Would you sell to the only LFS if their fish are not taken great care of?

[Katie B.]

I started breeding my albino corys for the first time three weeks ago and wanted to sell them to the only LFS near me; however, I keep going there every week and their freshwater fish are not in great shape. Should I still consider selling my fish to them??

I care about the fish I’m breeding and don’t want to knowingly sell them to someone who is going to neglect them or hurt them with anything going through their water system. 

The only other LFS’s are two hours away N.S.E.W. of me. Thoughts??

[Fish Folk]

Take your time and don’t rush this decision.

Try to learn what is really going on with your nearest LFS. If they get poor quality fish, maybe their issue is about their sources. But if they’re careless with maintenance, that’s more of a critical issue. Some stores have seasonal issues (e.g. Ich is notorious for flaring up as weather wobbles cold / warm / cold / warm).

If you’re willing to work on it, you can easily learn how to successfully ship fish across country. There are many threads about that here on the Forum. I’ve shipped hundreds of fish out this calendar year from my basement. Not a career, but it helps claw back expenses from the hobby. I’m in western MD, and have boxes going everywhere in lower 48. What’s nice is that the arrangement can be pretty direct: your fish you raised —> to an enthusiastic aquarist who knows how to keep them going.

[Katie B.]

On 5/1/2023 at 3:29 PM, Fish Folk said:

Try to learn what is really going on with your nearest LFS.

How would you go about this?? Are there tactful ways (questions to ask) to figuring this out??

On 5/1/2023 at 3:29 PM, Fish Folk said:

If you’re willing to work on it, you can easily learn how to successfully ship fish across country.

I know this is a thing, but I listened to @Cory YouTube series on selling fish for profit and the easiest way to do this is being able to unload them on your LFS.

Edited May 1, 2023 by Katie B.

[Fish Folk]

On 5/1/2023 at 4:35 PM, Katie B. said:

How would you go about this?? Are there tactful ways (questions to ask) to figuring this out??

I know this is a thing, I listened to @Cory YouTube series on selling fish for profit and the easiest way to do this is being able to unload them on your LFS.

It can be difficult. I’ve had my LFS staff from two stores over for pizzas 🤣 and given them stuff from my fishroom. I text with them every week too. My situation is more involved.

What issues are you observing at your LFS?

You can casually ask three questions to learn a lot (1) Do they quarantine fish they order in? (2) Do they have any UV sterilization running on their water? (3) What’s their standard tank maintenance schedule / routine?

Their answer to question #1 might explain poor health, death, etc. The answer to #2 will answer if they’ve ever tried to really battle against water issues. But _how_ they answer #3 will convey whether they’re feeling defensive.

As for your fish fry, are these albino Corydoras aeneus? Or something more rare?

Edited May 1, 2023 by Fish Folk

[Guppysnail]

I agree with @Fish Folk  I have developed a great relationship with my LFS. Sadly they still do not buy fish from hobbyists but I found out they have 2 suppliers each deliver every other week. Just looking in the tanks I can tell who the supplier is based on the fish quality. 
The owners son runs the fish part and has become an enthusiastic aquarist at home also.  The tanks are well maintained and fed frozen and quality dry foods. Just being there weekly they got to know me.  I found out when the slow times are and that’s when I now make my weekly visits so they have chat time  that’s how I got to know the folks at my shop.

Other options are posting to local face book groups and getting to know local clubs. 
 

All the clubs in my area use the Band App to post fish for sale. Folks being local will come pick them up. 
Some folks have had luck with things like Nextdoor apps and such. 
 

Good luck on whatever you decide. 

[Katie B.]

On 5/1/2023 at 3:44 PM, Fish Folk said:

What issues are you observing at your LFS?

There are dead fish at the filters and laying around the tank, a friend just bought tetras from them and they had ick, today they had leopard pufferfish and one of the bodies was COMPLETELY sunken in. Bettas had some tumors and other obvious health issues (they are in mini tanks). It just doesn’t seem like they are paid much attention to. I know some of these things happen… but the fish just aren’t as cared for as I’d expect. Some of these things I’d expect him to remove from the tanks.

