How to pick out healthy fish?

Sker · 05-09-2001, 10:52 AM

^^^^^^ Second Neal's comment. Try FFexpress.com, Saltwaterfish.com, exoticfish.com, or themarinecenter.com.
Just to name a few, they will all deliver right to your door.

Sker

NCF · 05-09-2001, 01:41 PM

If that does not work, try getting rid of the damsel. Even if you don't see it going right out after the new fish, it might still be harasing them. Check it at feeding time. If the damsel is acting spunky and goes after the food that the new fish shows interest in, or becomes more agresive at feeding time.... that can be enough for your new fish to stop trying.

srgtkoons · 05-09-2001, 09:17 PM

I have had problems keeping fish alive. I have had 2 bangaii cardinals and 2 false clowns perish in my tank. I only have a blue damsel and a bangaii cardinal surviving. Everytime a fish dies it is the same symptoms and from the same place. I sit and stare at the fish for a while and look for signs of distress and poor health. Once i get them home I acclimate them for 45 minutes to an hour adjusting temp, pH and salinity. Then i let them go in the tank and turn the lights off until the next morning. Within two weeks they begin to hide in the rockwork and refuse to eat. I try to feed formula one cubes and if they dont eat that the first few days. Then i feed frozen brine for a few days and then start mixing in formula one and then start decreasing the brine. Once they refuse to eat the first time I try to go back and feed them brine but they wont even eat that. Then within another week or so they have died. All tank parameters are perfect, all my corals are thriving and growing. I cant figgure out why my fish are dieing. Thanks

------------------
I have the mind of a 5 year old and own a fire extinquisher you cant imagine the things i do.

olgakurt · 05-09-2001, 09:27 PM

Best advice I can give you is avoid that place like the plague. There is one such LFS here where every fish gets brooklynella (sp?). Their system is obviously contaminated and they are probably dosing meds and have high turnover.

If you can, I would suggest using a q-tank. If you are limited in your LFS choices, then you probably need to medicate any fish you buy from there.

srgtkoons · 05-09-2001, 09:45 PM

That is pretty much the only place within an hour of where i live. Its about an hour drive to this place. The only other place is a chain type store that never has any selection. I guess ill just have to start driving to philly. Iv heard good thigns about the hidden reef.

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I have the mind of a 5 year old and own a fire extinquisher you cant imagine the things i do.

Neal359 · 05-09-2001, 09:52 PM

you might want to try ordering onlin their are some realy good companes that have good quality fish. if you know any one ells in yor are that also is into saltwater you and them could split the shiping and you would probalby end up spending less the you would at your lfs a place i have hade good luck with is ffexpress.com

Elmo18 · 05-09-2001, 09:56 PM

I will agree with Neal. I've shopped my LFS prolly a hundred times past year, but so far only one fish survived from local companies. I looked at ffexpress.com and ordered from them, and got a flame angel along with some corals and the fish is great. When I got him, he looked healthy, no ich, stress or anything.

Regards,
Ilham

mastaJ · 05-14-2001, 04:09 PM

when i go to my LFS (2 times a week (i work there!)) i always make sure they are eating first of all, then i try to get captive bred fish if possible, you might want to see if your LFS can get captive bred because IME they are 80-99% better than wild caught for several reasons...and always watch them for awile wait a couple weeks after they get their order (may not be the best selection but there is a better chance of survial) HTH

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-mastaJ

srgtkoons · 05-14-2001, 07:14 PM

Its not possible for me to watch the same fish for a couple of weeks. They are a rather large store and constantly get new shipments in every thursday. And all the fish i buy are labeled captive bred, now if they are actually captive bred is a different story but thats how they are advertised..

------------------
I have the mind of a 5 year old and own a fire extinquisher you cant imagine the things i do.

