Tankerini

When you go to buy fish from a LFS what are the most important things to do/ask? Apart from obviously checking to see if they have any visible signs like suspicious skin problems or breathing funny.

Should you always ask to see the fish you intend on buying being fed?

Also if picking fish for a new tank is there an order certain species should go into the tank?

Any advice on picking fish appreciated.

capekate

HI there
buying new fish is always fun! There are lots of things to look for and Im sure folks here will be able to add to the list!
First thing I would do is research... research... and research some more. First on the species of fish I was really interested in buying.
This way you will be able to find out a lot of things that is very important
Such as, what other species they are compatible with, what size tank do
they require. What their water perimeter needs are, such as PH levels
and temperature.
Once you have narrowed down the list of fish you would like to keep, I would try to learn to be able to tell the gender of each. This is hard with a lot of them when they are young, but some you are able to tell right away. This is good if you dont want to breed them.
And then, you will want to look for healthy specimens. I doubt that the fishstore will feed them for you while you are there, since most have a feeding schedule.
Im sure you will get more tips.. but these are just what came to mind.

sirdarksol

Good info above.

In general, hardiest fish should go in first, so that if there's a "hiccup" in the cycle, they're more likely to survive.
Any type of filter-feeder needs to go in after the tank has been set up for months; the longer, the better.

MinxMermaid

i agree with do your research on COMPATABILITY.

our experience at the LFS when you ask,
"can this go with that?"
they ALWAYS say YES. they want to sell fish, they don't care if one dies, because then you'll be back to get another replacement something.

so its important you know what will work in your tank before you go there.

Slug

Yup, i never ask anything. I've done my research before hand.

sgould

As has been pointed out, it is very important that you have done your research ahead of time. As much as you should be able to...don't rely on the LFS to be your main source of information. At least initially. Whether due to greed or just un-informed employees, you will frequently get bad info from them. Now, there are good stores out there, and you may discover over time that yours is one of them and you can increase your trust in their advise. But until you know for sure, it is better if you do your own legwork on getting your questions answered rather than depending on a stranger.

As to what to look for in the store, when you research a fish, pay attention to their normal behaviors, and then look for them in the store. Some are very active, and you would expect to see them swimming back and forth in the display tank. Others are more reclusive and would be expected to hang out in or very near holes/crevices in the rockwork. Some are bottom dwellers, others are free swimmers, etc, etc. Beyond behavior, look at coloration, fin condition, and for any spots or patches on them.

With the exception of a few species of fish that are well known for being picky eaters or difficult to wean off of live foods, asking to see them eat is not necessary. If they are recent arrivals in the store, they may not be eating normally anyway.

On that note, it can be useful to know how long a fish you are considering has been at the LFS before you buy it. It if just arrived at the store yesterday, you may not want to risk a purchase as it may have diseases that are not visible yet, or may be over stressed/sick from bad collection methods (hopefully getting more rare, but you still never know). Some stores will hold a fish for you for a week or two, though you may have to put down some money towards the price. This will allow a little extra time to be sure the fish is really healthy and has not suffered any permanent damage from its collection and shipping. Reguardless of whether or not you are able to hold a fish in the store, you should quarantine it before putting it in your display tank at home.

As to what order to add fish to the tank...during your research, look for information on how aggresive or territorial a species is. More aggressive fish should be added last. If you put them in first, they will establish a territory and will defend it against any newcomers you add later. Buy putting these aggresive fish in last, they are the newcomer and do not have an established territory to defend.

The importance of researching compatibility has already been mentioned, but is important. Some species of fish just will not get along with others and you are asking for trouble if you try and keep them together. Likewise, some species will get along fine with totally different fish, but can not be kept with other members of the same species.

Tankerini

Thanks guys! I have already researched the fish I like and the conditions they require and their compatible tank mates

Tankerini

Thanks Sgould

Was definitely considering asking them to hold a fish for a couple of weeks for me if its just come in But like you said will prob have to put a deposit down (if its sick or dies then surely they would have to offer me something else).

With out a doubt everything will be quarantined! Even if its the first fish to enter my tank, don't like the idea of a "could be" disease flying round my tank, live rock, skimmer etc...

Nice bit of info on introducing the more peaceful fish first (tempting to add your favourite first).

Quick Q for you, I see some baby blue tangs in my lfs but... They was not really boldly coloured like I have seen the adults. Is this normal? Do some fish aquire there strong colour with age?

Thanks