Off topic, but not reallly

[LUVaLOACH]

Hi guys,

Well let me start by saying that mad does not even touch how I am feeling right now.

I am sure most of you read my post and saw the PICS of the really cool weather loach and the b. splendens I got the other day at what I thought was a great new LFS.....ha!

After many posts from you guys I went back today to get the other 2 corys and another dojo. Well, when he went to get the cory out it got tangled in the net...by it's FIN! He said this was normal as they are catfish and that he might be able to untangle himself but might not make it. I was livid!!!! So he left the fish hanging, caught in the net by a fin, clearly stressing out.

Then I start to look around. Every single tank in there was blue. He said they used the meth. blue as a preventative and that it went in all the tanks. I just didn't know what to say. I was so mad I had to leave...quick! I drove home with this sick feeling. I just don't get how I could be so impressed with a place and then 2 days later it be like I found it. I guess they will let any IDIOT run a fishstore...no offense to those of you who do and do it well, this was just terrible and the poor fish, especially the cory.

I will never go back there....ever!

I just had to vent, maybe I should have put this in the off topic forum but since it kinda goes with my other post I wanted to put it here.

Kris

[KLKelly]

I'd be mad and sad too. Poor thing.

More and more people are asking to net their own fish because of careless and incompetent LFS staff. I would have cut the net away asap instead of left him hanging there. What an idiot!

Sorry you had such a bad experience also. Keep a close eye on your little guys.

[mikev]

My 2c: these are not big issues.

Use of Meth Blue is not always a bad idea. It does kill a lot of pathogens and a fish store has them introduced all the time with new fish. Of course, it would be best to quarantine and make sure that only healthy fish is sold, but this is not what most stores do. I'd consider them actually treating _something_ or trying to prevent _something_ as encouraging signs....many stores would not care at all.

Fish getting caught in the net -- this happens. Store employees are often inexperienced, so this happens more often than should. The solution is to catch the fish yourself: you are probably more experienced and you are surely more motivated to do this right. And usually lfs will not mind you doing this, they are lazy too. Additionally, it is not a bad idea to spend $1 and buy a new net just for catching the fish: the store net touched lots of other fish and may carry something really nasty on it.

hth

[Emma Turner]

Woah, hang on a minute Kris. It's possible you over-reacted slightly, depending on the response of the shopkeeper to explain things, that is.

Many places, us included, would not be prepared to let customers net out their own fish. This is partly due to the fact that the customer is not covered by the shops' insurance policies to 'work' there (accidents could happen), because treatments may have been used in the tanks (it happens), and the chances of a spiny fish becoming entangled are just as high for every person catching the fish (experienced or not-so).

Having said this, when treatments are used in all the tanks on a system, including those fish that are still currently on sale, this should usually be carried out after closing time. This way the treatment has time to take effect overnight, after which times certain types of filtration are employed to remove treatments in the morning, so that any fish sold from those tanks (that are healthy) do not get bagged up with a load of treatment water. It is necessary to treat from time to time, and it should be seen as a sign that the store are 'on their toes' and are aware of any potential problems. Many stores ignore these problems, so it may not be as bad as it looked. As store owners, you can never guarantee that the fish you are importing are going to arrive in the sort of condition that they should do.

With regards to the catfish becoming entangled in the net, this really must have happened to every store worker at some point, I know it has to me. The important thing is to keep the fish in the water and stretch the net taught as this usually causes the release of the spine without any further stress. If this doesn't work, the net should be left submerged whilst a pair of scissors are obtained in order to cut around the area on the netting where the spine is entangled. The catfish may have to temporarily swim around with a small piece of netting attached, but this naturally loosens and will come off within a few days.

I hope this helps to put your mind at rest a little, things may not have been as bad as you thought. Of course, the attitude of the shop worker must be taken into account, and that I do not know.

Best wishes,

Emma

P.S.
And mikev,

Additionally, it is not a bad idea to spend $1 and buy a new net just for catching the fish: the store net touched lots of other fish and may carry something really nasty on it.

The store should be storing their nets in a disinfectant solution!