On 5/1/2023 at 3:44 PM, Fish Folk said:

You can casually adk three questions to learn a lot

This is EXTREMELY helpful!! Thank you!!

On 5/1/2023 at 3:44 PM, Fish Folk said:

As for your fish fry, are these albino Corydoras aeneus? Or something more rare?

They are aeneus 🙂

On 5/1/2023 at 3:56 PM, Guppysnail said:

Other options are posting to local face book groups and getting to know local clubs. 

I wish we had a local fish club but there are none near me 😞

I have been going in every week, same time and day and the owner recognizes me and is opening up to me. He is a pretty closed off guy but I’m working on him lol.

[H20 Plecos]

I have similar quality in LFS around the area. It's about 2 hours drive for me. I would recommend posting online (reddit = r/AquaSwap, Aquabid, etc.).

If you don't know how to ship fish, I recommend looking one up. You can easily find Dans Fish, or someone else's. Parts to do it are rather simple (I found breather bags by just asking in I could have a few, no charge). 

Just by being curious; you many do you get? Best of luck to you!

[Katie B.]

On 5/1/2023 at 4:45 PM, H20 Plecos said:

If you don't know how to ship fish, I recommend looking one up.

I might start looking into it!

On 5/1/2023 at 4:45 PM, H20 Plecos said:

Just by being curious; you many do you get?

Do you mean albinos?? They lay 200 at a time (at least 100 are fertile!). I started 3 weeks ago and have over 300 fry of all sizes now :D 

[Ken Burke]

The “exit strategy “ is one of the most challenging problems with breeding fish.  
 

you did not define the issues at your local store, and all issues aren’t the same.  Neglected tanks are pretty tough to get past, but a store that can’t get quality stock might look very similar. I recommend (like others in this thread) getting to the people at your LFS, and the best way to do that is to stop by frequently. Figure out when they get new fish, and swing by to see what’s going on when they do.  Engage the staff in conversation, buy some fish food, etc. try to catch them doing things right. If they are consistently doing things right, the problem might be their ability to get good stock.  And you can help them by providing healthy fish.  

 

 

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

One of my LFS I do not trust.  Their fish look ill.  I only buy supplies or nerites there.  When I raised mystery snails I adopted them out to hobbyists in my neighborhood by using the Nextdoor App.

[Katie B.]

On 5/1/2023 at 4:05 PM, Katie B. said:

There are dead fish at the filters and laying around the tank, a friend just bought tetras from them and they had ick, today they had leopard pufferfish and one of the bodies was COMPLETELY sunken in. Bettas had some tumors and other obvious health issues (they are in mini tanks). It just doesn’t seem like they are paid much attention to. I know some of these things happen… but the fish just aren’t as cared for as I’d expect. Some of these things I’d expect him to remove from the tanks.

@Ken Burke I did in one of my replies (see above). I have bought supplies from them, I do communicate and I am making connections with the owner. 

Edited May 2, 2023 by Katie B.

[Ken Burke]

On 5/1/2023 at 7:21 PM, Katie B. said:

@Ken Burke I did in one of my replies (see above). I have bought supplies from them, I do communicate and I am making connections with the owner. 

Missed that. But the core of my input remains.  If their tanks look neglected, probably not your best fit.  If they look well maintained, just have a lot of fatalities, maybe. 
 

since you are a full-time mom, you may have some flexibility to ship fish.  Lots of good resources here on shipping fish, esp from fish folk and Tolstoy. Here is a good thread:

I’ve shipped fish twice.  First time was a success. Second time was a disaster. There is a learning curve, but you can work out what works for you.  Just be prepared for a few bumps in the road. 

[Lennie]

There are so many lfs near me, which people would consider lucky but I am not really happy about the fish situation there overall. I only go to one regularly because they try their best to take care of their fish really in a way they can. I believe that is important.

I still can’t unsee the scene I saw about how much some fish were neglected in a random lfs I decided to check. That was just a really sad experience and I am considering to contact their owner and talk about the situation. I don’t think the owner must have a clue this is the situation as they are more chain like a firm. 

