Wth *****

[jay0705]

This is just a rant but omg ***** absolutely sucks!!!!! This after LA bought them still. I strongly recommend people stay away from there fish regularly. I still go there now and then for other dry goods. Today a beautiful flame angel caught my eye. Really really nice looking flame, had ich!!!! I start looking at other fish. Absolutely looked like sh#t!!!!!! I get why alot of new forum folks are leery of online ordering but atleast you get a guarantee with online. If ***** is your only option, order online!!!!

 

[beth]

Dedicated store to salt fish hobby is always the better choice. But still ich is something that hobbyist should assume is a factor with the fish they get and be prepared to deal with it. Most fish have it. The fish at *****, due to more stress, had a more prominent outbreak. But that doesn't mean that the chances are less at the local store.

I never did live fish online, but did get everything else, including corals, inverts. Was always pretty satisfied with that and happy about the variety you find online.

 

[jay0705]

The variety online is outstanding i agree. Iam also aware alot of lfs in my area atleast. Do treat fish tanks with copper. ***** on the other hand only uses a uv sterilizer which most people agree is not effective

 

[lmforbis]

There is at least one ***** in the area where I live that has a good saltwater section. Unfortunately at most the employees have no clue and are limited by company policies as to what the can do.
***** bought live aquaria not the other way around. I think the businesses are still very separate, thank goodness. I buy mostly from DD so indirectly from ***** or their parent corporation.

 

[beth]

Honestly copper treatment willy-nilly at the lfs is not always the best option. Copper is a toxin and fish should not be exposed unless necessary. Also, a fish brought in to the lfs today and placed in copper tank will not get full exposure to therapeutic treatment unless the lfs treats that fish for a full 3 weeks AND is maintaining appropriate levels of copper via daily testing. I doubt you will find many stores doing that, if at all. The goal at the lfs is to suppress ich long enough to get a sales and the fish (merchandise) out the door. It sounds Machiavellian, and many stores won't see it that way, but essentially that is what they do. More power to any store that takes actual QT measures pre-sale. It's not cost-effective for them, though, and the customer base encourages this by looking for the best bargain rather then the best, well-cared for fish. If people buy a furry pet, the approach to acquisition is usually quite different.

The hobbyist can't take shortcuts with disease prevention. It is on us to take measures against introducing diseases into our display tanks.

 

[jay0705]

I agree with both of you. Beth i actually had a lfs employee tell just that. The fish are not in it long enough to be effective. I was honestly shocked at his honesty.
Imforbis similar thing aswell had a ***** aquatics manager tell me he would be fired if he treated the fish. Thats just crazy.
Qt for all fish is necessary i just find it hard to buy a fish w visible ich even tho i will and do have the means to treat it

 

[lmforbis]

I've done it a couple of times when the price was right.

 

[jay0705]

Lol i tried one time w ***** for a hippo covered in it. They said they wouldn't discount it. Ich is a pain in the butt to rid a tank of but fairly easy to treat. However that poor fish was covered and for 50 bucks they where nuts

 

[jay0705]

I should say probably my fav fish i own i got from *****. Only bc i felt bad a 5" tang was in a 6 gal tank. I had no intention of buying a naso before that. I still waited a week and hoped it was gone lol.

 

[beth]

It's probably best not to buy fish at *****. There policies regarding fish are pretty bad. If they can't sell, then they will stop offering it which would be good.

 

[jay0705]

Agreed. Its been a few yrs since i have.