Quarantine by local fish stores?

[tyleratl]

Hey guys! I'm from Atlanta but live in Mexico. I've been in and out of the hobby for years. Anyway, I'm observing a practice by the local fish stores here that kind of disturbs me. They seem to receive a shipment of fish, publish the list on Facebook, and sell everything within a couple of days. This seems quite risky to me. I've been living here since 2010, so I don't remember how it works at the LFS stores in the states. Do they do the same thing? In any case, I'm going to set up a quarantine tank at my house. I don't have room for a QT tank larger than about 20 gallons, but that will have to do.

 

[vhuang168]

Same. The faster they can sell it, the less risk they have of losing livestock.

It's not disturbing, its business. If you prefer stores QT their fish and absorb the loss of any livestock, they will have to incorporate that loss into the price of the fish that survive and sell.

How much more are you willing to pay? 2x? 3x what you are paying for now?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[tyleratl]

Same. The faster they can sell it, the less risk they have of losing livestock.

It's not disturbing, its business. If you prefer stores QT their fish and absorb the loss of any livestock, they will have to incorporate that loss into the price of the fish that survive and sell.

How much more are you willing to pay? 2x? 3x what you are paying for now?

That's an interesting perspective that I hadn't considered. They prefer to sell the livestock as fast as possible and, in essence, transfer the risk of loss to the buyer. Let's say that a fish arrives at an LFS and has some sort of a disease that will lead to death. It's kind of like a hot potato. Who ends up with it when the clock runs out.

 

[vhuang168]

Always assume any fish you get is a ticking time bomb. Doesn't matter if it's from the LFS or from your best buddy! Formalin dip, TTM, Parizpro. Treat prophylactically then QT for observation is the safest procedure to prevent introducing disease or parasites to your tank.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[snorvich]

Always assume any fish you get is a ticking time bomb. Doesn't matter if it's from the LFS or from your best buddy! Formalin dip, TTM, Parizpro. Treat prophylactically then QT for observation is the safest procedure to prevent introducing disease or parasites to your tank.

What he said. There is no supplier that adequately quarantines. And the longer a fish stays at the LFS, the higher the likelihood it will contract a problem.

 

[tyleratl]

What he said. There is no supplier that adequately quarantines. And the longer a fish stays at the LFS, the higher the likelihood it will contract a problem.

So, would it be better just to pick the fish up at the LFS before they even remove them from the bag and then put them in my own quarantine?

I only have space for a 20 gallon QT tank. And, I moved a TV to create that space. But, I think it's really important now that I understand how the chain of custody works.

 

[scooter31707]

If you can catch them while they are still in the bag, IMO go ahead and get it. But if a shipment has came in, I recommend waiting a few days to see if they are eating. At my LFS, I wait at least a week before looking at a new shipment. My preference, I like to see the fish eat before purchase. But either way, like the others said quarantine everything.

 

[tyleratl]

If you can catch them while they are still in the bag, IMO go ahead and get it. But if a shipment has came in, I recommend waiting a few days to see if they are eating. At my LFS, I wait at least a week before looking at a new shipment. My preference, I like to see the fish eat before purchase. But either way, like the others said quarantine everything.

That was my first thought. At least wait until they are eating. The problem is that only the most common fish remain in stock that long here in Guadalajara. You can find a clownfish, a blue damsel, or a yellow tang. But, everything else is long gone after a day or two. When the next order comes in, they publish it to Facebook and the process repeats itself.

 

[m0nkie]

So, would it be better just to pick the fish up at the LFS before they even remove them from the bag and then put them in my own quarantine?

I only have space for a 20 gallon QT tank. And, I moved a TV to create that space. But, I think it's really important now that I understand how the chain of custody works.

Buying it in the bag is your best bet. But you need to know the LFS and know the products they order because it's harder to see through the bag.

 

[Goat33]

And that's why I would rather pay a bit more and purchase my fish from retailers (lfs or online) that atleast keep fish for a few weeks in observation and medicate as necessary.

 

[tc2007]

My LFS can hold fish for me for a few weeks and I don't pay for it until I pickup. This would be under the condition that I only buy it if it looks healthy and eating.

