Aquarium bosses in Bradford today warned: "Forget Nemo fish for Christmas."

Youngsters and their parents have been inundating stores with inquiries for brightly-coloured fish since the Disney animated blockbuster Finding Nemo hit the big screens.

But it is feared many may die in inexperienced hands because they need such specialist care.

One expert told the Telegraph & Argus: "Put a Nemo fish in a goldfish tank and it would live for half an hour - no more."

Another said he would not sell them to anyone who he felt could not look after them properly.

The distinctive orange and white Clown Fish, the hero of the film, traditionally live in the warm seas of the Indo-Pacific area.

The film tells how a little fish is captured then reunited with his father after a search across the oceans.

Paul Martin, aquatic manager at Tong Garden Centre, has put up warning signs relating to all the breeds which feature in the movie.

He said: "People are wanting them but they do not realise what is involved. They need a very specialised aquarium. If people do not keep fish they tend to think they all live in the same water.

"I would not sell one to anyone if I did not feel it would be looked after properly. Most aquatic centres are fairly responsible and would not sell if they were not happy about where the fish are going to."

He said the current Nemo-mania was the same as when the 101 Dalmatians movie was released, sparking massive demand for the black and white spotty breed.

He warned that a properly set-up marine tank needed several weeks to mature biologically, so a child could not wake to an "instant" tank on Christmas morning.

He urged anyone seriously interested to visit The Deep, in Hull - the massive waterfront aquarium - to see the fish in their natural surroundings and appreciate the work involved.

Steve Townend, shop floor manager at QSS Aquarium in Wakefield Road, said they had been inundated with inquiries, despite not even selling the Nemo fish.

He said: "You have to remember you are recreating the sea in a fish tank, not a bit of a pond. I am very worried about the Christmas rush, especially if they release the DVD. It will all kick off again.

"People have to remember setting up a Nemo tank is about as far from owning a goldfish as you can get. Sense has to prevail. Put a Nemo fish in a goldfish tank and it wouldn't last half an hour."

He said people mistakenly believed that adding salt to water would create the right conditions.

"It has to be a specific gravity. The stuff we use to create sea water has never seen the sea at all."