BettaObsessed Posted May 1, 2011 Report Share Posted May 1, 2011 Is it normal for a LFS to have quite a few tanks with dead or dying fish in them? I went to one of my usual LFS's today and there were 6-8 tanks with dead fish in them and another 2 or 3 that had fish that were almost dead. When I see that it kind of turns me off buying from there but I was wondering if it is normal for a LFS or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pyrefly Posted May 1, 2011 Report Share Posted May 1, 2011 Doesnt say good things about their husbandry or awareness of whats going on in their tanks.. <_< Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fletch Posted May 1, 2011 Report Share Posted May 1, 2011 Normal for a bad one Bev. All shops will have dead fish from time to time but a good store will at least get em out pretty quick. I always take my time choosing fish. Check all of the tanks. Look for any disease on any fish. If you find some, point it out and see there response. I hate getting new fish for my community tank. Every time I buy from a new store, I lose fish. Might not be the ones bought but I lose fish. I have three stores including Fishchicks and have no problem now. Only buy here. Prefer too pay an extra few $ for piece of mind and healthy fish than go to "pet shop" buy the same fish and lose 10 times the $ I saved in fish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melbournebetta Posted May 1, 2011 Report Share Posted May 1, 2011 it is normal, and is more an indication of bad shopkeeping and "visual merchandising" than fish keeping. what you should be looking for (if you still want to buy a fish from those shops) is if the finnage of the fish is split, if their attitudes are bright, and if there is any sign of disease (or not) i have issues with the LFS that has a tank full of fin-rot.... they know full well whats wrong, but they either don't care or don't mind, as you'll be back for treatments in the next few days. plenty out there who take good care of their fish - and deal with floaters as they happen.... makes much more sense. -Ness Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BettaObsessed Posted May 1, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 1, 2011 This guy is very knowledgeable about fish and fish keeping, he just doesn't seem to be able to keep up with looking after them properly. This is the same shop that I saw the tank of silver dollars with white spot. I have been going to this shop since I started keeping fish and they seem to be going downhill lately. I went into 5 LFS's/LPS's today and all of them had something wrong with their fish (except the last one that had no fish as they were setting up new tropical tanks.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yanagi Posted May 1, 2011 Report Share Posted May 1, 2011 No. Any more than one dead of the same species is a major warning sign as is any more than 3 of any species dead, but the fact they were left in the tanks speaks volumes about the staff. First thing done every morning should be removal and documentation of dead fish as well as general inspection of health and medicating if needed. Sometimes you can't help it though and get a bad batch from a wholesaler but those should be put under quarantine / sale refused. Best thing you can do is point it out to them and ask them if/why they're having issues with those fish. If you get brushed off, walk out and don't go back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishbites Posted May 1, 2011 Report Share Posted May 1, 2011 Not so significant with freshwater fish but there are a lot of collection methods for fish that ensure they die either in the fish shop tank or your tanks.... one variety of marine fish I refer to is caught by cyanide poisoning.... the fish that survive/revive enough to swim around in a holding tank are sent to places like Australia where the fish usually last long enough to get from wholesaler to retailer to the customer before dieing..... where possible we should support local breeders and encourage LFS's to buy from local breeders - the fish are healthier and less stressed and less likely to be one of those poor little statistics doing backstroke on the bottom of a tank.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fletch Posted May 1, 2011 Report Share Posted May 1, 2011 That suxs. It never ceases to amaze me what people will do and who they will rip off for a few $. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt_95 Posted May 1, 2011 Report Share Posted May 1, 2011 Its so annoying buying fish caught with cyanide, my dad and I wasted hundreds of dollars and in the end I was only alound to catch my fish :( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skitch Posted May 2, 2011 Report Share Posted May 2, 2011 I dont think it's normal at all.. I wouldn't shop there anymore personally! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BettaObsessed Posted May 2, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 2, 2011 That's what I was thinking as well Skitch. I'm going to start running out of LFS's soon. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melbournebetta Posted May 2, 2011 Report Share Posted May 2, 2011 So the question is more,"is it acceptable" than "is it normal" It's normal, as most LFS have the occasional floater.... but it severely alters my ideas of what I might purchase, I can tell you that. Have to second and third Wayne's opinion about supporting local breeders - being one of them, I have to say LFS have all been quite receptive to the idea of having a local supplier of notoriously delicate imports (splendens) -Ness Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skitch Posted May 4, 2011 Report Share Posted May 4, 2011 I think that one or two floaters might be normal and semi excusable.. but 6 - 8 tanks? That's a bit ridiculous.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yanagi Posted May 5, 2011 Report Share Posted May 5, 2011 As someone who works in an LFS, I find it odd that people refuse to buy from a tank with something dead in it. At least in our system, we have 3 tropical systems that are separate from each other but within each system all those tanks are connected. Unless you can see the tap is turned off, then that tank is sharing water through the entire system. Dead fish happen, sometimes even for no real reason. It's never caused me to hesitate buying myself dwarf honey gouramis from the same tank I've just pulled a dead danio out of, lol. Now if the dead one was the same species as the one being purchased I could understand a bit of hesitance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melbournebetta Posted May 5, 2011 Report Share Posted May 5, 2011 It's more about staff that walk past the floating ones, and don't pull them out, it's just lazy. Having said that, I haven't dusted the furniture I'm supposed to be selling either, so same-same. (; Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yanagi Posted May 5, 2011 Report Share Posted May 5, 2011 Ah I see. Yeah, knowing that they are there and not removing them is just ugh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melbournebetta Posted May 5, 2011 Report Share Posted May 5, 2011 ONE OF THESE DAYS i'm going to strut into your store yanny and have the time of my life! Sounds like a lil fishy heaven (snowflake eels that look like shoes and what-not) xx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Posted May 5, 2011 Report Share Posted May 5, 2011 Love that LFS.. I still get that stupid grin every time I go there.. Yan probably thought I was a nut when I ran into her one time, it was my first time there.. so I was extra exited. *lol* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yanagi Posted May 5, 2011 Report Share Posted May 5, 2011 lol Don't make me show off our display tanks for extra temptation, Ness! Sarah, don't worry. I already knew you were a bit nutty. *lol* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BettaObsessed Posted May 5, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 5, 2011 If there was one dead fish in the tank I might still buy from there but when there are 3 or 4 in the tank that are dead and it is still cycling with the rest of them and the whole row has another 3 or 4 tanks that also have 3 or 4 dead fish in them then I am concerned that there is an issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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