LFS and Sick Fish Question

[Darth_Tater]

So, my favorite LFS has not been doing well lately and last time I was there most of their fish looked sick. My question is this:

How long after seeing this would you wait to buy fish there after they started looking good again?

 

[Dogshowgrl]

No store is safe. They most likely had fish that were sick before just not showing symptoms. If they are not medicating the tanks then it is spreading like wildfire and they are losing huge amounts or fish and money,p painful either way for a small business. If they are treating the tanks it doesn't not mean the fish doesn't have anything. Just that the fish will show symptoms once the medication load lessens, because most medications are not in therapeutic levels due to top off and water loss in those systems throughout the day. They are doing the best they can, but those fish are not in those tanks long enough for the medication even if it is in high enough levels to actually treat the sick fish.


In short, support your LFS but ALWAYS quarantine everything. I will buy any fish that shows no symptoms of illness even if the fish next to them is ill. I always dip (hydroplex) and quarantine everything or you can expect loss at a high price. Support the little guy if they are trying to do things right, just stay informed.

 

[kmbyrnes]

Try to support your LFS as much as possible.
My general rule is not to buy any fish that has not survived in store for 2 weeks. After that, I will buy one even if not the healthiest.
At home they get TTM/PraziPro, then 4 - 6 weeks QT while I look for any other issues.
Longer if needed.

 

[homer1475]

Try to support your LFS as much as possible.
My general rule is not to buy any fish that has not survived in store for 2 weeks. After that, I will buy one even if not the healthiest.
At home they get TTM/PraziPro, then 4 - 6 weeks QT while I look for any other issues.
Longer if needed.

100% agree and I've done it in the past.

 

[Chicagoreef2016]

Based upon their filtration systems that are spread across many tanks, is it safe to assume if one fish has a disease of some sort most of them will catch that disease?

 

[scuzy]

That's how it goes


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[gone fishin]

Based upon their filtration systems that are spread across many tanks, is it safe to assume if one fish has a disease of some sort most of them will catch that disease?

I assume any fish I get has ich and flukes and treat accordingly.

 

[Sk8r]

Plus---be sure your own water quality is right. Set the alkalinity somewhere around 8.3 and keep it there. Low alk can irritate skin and gills and create chances for disease and parasites. You might also test the bag water of the fish you buy and if you find it 'off', you might talk to your store. A unified water system is a necessary evil in an lfs, but you'd think SOME fish could resist what's going through the system.

 

[Darth_Tater]

Interesting thoughts, thanks guys!

A unified water system is a necessary evil in an lfs, but you'd think SOME fish could resist what's going through the system.

I went in there looking for a specific fish that they always have in stock. Usually all their fish look really good and healthy, which is why they're my favorite store to go to. This time though all of this specific fish and a lot of others in the main fish system just looked beat up. Possible there was an issue with shipping I suppose. They always label when fish arrive (another reason this store is great!) and most of them had been there less than a week.