making it difficult for them to keep the aquarium good for the fish. By saying that they need bigger, and also refuse to sell fish to people who shouldn't keep fish at all, at least we do what we can for the fish. And if someone who knows about aquariums ask us why we "lie" about the aquarium size needed, it's easy to explain why.

[@PlainsPup]

There are a lot of catfish, that are way too big for aquaria, but are nevertheless available in the hobby. I’m thinking of Pangasias from Asia, channel catfish from America, and others. These giant predators grow to be 3 and 4 feet long, and are totally unsuited to the home aquarium. Thankfully, they’re harder to come by these days, but if you do see them, don’t get them unless you have a pond or are the representative of a public aquarium or zoological garden.

[@martincook6944]

loved this post. while living in the Philippines i actually had every one of those fish on your list. Yes i did start all of my fish in tanks such as 400 gallon plus until they were big enough to fend for themselves prior to adding them to my 800,000 gallon pond. Before i left the Philippines all were donated to the local safari / aquarium park were they continued to grow and stay health. Thank you for making future hobbists aware not all fish are lovely little creatures. Always research their potential size, temperature and PH level requirements, their natural environment, ect. These are living creatures. NOT TOYS TO BE DISGARDED WHEN TOO BIG TO MAINTAIN OR BORED OF THE HOBBY.

[@KevinSmith-xt7gt]

Great list. I would love to have a tank big enough but can’t afford it. Even if I had the big enough tank I don’t think most people could afford to even feed these fish properly. I would love to know what it would cost to raise and maintain a arapima for its life. Great video love the content 🙏. When I was an assistant manager of a massive fish store chain we had a nurse shark that was my baby. When it got 3 to 3.5 feet long we shipped it from Canada back to Florida where it was originally caught. They tagged it and released it back where it was caught(so we were told) with a phone number to report its size and a note begging for its release.

[@steveschindler2802]

Not a fan of bans but you are spot on with this video. I never sold any of these fish and many others that are common but would generally outgrow most aquariums. That included oscars an common plecos. The aquarium hobby and exotic pet hobby are absolutely abysmal at policing themselves. Far too many people who will sell anything for a buck and not enough people to call them out for doing it. I started by saying I'm not a fan of bans but to be honest we have brought many of them upon ourselves. Its one of the reasons I got out of the retail aspect of it. I got tired of being lumped in with all the other pet shops by all the social media people expounding the "all pet shops are bad" BS.

[@mysticwanderer4787]

Something you may be interested in, there are two lakes in Broward County Florida which has Ft. Lauderdale in it, that have Clown Knife Fish, Peacock Bass, and a few other species from South and Central America. These fish basically took over the lakes, but instead of eradicating the invasive species they just put tight restrictions on fishing in those lakes. You can actually a hire guide that will take you on the lakes to fish for these exotic fish. Turning lemons in lemonade so to speak.

[@trevorbergstrom00]

I worked with the Conservancy of Southwest Florida last year for an internship and volunteered at the invasive species roundup. The issue with turning lemons into lemonade is that people will see the success of fishing guides in the invasive lakes and then just keep moving those fish into native waters to repeat the process. It sucks, but there really needs to be no regulation on keeping any exotics. AKA eat the invasives out of home, open field.

[@mysticwanderer4787]

@@trevorbergstrom00 Invasive fish species are all over South Florida, especially tropical fish. There are also parrots, reptiles, and amphibians of all sorts though the pythons and the Iguanas are the most destructive. The problem with your theory is that these invasive species in many cases will wipe out native species. As someone who is a Florida native, I have a decidedly different view from yours.

