Harlow
Aquarium Advice Regular
I felt inclined to share this experience I just had during my trip to the local pet shop to swap out a "not so healthy" gourami. Perhaps a short rant, if I may. I recently referenced in another post here, a visit with a-- actually the ONLY local pet store I'm anywhere near, that was less than satisfactory. As I'm sure that most of the more experienced aquarium keepers (aquarists?) have long since discovered, treating ich, and dealing with "abnormal" fish, seems to be about par with the big chain pet stores. I just had to share this story...
I recently purchased 2 gold gouramis. One was a bit irregular. He swam in circles, he seemed blind, his spine was crooked and he didn't swim upright. He stayed mostly cocked sideways. I guess I need to be more picky when they are netting my fish out. I just hate waiting on the lady that picks one particular guppy out of a tank with about a hundred in it, and watching the worker get more and more frustrated chasing it around while the lady tells him he's not doing it right. "No not that one! He's over here now! quick get him!" I suppose I try to avoid being that person....anyway, back to the story. He began acting totally neurotic and shall we say "flipped out", so I took him back to do swapsies. that is, to trade him in for another. while waiting in line at the pet store, and it was quite a line, I over heard a conversation between a little boy, his parents, and a worker. It was rather bothersome for me, and might I say a tad upsetting. The boy wanted to get a fish. He was looking at at blue ram. Very cool, says I. The worker disagreed. He told this little boy in front of his parents, that he should NOT get the blue ram because it was a "pansy". He then instructed the boy that he should get an african cichlid because they are "tough". The parents bought the whole line. I don't know if that kid intended to put this fish in a community tank or what he had planned, but I don't believe the worker did either, because during the whole conversation I never heard the boy or parents reference tank mates, or a new setup, or anything else. I don't know if they purchased the fish, I was gone by then, but you and I all know the dangers involved with throwing an african chiclid in with just any ol tank o' fish, but these people appeared clueless. And the assistance they received? Well, once again...par.
So here I am. I've just about had it with my local pet store. I have read before posts that suggest setting up a sort of "pre" tank for new fish to be brought home to and placed in for about 2 weeks or so before introducing them to your primary aquarium, or where ever you intend them to end up. This may not be a bad idea, considering every time I get a batch of fish from this place, I'm treating ich for about 4 days. Does anyone else have a system like this? care to describe how you introduce new fish to your set ups? I'm a little torn however, because I can't bring myself to pay the 35 dollar shipping fee to purchase 20 dollars worth of fish from the online shops. The most expensive fish I have bought yet was around 10 dollars, so I don't think I'm ready for that yet. There is however, a fish only pet store about 35 miles away from me. I would hope they keep their fish better than the big chain. That may be my new place for the time being. I'd appreciate any feed back and advice on introducing new fish to my aquarium. is the temporary tank a good practice, or maybe just more unnecessary stress? thanks for your thoughts.
I recently purchased 2 gold gouramis. One was a bit irregular. He swam in circles, he seemed blind, his spine was crooked and he didn't swim upright. He stayed mostly cocked sideways. I guess I need to be more picky when they are netting my fish out. I just hate waiting on the lady that picks one particular guppy out of a tank with about a hundred in it, and watching the worker get more and more frustrated chasing it around while the lady tells him he's not doing it right. "No not that one! He's over here now! quick get him!" I suppose I try to avoid being that person....anyway, back to the story. He began acting totally neurotic and shall we say "flipped out", so I took him back to do swapsies. that is, to trade him in for another. while waiting in line at the pet store, and it was quite a line, I over heard a conversation between a little boy, his parents, and a worker. It was rather bothersome for me, and might I say a tad upsetting. The boy wanted to get a fish. He was looking at at blue ram. Very cool, says I. The worker disagreed. He told this little boy in front of his parents, that he should NOT get the blue ram because it was a "pansy". He then instructed the boy that he should get an african cichlid because they are "tough". The parents bought the whole line. I don't know if that kid intended to put this fish in a community tank or what he had planned, but I don't believe the worker did either, because during the whole conversation I never heard the boy or parents reference tank mates, or a new setup, or anything else. I don't know if they purchased the fish, I was gone by then, but you and I all know the dangers involved with throwing an african chiclid in with just any ol tank o' fish, but these people appeared clueless. And the assistance they received? Well, once again...par.
So here I am. I've just about had it with my local pet store. I have read before posts that suggest setting up a sort of "pre" tank for new fish to be brought home to and placed in for about 2 weeks or so before introducing them to your primary aquarium, or where ever you intend them to end up. This may not be a bad idea, considering every time I get a batch of fish from this place, I'm treating ich for about 4 days. Does anyone else have a system like this? care to describe how you introduce new fish to your set ups? I'm a little torn however, because I can't bring myself to pay the 35 dollar shipping fee to purchase 20 dollars worth of fish from the online shops. The most expensive fish I have bought yet was around 10 dollars, so I don't think I'm ready for that yet. There is however, a fish only pet store about 35 miles away from me. I would hope they keep their fish better than the big chain. That may be my new place for the time being. I'd appreciate any feed back and advice on introducing new fish to my aquarium. is the temporary tank a good practice, or maybe just more unnecessary stress? thanks for your thoughts.
