Why did i buy petsmart fish again???

[Flossie]

Ok so I got 12 neon tetras and one angel at PetSmart ( my dad bought them for me) my grandma and uncle having been getting fish from the " good" PetSmart as i call it.

I noticed a spot on one of the neons and freaked out.... I added salt. Less than 2 tbs . I wake up and find a dead neon. Later find three more. So I net the rest to take back and they were hard to catch I think I killed one with the net. I hope I'm not the only one this has ever happen to ( I feel bad.

My two angels are swimming around and I have danios in there that seem fine.

My ammo and trites are 0. I did notice a dead Molly in the tank after my fish were bagged. Should I raise the heat to 80 and keep salt for a while or u think they were a bad batch??

I thought maybe my ph was to high or the salt got them but my grandma keeps salt in her aquariums and her ph is higher than mine and she still Has her neons. I'm having terrible luck with neons. Am I the only one??? Encouragement and advice please (

[oOoMzPiinkoOo]

What's ur salt water level

[Flossie]

Originally Posted by oOoMzPiinkoOo

What's ur salt water level

I don't know ... I only added less than two tbs to a 55g. There was a little salt previously but I've done a pwc since then and it can't be much....

[Flossie]

I have heard of ppl adding 1 tbs for 5 gallons so I'm pretty sure that's not what it was. I fear they were a bad batch or sick. I'm just hoping me others fish will
Be ok ( I'm a newbie but not a real new one lol I have 3) 55g 2) 10g stocked and established

[oOoMzPiinkoOo]

Did u float the fish for more then two hrs before dumping them in

[Somethingclever]

Same thing happened with me when i bought neons from petsmart, also guppies. They get bad shipments all the time, the manager there tells me not to buy fish when they get bad shipments now haha. Sorry for your loss btw.

[tarpon]

Drip you drip acclimate them?

And I got a bad shipment of panda corys. They kept dying even though my conditions were perfect

[Flossie]

Originally Posted by Somethingclever

Same thing happened with me when i bought neons from petsmart, also guppies. They get bad shipments all the time, the manager there tells me not to buy fish when they get bad shipments now haha. Sorry for your loss btw.

That's what I think happened cept for the one I killed ( lol I'm a fish smusher!!!

[Flossie]

Originally Posted by tarpon

Drip you drip acclimate them?

And I got a bad shipment of panda corys. They kept dying even though my conditions were perfect

Yeah I dripped acclimated. Maybe not
Long enough 30/40 mins and temp adjusted/floated 15
Mins b4 that

[Somethingclever]

Originally Posted by Flossie

That's what I think happened cept for the one I killed ( lol I'm a fish smusher!!!

Lol don't feel bad, i accidently will smash a fish now and then, i haven't killed on just yet but hey it happens.

[absolutangel04]

I have had fish from chain stores drop dead soon after purchase with no apparent reason. It happens. I would guess that you simply got a bad batch.
Also, don't freak out too much about the spot. It may have been from an injury or something. I think it is a good idea to add the salt though.

[Flossie]

Originally Posted by Somethingclever

Lol don't feel bad, i accidently will smash a fish now and then, i haven't killed on just yet but hey it happens.

I either smashed it or gave it a heart attack. I was getting made cause I had to catch 8 in a 55g messing up my scape... Hahaha I thought I smashed it with a rock but I kept asking my husband did I smashed it and he sweetly says it was hard to tell from where I was standing but u might have squished him with the net. I was like GREAT!!! (

[Flossie]

Originally Posted by absolutangel04

I have had fish from chain stores drop dead soon after purchase with no apparent reason. It happens. I would guess that you simply got a bad batch.
Also, don't freak out too much about the spot. It may have been from an injury or something. I think it is a good idea to add the salt though.

Thank u so much! I thought the salt may be a good idea I hope it wasn't anything serious...( there was a dead Molly in the tank) - ( I noticed later) I have had bad experiences with PetSmart fish. I thought it would be ok this time bc my grandma and uncle were getting them there but I think that was the last I'll try unless it's like a goldfish or Betta. Maybe not even a GF now lol

[absolutangel04]

Originally Posted by Flossie

Thank u so much! I thought the salt may be a good idea I hope it wasn't anything serious...( there was a dead Molly in the tank) - ( I noticed later) I have had bad experiences with PetSmart fish. I thought it would be ok this time bc my grandma and uncle were getting them there but I think that was the last I'll try unless it's like a goldfish or Betta. Maybe not even a GF now lol

Yeah, most of my Petsmart and "DeathCo" fish have had relatively short life spans. I have gotten some that were ok, but about %60 percent of them have to be refunded or exchanged.

