Question about fish stores

[jlbfish]

What do you expect to see at fish stores (including chain and local).

I've seen one employee a a store 'stirring' things up in a tank with her hands so she can get the waste moving around (I guess to be sucked up). And at this store one of the fish either had swollen gills and mouth or was missing the front of his face. So I sort of thought this store was out.

Then there is a store that is well respected in town and the employees seem to know a lot. But the fish. The first time I was there they had a tank full of fish covered in ich. One fish was COVERED. No heater in the tank and I asked the guy and he said they knew. Not sure if they were going to treat it or write them off. Then this weekend when picking up some tetras there was one dead one floating around in a tank he had some fin rot and ich and the guy said 'yeah I need to get him outta there' but they didn't while I was there. The tank next to it had the neons (I got 5) I swear I saw a fish flashing after I got mine. :/ They are in ISO now but I didn't see any other signs of ich in that tank. Employee told me they didn't share water. Then in the Red Serpae tank there was one fish whose fins had been nipped or torn or something. The tail fin was almost gone and the fish was dead. Admittedly at the moment i am ICH paranoid but was iffy about this store. I was going to get some glo light tetras but they were on meds.

Honestly there is one store whose fish care seems fantastic but the fish store that has the knowledge I am unsure about what I have seen. How do you decide who has good quality fish? Or who NOT to buy from?

Thanks

 

[jondamon]

I seem to check tanks out in shops and the health of the fish you want.

I have used 3 different shops in the last week.

A chain store which really surprised me about the health of their tanks. Clean, tidy and not over stocked.

A shop I get my plants from that has great healthy tanks that are aquascaped really well. But their turn over of fish is slow.

Then 3rd shop which I get all my supplies from and smaller fish. But lately the quality of the tanks in here has been a little suspect. The turn over of fish is quite quick and steady.

I tend to do my research on here.




Jon

 

[smallfry53]

In my short experience in the fish world have found that each store is different and there probably isn't a shop that there isn't a thing or two you don't like. (sorry for the triple negative English teachers)

I have gone to a couple petsmarts in the area. One has been great, very helpful employees and healthy fish, the other one has neither. There is a petco about 3min. from me that I will never buy anything living from again. I bought a plant that had snails apparently and bought some fish that had internal parasites. I'm sure there are some other petcos that are fine, but not that one.

Like Jon said you just have to check the places out and see what they are like. One thing I have found though is that the more knowledge the employees have the healthier the fish are. Might not be true in all cases put probably most of the time.

 

[Fish-For-Thought]

I work in retail and can view this problem two ways. Say your the pet store and you are waiting on your new shipment. When is arrives most of the fish have ich and if turn it away you won't have anything to sell to the customers (and if a small shop) could take you out of business. Or do you take the shipment of sick fish and do your best to treat as much as you can to make a profit. Larger chains have more pull with suppliers than small ones and can get shipments faster. I'm done rambling.

 

[jetajockey]

I work in retail and can view this problem two ways. Say your the pet store and you are waiting on your new shipment. When is arrives most of the fish have ich and if turn it away you won't have anything to sell to the customers (and if a small shop) could take you out of business. Or do you take the shipment of sick fish and do your best to treat as much as you can to make a profit. Larger chains have more pull with suppliers than small ones and can get shipments faster. I'm done rambling.

By the time you get into the fish shipment the delivery guy is long gone, so at best you might be able to send them back. But what I know about some of the wholesalers I've worked with is that if there is any issue with a shipment then they just give you a credit on your next purchase. From what I've seen, from the big suppliers, they don't send sick fish. An ich outbreak or a few dying in transit is not that unusual, but overall the fish being sent aren't sickly to begin with.

The chain stores like Petsmart I've seen puts their fish right in, there's no QT period, and even if there was they'd need just as many tanks in the back just to house them. I know that my local one gets a new shipment in every friday afternoon.

 

[Eleven13]

What do you expect to see at fish stores (including chain and local).

Ich. Lots and lots of ich.

Not so much at local stores, moreso at chains like Petco, etc.

 

[khartig]

I have a LFS near my house I try to use as much as I can. The employees are very knowledgeable and helpful. They question each and every customer about tank conditions, current stock and what not. I've even seen them refuse to make a sale to people when the fish they wanted would not be compatible. It's a family owned and operated business so I feel good about supporting them instead of some huge chain. Thier tanks are pristine and all fish that come in go thru a qt period before being introduced to the tanks on the sales floor.

As for Petco or Pet-not-so-smart I try to avoid them if possible for fish. I will get equipment and supplies simply because they have batter prices then any of our lfs. The Petco nearest my house does have a couple of knowldgeable employees and thier tanks are clean but I would rather support our lfs.