Why oh why...did i got to Petco for fish???

[Chlorinated]

Did Petco hold a gun to your head and force you to put sick fish into your tank?
You are responsible to your fish. You should not assumed that the fish is healthy and took steps to prevent problems. How you keep you fish is your business but getting tank wipe out is no one else responsibility except your own.

So again. My fault fir assuming a pet store actually sells healthy pets...silly me

 

[OrionN]

So again. My fault fir assuming a pet store actually sells healthy pets...silly me

Yes, silly you.

 

[Alaeriel]

So again. My fault fir assuming a pet store actually sells healthy pets...silly me

Even the tiniest shred of research says that this simply isn't the case.

 

[Chlorinated]

Yes, silly you.

the fact that you are ok buying a sick fish from a store that specializes in pets baffles me

 

[Alaeriel]

the fact that you are ok buying a sick fish from a store that specializes in pets baffles me

Its not about buying sick fish, its about giving an animal entrusted into your care its very best chance of survival. If that means going through ~sooo~ much trouble to find a space for a tiny tank for a month so it can live out its natural lifespan, then I find its my obligation to do so.

 

[Hincapiej4]

I live in a very tiny duplex with practically zero flat surfaces to begin with. We managed to find room for a 10 gallon quarantine tank. You can QT a small clown in a 5 gallon no problem. Just clean off a tiny scrap of counter and you're golden.

That's what I was thinking...

 

[Chlorinated]

Its not about buying sick fish, its about giving an animal entrusted into your care its very best chance of survival. If that means going through ~sooo~ much trouble to find a space for a tiny tank for a month so it can live out its natural lifespan, then I find its my obligation to do so.

I have zero issue treating a fish if it becomes sick in my care, and that is exactly what I did. The part I find rediculous is the need to quarantine and assume its sick before i even get it home. I'm my eyes thats an issue on distribution and the store itself, not me

 

[Hincapiej4]

Let's turn this conversation into a different direction. How about this..your big clown was healthy for 5 years right?
You put that smaller one in, the smaller one died, and the bigger clown had been sick before..and you knew this. Then you ignored it, it got sick again, and died because it couldn't be medicated. Is that your fault that you weren't able to help it or that sick fishes fault? And followup question, do you think that big clown that died, would care about your answer?

No? Then fix it.

 

[Hincapiej4]

I have zero issue treating a fish if it becomes sick in my care, and that is exactly what I did. The part I find rediculous is the need to quarantine and assume its sick before i even get it home. I'm my eyes thats an issue on distribution and the store itself, not me

But it's defacto how things are, so why not do what you need to do so you don't kill anything else? Or at least pay the price for fish that are quaratined and stop annoying people with these when we all already know what needs to be done? It's been answered.

if I could, I'd close this thread. It's dead and done with.

 

[OrionN]

How you care for your fish, and where you buy them is all your choice. Fish died in your care is your responsibility. Just own up to your mistake and move on. If you just want to buy guarantee healthy fish, it is your choice. No one force you to buy from store A or B or C. You choose to do it.

All I am saying is they are your charges, and your responsibility. Stop blame somebody else. Don't buy from Petco from now on if it is what you want. Just don't buy from store A and then got a tank wipe out and blame it to store A as what kill all your fish. Petco or another LFS really does not matter.

 

[terraincognita]

OP. I think the main point anyone here is trying to make is that with Fish, often it's hard to tell even they have a parasite or are sick while they are not stressed.

Sometimes a parasite can live in/on a fish for months before showing any symptoms as the fishes natural immune system will fight it.

Transport and moving environments causes a LOT OF stress on fish, I think more than we really understand.

That moment of stress is what gives the parasite/sickness the upper hand.

QTing in THIS hobby has been a thing to do for years.

Long since have we stopped being upset about sick fish, because we learned WE have to be the ones to step up. IF you've come to this forum for sympathy, you won't find it. In Saltwater, the stores have successfully pinned EVERYTHING on the keepers.

I think part of that is just the little real understanding biologically we know about these pets in detail.

In an ideal world, you'd be buying QT'd healthy, medicated fish. I dont think this hobby is big enough for most vendors to support that.

If you're really stuck on that.

Buy from someone like OceansDevotionLA or another vendor who QT's and Medicates their fish before sale.

They come with a higher price tag.

 

[Epic Aquaculture]

So again. My fault fir assuming a pet store actually sells healthy pets...silly me

 

[piranhaman00]

I love Petco for saltwater! Always great prices and everything should be QT anyway!

 

[92Miata]

you all seem to think QT is so easy. We all have an abundance of space to do so. No kids, small living quarters, etc...

Whatever. I know not everyone agrees with me. Enjoy buying your sick fish and spending weeks quarentining..... I'll look for better sources next time.

My quarantine is an IM Nuvo 10. It's like 12" x 15".

I have an autistic toddler. If I can do it, you can too. If not, you're going to keep having stuff like this happen unless you start buying the $500 a piece fish that are individually quarantined in their own systems.

 

[Privateye]

Guys, PLEASE. Do you want to be right or do you want to be helpful? The OP needs advice, but not to be chastised.

@Chlorinated the gist is we think you should quarantine moving forward. A bare-bottom 10 or 20 gallon is often sufficient, and you average starter pack for a tank would be fine IMO (filter, heater, tank, light). The quarantine recommendation isn't required, but from our experience (let's be honest guys we've all been there) our recommendation would be to QT. It will pay for itself long-term. Even if you take it out of commission when not needed.

