Loaches Online Forum

I almost took a life today. I'm not talking about the life of a fish though. Walked in to an LFS today, and I found a clown loach who obviously have a case of skinny. Knowing the shop I was in, I can guarantee that they won't treat him either. We've also found male bettas with their fins chewed, and regularly see dead fish in the tanks.

Two mid-sized (20-30cm) koi's have been in a ~100L tank for a long time, and when we asked if they could help us catching a platy, they asked us what a platy is. A while back we decided not to buy fish there anymore because of the poor handling, and we only buy things that are lifeless, but usually we go to another shop instead.

If I weren't such a nice guy, I'd tell them how the deal was, and that I wanted that clown to be treated. But I think that they have a bigger obligation than us to know what their fishes wants in terms of housing. I understand that shops can't set up a perfect tank for each species, but this shop in particular could try to at least keep their fishes alive. They also have a bowl with a single fish in it with no substrate, filter, or plants, which is more or less illegal in Sweden.

Sorry for ranting, but I'm pretty angry right now.

yeah, I have felt EXACTLY that way.
I went into a fish store when out of town...horribly bare tanks with NO hiding places. I saw a 5 inch clown loach laying there is a completely bare tank. SO SAD.... he was only $29 and I regret not getting him to this day ( not that I had an adequate tank at that point, but better than a 10 gallon isolation chamber. REGARDLESS of his health. At least he could have died in some peace and a little shelter for a mere $30.
At least you are mad at someone else. I have still not forgiven myself for leaving him there.

glenna wrote: I have still not forgiven myself for leaving him there.

I have lost count of the amount of times I have felt like this.

Val