Experience buying fish at chain pet stores?

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I have bought everything aside from my Red Cherry Shrimp at two Petcos here in Georgia. I was very impressed with them. I went to a specialty store and was floored of how badly they kept everything. It just depends where you are I guess
 
Regardless of where you get your fish, quarantining is something that should be done, and for longer than two weeks. Some parasites like the camallanus worm can take four weeks before the fish shows signs of being infected. By then most of the stock in your tank can be infected and treatment for those worms is a grueling task of feedings with a special dewormer meant for horses, treating the tank water for parasites and numerous water changes to make sure you kill off all the worms, their eggs and get rid of any surviving worms that were only paralized by the treatment over a period of weeks. Not to mention half of the livestock might not make it through the entire treatment process so you have to stock all over again, losing more money. QT'ing right, for a long period of time the first time around saves you more in the long run.

I've been hit by that worm too many times after QT'ing for only two/three weeks and have had to treat tanks from 10 gallons to 115 gallons. Not fun let me tell you.
 
Old Scales said:
Good advice Dragon. Thanks. Never thought about longer than two weeks. Good to know. OS.
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+1, I've invested way too much both financially and physically to chance something like that. Than again dragon... I'm sure your qt puts my ace display to shame;) ... Ohh what?! This lil thing..(75 gal high light planted)
 
I live in central ky. The best place I have found is pet supermarket. Incredipet is the worst, then Petco, and petsmart is second. Atleast around here.
 
Going to a local fish store is a much better option - not only are the fish healthier, but the people working there are usually more knowledgeable than those working at a chain such as Petsmart.
 
Brookster123 said:
+1, I've invested way too much both financially and physically to chance something like that. Than again dragon... I'm sure your qt puts my ace display to shame;) ... Ohh what?! This lil thing..(75 gal high light planted)
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Haha, my QT's are 2 ten gallons that can be set up in 10 minutes. I have the filters going on other tanks ready to be used. I do nothing other than put in some fake, yes, fake plants so I can tear everything down, sanitize it and store it away when it's done. The filters get cleaned in boiling water then put back on tanks to get seeded again. :)

I'm a paranoid woman after losing almost all of my 115 gallon tank to that worm. I had beautiful gold rams in that tank, spawning like mad. Added one female guppy who's fry were for live food. She had the worm. treatment killed off almost everyone except the angels and a few various tetras.
 
I personally will never buy fish from petco again. Every time I bought fish from there specifically they would die or bring Ich with them in a few days specifically tiger barbs. And I don't know if it's from inbreeding but many of them had deformities in the tanks. There plants are always left rotting most of the time too.

I have never had any problems with fish I bought from petsmart except once but that was my fault. I have two in my area one is pretty much brand new and it's awesome I prefer it over my lfs. The other one does have healthy fish but they seem to never get that much in stock even though it's bigger then the other.

People should try places out before trash talking big chain stores like I said I prefer the petsmart over any mom and pop shops in my area. They have the same quality just cheaper prices got example blue rams are 4/5$ at petsmart and 10+ at any lfs in my area.

I'm sure it varies from area I bet there's some good petcos out there and some crummy petsmarts.
 
rhsoto94 said:
I personally will never buy fish from petco again. Every time I bought fish from there specifically they would die or bring Ich with them in a few days specifically tiger barbs. And I don't know if it's from inbreeding but many of them had deformities in the tanks. There plants are always left rotting most of the time too.

I have never had any problems with fish I bought from petsmart except once but that was my fault. I have two in my area one is pretty much brand new and it's awesome I prefer it over my lfs. The other one does have healthy fish but they seem to never get that much in stock even though it's bigger then the other.

People should try places out before trash talking big chain stores like I said I prefer the petsmart over any mom and pop shops in my area. They have the same quality just cheaper prices got example blue rams are 4/5$ at petsmart and 10+ at any lfs in my area.

I'm sure it varies from area I bet there's some good petcos out there and some crummy petsmarts.
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I was just making a general statement - of course there will always be an exception to the rule.
 
The only thing I eve had a success with at petco or pets mart are my plecos. But they sold me 2 commons and one isn't a common.this is the one that isn't a common. I can't figure out what he is. Any ideas? ImageUploadedByAquarium Advice1392604861.721717.jpg
 
For my next tank, I'm definitely going to this store that is about 30 min from my house. Tropiquatics I would have gone there plenty of times long ago, but im not old enough to get a drivers license, and my parents dont have time. Its ridiculous what they get though-alligator gar, lungfish, several types of arowana , electric eels, tons of nano fish, huge catfish, ect. u get the picture.
 
I got some neons from a very good petco their stock all looked healthy and ended up with ich...I'm sure if I would have quarantined them it would have helped but I'm a little scared to try again
 
I purchased all of my fish between petco and pets mart. I lost one of the barbs and a rainbow shark. The barb was long after I bought them and I think it was an unrelated issue to anything form the store. The rainbow was very inactive from the get go, and died 3 days later. I replaced him and the new one is doing great. I don't have a qt set up, but I won't be relying on luck next time I buy stock. There will be a qt period with preventative treatment.

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