[Flossie]

I think ill stop getting fish there. That is my new Rule. Here are my Reasons why. A=Sick fish B = tired of spending more on their meds than fish C= Sick Fish
D= getting embarrassed of returning fish ( AGAIN ) E= spilled water on my pants and it looked like I used myself... had to walk in the store that way -embbarrassed- and F= Bad Stocks - hit and miss- LOL

[bruinsbro1997]

Originally Posted by Flossie

I think ill stop getting fish there. That is my new Rule. Here are my Reasons why. A=Sick fish B = tired of spending more on their meds than fish C= Sick Fish
D= getting embarrassed of returning fish ( AGAIN ) E= spilled water on my pants and it looked like I used myself... had to walk in the store that way -embbarrassed- and F= Bad Stocks - hit and miss- LOL

Oh my you've had a bad day with Petsmart! Generally I avoid huge chain stores when necessary (unless prices are ridiculously cheap, like for example dollar per gallon sale) or I happen to find some healthy fish there.

Haha D-F cracked me up

[Flossie]

Originally Posted by bruinsbro1997

Oh my you've had a bad day with Petsmart! Generally I avoid huge chain stores when necessary (unless prices are ridiculously cheap, like for example dollar per gallon sale) or I happen to find some healthy fish there.

Haha D-F cracked me up

Dude the angels were 2.50 and neons 1.25. Lol it was my rule not to buy there anymore but I have a weakness for fish on sale! Haha I cannot allow myself to buy again. I'm not normal about my fish.... I will freak out stress out if they get sick... So I have to stay true to D-F rules )

Lol I'm glad u like that... I'm crazy some times )

[Coursair]

You should always quarantine new fish, no matter where you get them.
How large is your tank ? What was your temp ?

Neons don't like salt, but that amount should not have hurt them.

With Neons I try to give them live plants and driftwood. I do try to really look at the whole tank before I buy out of it.

Neons are sensitive fish. But once they are acclimated they should do well.

I worked at a Petsmart. Most of our fish were perfectly healthy. Once in a while we would get a bad batch. We treated the system every week for Ich after the shipment came in. I always tried to sell healthy fish and went out of my way to keep customers happy and fish alive. BUT not all stores have knowledgeable sales clerks.

My fish, all from Petsmart are very healthy and my Cherry Barbs and Harlequin Rasboras are at least 5 years old. My Neons are thriving for over a year now.


Attachment 47675



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Oh and my tank is unheated. But I do PWCs once a week

I am sorry you lost fish

[Flossie]

Originally Posted by Coursair

You should always quarantine new fish, no matter where you get them.
How large is your tank ? What was your temp ?

Neons don't like salt, but that amount should not have hurt them.

With Neons I try to give them live plants and driftwood. I do try to really look at the whole tank before I buy out of it.

Neons are sensitive fish. But once they are acclimated they should do well.

I worked at a Petsmart. Most of our fish were perfectly healthy. Once in a while we would get a bad batch. We treated the system every week for Ich after the shipment came in. I always tried to sell healthy fish and went out of my way to keep customers happy and fish alive. BUT not all stores have knowledgeable sales clerks.

My fish, all from Petsmart are very healthy and my Cherry Barbs and Harlequin Rasboras are at least 5 years old. My Neons are thriving for over a year now.

<img src="http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=47675"/>

<img src="http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=47679"/>

<img src="http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=47677"/>

Oh and my tank is unheated. But I do PWCs once a week

I am sorry you lost fish

I have a qt but it's cycling. So kinda pointless / I need to figure out how i want to use my qt...


My tank is a 55g and the temp is 76/ 78

I didn't notice the dead Molly until my fish were bagged.

I think they were just a bad or new batch.
Also I live in tx where it has been staying well over 100degrees but it was actually a nice cloudy day when I got them

I have successfully acclimated rummynose tetras and that was b4 I knew how sensitive they are. Didnt loose any. Had them a month or more now ( another tank )

For some reason me+PetSmart+ neons don't mix lol I don't think I'll try them again (

Congrats on ur fish they are beautiful


Oh this is my tank

[Johny]

Sad thing is Petsmart happens to be the *best choice for me around here. There are 2 lfs around, but one treats you awful and the other doesn't keep their fish well. Last time we stopped in they had about 30 figure eight putters in a very small space. Half of them were puffed up and most of them had damaged fins. Then there is a PETCO and Walmart. I really wish I had a good lfs around. Its sad when petsmart is my best option.