I bought a Clown and a Royal Gramma 2 days ago from the only local shop that carries marine fish. They have horrible conditions but these fish hadn't been in the shop more than 2 days. When I brought the fish home they wouldn't eat and I found them both dead today. I have a PH of 8.2, temp of 79, 0 Ammonia, 0 Nitrite, and 5.0 Nitrate. Why do you think these fish died?
Fish dying.
- Thread starter esaone
- Start date
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ezy33
Aquarium Advice Addict
Stress
CatatonicBug
Aquarium Advice FINatic
I agree. I have had the same thing happen with FW fish. I bought some mollies at the LFS just hours after they had stocked their tanks. They lasted one day, and both died, even though tank parameters were all good.
There is a shop about an hour away that has nice tanks.
Do you think that it would be better to buy acclimated fish from that shop?
Kurt_Nelson
Aquarium Advice Addict
Cleanliness of the shop is usually a big decider for me. I also make it a habit though of buying fish that have been in the shop at least a week. If they aren't going to make it between the wholesaler and the LFS, they usually will die within a couple days. Better that they do that in their tanks, then yours.
On the flip side, if I can I prefer to purchase fish straight from the bag and especially if I know who the wholesaler is. If the fish remains listless and uninterested while being handled I tend to pass on it. This is also a great time for an up close conditioning check. When window shopping, take time to notice how the fishes react to one another and reactions to you. Look for obvious signs of disease and the system as a whole. Ask the lfs if they medicate their systems or livestock (copper is common). A basic health check could be:
Obvious system water quality degradation
Dead fish in displays (also being consumed)
Obvious disease (Crypt, bacterial infections, viral infections, etc)
Physical attributes (coloration/discoloration, nutritional deficiency, breathing, etc)
Activity of livestock (physical reactions, feeding reactions, etc)
Obvious system water quality degradation
Dead fish in displays (also being consumed)
Obvious disease (Crypt, bacterial infections, viral infections, etc)
Physical attributes (coloration/discoloration, nutritional deficiency, breathing, etc)
Activity of livestock (physical reactions, feeding reactions, etc)
Kurt_Nelson
Aquarium Advice Addict
That's the #1 preferred method in my book! The fewer the times the fish has to be acclimated to a new tank, the better. But I think most folks aren't that lucky or able to be at the LFS at the right time. But you do run the risk of it being one of those "casualties" that the LFS are used to.
Moral of the story is, regardless of how you acquire your fish you must still quarantine or risk losing your stock.
cmor1701d
Aquarium Advice Addict
Some lfs will allow you to put a deposit on a fish for a week or two. Then you can come back and make sure the fish is eating and has acclimated to the tank before stressing it again with another move.
I always make the LFS feed the fish I want to get so I can see it eat. If not you take the chance of it not eating when you get it home. That is not a guarantee but that will be one thing less you have to worry about. I also agree with James about the window shopping and definitely about the QT.