[@trevorbergstrom00]

@@mysticwanderer4787 dude... I'm sorry but you're so so wrong. Go ask the Conservancy what they think about invasives and come back to me. The point is that invasives have a native range that they have an existing population where the species has been for hundreds of not thousands of years. Invasives displace natives and in many cases drive the natives out. There are only a handful of mostly "native populations" of organisms that live in Florida. The team I was in at the Conservancy pulled out 5k lbs (yes 5,000 pounds) of pythons from around naples and picayune strand. If you think pythons don't compete with the Florida panther you've got another thing coming haha

[@willm4187]

And who introduced the Peacock Bass into South Florida? Oh right, the government... South florida invasives are huge problem, however, the main issues afflicting the everglades are overdevelopment, flood control management, and the water pollution from agriculture. I'd love to see people discuss the eutrophication of lake okeechobee from Sugar Cane plantation runoff with the same enthusiasm as killing pythons. @@trevorbergstrom00

[@tropicalstreamaquatics9285]

Peacock bass was introduced by the state of Florida. Absolutely wrong

[@AnyfinsPossible-ng2zt]

There's an LFS not far from my house that I rarely frequent anymore. Why? Because I've seen them sell baby arapaima a few times. Ridiculous. 99% of fishkeepers in LA are not equipped to house that fish. To me, that seemed like the store was way more interested in making a profit from selling doomed fish than promoting responsible fishkeeping.

[@alvinberger5940]

Great List. I have a 500 gallon tank. Fish that have outgrown it include a Black Pacu, a Red Taiil Catfish, a Shovelnose catfish, a Temensis Peacock bass, a Giant Gourami, and soon an Alligator Gar, -ll ones you mentioned. I also have a near 3 foot knife fish. No fish stores or public aquariums wanted these fish that out grew my tank, so some had to be sacrificed by me, an emotionally draining experience. Keep that in mind if you buy these future giants. Arowanas, Lung Fish (I have a 3 foot African Spotted one now), Arowanas, some Plecos (Common Plecos get massive), African Tiger Fsih and Goliath African Tiger Fish are a few other fish that could be on the list.

[@ianswift3521]

yes it's not nice for a living thing you cared for over a period of years to die. even if it's a plant.

[@aswinastro]

Thank you for this wonderful, honest and insightful video! I was an avid follower of your blog a few years back when I owned a 15 gallon tank with 6 fish. I wished to be a person who wanted to ensure that fish lived great lives while in captivity, but then unfortunately, the pandemic hit and I realized I had to give up the hobby because i couldn''t do justice. I really applaud you and your channel for your honesty!

[@MountainFisher]

Tackle store in Florida I went to and it had a stuffed 18 lb. Pacu caught in a local lake. It didn't get that big eating fruit, it was eating other fish.

[@fenrirgaming37]

In the local Petsmart near where I live, they do have minimum tank sizes for the fish. Fortunately, none of the fish that they have grow to monster size. I have two aquariums, a 55 gallon and 45 gallon, which I am currently debating on which one to retry. Most of the fish sold at Petsmart would be very comfortable in either one, but I have no interest in getting monster fish, unless I win the lottery and have the funds to build a building dedicated solely to large aquariums or ponds.

[@Grcia14]

Munster fish don’t belong in aquariums period .BUT i do have respect for people like big rich .The guy literally turned a dam pool into an aquarium for this fish lol .

[@louiseclinch726]

Thanks, one thing I found out wrong from google some fish that are considered non tropical are tropical in victoria as the water was too cold, so I needed to get a heater.

[@mr.tarkovish2587]

The peacock bass problem is more difficult then it seems. You have smaller types of peacock bass like Kelberi but here’s the problem when they are young, kelberi looks almost the same as Temensis (the biggest type of peacock bass)

[@ace-xj1fq]

I picked out a common pleco when I was kid, and a year later, the thing had grown to over 2 feet. Luckily, my grandparents had a 150-gallon tank because we had no idea it would get so big

[@alinafischbach]

Yesterday I was eating in a chinese restaurant and they got a large aquarium. I didn't measure it but it was about 10 feet long. There were way too many huge fish swimming in it. They had a Suckerfish (Hypostomus plecostomus), at least 5 Iridescent sharks (Pangasianodon hypophthalmus), about 10 Blood parrot cichlids and a few other smaller Cichlids. On top of that they also had a young Tiger Shovelnose Catfish. Unfortunately, such heavy overstocked aquariums are often seen in restaurants.