Having bad batches happen. Dealing with sicknesses happen. Even at home when we try to care very limited amount of fish we come across lots or problems or diseases. The point comes to caring in my opinion. You should be able to tell if they try to fix any problem they come by and care about fish, or just see them as a money source and neglect the fact that these are live creatures with feelings and in need of care.

The neglected look and just struggling with some sort of disease or problems in a few tank in the store must be easy to tell. Like there were guppies on the surface dead and huge amount of foaming and other fish trying to breathe and this neglected store cant even bother to make a water change or even collect dead bodies. Cant imagine what would an ammonia test read. Remembering it makes me super sad and angry again. Ughh

If you have a chance, my tip would be visiting the store right away they open the store in the morning. Observe tanks, fishes situation, deaths in the tanks. Also making sure the staff there is knowledgeable, so when someone wants an algae eater they won’t sell your baby corys as a single member. Yknow what I mean?
 

And if the lfs actually neglects fish, I would not give fish to them by any means. Maybe you can try to rehome them online? It is like sending my own babies to death. Id rather try to rehome the babies myself.

[Fish Folk]

My process for shipping fish is always improving. Today I shipped off 50x fish in the morning to a buyer in CA. These were North American Natives (Mountain Redbelly Dace juveniles), so pretty hardy. I charged $2 / per fish and $30 for shipping (Total Invoice = $130).

I use a USPS Priority Box, tape that together obsessively. Then I custom cut a styrofoam insulated lining. I pad with Paper towels. Fish ship in water from their tank (though most shippers always prefer clean treated water), some Amquel drops (Ammonia detoxifier), and pure oxygen (from a Bernzomatic kit I got at Tractor Supply).

Here's 8-seconds of what 1x of the two bags looked like in the box today...

I have journaled several other shipping methods -- i.e. breather bags, and shipping tropical fish in the dead of winter...

Also I've posted explanations about the oxygen I use for shipping...

Corydoras are interesting fish. There is a kind of toxin they sometimes release when stressed that can render their shipping bags tragic sacks of death. You need to catch them into one specimen container, and then transfer the fish to another with new water, if I recall. Additionally, their spines can puncture bags if they are not pretty thick mil-rating.

Obviously they can ship alright though! 

 

Edited May 2, 2023 by Fish Folk

[nabokovfan87]

On 5/1/2023 at 8:37 PM, Fish Folk said:

Corydoras are interesting fish. There is a kind of toxin they sometimes release when stressed that can render their shipping bags tragic sacks of death. You need to catch them into one specimen container, and then transfer the fish to another with new water, if I recall. Additionally, their spines can puncture bags if they are not pretty thick mil-rating.

Obviously they can ship alright though! 

I've shipped mine twice.  DEFINITELY Intimidating when it comes to corydoras.  Overall, they tend to do fine because they can get cold and handle it.  Temp is a big thing. 

I use Deans method of taping the corners.  I would highly encourage this for just about anyone shipping any fish at all, especially shrimp.

I had 2 orders of shrimp come in crushed from this simple mistake.  One was all DOA, the other only had a 50% loss. 

For corydoras specifically, Rachel O'Leary has a great video on how to ship them if you need any additional tips or visuals.  I do not shake mine to release the toxin and it's not something I believe is necessary.  Bagging them into several bags to minimize issues is what I recommend.  Also, do not ship them with pure oxygen.  Both times I shipped them I took the amount of corydoras I was shipping and split all the females between the 2-3 bags I was sending as well as the males.  If one bag had issues, they still had a full colony available.

I am by no means an expert, but that's how I approached it.

[Bev C]

Best wishes ,,I do not have the problem of a unkempt  fish store ,,but I do not have a fish store close  (2 hours away )/& I do not have a club either  

Have you tried the sell and trade section here on the forum if you want to sell or trade by mail 

others would have better advice then me and know the rules 

my personal experience when i wanted to hatch more mystery snails and shrimp for myself. i called my fish store first before hatching them and ask if they’d would take them,,plus i have a aquarium page for my state ,, i made a post with a video and said  i was looking for homes message  me if interested,,  but if you belong to a aquarium page or group on facebook make sure you check with the owners. of the rules first,,, facebook not sure  what rules of selling and trading is