Getting Back To Keeping Fish After Many Years

[Mike_Syr]

I recently got back into tropical fish after many years. As I remember my LFS used to quarantine new fish arrivals before putting them out for sale. Now I have asked a few stores and they tell me they put the fish right out for sale. Then if they notice anything wrong they would treat it. Is this common practice now? With the answers from my LFS I will set up my own quarantine tank and buy fewer new fish at a time.

I was also told by my LFS that they do not accept fish returns. They have a guarantee of 7 to 14 days where they will take a dead fish with a water sample. One LFS said they might take the fish back but not give a refund. Reading in forums I see a lot of advice to take fish back to the LFS. Am I in a weird area that doesn't take fish back or is it normal?

 

[Harlequins]

Welcome to the forum

I think all Lfs varies to what policies they have for fish,lfs by me will replace the fish if it dies within 7 days along with a water sample,some have a 48 hour policy,so if your unfortunate fish dies on the 3rd day,you've got no come back.

Various lfs now sell fish the same day they get them in,which is why quarentine newly bought fish is a good idea.the only place i know of that qt fish and thats usually only for 7 days is maidenhead aquatics.

I have seen tanks undergoing meds and not available for sell,which to me shows at least they keep a check on the fish and will treat if neccessary

Has regards to returning fish,again the lfs varies,some give store credit others will refuse especially if you have bad water quality or diseased fish.

 

[Ludwig Venter]

I recently got back into tropical fish after many years. As I remember my LFS used to quarantine new fish arrivals before putting them out for sale. Now I have asked a few stores and they tell me they put the fish right out for sale. Then if they notice anything wrong they would treat it. Is this common practice now? With the answers from my LFS I will set up my own quarantine tank and buy fewer new fish at a time.

I was also told by my LFS that they do not accept fish returns. They have a guarantee of 7 to 14 days where they will take a dead fish with a water sample. One LFS said they might take the fish back but not give a refund. Reading in forums I see a lot of advice to take fish back to the LFS. Am I in a weird area that doesn't take fish back or is it normal?

Righteo Mike!!... Welcome back to fishkeeping and to this forum. Allways a good Idea to be safe rather than sorry, so excersize your own quarantine as far as practically possible.... Sounds like you're experienced enough to figure that.

 

[Retired Viking]

I am also just getting back into tropical fish after many years. I am trying live plants for the 1st time after years of plastic. Working on a 55 gallon balanced fish and plant tank. I wish you good luck, I have some catching up to do with all that is new.

 

[Jan Cavalieri]

Our only non-chain LFS are quite the assholes about refusing returns (I bought 4 fish and 3 died, the one left alive they told me was a chocolate Gourami and it was a Ciclhild - he just lied to me because I said I was looking for Gourami's and he said this was the only one he had. He knew I wouldn't know the difference. I posted a picture of her on this forum after getting a REAL chocolate Gourami and I'm sure I had everybody laughing at me. Maybe it's our city but every local everything is run by assholes and scammers with horrible return policies and they don't handle criticism well. I too was required to produce a water sample from the DAY I bought the fish - when they started dying I did a water change in case that was the problem so warrenty void. My online stores just ask for a picture and give me an immediate store credit - no questions asks. That's why I keep going back to them - plus their fish rarely die (but they do make mistakes and have sent me the wrong fish - no problem - keep the fish and get a store credit for the right one).

The online stores realize they have something called COMPETITION , the local stores don't get that consumers have lots of other choices besides going to them. There NOTHING at my LFS that I cannot find better and cheaper elsewhere - driftwood, for example is $150 a piece so is 20lbs of slate. (I bought driftwood for $20 online and 50lbs of slate for $50 and free shipping - beautiful veined slate)

 

[AbbeysDad]

Welcome back!
One LFS I work with clearly posts that he does not guarantee fish, The poster reads (to the effect) "I sell only healthy fish but I can not control what happens after they leave the store". It's probably the result of being stung too many times by novice hobbyists that don't acclimate properly or have bad water (like old tank syndrome). This may explain why some stores only offer a return with a water sample (although that could be fudged if the sample didn't come from the tank).
Always a good practice to quarantine new fish unless you're confident that the store does (some do, many don't) or the source is reliable. I've seen some recommend medicating new fish in quarantine with General Cure and/or Erythromycin but I don't like using meds unless it's a last resort.