How do you pick out a fish?

[ahud]

Just wondering, besides color what are other things you look for in a fish? How do you decide what species of a certain genus you want.

I'm finding it impossibly hard to pick out a shrimp goby, its my first fish.

 

[RVANANO]

I look for ones that are hardy in their current tanks. Also prefer fish that have been at the LFS for a bit so you can see their habits. I.e. are they jumpers, do they eat well, do they play well w others etc....

The most important thing in making decisions for me is are the fish reef safe, are they going to be happy in my 120 and will they get along with the other inhabitants and/or future potential inhabitants

 

[critofer]

ahud, I am new at saltwater tank and a yellow watchmen goby was my first fish. I love him, his personality is so funny. he is scared of everybody but me. when my mom walks into my room he darts under his rock faster than lightning. but yeah, ask the LFS to feed him, watch him for a half hour, if you see him do something funny like twitch or swim funny then pass him by. Alot of fish are caught with Sinai look almost like they are "drunk" and will die after about a month.

 

[cloak]

Check this out.

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/ft/index.php

 

[ahud]

Do you find species like YWG that have been in the hobby for a long time a lot hardier than the less common species?

 

[kv2wr1]

I usually watch the fish in the store tank for awhile. For instance the yellow watchman goby I bought awhile back was not thin, he was eating, had no visable signs of disease or parasites and seemed very calm when the store employee went in the tank to capture him. I ended up getting a pistol shrimp that day as well. I made sure the shrimp was eating before I bought it an was active. Fast forward 3 months, they are best buds and I always see them popping out of a new hole every morning looking for food and cleaning out their burrow.