How can you tell a LFS has healthy fish?

[TheWaterBoy]

I have a few shops around where I live that I know dont care for their fish properly. But one shop seems to do alot better. Petland only has like one, maybe two dead fish in there tanks. With that many fish I would say they just havent saw the dead ones yet. The water is very clear and it seems clean. The fish are very active they dont seem sick. Some of there fish even school together from one side to the other.(I dont know if that matters but I would think if they were feeling the effects of bad water or disease then they wouldnt do that) I didnt notice a quarantine tank though. I guess I could have just overlooked it but I dont think so. Maybe its not on display. Im sure they dont want people seeing sick fish. So do you guys think they are safe?

 

[Cheese Specialist]

If there are many dead fish in the tank, there are bound to be some due to the amount of fish, ther travel and the fact that lfs can be very busy. I would also say the fish they keep together and how much room adult fish I have got. In my lfs full size fancy goldfish are about 3 to a massive tank which is a good example of how to keep them.

You can also see by looking at the fish if it is healthy. Look at they gills for off colour, look at fins for splits/rot (I recently bought a fish with a split tail but I knew when I was buying him), look to see if their eyes are cloudy and opaque.

Most of all... look to see hopw easily it is caught! IME a healthy fish is very good at avoiding the net!!

HTH

 

[White Whale]

You should ask what day they receive fish. Once you have that, go there the day before and see how the fish are doing. I was told that about 1 week is standard in the tank to consider the fish healthy. They should be active and alert. They should have vibrant colors. Always look if there is a sick/dead fish in every tank you look at. Then avoid that tank for a week or so. Also, if you see the LFS has two or more empty tanks, then it means something went wrong with the tank or the fish in the tank - it does not mean they sold all the fish in those particular tanks.

 

[Inchworm]

Hi TheWaterBoy

There is no real way to be sure that the fish you are getting will be healthy. That's why it's a good idea to quarantine them before adding them to your tank.

Clean and clear water is no guarantee of that the fish are healthy; it just means that they have an efficient filtration system. It doesn't mean that the parameters are correct or that the fish swimming in it is not carrying germs or parasites.

Most lfs do not quarantine their fish simply because they do not have the room to do it. Fish are almost always put into the display tanks as soon as they arrive.

A good sign, however, is the absence of dead and dying fish. Another good sign is when you see a tank of fish removed from sale while they are being medicated.

 

[Cheese Specialist]

A good sign, however, is the absence of dead and dying fish. Another good sign is when you see a tank of fish removed from sale while they are being medicated.

I agree, also my lfs have quite a few sick tanks for fish that need treated alone. And if a whole tank is being treated the card will be turned over. My lfs get fish in on a Thursday and then they are available for sale on the Friday to give the fish some rest, which means in theoy they could loose out on a day of sales. BTW my lfs is Pets at Home which is a big chain.

hth

 

[Bol]

Also, if you see the LFS has two or more empty tanks, then it means something went wrong with the tank or the fish in the tank - it does not mean they sold all the fish in those particular tanks.

I have to disagree with this statement. While the conclusion could be correct, and maybe even probable, an empty tank in itself does not necessarily mean there was a problem.

Some stores do in fact run out of fish occasionally.

Also, I know of a few "mom and pop" stores that fairly regularly move fish between tanks (i.e., they 'clear' a tank the day before they're expecting a shipment, by merging fish from two lightly-stocked tanks).

I do agree with pretty much everything else so far in this thread. Browsing the tanks on the day before shipments is a very good suggestion.

And, as to the original questions, most LFSs that I've seen don't quarantine new fish (it's just not practical with so many new fish coming in, and the usual quick turnaround time), and they don't have a "back room" for medicating. Usually treatment is done out in the open, and the tank will be labelled as "not for sale -- medicating", or something similar.

 

[Woody]

I agree with most of the advice already given, but it might also be a good idea to visit the store as soon as it opens in the morning. I've sometimes seen the morning task list posted for employees and it usually includes "scoop out the floaters." Unless the staff is diligent about removing dead fish before the doors are unlocked, you might be able to get a sense if they are losing an unusually large number of fish overnight. If they're a little slow in their morning chores and you see a lot of dead or dying fish, that would be a sign of problems.

 

[White Whale]

"scoop out the floaters."

I've heard these 'codes' used before:

"Check the filters"
"Run a rollcall"
"Rearrange the decor"
"Make space for new aquatic plants coming in"