Tip of the Day – 8/11/2011

Reef fish get misidentified by aquarium retailers on a fairly regular basis. The mix up is rarely intentional and usually occurs when the fish store orders one fish but receives a completely different, yet remarkably similar species. The mis-identification may be the fault of the wholesaler, or may even occur farther up the chain by the collector, but because the swapped fish usually have similar needs or prices, the mistakes aren’t that significant. The problems arise when a hobbyist purchases an expensive fish but comes to find later that the fish they bought is a much more common and inexpensive relative. Another issue, and a much more serious one, occurs when a fish with a low survival rate or special needs is sold in place of an easy-to-care-for fish. The hobbyist may think that they are providing the fish with everything that is required, but are in fact killing the fish unintentionally. These identification problems aren’t limited to fish, as they affect corals and invertebrates just as much. The best way to prevent this from happening is to educate yourself on the livestock you are purchasing and refuse anything that was incorrectly ordered.