Aquatronics Myacin Killed my $100+ Fish

KrazyTank

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Several weeks ago my 7" Electric Blue (purple) Peacock got a little ruffed up and was pulled from my tank. His injury's were minimal, but due to the high stress, the other fish were starting to pick at him.

I took him to a local fish store (largest in the area), where they were happy to display him in his own isolated tank. A few days in, he had a little tail rot appear on the bottom. I gave the employee who was tending to my fish some Aquatronics Myacin to cure the tail rot. I've heard great things about this product, therefore, I saw no folly in treating with it.

Anyone who has used this product before knows that when poured directly into the tank (as stated in the instructions), it is very chunky and does not dissolve very good. I learned this too late.

The peacock, thinking that it was brine shrimp, ate two of the chunks as they sank. The gentleman at the store quickly removed all other chunks with the net. However, he was too late. Several hours later, the fish was dead. The water was tested and was fine. The fish's colors were vibrant and he was eating.

To find out how harmful this product could be to a fish internally, I call Aquatronics and talked to one of their representatives. She told me that almost undoubtly the ingestion of the Myacin is what killed my precious Electric Blue. It is designed for external use only and is deadly if ingested. Then she told me that since the Myacin capsules are pressurized, the powder usually clumps together. Therefore, you have to crush the Myacin between your fingers, (because the highly compressed chunks won't dessolve in the water). Then to be safe, mix it separately before adding to tank and feed your fish prior.

My question is, how was I supposed to know any of this when nowhere on the packaging does it state the above. Not to mention that it doesn't even state it being harmful if swallowed by the fish. The instructions clearly state "add directly to water".

The gentleman at the Pet store told me I should demand that Aquatronics replace my fish or at least pay me for my loss. But how is a nobody like me supposed to get this done. The Aquatronics representative basically told me, tough luck.

Please let me know what you would do in my shoes. Also, anyone who reads this, be sure to take the above precautions when using Aquatronics capsules. I'm sure their medications work great once dissolved.

Thank you everyone.
 
Their products are not available here so I can't comment directly, but if you can demostrate that their instructions are incorrect, and that following them without exception was without doubt the cause of your loss, then any lawyer with a win or no fee will take it for you.

I doubt it will happen however.
 
KrazyTank said:
. The Aquatronics representative basically told me, tough luck.
Go over this jerk's head. (find out his name) WRITE the company and include what you've written here AND that jerk's response. Tell them what you want in compensation, don't wiffle around that, tell them HOW disapointed you were in the product and that rep's response. I'll bet you get a favourable response from the company. I did this with Reebok. I was very dissatified with a pair of shoes I had bought and the store basically shook their heads and threw up their hands. I sent off a letter, within a week the store was calling me and falling all over themselves with appologies. I got my new shoes....

Never underestimate the power of the written word. It'll do so much more than a phone call. You could say something like, "I really don't want to have to go into litigation over this and I'm sure you don't either. I'm also hoping that by bringing this error in information on your packaging to your attention, it will spare others the pain I now am going through.,...blahblahblah....

Let us know how you make out!
 
Absolutely agree with Lorelei. Actual legal action is a possibility, but a last resort. To an individual sales rep, or even a customer service agent you're just another whining customer, but to someone at head office you're a whole load of bad word of mouth that the company doesn't want, especially if you mention the fact that you're a member of Tropical Fish Forums, and include a link to your message.

Let them know that if they compensate you (and correct the instructions on the packaging), you'll post a second message explaining that they're actually very nice people, and recommending them to the world at large.

Good luck.
 
yeah you could sue them but is it worth bringing legal action over a fish that costs a 100 bucks? it would cost many more dollars than that sueing , then you would have to prove , the store clerk did not kill this fish , and also prove that the clerk also administered the medication correctly. it would be an uphill climb, I am not saying this to discourage you , but to warn you on what you would hvae to face. I am not sure what it would cost to file a small claims suit against them....
 
I agree that the instructions for the capsule treatments are quite poor. I have heard that they work well, but I think they should be dissolved in a small amount of water before put into a tank. Of course even when I put liquid treatments in the water some fish check it out, but they will be less likely to ingest it.

The letter would be the best idea, IMO.

Very sorry to hear about your loss :byebye:
 
They may be out of business. Here's the response I got:

Aquatronics, Chemaqua, Filtronics are no longer in business from what I understand. I have no idea where or how to locate them or any of their products.

The only phone number I do have for the Escobal's is for their attourney Steven Kramar.

This is all the information I have on finding the Escobals. I don't think the phone works, but the fax does.

If this is true, then who did I talk to the other day when I called?
 
I did hear something about them going out of business a while back. I'm sure others had the same problems, and they killed a few too many expensive fish.

This sounds terrible, but you may just have to take the loss if they are no longer in business. You can't draw blood from a stone, as the saying goes ... especially if they declared any kind of bankruptcy.

dunno who u talked to :dunno:
 
rollntider said:
yeah you could sue them but is it worth bringing legal action over a fish that costs a 100 bucks? it would cost many more dollars than that sueing , then you would have to prove , the store clerk did not kill this fish , and also prove that the clerk also administered the medication correctly. it would be an uphill climb, I am not saying this to discourage you , but to warn you on what you would hvae to face. I am not sure what it would cost to file a small claims suit against them....
the cost of sueing would be covered , assuming you won the case, by the defendant.
the $100 is not the point; the point is mis-infomation leading to an unnessarcery death. That constitutes negligence. in sueing you can also add to the petition for emotional stress and addition costs involved.

however this is all moot as they are bankrupt.
the only other recourse I can see is sueing the directors of the company personally, but that would be a whole other ball game.
my advice is see a good lawyer (is there such a thing :rofl: )and find out where you stand legally. no offence to any lawyers :D
 
you cant get emotional distress over a property damage claim , fish are considered property. She/He could only get back what they lost. Havent you watched Judge Judy? :p A lady sued over her dog once and tried to get emotional distress, pain and sufffering..etc... and she told the woman she could only get back what she lost because animals are considered property.
 
rollntider said:
you cant get emotional distress over a property damage claim , fish are considered property. She/He could only get back what they lost. Havent you watched Judge Judy? :p A lady sued over her dog once and tried to get emotional distress, pain and sufffering..etc... and she told the woman she could only get back what she lost because animals are considered property.
judge judy??? :D
 
I doubt you'd be able to get this case in court let alone won unless it was small claims but then the company is now bust so there's nothing for you to do. $100 is a lot to lose on a fish but it's still not worth it IMO under these circumstances.
 

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