Bought 4 Fish That All Died And Killed Rest Of Tank

[jenpurple]

I have happily been keeping tropical fish for a couple of years. Im a novice really and guided by local aquatic shop. They test the water for me and tell me which fish will be ok in my tank and I have always found them helpful.

I recently purchased 4 platies from the shop after about 4 days we noticed one of them had developed some white spots. We rang our shop who gave us some ICH treatment the next day.

By the 3rd treatment day all of the new fish and all of our fish were dead!

I found this suspicious and had a conversation with the aquatic shop who basically shrugged their shoulders suggesting that it was one of those things!

I don't have a problem with this as long as it is "just one of those things" Im looking to purchase a marine setup from the same shop and I want to be able to trust them. Because when I have 5x£15 marine fish that die I want to be sure they have no responsibility.

I know my water was ok as they tested it before I purchased the new additions.

What is the general rule here, should the shop be responsible does this happen? What are your thoughts?

Any replies welcome

 

[connorsbala]

Maybe oxygen levles were low due to the medication... thats what happened to my Cory's yonks ago...
Maybe it wasnt just ich being added to the tank but other forms of bacteria etc

 

[WILDER]

Whitespot can be a fast killer.
Did the spots look like grains of salt or bigger.
How many gallons or litres is the tank.
How many fish and which type did you have.
How long was the tank set up.

 

[doresy]

Hi, what a disaster for you.

If the LFS genuinely tested your water and all levels were good then it sounds like very bad stock.

What was your original stock and was it healthy?

If your set-up is a couple of years matured, original stock healthy and stats ammonia zero, nitrite zero and nitrates no more than 40-60 then it sounds like advanced white spot came with the new stock

Name and shame LFS

 

[jenpurple]

Whitespot can be a fast killer.
Did the spots look like grains of salt or bigger.
How many gallons or litres is the tank.
How many fish and which type did you have.
How long was the tank set up.

The first one to die had spots all over it about the size of salt grains. Some of the others had spots but some didn't appear to have any white spots. I thought the tail of one of the last ones to die seemed to be ragged. I noticed the Angel fish had a few white spots and even had a white spot on his eye.
We had a small 60 litre tank with 7 fish (including the 4 new additions) running fine with no problems for approx 2 years
We had 1 angel fish 4 platies and im unsure of the others.

Thanks gor your help

Hi, what a disaster for you.

If the LFS genuinely tested your water and all levels were good then it sounds like very bad stock.

What was your original stock and was it healthy?

If your set-up is a couple of years matured, original stock healthy and stats ammonia zero, nitrite zero and nitrates no more than 40-60 then it sounds like advanced white spot came with the new stock

Name and shame LFS

They did test the water and said all fine. I will name and shame if I think they have done something wrong. Though I know this shop has a good rep generally. Its like I said I want some Marine fish but need a shop I can fully trust

 

[WILDER]

Angel fish need larger tanks of 20 gallon, 12 gallons is to small for them.
Fish can get whitespot on there eyes as well.
Finrot common on top of whitespot also.

Don't think you can ever fully trust an lfs they are out to make a profit.
Best to do your research on fish yourself, and buy master kiits in liquid to test your own water.

 

[backtotropical]

Best to do your research on fish yourself, and buy master kiits in liquid to test your own water.

Absolutely agreed. Too often i hear of an LFS testing someone's water for them and telling them it's ok because it only has a little bit ammonia, but any fishkeeper will tell you that ammonia should ALWAYS be 0 in a healthy established tank.

If you have your own test kit, you are in control.

Also, i'd make a point of checking fish carefully before you buy from there again. Make sure they look really healthy or leave alone.

Cheers

BTT

 

[jenpurple]

Hi Thanks for all the replies. I think Ill invest in a testing kit and perhaps make a mental note about this shop. Perhaps do more of my own research in future as well.

