QT here or at LFS - What's best

Angel079

So the LFS owner doesn't have all fish I want, which really ain't a problem cause she'll get me what I want (thank god, the "hunt" is over).

No the biggest question to me: Do I let them QT the fish at the store OR
Do I tell her to call me right as they come in and take them home right away and QT them here???

I just thought taking them home right away, I could avoid them being moved around several times (less stress), less stress-healthier fish right....

What you think?

molliefan09

i would qt at home. o the fish would be less stressed....

beetlebz

i second that. QT at home. we can take care of our fish better anyway lol ;)

Angel079

That was my thoughts too...thanks for reassuring me guys

Pufffreely

to me it depends on the store, if the people that work there know there stuff,or at least care about fish,and the stores tanks are clean well maintained, i would let them qt,that way i dont bring home a sick fish.if your like me you are attached by the time the ride home is over and if they dont make it it is that much harder.

you might want to check the return policy..one of my local shops has to hold them for three days or no refunds.

Mean Harri

If they are a decent lfs they should qt them for you and qt the actual fish you pick and not pull any fast ones. The + to them qt the fish is if they die you're not out the money, they are.

Angel079

Well....when I learned about ich recently, even if they QT them there for let's say 2 weeks, don't mean they couldn't break out here. While we have close to the same water we're not 110% the same.

I figured if they get shipped there, they they place them in their tank, then I move them here QT them AGAIN and THEN actually move them to the tank they're supposed to go to that's a LOT moving and I'm worried that's too much stress on Tetra's!?

Mean Harri

True. However, fish TB would be the bigger factor in letting them qt them. If the fish have tb then you bring it home. Of course you have a qt tank as well. I'm a little slow right now. Coffee isn't kicking in yet.

Of course, with you doing the qt it's part of the hobby and a step in the who;e process which makes it fun.

Byron

A follow-up on a couple of important points already mentioned.

First, I have learned the hard way not to buy fish that are newly-arrived in the store. This is especially important with sensitive fish--corydoras, pencilfish, hatchetfish, gouramis (thinking chocolate, sparkling, croaking here) and some of the more sensitive tetras. Many of these are wild-caught; the stress of capture, holding in their country of origin, shipping to NA, then released into store tanks that will certainly have different water parameters--all this is significant stress. It is no surprise that many fish in shipments perish by the time they get to the store or within a few days.

Also, if it is a reliable store with knowledgeable staff, they will recognize some diseases that we can't (not thinking simple things like ich, but more serious issues like columnaris, internal parasites, and protozoan which can all be very hard to eradicate) and I'd rather they dealt with these than my having to.

Second, fish that have been in the store for a week or two might not show any symptoms of ich, but get them home and it could break out. The point here is that the store's "quarantine" is not foolproof.

Byron.

molliefan09

also....even if the store QTs there you will still need to do a QT at home as well.....good points about not being out money if the fish dies while in qt at the store. But to me.....if i see a fish i like or that i had special ordered i would do my own QT at home and just QT longer then i would normally