7 beginner’s tips for buying healthy fish

Source: http://aquadaily.com/2009/02/26/tips-for-buying-healthy-fish/

 

Thanks Larch.

Will come in handy to new comers!

 

Thanks for the info Larch, will def. be on the lookout when purchasing new fish

 

Hi larch, as a pet shop owner I have to agree and disagree with you on the points you raise here. I will most definitely not feed my fish for each and every customer wanting to buy. Besides the cost implications this behaviour will add greatly to the maintenance required due to the added load of this continual feeding.
Firstly, as a responsible shop owner, it is my responsibility to ensure that my customers get fish in good condition. I am not shy to quarenteen a tank of fish because I am not happy with their condition. Have just recently done so with some NEONS. In order for me to have a sustainable business it is imperative I do the above so as to not drive my customers away.
The rule of thumb I use is that fish should be lively with good colouring. When you have a tank full of Guppy males, 100+, you are bound to have some with tatty fins. People often ask me why my water sometimes has a yellowish-green tnge to it! This is the quareteen medication I use when introducing new fish. I am not prepared to cause problems for my existing fish when receiving a new batch. The cost of the medication is worthwhile spent to save the healthy fish, and possible the fish that have just arrived.
Fish should be healthy and at the same time be hungry. I feed at the end of the day so I can look at the fish feeding as this is my early warning system to possible problems.
I will therefore deal with all the points you have raised before a customer is able to buy a fish from me.
If you are ever in George pop in and come and chat.

 

Scotty thanks for the feedback, but unfortunately not all petshop owners are like you who have the livestock's (well being) and the customers satisfaction on their minds. You are one in a million and I thank you for that because we need more people like you in the industry.

 

Hi Larch,

Thank you for this info. It will definitely help.

Viv.

 

Forget about these so called tips for beginners. The state of the fish tanks will firstly tell you most of what you need to know about the fish. Algae on the glass is not a bad sign at all. It tends to be an unsightly condition to the human eye yet is more often than not excellent food for most fish species.
Two things will tell you all you really need to look out for, fish overall condition and activeness of fish, even the more docile by nature. People ask me why my water is sometimes a yellowish green colour. Simple answer is because I use a quarenteen medication when adding new fish.
Rather ask the shop what they do about fish they find to be sick! That will tell you about the level of care they give. This would be a far greater deciding point for me than wanting to see fish being fed! I am not prepared to buy fish at a shop where they do not look after there stock. I know the chances are far greater to buy an unhealthy fish at such a store that at a store where sick fish are treated.

 

As the owner of a specialist koi store and aquarium store manager for many years,there are a few things I personaly look for when i want to perchase fish for my own aquariums:
- Firstly,does the LPS own a microscope and is the owner/manager competent in it's use and parasitical identification? So many LPS's has the "throw anti-parisite meds in and see" aproach...How can you phone your docter,say you're sick and ask for pills? It's this slap dash aproach that has cause parisites over the years to have become immune to a lot of treatments in the past...
- Secondly,another great way to see if your LPS is on the ball,is to see what species they mix in their sales tanks....Times I've walked into a LPS to see guppies mixed with tiger barbs leaves me cold(O.K,not all newcomers will know these "rules",but still good to look out for...).Not always as bad as this example,but HATE seeing "bad" mixes in dealers tanks that I KNOW wont work in the long term....

Just my 2 cents worth as a not-so-much beginner.....

 

What medication is this ?

 

@ Singularity: Most prob an acriflavine based med...Great for bacterial problems as well as your smaller ciliated protozoans like Costia and Chilodinella....