[@sosoblackfeather]

Had 2 Sailfin Plecos and over time the got HUGE! But they were so loving, they shared a 50 gallon tank with a male Bata (usually this is recommend not doing) and got along great. These fish were so inner connected (quantum world), that when Sunset (the Bata fish) passed away from old age (he was at least 5 yrs old), a week later both Sailfin Plecos passed away a day apart from each other. Both Sailfin Plecos (I’m simply placing an S on the name cause obviously there were 2 of them, so forgive me if that’s the wrong way of making their name plural…still learning) had been bought as babies, along with the Bata fish and it took 5 years to get to the size they were. Before they passed away, I was planning on getting 100 gallon for them. But tanks to people like you who are willing to tell the truth about how many of those cute adorable little may grow to become giants, I am more aware of this now. I would rather be able to give a animal the best possible life they could have ever dreamed of and the more I know about the animal, the more I am aware of I am of the challenges that are laid before me, the better I am prepared and the happier we both are. Thanks again for your video. And for all you animal lovers out there, remember the more you know about your animal(s), the better you can give them and happier you both will be❤

[@kimberlynroberts7059]

It would be nice if the people in the store actually knew what they selling. 😊😊

[@amyleigh4311]

I am so glad that you made this video. I hope a lot of people have watched it. Every time I go into a fish store I just shake my head at some of the fish they sell. The sellers either know nothing about these fish, don't care that they're not suitable for aquariums, or both. Two fish you can add to this list are iridescent sharks and Chinese sharks. Great video!

[@TheJake76]

It aways dumbfounds me that in New York state I often see aropima, mekong giant carp, alligator gars, electric eels, ect. For sale and perfectly legal with stipulations, but there's 4 genus of piranha that are illegal in this state... I live around Buffalo NY between lake Ontario and lake Erie, theres maybe all of 3 months here where tropical species could live outdoors... none of it makes sense 😕

[@NotSure876]

I have a 12” bala in my indoor pond along with a granulated cat, vulture cat, giant gourami and black belt cichlid. Huge stock tanks and intex pools are great for monster fish

[@itsahostiletakeover]

I've heard of arapaima being available before sure but for me I was kinda surprised alligator gar have ever even been made available in the hobby, never knew that...because just as a zoology nerd, I already know that ALL species gar from Florida to longnose and shortnose are too big for home aquariums, much less the biggest one of them all.

[@Thedustshark]

I actually had a clownknife from a pet store named one eye Willy I had him in a 125g tank and eventually gave him to my tattoo artist since he had a bigger tank mine was 3ft when I gave him away. Beautiful fish had him years and he still going strong in his bigger better home

[@hotwillz78]

Yeah. couple of those jungle bass turned up in our community pond a couple years ago. They weren't monsters, but definitely out grew some body's aquarium.

[@gerardmillar1680]

In Australia - Tandinus catfish is one. Very territorial - gets large and terrorises public swimming holes. Swims past people at great speed and scrapes them with their stingers making them bleed. You can get juvenile Tandinus from local petshop here. Adorable when they are small - compatible with goldfish and tropical.

[@erictaylor5462]

I grew up near the Steinhart Aquarium. In the 80's they added a Great White shark to a large circular tank. You'd walk up a ramp into the viewing area and the fish swim around you. At first the shark did okay, but then it started crashing into the wall at the same place with every lap. They tried to figure out why but the shark's physical condition was degrading very quickly. Before it was too late they chose to return the shark to the ocean, where it improved to the point they knew it would be okay. I know other aquariums have had trouble keeping great whites healthy.

[@mermaid_at_heart213]

As far as I know, no one has ever successfully kept one in captivity. They are amazing creatures and I'd love to get to see them in the wild.

[@MatthewRatburg]

1:58 they look like little silver sharks. That’s why

[@anthonyd.1428]

I guess I should release my Basking shark :(

[@Furinastan]

rehome it so someone with proper care, rheyll most likely die if you release rhem into wild water

[@anthonyd.1428]

@@Furinastan they are normally 40 feet.

