LFS rant...

ScottR · Dec 30, 2019

I hate to do these kinds of things. But I can’t help myself. I bought a frag of Rasta zoas from my LFS. A couple of the frags had aiptasia which was to be expected. I bought the one that seemingly had none but it doesn’t matter because I have peppermint shrimp which devour aiptasia so I didn’t care. The owner bagged water from the sump of another tank and took the frag out of a DT-type tank. I left and looked in the water and it was crawling with red planaria flatworms. Not just any but giant ones. Dozens of them. There’s no way they were on the frag of zoas and I suspect they were in the water of the sump he grabbed them from. And that would be odd that they are just free swimming in large numbers like that. Anyway, I dipped them and only found a few amphipods that fell off the actual frag itself. Take a look at the video...

Bender · Dec 30, 2019

Did you report this to the LFS? I feel like any LFS would consider this a major issue as they would loose all business passing out those giant killers.

ScottR · Dec 30, 2019

Bender said:
Did you report this to the LFS? I feel like any LFS would consider this a major issue as they would loose all business passing out those giant killers.

No I didn’t and I don’t think it’s of any use. They just don’t seem to care to be honest. They use toilet water (not joking) to fill their tanks and do 100% water changes almost daily.

Terri Caton · Dec 30, 2019

Why in the world do you buy from them?!

Bossman · Dec 30, 2019

I've been battling Aiptasia that came from a coral frag purchased at the LFS. Peppermint shrimp you say? I'll give that a try!

albano · Dec 30, 2019

ScottR said:
No I didn’t and I don’t think it’s of any use. They just don’t seem to care to be honest. They use toilet water (not joking) to fill their tanks and do 100% water changes almost daily.

This is exactly why I don’t shop in Hong Kong!

ScottR · Dec 30, 2019

Terri Caton said:
Why in the world do you buy from them?!

WelL if they advertised free flatworms with every purchase, I’d think otherwise.

Bender · Dec 30, 2019

ScottR said:
No I didn’t and I don’t think it’s of any use. They just don’t seem to care to be honest. They use toilet water (not joking) to fill their tanks and do 100% water changes almost daily.

I think it's time to find a new LFS!

ScottR · Dec 30, 2019

Bossman said:
I've been battling Aiptasia that came from a coral frag purchased at the LFS. Peppermint shrimp you say? I'll give that a try!

They also eat corals so it’s a give/take.

Bender · Dec 30, 2019

Bossman said:
I've been battling Aiptasia that came from a coral frag purchased at the LFS. Peppermint shrimp you say? I'll give that a try!

Some eat it like crack, others will not touch it. It's the luck of the draw.

ScottR · Dec 30, 2019

Bender said:
I think it's time to find a new LFS!

There’s a street in HK that’s 2 blocks of nothing but fish stores. We pop in and out from store to store to find the best corals and best prices. Lots of impulse buying. Perhaps 20 stores or so at the moment selling corals and SW fish.

Mical · Dec 30, 2019

ScottR said:
No I didn’t and I don’t think it’s of any use. They just don’t seem to care to be honest. They use toilet water (not joking) to fill their tanks and do 100% water changes almost daily.

That would be my first hint - NOT TO SHOP THERE

Bossman · Dec 30, 2019

ScottR said:
They also eat corals so it’s a give/take.

I have peppermints in 2 of my 4 tanks. No aiptasia in those tanks. No sps but leathers, zoas, palys, mushrooms. Never have seen any issue with those.

Thanks for the advice guys.

ScottR · Dec 30, 2019

Bender said:
Some eat it like crack, others will not touch it. It's the luck of the draw.

Lysmata Wurdemanni peppermints eat it like cake. There are 6 types or so of peppermints that I’m aware of. This is the type that is guaranteed to go after. They like to work in pairs eating them to death.

will25u · Dec 30, 2019

Oh, heck no!

ScottR · Dec 30, 2019

Mical said:
That would be my first hint - NOT TO SHOP THERE

All of our toilet water here is sterilized ocean water as it’s cheaper (and free) since we’re surrounded by the ocean. So many use it as not only free water but no need to buy salt. I have some friends that use it as well and use a little sat to bring to desired salinity. They claim it’s NSW but cleaner.

GabeM · Dec 30, 2019

ScottR said:
All of our toilet water here is sterilized ocean water as it’s cheaper (and free) since we’re surrounded by the ocean. So many use it as not only free water but no need to buy salt. I have some friends that use it as well and use a little sat to bring to desired salinity. They claim it’s NSW but cleaner.

Hong kong?