Grrrr I Think I Just Got Ripped Off

[nike12301]

So I have a 36 gallon tank... 6 rasboras, 4 platys, 2 rose line sharks. I wanted to add a couple "nicer" fish to the tank. I go to the fish store today... very good reputation.

I decide to get two gold gouramis and I see in the tank next to it a Electric Blue Jack Dempsey, about two inches right now. Obviously, based on its looks, I fall in love with it. The guy tells me they're great in community tanks, very passive, will look even better as he grows. Asks me what else is in the tank. I tell him and he says it will be great in there. He's got me sold. For $40 bucks, I think I finally have my center peice fish.

I get home today and read a little bit online about them. (Stupid me, I should have done that beforehand I know.) And apparently these are very difficult fish to keep alive. I've also read that they are very, very picky eaters. Well not surprisingly, at my first feeding, he didn't want anything to do with my flakes.

I'm starting to think this guy sold me the first just to make a nice profit knowing it wouldn't be a good idea for my tank.

Help. I really don't want to lose this fish, especially since it's so expensive. What can I feed him? How can I even feed him something different from the rest of the tank? Any chance he will "get used to" the flakes? I've had other fish spit out flakes the first few days they were new and eventually started keeping them down.

 

[drobbyb]

Any chance at some live food? Even frozen food would be worth a try. That JD is gonna get big enough to eat your other fish, and really should only be in a cichlid type community tank.

 

[nike12301]

Anybody have any experience returning fish? Anything like that? What would you suggest I do?

 

[Sofia]

Maybe tell him that he misold the fish as you did some research on them and they are not the type of fish he desribed and accept store credit so that they are more likely to take them back.

 

[nike12301]

Store credit is a great idea... there's always plenty of stuff I can get.

 

[Wills]

Dont worry we have all done it at some point, I bought a gold nugget plec on impulse being told it was a 6 inch fish but it gets to 12-14 inch but I managed to take it back and and swap it out for a suitable plec for my tank so I was happy

 

[holidayinn]

So I have a 36 gallon tank... 6 rasboras, 4 platys, 2 rose line sharks. I wanted to add a couple "nicer" fish to the tank. I go to the fish store today... very good reputation.

I decide to get two gold gouramis and I see in the tank next to it a Electric Blue Jack Dempsey, about two inches right now. Obviously, based on its looks, I fall in love with it. The guy tells me they're great in community tanks, very passive, will look even better as he grows. Asks me what else is in the tank. I tell him and he says it will be great in there. He's got me sold. For $40 bucks, I think I finally have my center peice fish.

I get home today and read a little bit online about them. (Stupid me, I should have done that beforehand I know.) And apparently these are very difficult fish to keep alive. I've also read that they are very, very picky eaters. Well not surprisingly, at my first feeding, he didn't want anything to do with my flakes.

I'm starting to think this guy sold me the first just to make a nice profit knowing it wouldn't be a good idea for my tank.

Help. I really don't want to lose this fish, especially since it's so expensive. What can I feed him? How can I even feed him something different from the rest of the tank? Any chance he will "get used to" the flakes? I've had other fish spit out flakes the first few days they were new and eventually started keeping them down.

EBJD's are cichlids, so aggression is part for the course, however EBJD's aren't as typically aggressive as JD's and though they used to be fragile, the EBJDs i've seen on the market nowadays don't seem to have the same problems. They truly are stunning fish but not compatible with your stock LT or a 36 gallon tank for life. Best bet is to get store credit then look at dwarf cichlids for you community set-up. Feeding - try floating pellets.

 

[nike12301]

Well, I went to back to the store last night and talked to the owner who sold me the fish.

He reassured me that he's been doing this for 48 years and everything will be fine. He said the fish is probably still in shock/stress from the move and isn't eating. He said in a week if he's still not eating to bring him back and we'll work something out.

So at the very least I'm not out my $40.

So it got me thinking. As long as I can get this guy to eat and he stays passive, which he has been to an extreme, what other problems will there be? I know he'll out grow my tank eventually, but that's not something I need to worry about now. I can worry about that down the line, once it happens.

As long as he eats and coexists with the other fish peacefully, I'm fine for now right?

 

[GuppyGoddess]

When he outgrows his tank, will you have a larger one set up to put him into? If not, you still have the option of returning him. Like most, I've returned fish before. One was a fish I discovered is very difficult to acclimate and often dies within 3 weeks. When I went back to the LFS, at first the fish store employee insisted this was not true, but after asking him various questions, he *finally* admitted that about half his customers end up with that particular fish dying. This was on a $6.99 fish. . .not a $40. I returned it and got credit for other fish that are easier to keep alive.

Personally I think the guy may be pulling a fast one on you. Don't stress yourself out by attempting to keep this $40 fussy fish happy. Find another fish that is easy to keep alive

 

[drobbyb]

You never now how much the owner may or may not know. I have worked at 3 LFS in the past, and I gotta tell you, sometimes the owners don't have all that much real experience. Often times the owner is far too busy with all the other processes to concentrate just on fish. I am sure that many owners do not know of this resource that we subscribe to. With the collective knowledge of TFF's senior members, we stay pretty close to cutting edge.

 

[OldMan47]

I would be talking to the owner right now, not in a week. In a week the JDs won't be big enough yet to eat your rasboras but they will get there soon enough.

 

[chrisrm]

With the collective knowledge of TFF's senior members, we stay pretty close to cutting edge.

so true... not a lfs on earth would even come close!