My disappointment in fish shopping this weekend.

I walked into one of my LFSs and was pleasantly surprised by a very nice selection of very colorful Endlers Livebearers. Like most LFSs in the area, all the tanks share a common filtration system. So, I was taken aback when I saw 3 other tanks in the same rack with every fish in the tank just covered in Ick.

And the worst part was, I saw employees SELLING these fish to people.

Noped right out of that store and probably won't be coming back.

 

I was looking for some daffodil cichlids once, and the store owner told me they had some. I looked in the tank and told him they all had ick. His response was "do you still want them though?"

I don't know if he didn't care or his logic was "if you are looking for something rare, maybe you will be willing to treat them for ick." I walked out.

 

I would have told customers that the fish were sick and they shouldn't buy them lol. That might have made them care, but who knows anymore.

 

I walked into one of my LFSs and was pleasantly surprised by a very nice selection of very colorful Endlers Livebearers. Like most LFSs in the area, all the tanks share a common filtration system. So, I was taken aback when I saw 3 other tanks in the same rack with every fish in the tank just covered in Ick.

And the worst part was, I saw employees SELLING these fish to people.

Noped right out of that store and probably won't be coming back.

Isn't that awful? Every Petco in my area is like that- all of them! I warned my mother in law not to buy anything from there, she has a few small tanks, I helped her set up, she went and bought fish, against my advice, and lost her whole stock to ICH in one tank last summer. Now she also on the anti-petco list.
Did you end up checking out or finding any other local fish stores?

 

Isn't that awful? Every Petco in my area is like that- all of them! I warned my mother in law not to buy anything from there, she has a few small tanks, I helped her set up, she went and bought fish, against my advice, and lost her whole stock to ICH in one tank last summer. Now she also on the anti-petco list.
Did you end up checking out or finding any other local fish stores?

I live in the Philadelphia suburbs. There's a pretty good selection of fish stores. There is one that's not even 5 minutes from that store. But it's much smaller and doesn't have nearly the fish selection. I need to find some local breeders and just go to them. The store I mentioned gets all their angelfish from a local breeder. I'm trying to find out the name of that breeder, because I would rather get the fish before they hit the fish stores water.

Expensive fish in the store, such as angels and discus are not in the central filtration system. Each of those tanks has their own HOB on it, but I am sure they're re-using nets and other equipment.

 

This is why I love my LFS. They aren't perfect, but they individually filter each tank, and if fish in a tank show any symptoms of illness, the tank is marked as Not For Sale until the fish are treated and have recovered.

 

This is why I love my LFS. They aren't perfect, but they individually filter each tank, and if fish in a tank show any symptoms of illness, the tank is marked as Not For Sale until the fish are treated and have recovered.

That's top-notch quality & care right there! Wish I had more LFS like that in my area.

 

Seems like Ohio is the state for fish stores!! Went into a local place by me. I was looking for plecos. Saw a great looking yellow discus. For a good price. But in the tank with it we’re dwarf frogs. And in some ratty looking plants was a long dead fungus covered frog. I just don’t get it. Next I see a blue phantom pleco for $60. It’s about 2.5” but it’s got a red sore on it mouth and it’s top fin is in tatters. The top fin is the blue fin. In the same tank were cray fish. Why? What killed me is the place was crowded.

 

Since I have watched their YouTube videos, Each tank has its own filter, and all fish get quarantined for a month before they're put up for sale.

I wish more stores did that.

It would also be nice if stored marked their tanks so you know which fish come from local breeders and which ones come from mass-market fish farms.

 

I went to my local Petsmart, and purchased 4 endlers livebearers and two platys. When I got them home I noticed that the platys had fin rot. The one was so severe I had to euthanize it.
My local Pet Supplies Plus is also ich infested, it took out my whole tank a year ago.
There are no trustworthy places in my area, so next time I’ll have to order online some place.

 

My LFS makes sure that they don’t sell sick fish. If a fish falls ill in a tank then the whole population of the tank is not sold.

In my local Pets at Home shop however the angelfish and gourami tank is always “under treatment” and the fish are never for sale.

 

I live in the Philadelphia suburbs. There's a pretty good selection of fish stores. There is one that's not even 5 minutes from that store. But it's much smaller and doesn't have nearly the fish selection. I need to find some local breeders and just go to them. The store I mentioned gets all their angelfish from a local breeder. I'm trying to find out the name of that breeder, because I would rather get the fish before they hit the fish stores water.

Expensive fish in the store, such as angels and discus are not in the central filtration system. Each of those tanks has their own HOB on it, but I am sure they're re-using nets and other equipment.

Most self-respecting local breeders continuously selling to fish stores will not sell to individuals. The fish store is his biggest buyer and he is crossing them by selling to you as well. (If he saturates the retail market then he will lose his wholasale because his customer will not be able to sell.) At that point that breeder might as well start his own fish store, which is not what he wants to do. An occasional hobbyist seller is different.

 

I found hobbyist seller about 20 minutes from my house that's breeding Angelfish and Discus. But the timing is just wrong. His family is Orthodox Jewish and won't sell fish during the Sabath (Friday night through Saturday night), and that's the only time I can get over there to buy fish.

The guy has an impressive basement setup.