05-09-2001, 09:17 PM	#3
srgtkoons Mayor Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Robesonia PA US Posts: 539	How to pick out healthy fish? I have had problems keeping fish alive. I have had 2 bangaii cardinals and 2 false clowns perish in my tank. I only have a blue damsel and a bangaii cardinal surviving. Everytime a fish dies it is the same symptoms and from the same place. I sit and stare at the fish for a while and look for signs of distress and poor health. Once i get them home I acclimate them for 45 minutes to an hour adjusting temp, pH and salinity. Then i let them go in the tank and turn the lights off until the next morning. Within two weeks they begin to hide in the rockwork and refuse to eat. I try to feed formula one cubes and if they dont eat that the first few days. Then i feed frozen brine for a few days and then start mixing in formula one and then start decreasing the brine. Once they refuse to eat the first time I try to go back and feed them brine but they wont even eat that. Then within another week or so they have died. All tank parameters are perfect, all my corals are thriving and growing. I cant figgure out why my fish are dieing. Thanks ------------------ I have the mind of a 5 year old and own a fire extinquisher you cant imagine the things i do.

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05-09-2001, 10:52 AM	#1
Sker Citizen Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Omaha, NE , USA Posts: 210	^^^^^^ Second Neal's comment. Try FFexpress.com, Saltwaterfish.com, exoticfish.com, or themarinecenter.com. Just to name a few, they will all deliver right to your door. Sker

05-09-2001, 01:41 PM	#2
NCF Tenant Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Atlanta, GA, USA Posts: 73	If that does not work, try getting rid of the damsel. Even if you don't see it going right out after the new fish, it might still be harasing them. Check it at feeding time. If the damsel is acting spunky and goes after the food that the new fish shows interest in, or becomes more agresive at feeding time.... that can be enough for your new fish to stop trying.

05-09-2001, 09:27 PM	#4
olgakurt Citizen Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Alexandria, VA Posts: 132	Best advice I can give you is avoid that place like the plague. There is one such LFS here where every fish gets brooklynella (sp?). Their system is obviously contaminated and they are probably dosing meds and have high turnover. If you can, I would suggest using a q-tank. If you are limited in your LFS choices, then you probably need to medicate any fish you buy from there.

05-09-2001, 09:45 PM	#5
srgtkoons Mayor Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Robesonia PA US Posts: 539	That is pretty much the only place within an hour of where i live. Its about an hour drive to this place. The only other place is a chain type store that never has any selection. I guess ill just have to start driving to philly. Iv heard good thigns about the hidden reef. ------------------ I have the mind of a 5 year old and own a fire extinquisher you cant imagine the things i do.

05-09-2001, 09:52 PM	#6
Neal359 Mayor Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: richmond Posts: 558	you might want to try ordering onlin their are some realy good companes that have good quality fish. if you know any one ells in yor are that also is into saltwater you and them could split the shiping and you would probalby end up spending less the you would at your lfs a place i have hade good luck with is ffexpress.com

05-09-2001, 09:56 PM	#7
Elmo18 Governor Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 1,514	I will agree with Neal. I've shopped my LFS prolly a hundred times past year, but so far only one fish survived from local companies. I looked at ffexpress.com and ordered from them, and got a flame angel along with some corals and the fish is great. When I got him, he looked healthy, no ich, stress or anything. Regards, Ilham

05-14-2001, 04:09 PM	#8
mastaJ Council Join Date: May 2001 Location: Lakeville, MN Posts: 294	when i go to my LFS (2 times a week (i work there!)) i always make sure they are eating first of all, then i try to get captive bred fish if possible, you might want to see if your LFS can get captive bred because IME they are 80-99% better than wild caught for several reasons...and always watch them for awile wait a couple weeks after they get their order (may not be the best selection but there is a better chance of survial) HTH ------------------ -mastaJ

05-14-2001, 07:14 PM	#9
srgtkoons Mayor Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Robesonia PA US Posts: 539	Its not possible for me to watch the same fish for a couple of weeks. They are a rather large store and constantly get new shipments in every thursday. And all the fish i buy are labeled captive bred, now if they are actually captive bred is a different story but thats how they are advertised.. ------------------ I have the mind of a 5 year old and own a fire extinquisher you cant imagine the things i do.

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