[Martin Thoene]

Yeah, I'm with you there Em. I've had all sorts of Loricarids hooked up in nets and often I find the easiest way is to do exactly what you said and leave the fish for a while. Very often they will disentangle themselves. If not, you can cut the net. I've only ever had to cut a net once with a really spiney Talking cat that got well wound up in the net because it insisted on doing barrel rolls.

I would say treating is better than ignoring. I'm not a fan of centralized systems per-se, but realize that logistically they have advantages. Certainly having methyline blue in use during shop hours can be disconcerting to the punters. The least it does is distort colours and make fish look less attractive to potential purchasers.

Have to say I think you should give this place another go Kris. Your initial impressions were good and like you've said you don't have too many alternatives.

Martin.

[NancyD]

Is this a brand new store or just new to you Kris? I think, like all of us at some time, newly set up tank or tanks can have more problems than normal. Hopefully it won't be the usual, independant shops are getting harder to find & we'll loose the interesting fish they are more apt to carry than the chains. Just today I found a closed sign on a store that, at least occaisionally, got "different" fish.

[LUVaLOACH]

Hi guys, this is not a new store by any means. I guess what bothered me the most was the guys attitude...his exact words were "he may make it, but probably not" I guess it's just me (and most of us here) but I would have cut the net right then and there. The fish was thrashing around trying to become loose risking the danger of more injury, and getting himself more tangled and stressed. I can't expect everyone to do what I would do in a situation like this.

As far as the meth blue, I really didn't see the point in adding it as I was under the impression that the carbon filter would need to be removed and when I brought this to his attention he told me that they just added a double dose. This I do not believe in...over medicating. Especially when some of the fish are sensitive to this. Don't get me wrong I appreciate them making an attempt to pre-treat the fish, I was just taken off guard by the attitude of this guy, expecially when he began to badmouth one of the other LFS, to me this is unprofessional.

I will probably give them another go. Maybe this guy was just having a bad day.

Thanks for your posts,
Kris

[mikev]

P.S.
And mikev,

Additionally, it is not a bad idea to spend $1 and buy a new net just for catching the fish: the store net touched lots of other fish and may carry something really nasty on it.

The store should be storing their nets in a disinfectant solution!

They SHOULD, but they usually DON'T. At least around here. And in one place they do, I am doubtful the procedure disinfects anything (very weak solution of Meth Blue, not changed for weeks).

At the end, it is much simpler to use a new net then fight a disease later.

[Icewall42]

We used to use a disinfectant bath for all our nets, and we always tried to treat any of our stock that got sick. But I noticed that a lot of stores just don't care, and that makes me mad.

As for fish getting stuck.... yup, happened to me with a pictus catfish.... the same fish got stuck in the net on two different occasions. His front fin, hard and spiny as they are, got caught in the emsh and he did numerous barrel rolls, growling all along. I couldn't get the darned thing loose either time, so both times I cut the net around the fin and put the fish back in the tank... the netting eventually came off. That's aboutt he best you can do sometimes

But I agree the guy's attitude was very poor.

[Ippo456]

Coryfish's fins getting caught in the net is quite common.
One of my biggest coryfish's fin was caught in the net, as his fins stiffen up when I caught him.
The trick is to immerse the net completely & let the coryfish swim away by himself, rather than forcefully releasing him.

[gorhaf]

i dont know about cory cats but the spotted raph catfish i got wedged himself into a castle decoration and would not come out. The lady at the lfs said she tried to grab its tail and pull it out that way. I ended up buying the entire decoration (at 1/10 of the price of the decoration) and the fish and now every night i see him out swimming and chasing my guppy fry all over the tank. now considering all of the stuff my fish itself has gone through and survived I am wondering if he didnt just give up to easily on that fish. but then i might be wrong, thats the wonderful thing about opinions the option to be wrong.

[Oldfish]

I always keep one large net with fine nylon brine shimp netting on hand.Fish don't get snaged on it. Its just the thing for catching cory cats etc.

[LUVaLOACH]

Hi guys,

Just wanted to let you guys know I now have all 4 of my corys. I went back to the store and Snag had untangled himself from the net and the guy fished him out with a cup! I am just thankful that he freed himself and that I have all four of them together now. It's funny...all my fish that have names have really earned them...Snag, Trooper, Scar...haha!

Everyone have a great day!

Kris