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Store-bought Guppies vs. Guppies from other sources: Your experience?


PineSong
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I'm wondering what everyone's experience is with survival rates from stores vs. from other sources.  Here are my stats as best as I can remember, since I set up my tank in late June/early July:

Mom and Pop LFS near me: bought 3, 2 survived QT, are still alive

Terrible death camp/LFS in another town: bought 8, 4 endlers survived QT, 0 guppies did. 2 endlers are still alive.

Petsmart/Petco/Feeders' Supply/Pet Food Supermarket: bought 16+ guppies over the course of these months, 2 survived QT, still alive

If these were the only fish I'd ever tried, or the only guppies I had bought, I would be even more traumatized.

But here's the thing: I've bought guppies from two breeders in my state and had guppies shipped to me from Florida, and every one of them is still alive. 

I've bought platies and mollies and white clouds and otocinclus from Petco/Petsmart/Feeders Supply etc. and I lost 1 platy (and he had a visible injury when I bought him but I hoped I could save him) and 2 mollies total.

So, it's not just my tanks, my water, or my care. And it's not just the stores, or I'd have lost a lot more of other species.

I'd love to hear others' experiences, and if you have developed any strategies for timing of meds or anything else that you feel brings more success with store bought guppies.

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On 10/20/2021 at 8:15 PM, Guppysnail said:

 All the babies though did great for me. 

Aer you saying that once they are born in your tanks you have as good a luck with them as you'd expect with any fish--that it's just the newly purchased arrivals that are so tricky?

Edited by PineSong
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On 10/20/2021 at 10:16 PM, PineSong said:

Aer you saying that once they are born in your tanks you have as good a luck with them as you'd expect with any fish--that it's just the new arrivals that are so tricky?

New arrivals only. Guppies born in my tanks are dynamos. Second generation stronger 3+ gens are tanks! 

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Over the last few years, every guppy I have bought from Petsmart has passed.  Typically I find they are coming in with a type of parasite or infection.

I personally have had great experience with breeders off Aquabid

At my LFS.  It has been hit or miss depending on the guppies.  Some of the guppies they have received from their vendors have not done so well for me.  However, the guppies that are locally breed by the owners/staff seem to do absolutely great (never had a lost). 

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I’ve bought Endlers at the LFS and from Breeders. Both did well. 
Guppies I’ve only bought online and both from prominent breeders/YouTubers and from Aquabid and only had one bad experience on Aquabid.
I have no experience with big box livebearers, I’ve gotten some black mollies from a friend who bought them from a big box but these were her 2nd or 3rd generations. 
I’d always been warned off from buying livebearer from PC/PS due the horrendous rate of livebearer disease they have. 

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My experience was completely depressing to me, every guppy we seemed to buy locally was dying.  Petco/Petsmart were the worst. 
However, like @Guppysnail said, once I had some fry born from those guppies (and some we got from a breeder) they have been great!   We're waiting on the next generation to see how they do!

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My guppies are all from a buy 3 - get one free thing at petco years ago. I got lucky, these guys are bullet proof.  The LFS here in Boise (that I take my extras to) will only take home grown guppies, because he has so many issues with them from his wholesaler.

I just bought a pair of Platium males from Petsmart last week. First guppies I've bough since I started back up in this hobby, and got those initial ones from Petco. They are in quarantine now, we'll see how it goes.

The dangers of having a quarantine tank just sitting there, waiting...

Edited by Griznatch
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On 10/20/2021 at 10:18 PM, Guppysnail said:

New arrivals only. Guppies born in my tanks are dynamos. Second generation stronger 3+ gens are tanks! 

This gives me so much hope!  Thank you. I can't wait to have a reliably strong and healthy population and not feel slightly uneasy every time I see a fish standing still.

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On 10/21/2021 at 4:37 PM, Griznatch said:

I just bought a pair of Platium males from Petsmart last week. First guppies I've bough since I started back up in this hobby, and got those initial ones from Petco. They are in quarantine now, we'll see how it goes.

The dangers of having a quarantine tank just sitting there, waiting...

Exactly! I have zero problem ordering guppies from breeders, but I keep falling for a pretty fish when I am in local shops, even though I also know I'll probably fail.

Another area for growing in self-discipline, just what I need 😉

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On 10/21/2021 at 5:49 PM, PineSong said:

This gives me so much hope!  Thank you. I can't wait to have a reliably strong and healthy population and not feel slightly uneasy every time I see a fish standing still.

Yes. Ones born to you are a whole new ballgame.  Instead of being fragile they are hardy. By third gen they will be your healthiest least concern fishes. 😁

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