If you have a good rapport with your LFS they should have no problem doing it.

 

[tyleratl]

And that's why I would rather pay a bit more and purchase my fish from retailers (lfs or online) that atleast keep fish for a few weeks in observation and medicate as necessary.

That seems ideal. But, it's not really an option in my area. I'm sure that I could buy the fish before they are even removed from the bag at the LFS. Some believe that this is the best option, under the circumstances.

 

[Dmorty217]

All fish stores have disease, the difference is if the fish store is actively treating their tanks or not with meds to combat the diseases that are brought in with every fish shipment?

 

[Reef908]

My understanding, and I could be wrong, is that the fish is brought to wholesaler first before the LFS. Once it hits the wholesaler tanks, it is exposed to disease. So if you get it from the bag in the LFS, it still has already been exposed at the wholesaler, so at this point in time it probably is best to see if it is at least eating in the LFS tanks. Once you get it after confirming it is eating, then treat it as others have suggested above. I lost several fish to not treating and I honestly found this forum because of the losses. Now I will not let a fish hit my display without TTM, Formalin dip and Prazi. Ordering online obviously you will skip the aspect of observing it eat.....

 

[ca1ore]

From a disease perspective, I don't think it really matters how long a fish sits, or doesn't sit, at the LFS. Since I'm going to run all new fish through my own QT anyhow, I'd rather see a fish eat at the LFS before buying it.

 

[ThRoewer]

From a disease perspective, I don't think it really matters how long a fish sits, or doesn't sit, at the LFS. Since I'm going to run all new fish through my own QT anyhow, I'd rather see a fish eat at the LFS before buying it.

It can actually matter a lot.
Here is a store in San Jose where the owner doesn't believe in any form of treatment. There I would prefer to get fish while still in the bag from the wholesaler - the store systems have just too much of the good stuff like Velvet, Brooklynella, Uronema and a whole zoo of others that would get any fish Parasitologist excited but scare the crap out of me.
Thought it's a good place to learn how sick fish look like... and if you want to practice treating fish diseases, that's the place to get your sick fish.

Unfortunately, after Baja Reef closed, it is also pretty much the only store around here to get wild percula and other rather rare Anemonefish. I got my first percula pair there and got lucky that they only came with Cryptocaryon. Back then I didn't quarantine and I'm still having lots of fun with that strain :debi:

 

[microlady]

I buy all of my fish online because I get at least a 2 week guarantee, and the DD claims they are eating well. The two local stores always have awful looking disease ridden fish that I would never purchase. Plus they offer no guarantees at all. I really feel sorry for the fish in their store, and for the people that purchase them because they are ticking time bombs for sure. Sometimes I think about getting one and quarantining it, but it just isn't worth wasting my money.

 

[tyleratl]

I buy all of my fish online because I get at least a 2 week guarantee, and the DD claims they are eating well. The two local stores always have awful looking disease ridden fish that I would never purchase. Plus they offer no guarantees at all. I really feel sorry for the fish in their store, and for the people that purchase them because they are ticking time bombs for sure. Sometimes I think about getting one and quarantining it, but it just isn't worth wasting my money.

Oh, believe me, if I had a Liveaquaria or something equivalent in Mexico, I would be very happy!

 

[alton]

Since having saltwater tanks I have seen two great stores here in San Antonio go out of business because people did not want to pay for the service of healthy quarantined animals. They would rather pay less and take there chances, which is sad.

 

[ThRoewer]

Since having saltwater tanks I have seen two great stores here in San Antonio go out of business because people did not want to pay for the service of healthy quarantined animals. They would rather pay less and take there chances, which is sad.

One issue is that you can never trust their quarantine, even if they actually try to do their best. So you still have to quarantine new fish.

A store quarantine may increase your odds of getting healthy fish, but it can't guarantee it beyond a certain point. LiveAquaria's Diver's Den is a good example. And they have actually specialists for this on staff - something a LFS usually can't afford. Yet, even from DD you may get a sick fish once in a while and since you never know which one it is you have to quarantine them all.

IME it is best to get the fish as soon as possible into your own tanks and to do your own quarantine. Even good dealer systems still spread diseases.