Ember Tetras at Pets At Home

[Country joe]

Hi, I really fancy a small shoal of Ember Tetras, but my excellent local aquarium shop I'm told never sells them, I looked up a site that delivers called The Trop Co, that appear to always have them and the reviews are really good, but I was in my local Pets At Home and they have them, the lady looking after them told me the usually have them, they looked in good condition but very small, they arecheap but that doesn't matter to me I don't mind paying for decent fish. Would you go for the Pets At Home or The Trop Co ?

 

[AJ356]

I can vouch for Trop Co.

 

[seangee]

Ember tetras are pretty hardy and do better in soft water. I can vouch for tropco but as long as they are healthy and the fish seem to be well cared for in p@h go for it (but do quarantine if putting in with other fish).
I do keep these and fwiw I would regard 20 as the minimum for a "small shoal". They really do much better in large groups.
I assume you mean hyphessobrycon amandae (https://www.seriouslyfish.com/species/hyphessobrycon-amandae/). Pets at home are known to make up fish names on occasion

 

[GaryE]

I always like to see the fish I buy before I get them. So while I am too far away to know the stores, I would take what I can see and evaluate over ones delivered.

 

[Essjay]

Do P&H still have the "no more than 6 fish per customer" rule? If they do, the way round that is to get someone else to go in a few minutes later and buy another 6. Then another person to buy another 6.

I can see why they had the rule, it's to stop newcomers getting too many fish at once for a small uncycled tank. But for those who do a fishless cycle or have a long established or very large tank, it means not being able to buy the whole shoal at once.


Is there a Maidenhead Aquatics nearby? I believe they're called Fishkeeper stores in Scotland. They have a map of their locations here

Find a Maidenhead Aquatics Store

Maidenhead Aquatics is now the UK's largest leading specialist aquatic retailer with stores throughout England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland.

www.fishkeeper.co.uk

Edit - just thought to check the Dumfries area. The nearest are two in Carlisle

 

[MattW]

I've used Trop co once. The service and customer support were amazing. The downside for me was the fish I was sent were juveniles and when arrived had shrunken stomachs. Out of 6 fish 1 is still alive today. Although I did order some other fish in the same order for a friend and all are still alive today. I think I just had bad luck with the species I bought. Also, don't order if you have bad weather due. I ordered in OCT but was advised by Trop Co to postpone a week later to avoid a cold snap. The distance did put me off at first (Tonbridge to Manc) but all arrived alive.

could have a look here as well.

Pet and Aquatic Centre in Dumfries : Heathhall Garden Centre

View our Pet and Aquatic Centre in Dumfries for your pets needs including pet food in South West Scotland

www.heathhallgardencentre.co.uk

 

[Lcc86]

Another vouch for tropco. Have bought from them a number of times, lost a few but most still going strong.

 

[Country joe]

I've used Trop co once. The service and customer support were amazing. The downside for me was the fish I was sent were juveniles and when arrived had shrunken stomachs. Out of 6 fish 1 is still alive today. Although I did order some other fish in the same order for a friend and all are still alive today. I think I just had bad luck with the species I bought. Also, don't order if you have bad weather due. I ordered in OCT but was advised by Trop Co to postpone a week later to avoid a cold snap. The distance did put me off at first (Tonbridge to Manc) but all arrived alive.

could have a look here as well.

Pet and Aquatic Centre in Dumfries : Heathhall Garden Centre

View our Pet and Aquatic Centre in Dumfries for your pets needs including pet food in South West Scotland

www.heathhallgardencentre.co.uk

Yes I use heathhall a lot bought my Aquarium and all bits and pieces from them, they are brilliant with advice tanks are spotless and fish always in great condition, but unfortunately I do fancy the Ember Tetras but they have told me they never have them for sale.

 

[Country joe]

Another vouch for tropco. Have bought from them a number of times, lost a few but most still going strong.

Are they decent size from troppo, as I said the ones in Pets At Home are very small.

 

[AJ356]

Are they decent size from troppo, as I said the ones in Pets At Home are very small.

I have had Tropco video fish for me before if you email them. They can take a few days to reply.

 

[seangee]

I have had Tropco video fish for me before if you email them. They can take a few days to reply.

But they have a real person answering the phone

 

[Lcc86]

Are they decent size from troppo, as I said the ones in Pets At Home are very small.

I couldn't say, but usually on their website they will state how big they are. Sometimes you can choose between different sized ones if they have them available.

 

[AJ356]

But they have a real person answering the phone

I tried that smarty pants! They told me to email them so they had the correct details etc.

 

[Naughts]

Yes I use heathhall a lot bought my Aquarium and all bits and pieces from them, they are brilliant with advice tanks are spotless and fish always in great condition, but unfortunately I do fancy the Ember Tetras but they have told me they never have them for sale.

Can you ask them to order in a batch for you?

Are they decent size from troppo, as I said the ones in Pets At Home are very small.

Embers are a very small species anyway, the males especially. Although personally I never buy fish from P@H, they don't take good care of their stock. For example, they leave new fish in floating bags, regardless of whether there are dead fish in them; they also frequently have ich.

 

[Country joe]

Interesting experience at PAH, I recently purchase 10 ember tetras from PAH, my local excellent fish store does not have them, and said they won't order, saw I saw them in PAH,, on putting them in the tank I noticed one was swimming on its side, and not mixing with the others, so I knew what would meet me in the morning, and sure enough it was dead, so I thought I would return for a replacement as PAH is only 10 mins from my house, when I saw it was dead I immediately did a water test, all was good, so I saw the manager, who said he could not give me a replacement till I brought in a container of my tank water for him to test, I told him I had already done so, but he was adamant contiuly saying its store policy, I explained my water test was a liquid test, and asked him what do you use, he said strips, I then explained that they are not accurate, which he said the strips they use are 100%, I then said we'll I will buy one fish, they are £2.50, then I will bring in the sample tomorrow,
He then said its company policy we can't sell you a fish til your aquarium has been tested, so just because my back was up I returned with the sample and the test was fine, so he replaced the one ember tetra