Would you buy a sick fish for the right price?

[Speeddemon7]

So today I went to a local fish store and they had 4 of my favorite fish the blue dot jaw fish. I have had a few of these little guys in the past in various tanks and every single one has gotten blue dots disease, which is very closely similar to brook. They always seem to get it a week after being brought home. I am usually able to cure them of this with formalin, but like brook the sores left over can be slow to heal.

Anyway, so I examined all 4 at the store and sure enough at the base of the tail as well as the head they were showing signs of brook. I normally pay 100+ for these little guys, but the owner said he would sell it for 40. I of course wanted to take them all home and give them a fighting chance but I held back and only bought one. Have any of you or would any of you do the same? Or was this all a huge mistake?

Here is the little guy. He has a small sore on the end of his tail, which was less then the others. He has already been given his dose of formalin in his 20g qt.

 

[Jetorrez]

Best of luck with your new little guy, I hope he heals up quickly. I would have bought them too, they're quite pricey and giving at least one a shot, in my opinion, the risk is worth it for such a good cost.

I recently got a fish on sale because his poor little spine was all kinds of bent; unfortunately he didn't make it, but it was worth giving him a fighting chance.

This post sparked my interest because I am actually about to start my first saltwater aquarium, with the goal of having Jawfish, wanting to get yellowheads and a blue spot in the future.

Do you mind if I ask if you have any recommendations for starting the tank out for best results when I introduce the jawfish?

All My Best,
Jetorrez

 

[Speeddemon7]

Hey Jetorrez,

We have all been there, welcome to the forums!

Jawfish of any kind are the best. I just so happen to be a sucker for these guys. My first tank was a 30 gallon cube, I feel as though I was lucky cause aside from my own mistakes the tank ran/tested perfectly all the time. I usually tell people to go as big as you can when it comes to salt water and to invest your money in your live rock and your protein skimmer. At the end of the day your tank will be your least expensive item.

Your going to have a lot of opinions as to which way to go when setting up your tank. Just like anyone else I can give you my experiences and opinions but at the end of the day you can set it up how ever you want. My one piece of advice is dont listen to one sol person/store get as many opinions as possible, and make your best judgement from there.

When I started my first tank I did all live rock and live sand. 40lb Fiji premium was nice and 40 pounds of ocean direct was easy to get my hands on. With everything I did I took it slow. For the first 3 to 6 months I only had two clownfish. I didnt get into coral for like a year or more. You can follow this pattern if you would like, but others will have completely different experiences. No matter what you do the main thing is to have fun and enjoy what you are doing. The two places I recommend looking for info is Youtube(lets face it, its easier then reading) and on the forums. If you would like to get your hands on a book I recommend.
Marine Aquarium Handbook by Martin A. Moe(Great beginner book)
http://www.amazon.com/Marine-Aquarium-Handbook-Beginner-Breeder/dp/0982026218/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1383902878&sr=8-1&keywords=marine+aquarium+handbook
The Reef AquariumVol. 3: Science, Art, and Technology by Julian Sprung (More Advance)
http://www.amazon.com/The-Reef-Aquarium-Vol-Technology/dp/1883693144/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1383902969&sr=8-1&keywords=julian+sprung

Best of Luck to you in this addicting hobby!

 

[HumbleFish]

I think you made the right call being:

a) It was a fish you really wanted
b) You got it for such a good price
c) You were able to identify the disease before buying
d) You QT & have been successful in the past treating this same disease

 

[Speeddemon7]

I think you made the right call being:

a) It was a fish you really wanted
b) You got it for such a good price
c) You were able to identify the disease before buying
d) You QT & have been successful in the past treating this same disease

Thanks humblefish! The lights don't turn on till later but I peeked at him with a flash light he still kicking and not getting worse so we shall see. Fingers crossed.

 

[albano]

Personally, I haven't heard many 'long term' success stories with BDJaws... Do you know of anyone keeping one over a year ?

 

[Speeddemon7]

Personally, I haven't heard many 'long term' success stories with BDJaws... Do you know of anyone keeping one over a year ?

Me? Lol I had one for over a year then I had a tank failure which caused my entire system to drain. I saved everyone but he freaked out and hurt himself some how and I wasn't able to save him unfortunately. Deep sand bed, passive tank mates, and a screen or full enclosed top are a necessity with these little guys. But hey that's just my experience.

If your thinking about getting one check these guys out.
http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/bluespot-club/

 

[mnavick]

Back to your original posting question.......yes!
I purchased an Achiles Tang, small juvenile, for $50 due to being malnourished and signs of ich. Over 8 weeks in a QT he/she lost signs of ich and devoured Nori
Even after being introduced into my DT he/she shows signs of constant improvement.
Still no ich and eats like a hog............winning for both of us (lol).

 

[Speeddemon7]

Back to your original posting question.......yes!
I purchased an Achiles Tang, small juvenile, for $50 due to being malnourished and signs of ich. Over 8 weeks in a QT he/she lost signs of ich and devoured Nori
Even after being introduced into my DT he/she shows signs of constant improvement.
Still no ich and eats like a hog............winning for both of us (lol).

That's awesome!! I hope I'm as fortunate. I have always passed on sick fish. So this is a first for me. Plus if you tell LFS there fish are sick they get very offended. If it works out I may do it again for the right price it could be a way to get some extra money.

 

[ca1ore]

I think it depends on what ails a fish (or invert, for that matter). I have absolutely bought injured fish or parasite infected. Malnourished or very thin better to pass IME.

 

[GroktheCube]

IMO, depends on whether or not they are eating and responsive. If a fish has something I'm confident I could treat, seems to be in good enough general health to make it through treatment, and is something that I really want, I'd likely go for it.