Again, sorry for your loss and all of the people posting probably learned from similar situations. If they didn't, then they don't have the experience they project imho. Quarantine is in your best interest, from personal and shared experience, and I trust you will find the same in the future. Trust the shared experience on the forum (despite the delivery in this case). We want to help and the agreement among members should be indicative of how to move forward. Crying over someone else's spilled milk is not helpful though. To be fair, when people know they're right they don't take as well to challenges. I think that's where some of the aggression/defensiveness came from.

 

[Epic Aquaculture]

Guys, PLEASE. Do you want to be right or do you want to be helpful? The OP needs advice, but not to be chastised.

@Chlorinated the gist is we think you should quarantine moving forward. A bare-bottom 10 or 20 gallon is often sufficient, and you average starter pack for a tank would be fine IMO (filter, heater, tank, light). The quarantine recommendation isn't required, but from our experience (let's be honest guys we've all been there) our recommendation would be to QT. It will pay for itself long-term. Even if you take it out of commission when not needed.

Again, sorry for your loss and all of the people posting probably learned from similar situations. If they didn't, then they don't have the experience they project imho. Quarantine is in your best interest, from personal and shared experience, and I trust you will find the same in the future. Trust the shared experience on the forum (despite the delivery in this case). We want to help and the agreement among members should be indicative of how to move forward. Crying over someone else's spilled milk is not helpful though. To be fair, when people know they're right they don't take as well to challenges. I think that's where some of the aggression/defensiveness came from.

I think you're giving the OP too much credit here. He/she has been repeatedly told that fish from ANY LFS should be quarantined and his/her response is that they believe fish from an LFS should not have disease and therefore should not have to be quarantined. They continue to blame the LFS (in this case Petco) instead of learning that quarantine is the only way to be accountable for healthy fish. Any other method is simply a crap shoot. They state over and over that they have no room for QT, and many have demonstrated how it can be done in even a very small space...

 

[Chlorinated]

Let's turn this conversation into a different direction. How about this..your big clown was healthy for 5 years right?
You put that smaller one in, the smaller one died, and the bigger clown had been sick before..and you knew this. Then you ignored it, it got sick again, and died because it couldn't be medicated. Is that your fault that you weren't able to help it or that sick fishes fault? And followup question, do you think that big clown that died, would care about your answer?

No? Then fix it.

I never said my big clown got sick before...not sure where tiu are getting that.

But it's defacto how things are, so why not do what you need to do so you don't kill anything else? Or at least pay the price for fish that are quaratined and stop annoying people with these when we all already know what needs to be done? It's been answered.

if I could, I'd close this thread. It's dead and done with.

The problem is you are ok with this and not outraged by the fact that this is something we need to deal with...

OP. I think the main point anyone here is trying to make is that with Fish, often it's hard to tell even they have a parasite or are sick while they are not stressed.

Sometimes a parasite can live in/on a fish for months before showing any symptoms as the fishes natural immune system will fight it.

Transport and moving environments causes a LOT OF stress on fish, I think more than we really understand.

That moment of stress is what gives the parasite/sickness the upper hand.

QTing in THIS hobby has been a thing to do for years.

Long since have we stopped being upset about sick fish, because we learned WE have to be the ones to step up. IF you've come to this forum for sympathy, you won't find it. In Saltwater, the stores have successfully pinned EVERYTHING on the keepers.

I think part of that is just the little real understanding biologically we know about these pets in detail.

In an ideal world, you'd be buying QT'd healthy, medicated fish. I dont think this hobby is big enough for most vendors to support that.

If you're really stuck on that.

Buy from someone like OceansDevotionLA or another vendor who QT's and Medicates their fish before sale.

They come with a higher price tag.

I understand your point. And that of everyone here, i do. But what I cant wrap my head around is how everyone is so complacent it

Guys, PLEASE. Do you want to be right or do you want to be helpful? The OP needs advice, but not to be chastised.

@Chlorinated the gist is we think you should quarantine moving forward. A bare-bottom 10 or 20 gallon is often sufficient, and you average starter pack for a tank would be fine IMO (filter, heater, tank, light). The quarantine recommendation isn't required, but from our experience (let's be honest guys we've all been there) our recommendation would be to QT. It will pay for itself long-term. Even if you take it out of commission when not needed.

Again, sorry for your loss and all of the people posting probably learned from similar situations. If they didn't, then they don't have the experience they project imho. Quarantine is in your best interest, from personal and shared experience, and I trust you will find the same in the future. Trust the shared experience on the forum (despite the delivery in this case). We want to help and the agreement among members should be indicative of how to move forward. Crying over someone else's spilled milk is not helpful though. To be fair, when people know they're right they don't take as well to challenges. I think that's where some of the aggression/defensiveness came from.

Thank you. I appreciate your response. While I dont agree with being complacent in having to quarantine it unfortunately seems I have no choice. I love this hoby, but I truely hate some aspects.

 

[Tamberav]

So again. My fault fir assuming a pet store actually sells healthy pets...silly me

What if I told you that pet stores sell puppy mill puppies....

Because they do.

 

[92Miata]

@Chlorinated

It's not that people are ok getting sick fish - it's that it's an unavoidable reality given the way the wholesale industry works. It has nothing to do with PetCo.


You can buy fish from places that quarantine each fish in its own system for 30 days complete with copper/etc. Just expect to pay $500 for a $75 fish.

 

[Chlorinated]

What if I told you that pet stores sell puppy mill puppies....

Because they do.

I am not really sure what you are implying here. That all pet stores treat animals poorly and just try to turn a profit?

I get petco does other things aside from fish, but it doesnt mean they need to be cared for poorly.