Is It Bad To Often Return Fish To Lfs When The Fish Isn't Compatab

[GuppyGoddess]

Ugh, so I need something to clean algae off my tank windows and need something small. Problem is I CONSTANTLY return fish to the same LFS. . .The deal is the gal suggested the best would be an otto for my needs (and I brought one home). I googled and found the one and it'll stay small 1.5" or so, so that isn't the issue. The problem is it's a pooping machine.

After I put it in the tank, an hour later my son said the tank was filled with black worms. . .well, I check out the situation, and no, they are not worms but poop segments coming out of the otto like a production line. I syphoned the bottom gravel in the areas where the otto seems to like to hang out and had 10 X the amount of normal output coming up through the pipe.

My tank won't be able to sustain this. I'm embarrassed to take it back. . .I'm I crazy to do so? Should I return the otto and just go back to wiping down the sides with paper towels and/or go for the 3 pygmy cories I had originally intended to get? They would be sharing a tank with two guppies (who I do not believe will eat them). Would the pygmys be better to keep the tank interesting?

 

[Katlee]

sod embarresment. take it back and get the cories. they may not refund you though. = S

 

[Queen Bee]

I returned a fish and got no refund. Problem was he kept attacking my other fish. Cost of fish dying out weighed not getting any $ back.

Don't always trust what they tell you at the lfs. Write down the names of fish and do some research first. It will save you $ in the long run

 

[GuppyGoddess]

That store usually gives me credit for the fish I return. It was $4.99. The pygmies are $2.99. So, I won't be paying much more for have a total of three. My kids will be bummed that I am returning the otto, but my ammonia levels went haywire and I did a search on here and read that that particular fish will mess up water quickly.

It's too bad as the fish is really cool. If I had a massive tank 50+ gallons, I'd probably get one.

ETA - maybe I'll tell my kids the guppies ate the otto. lol They may be less traumatized by that than by mom exchanging yet another fish. hahaha

 

[chesterscot]

people the idea well the kindest way is to REASEARCH fish before you buy them this usually means you dont have to take them back
scot

 

[ellena]

I've had a few things in my tanks (cherry shrimp and apple snails) which poo like mad, not something a care guide generally tells you. I know plecs and goldfish are messy, but never heard/read it about anything else.
Caution is advised with ottos as they can be difficult to settle in, but they are said to be good to get rid of algae, not to cause an ammonia problem!

 

[GuppyGoddess]

I've had a few things in my tanks (cherry shrimp and apple snails) which poo like mad, not something a care guide generally tells you. I know plecs and goldfish are messy, but never heard/read it about anything else.
Caution is advised with ottos as they can be difficult to settle in, but they are said to be good to get rid of algae, not to cause an ammonia problem!

Yes, I read that if they make it to one month, a person can count themselves lucky. Mine had no problem settling in. After I placed him in the tank, he sat there for about five minutes and went to work cleaning away. My kids laughed and laughed at him. They think he's great.

 

[GuppyGoddess]

people the idea well the kindest way is to REASEARCH fish before you buy them this usually means you dont have to take them back
scot

I've read on plenty of sites that say ottos don't poop that much. I went into the store with the intensions of getting, based on reading, an otto or pygmies due to their positive attributes. The gal just thought the ottos would be better at cleaning the window surfaces, which I need.

Also, how does one quantify the amount of poop? What do I compare it to? When I read online a fish poops out X amount, how am I suppose to determine my tank will be filling up ten times as fast as it does with my two guppies? Also, how much less do guppies poop than ottos? lol

 

[tropic_john]

guppies are a bit less than average poopers for their size, however, bulkier fish [platies] are big waste producers for their size. I think it also depends on diet like a fish eating peas will poop more than a fish on flake as peas are a laxative and algae might have the same effect guess lol

 

[chesterscot]

i might be wrong but i think ottos do better with friends so getting three corys would be your best bet
scot

 

[tropic_john]

if you have to, raise the roof of the lfs till they give in a.k.a shout at them that they gave you terrible adivce, bl bla, then they will give in with everyone looking at you [showing them up]

 

[GuppyGoddess]

i might be wrong but i think ottos do better with friends so getting three corys would be your best bet
scot

Yes, they do better in groups of three. I'll go pick up the pygmys today and be done with stocking my tanks for a while. My female betta was just moved into a 10-gallon with three rasboras and I'm letting them hang out until I can fit two more rasboras in there. Didn't want to add too many new fish at once.

 

[JustKia]

The pygmy cories won't do anything for cleaning the algae.
Maybe it'd be best to look at WHY you have an algae problem.
Is it too much light? Phosphates & nitrates? etc etc?

 

[Honeythorn]

There is no fish that will clear all algae off the glass. At all. Ottos will eat some but they require supplement foods. Plecs are completely useless at it as well. It's a common mistake to think that because they can latch onto the glass they will clean it for you.

Not only should you be looking at WHY you have algae ( overfeeding can cause excess waste that algae loves to thrive on ) but you should also buy an algae scraper and claen the glass yourself which is what you're supposed to do anyway. An old bank or credit card is also pretty good for scraping algae too.

You should also research any and all species you like the look of.
How big will it get?
What does it eat?
Does it live in groups or will a single fish or pair do?
How compatible is it with other species you already have, not only in terms of temperament, but also water parameters such as ph and temperature.

You should never just go " oooh that's pretty I'll take one! " without knowing the basics about it first.

 

[GuppyGoddess]

The pygmy cories won't do anything for cleaning the algae.
Maybe it'd be best to look at WHY you have an algae problem.
Is it too much light? Phosphates & nitrates? etc etc?

Yes, the gal at the LFS said that the pygmy cories wouldn't clean the algae (so she said to go with the otto). I'll just go back to my original routine of wiping the sides down with a paper towel. The pygmy cories would mostly be to liven up the tank, at this point. . .

FWIW, my tank was entirely clean of algae until I added live plants. Within two days after adding them, boom, half the tank exploded with algae!