[@Furinastan]

@@anthonyd.1428 yeah but it can destory local ecoysyems if they survive.

[@Nomad-sw4uy]

@Furinastan I'm sure he'd keep that in mind if he actually had a basking shark.

[@notNajimi]

yeah, taking my baby blue whale to the local stream before he gets too big :(

[@cthulhupolar60]

@KGTropicals Good question about the pacu. Something like that has happened. Pacu were released as a food fish in a different country than they belong in and they ate nearly all the plant matter in the lake. After which they started eating meat to survive attacking some humans along the way.

[@Troll_Spanker]

Those striped catfish are gorgeous... just fish store sold him to me and never told me he ate all fish and would get 100lbs

[@Chris-dh8mg]

Hey John I have a 125 gallon 6’ tank that’s been running for 2 years now that has 4 six inch geophagus tapajos and would like your expertise about me adding 2 baby Oscar’s and growing them up with the geos .

[@aichmalotizo9873]

A more achievable knifefish for home aquaria is the African Brown Knife. Mine never got larger than 8 inches. Normal range is around 8-12'.

[@codexintegrum]

I agree 100%. I was criticizing my (normally pretty responsible) LFS about red tail catfish and pacus but they claim people put them in ponds. I am a bit dubious - it is possible to do that but you have to heat the pond somehow, not easy in a pond big enough for a full grown pacu let alone arapima etc.

[@kissedbysun2517]

Pet stores are weird. Several years ago I asked to purchase six zebra danios. The clerk asked me how large my tank was. I said they were going into a 300 gallon pond. She said she couldn't sell them to me because they aren't pond fish and could only live in tanks. She had to consult with her manager. Those danios had probably been living in a small pond at the fish breeders a week earlier. Oh well. I should have lied and said I wanted them for a desktop aquarium, they probably would have thrown an extra one in for free.

[@Jack_Splendens]

I believe it is ok to sell these giant fish in pet stores, however they should not sell them to everyone. The sellers should say something like: "This fish is going to be 8, 9 or whatever feet long. Do you have a pond or an aquarium as big as your room to keep em ? If yes, then here it is, if no, then let me recommend something proper sized for your tank". Sadly this rarely happens. 😢

[@mermaid_at_heart213]

Or better yet, they could only offer these fish through special order. That way, there is less chance of someone just coming in and lying in order to buy the fish, who think they know better or just don't care about what will happen when it gets too big. Typically, if a person is going to special order, they know quite a bit more about the fish they are looking for already and have suitable accommodations for them.

[@Jack_Splendens]

@@mermaid_at_heart213 This is a good solution too, but one thing is sure, it's not ok to sell gigantic fish to someone with a 20 gallon tank, petstores should stop with that.

[@JNC1973]

I didn't even realize Pletcos could grow so big. I bought 2 Pletcos from a Walmart that were only like 2'' inches long and here I am several years later and they're both over a foot long. More like 14'' inches long. They stand on their tails and pop their heads outta the tank surface. 😮

[@starview7045]

Great video. I'd love to see a video of the guy with the huge aquarium in Toronto who was mentioned 🙂

[@Henry-fk7cq]

I bought one of those "sharks." The sales person said they eat plants & would clean the aquarium. I put one in with betas & guppies. The shark ate every other fish in the tank the first night. Its belly was distended & it too died in a day. Not a community fish!

[@CGLFishing]

Ive seen wels catfish fir sale at my lfs. They get bigger than arapaima and even worse, they can survive in our temperature lakes potentially. Also sturgeon get sold in lfs quite often.

[@AnimalsVehiclesAndMore]

Unless you live at (or work at) a public aquarium (like Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies or Newport Aquarium) do. not. get any Sturgeon (unless it's a Shovelnose Sturgeon) or a Wels Catfish.

[@CGLFishing]

@@AnimalsVehiclesAndMore 100% agree. I was shocked to see them for sale. Our local lake has a "monster" (I know tons of lakes do) and I have researched it a good bit and believe there is a possibility it is a released wels catfish. One day I plan to document searching for it.