 

[MHunt]

I had the same problem buying poorly platy's from a garden centre. Caused me months of problems with ich and poorly fish as a result. I know many people have no problems with platy's but they just haven't done well for me. Now guppies on the other hand have been great.

getting bad stock can easily wipe out a healthy tank, but unfortunately the delay in getting ich meds into the tank (as you had to go back to the shop and get them) probably didn't help, but we live and learn. Interpet 6 ICH treatment is one of my staple meds that I keep in the fishkeeping cupboard along with myxazin, melafix, and interpet 9 anti internal bacteria.

 

[jenpurple]

I had the same problem buying poorly platy's from a garden centre. Caused me months of problems with ich and poorly fish as a result. I know many people have no problems with platy's but they just haven't done well for me. Now guppies on the other hand have been great.

getting bad stock can easily wipe out a healthy tank, but unfortunately the delay in getting ich meds into the tank (as you had to go back to the shop and get them) probably didn't help, but we live and learn. Interpet 6 ICH treatment is one of my staple meds that I keep in the fishkeeping cupboard along with myxazin, melafix, and interpet 9 anti internal bacteria.

So just to summrarise do you think the shop should share some responsibility or is it just unfortunate.

 

[kribensis12]

I would go w/ unfortunate. Becasue not all your fish are gonna live, adn an lfs with lot's of tank's means more work for them. THey could ave also got ich from adding them which might have shocked them.

 

[backtotropical]

Shops shouldn't be selling fish with Ich, but can you prove they had it when you bought them?

It's probably not worth the hassle of trying to make the shop take responsibility as it may do nothing more than break down your relations with the shop which you seem to like other than this incident.

Also you need to take responsibility for what you are buying. You can't really blame the shop as you really should have checked them before buying and quarantined them for 2 weeks before adding to your tank.

I'd just make a mental note of what has happened and where you suspect the whitespot has come from, and be more vigilant in future.

Cheers

BTT

 

[MHunt]

At the time of buying the platy's i was probably too impatient to get some. I half thought some of the other fish in the tank didn't look too good, plus the fact i had to tell the assistant what the difference was between a male and a female platy should have put me off, but unfortunately i didn't. Now i know what i'm looking for i'm very careful about getting fish from places that have lots of poorly fish. If I did get fish I was unsure about I would house them in a quarantine tank till I was sure they were healthy and were unlikely to infect my main tank with anything nasty.

 

[LolaLouie]

I just want to say you say you're new at this and just go on a shops advice yet plan on setting up a marine tank?!?

Running a marine tank is a very specialist hobby, it costs hundreds/thousand of pounds and requires a lot of work, knowledge and commitment, you don't just set up a marine tank like you set up a tropical tank. If your LFS are telling you that you can then you know for sure they're bullsh*tting you.

I suggest you stick to tropical and after doing a HUGE amount of research maybe then CONSIDER what it would be like to have a marine tank.

I mean for example after you've bought all the tank, filters, heaters etc. etc. you then have to buy live rock (around £100+), coral (over £100), each fish is more like £40+ not £15 you'd probably need RO water so ither an RO unit- around £200 or pay £3.95/litre which works out a lot of money.

Anyway sorry I don't actually have a marine tank but I naively thought it might be nice to have a marine tank and got a real shok when i did my research so thought i'd save you the shock.

If you know all this I appologise, just figured that as your new with tropical fish that marine is probably a little overambitious.


Oops just read that you've had tropical fish for a couple of years.. but will leave what I posted up anyway!
Good luck with your tropical tank though and in my experience it's far better no to trust any LFS but just do your own research before going.

 

[stang1]

I remember making a comment about LFS being out for your money and upset one of our members who was a manager at one. What I meant to have said was that not all of them can be trusted but there are quite a few that are willing to give good advice.
I have worked at my lfs for 7 months now and can safely say I am not in it for the money, my last job paid a hell of a lot more!
If I can give someone good advice and help them with creating a beautiful tank, then I feel I have done my job. I remember how daunting it was when I set up my first tank and I am more than happy to answer questions and give people the help they need. Unfortunately, there are people who are unwilling to listen and will stock their tank how they want, regardless of what is best for the fish. This is the most frustrating part of the job.
As others have said, do plenty of research before buying any fish and always check the fish before you buy them.