LFS water!

[ScotJudd]

I have just purchased 5 black neons, 5 glowlights & 2 panda Cory's from my favourite LFS. Fish looking good but I thought it a good idea to check the LFS water. Temp & Ph ok. Ammonia <0.25, Nitrite 0 but Nitrate was off my test kit chart ..... >180. Wow! Never seen THAT colour before!
Just posted this as a matter of interest.

 

[CJonline]

Wondering... Did you test the water that the fish were in or did you get a separate water sample?

 

[J1Time]

Many LFS at least the big box stores seem to have crappy water. I spoke with a manage at petco recently and he stated that a 20% loss in all live fish is expected.

 

[OwduaNM]

Many LFS at least the big box stores seem to have crappy water. I spoke with a manage at petco recently and he stated that a 20% loss in all live fish is expected.

That explains why it is so hard to find some of the more unique varieties of fish at these stores.

 

[severum mama]

Many LFS at least the big box stores seem to have crappy water. I spoke with a manage at petco recently and he stated that a 20% loss in all live fish is expected.

Speaking from experience (2 lfs jobs, in charge of ordering for one of them), this is fairly common with incoming shipments regardless of the water quality at the store. 20% is high, that would have been a bad week for us at my jobs. Anyway, the reality of the situation is that sometimes you get a bunch of sick fish shipped to the store.

 

[severum mama]

That explains why it is so hard to find some of the more unique varieties of fish at these stores.

"Unique" species may rarely be available to the big box stores, or if available, they may not order them anyway. The policy at most big box stores is to stock the common "bread and butter" fish. Rare fish are almost always easier to find online, in fish clubs, and at specialty LFSs.

 

[J1Time]

Was a Petco in metro area. PM if looking for exact details.

 

[ScotJudd]

Just to clarify. I sampled the water at home. There were 3 bags. Each with water taken from separate tanks that the different fish were in. I watched them do this. All had the same results. Ammonia could have risen a little in the bags from the fish (they would have been stressed) but the nitrate could not have been different from the LFS tank water. The shop does not have a shared water system for the tanks, they are all isolated from each other, so this is not just one tank, but three!
What bugs me is this is the best LFS for miles, what are the worst like?
Ps. Do you think they would mind me taking my test kit with me next time or will I get barred?

 

[threnjen]

Daaang that is insane! And that has to be the true value because even if the fish were stress peeing in the bag, there is nothing there to convert it to nitrates. 180, wow...

 

[ScotJudd]

Wow indeed.
They are now in 0,0,5 and look lively and de-stressed. They shall reside in the 5* QT Hotel until proven eligible for the display tank.