[@kissedbysun2517]

I have had nightmares about wels

[@paranoiarpincess]

I think the distributers should all ask one important question before selling the fish: tank, pond, or Lake? None of these guys if they say ”tank” most if ”pond,” but all for dimensions, alligator Gar ONLY if Lake. Etc.

[@TheUndeadslayer221]

The Pacu is the piranha if it ate nuts instead of meat; It's not a "special needs" fish, it's a just the piranha's derpy, friendly, cuter brother. As for your list, I found one fish just as bad; A store that I used to go to once sold juvenile Arowanas, a fish that can get more than 3 feet in length, with that fact being made worse by the fact that it can breathe air, which means if it gets loose because someone released the fish, it would dominate the waters that it gets released in (it's an arapaima, but not as big, but still a problem).

[@aimeegoebel7795]

I have a question. Problem is, I’m not techno. savvy and idk how to look and see that someone responded to my comment. Well hopefully I’ll figure it out. I see you have a large aquarium behind you with multiple Oscar’s in it. I have a 220gal aquarium with a great big sump filter. I’d love to get a few Oscar’s but I’ve seen people with even bigger tanks and even though the Oscar’s are surviving their fins are torn up. I’m not interested in keeping them together if that’s gonna happen. Your’s look good so I’m confused. What can I do to ensure they won’t nip at each other to the point of frayed fins?

[@BlackKoiRecords]

When I was young (I'm 35 now) red tails, Bala sharks and I know they aren't fish but Iguanas were abundant and CHEAP! Smh the 80s and 90s were wild!

[@domenickgaliano7447]

No, Im a monster fish keeper, had a 1500 gl n had fish in it 2-3', it can be done with a large tank, had 3-4' Arrowanas, a 3' redtail cat, a Giant Gourami full grown, 2 irridescent sharks but the arent sharks they are a pangus cat fish, had a Butterkofori, red devil n a few other fish, had 2 peocock bass, a huge aqaurium is needed n the fish need to be well fed to keep the fighting, half water changes, to keep the acid down. Been a fish keeper for 45yrs

[@tratox]

I guarantee that the fish shown in the film, unlike the pacu, are capable of doing harm hehe. You are showing real piranhas, not pacu.

[@fantom5894]

I noticed that too

[@baldieman64]

7:34. That's not a Pacu. I would say it's a sheepshead or some similar saltwater species.

[@fvvfvbbbb]

I think you are correct. That image also shows for a Sheepshead bream fish.

[@cosmoplakat9549]

There was a giant gourami at a LFS near Baltimore who'd been turned in by its owner. It was cool looking, but my oh my, even the LFS didn't have a tank big enough for it. I like my little tetras. ❤

[@TheFishBeast]

Great video! Someone has probably already mentioned that the “pacu” footage in your video actually shows a school of piranha at 7:56.

[@OnkyoGrady]

So my takeaway is... Being a aquarium guy is exactly like being a car guy. Everyone wants to talk about it when it comes time for them, but they will predictably not take your advice.

[@meikahidenori]

I'd like to add Baramumndi & Murry Cod! People get them as pets here in Australia and they can grow HUGE. One pet store we used to have locally had one in a massive aquarium that no one is going to be able to afford to have. They're not something you'll find in the states but yeah they're quite big fish.

[@jamesfisher8300]

I’d like to see a saltwater version of this.

[@jonathano_0479]

That last would be so long. Like 99% of saltwater fish don't belong in aquariums

[@masterpython]

Orkas

[@jamesfisher8300]

@@jonathano_0479 you could say that about any animal.

[@jamesfisher8300]

I’d be interested in people’s opinions and thoughts. Been doing reef tanks for twenty years.

[@kaitlinwhite4918]

Aren't arapaimas super dangerous to keep too, I've read they have like a plated skull and I've seen them jump and headbutted someone in the stomach knocking him off his feet and he almost got seriously injured from the whole thing.

[@ryanmassey586]

Why is getting the government involved the "go-to"? Can we try getting the stores and wholesalers on board and change the culture of the hobby.

[@kissedbysun2517]

That would be great, but if there's a buck to be made, people will keep breeding and selling monster fish. To many, fish are just a commodity

[@martinphilip8998]

My father brought home a small albino clarius (?). That walking catfish worked his way through about 4 tanks before my dad isolated it.

[@Whips_World]

Pacu get over 3' and weigh 40 to 60 pounds. Look no further than Ohio Fish Rescue who has several close to 40" and his heaviest weighs 63lbs. Also, accoring to River Monsters' Jeremy Wade, Pacu in the wild have been known to bite and remove the, um... beans... of many a young man. So, you may say they wouldn't hurt a fly, but that would sure hurt the hell outta me. 😂

[@mahdisharifkhani1819]

At 7:40 they are red belly Piranha Pacu and Piranha are in the same family but they have some big difference

[@blujeans9462]

No, he said they look just like a piranha.

[@derekblackman3704]

Pirya, caribe, and standard red belly piranha.

[@robertmcdole583]

I have red tail cat fish and shovel nose cats they are in a 2500 gallon pond I had to build for them they get huge I agree know what you're getting in to before you buy them

[@Fishtory]

👍 agreed. Red tails, anything on river monsters basically... you should need a 10k gallon pool/tank to buy them

[@karenhann8956]

Excellent video! You could of taken it a step further and mentioned the dumbasses that release the monsters into our waterways. Good for another video 🤔

[@Khaeris]

If Jeremy Wade has caught it, it doesn't belong in an aquarium.

[@elitemenageriehabitats-lou7749]

Can there be a petition that can ban Petco from selling common plecos? It should not be the obligation, through customers guilting mom and pop shops, for us to take these fish in at one point of another, because Petco sells them cheap and WITHOUT full disclosure. I will NEVER bring them in my shop. Same for red tail cats and xl monster fish. I leave that to stores like Predatory Fins.

[@Fusako8]

Good list! If I ever want to chill with an Arapima, they have them in the California academy of sciences. I LOVE their fish exhibits. Too bad it is in california. . . Have you considered doing a similar list of "This fish lives 50 years, are you ready for that commitment"?

[@stewartfooter3580]

Great list john

[@stevielease7952]

I would like to add to your list, a carp- like fish called a tinfoil barb. They are sold a small babies an inch long and can grow to a foot long. Way to big for a home aquarium. Only advantage is, they are peaceful and not aggressive. But like any carp they eat a lot and excrete a lot. Also, bala sharks. Sold as little 2-inch babies, grow to a foot long, are very hyper and skittish. Go mad dashing all over the tank, bash into the glass, injure themselves and die from internal damage. Also are notorious jumpers. One more fish not to but are any of a number of species of characoids sold as silver dollars. They grow big, hyper and skittish, go mad dashing, eat plants, chew other fishes' fins. Don't waste your money.

[@pbase36]

NYC used to have some beautiful small aqua shops, all gone now. I really miss them.

[@billymoyerjr5940]

Thank you for bringing back some of your kickass background music. Reminds me of the older videos. love it!

[@marcproulx7965]

I love how you mentioned Oscars!! I have a 220g with 2 Oscar’s!!! They are by far my most favorite fish but in my over 30 years of fish keeping I rarely see them in an appropriate sized tank!! My local petco had them listed as 6-8” size!!! 😡😡 mines 13 and obviously still growing!!

[@noneyabizz8337]

Always, always, always research before buying. All the world's information at your fingertips.

[@wendydomino]

I've heard of alligator gars getting as big as 400 lbs on occasion but I don't know if that's substantiated or not. Either way it's not something you want to mess with in a living room aquarium. I'm so glad you made this video. Hopefully it will reduce heartbreak for humans and reduce suffering and unnecessary death for animals.

[@williamleidy6713]

Well done John.

[@dax5791]

Pacu? "Derpy". Derpy is the word you're looking for. :) Adorable little derps.