sick loaches at LFS - what would you do?

[zmo63]

I've been watching a pair of sidthimunkis at a LFS for a few months now (That's when I discovered the store - no idea how long they've been there before that). They've been priced at $29.95 each, which I think is ridiculous. Well today I finally decided that it had been long enough that I would go in and ask if they'd cut me a deal since they'd been there for so long.

Went in and there was ich in a bunch of tanks, including the one housing the two sids. I didn't see any signs on the sids, but there was a large group of cardinal tetras that all looked pretty bad off.

So when one of the employees came over to see if he could help, I said "well, I was coming in here for the sids, but there's ich all over the place." He said yeah, they'd been having trouble with it, but were treating.

I said "oh, so you're not even selling fish right now?" and he said that yes, they actually were still selling fish.

Well, I was pretty uncomfortable about the whole thing and he seemed uncomfortable that I was asking about the ich, so I left. But I can't stop thinking about it. I can't imagine them being able to sell those fish. No one who doesn't know anything about loaches is going to pay $30 for a 1 1/2 inch fish, and and no one who does know is going to buy fish from a tank full of ich. If they are treating, they're probably not treating with something loach safe in which case they'll probably die.

So anyway, I'm thinking about calling and asking to take them for some ridiculously low price. I have a free 10g tank I could treat them in (I would have quarantined anyway). Am I crazy? And if I'm not, what ridiculously low price would you be willing to pay for some fish that might not make it (honestly, they look totally fine right now).

[helen nightingale]

if they will take a seriously low price, then you are not mad. at least they will have a better chance if you take hem home

[revhead]

I'd offer 'em five bucks each for the 'sick' fish & if they agreed, i'd take them home, put them in your small tank & raise the temp. to about 31 degrees celcius. If they said 'no, i'd ring the government department concerned & inform them that this shop was selling seriously infected fish to members of the public & that i was VERY concerned for any unwitting customer that may be sold infected fish & add them to a tankfull of beautiful discus or loaches or any tank for that matter unknowingly.
Actually, on second thoughts, i'd inform the right authorities no matter whether i obtained the said fish or not. How dare these 'salesmen' sell infected fish !!

[mikev]

$29.95 is insane: I saw sids for $6.67 a couple of weeks ago, and they looked healthy too.

As for taking sick fish: to me the main problem is that you don't know if this is only ich or something worse too. I took fish with ich several times, ich is really not a big deal by itself, but now in three cases (?!) it turned out that the fish had considerably worse diseases packaged...stuff which is very hard to diagnose or to treat. The presence of these worse diseases is linkable to bad practices in the stores...just link ich. So I'm beginning to think that the stores that cannot deal with ich simply should not be given any money....I even wish there was a way to drive them out of business.

i was VERY concerned for any unwitting customer that may be sold infected fish & add them to a tankfull of beautiful discus or loaches or any tank for that matter unknowingly

And what do you think about the stores that sell fish infected with, say, nematodes? Unlike Ich these can spread to people....

[zmo63]

thanks for the replies everyone. I'm still debating. The guy at the store said that they had a heater malfunction in their system, which stressed a bunch of fish out, hence the outbreak. Who knows if that's the whole story. I've been googling the store to try to find anything negative being reported, and all I've found is rave reviews. I've never bought fish there before, or really talked to the people before, so I don't have a sense for how the store is run.

[zmo63]

well, I called. I explained that I had been in the store yesterday and noticed the situation, and that I'd like to give the dwarf loaches a chance, and how much would they be willing to take for them. The guy who answered the phone wouldn't let me talk straight to the manager, so it was a lot of back and forth relaying of information.

Upshot of it is, they won't sell them. I think he was telling me that they weren't selling the ones affected by ich, but it was a little unclear. If that's the case, I guess I respect it, but it's not what the guy in the store yesterday was indicating. He said the outbreak hit Friday with a new shipment of fish, and that they had taken down the whole row of tanks affected (this is true - one row was gone), and therefore had had to move some of the fish (infected fish??), and this caused the stress. Oh yeah, along with a malfunction with the hot water they use with water changes. It was all very confusing.

They're using Ich Guard, and he said not to worry, the 'botia loaches' would be better in a couple of days.

Even if he's right, they're still not gonna sell for $30 each! Oh well, I tried.

[NancyD]

I'd pass. Sick, too few, too expensive. You'll be able to get some healthy ones eventually, they're worth the wait.
Have you asked about ordering them at another lfs?
For those prices you could see about mail order. Frank is out of stock http://www.franksaquarium.com/brookstreamloaches.htm but I hear good things about his fish. Maybe he will get them soon. I haven't gotten fish online yet & it may be too hot in GA to risk it now.

[zmo63]

I'd pass. Sick, too few, too expensive. You'll be able to get some healthy ones eventually, they're worth the wait.

I'm not in a hurry; I've got six already, just wanting to add to the group. I got the first six from a store for half price because they'd been there for so very long the store was just excited someone knew what they were and wanted them. Was hoping to pull the same sort of thing at this store, and then when I arrived to haggle, they were in a tank full of ich.

I'm sure I can order them from my favorite LFS, but they seem to be selling for ridiculous prices around these parts. Like I said, I don't really NEED anymore, but it's just one of those fish I always check for in different shops because I sure wouldn't mind a few extras at the right price.

[NancyD]

Ah, I do that too. But I did have to wait more than 20 YEARS to get more sids. We didn't know they had been red listed, we just kept looking & asking at each new store. When we finally found them they were tiny & didn't look quite healthy. It took all my willpower & advice from people here, but I waited a month more before getting them.

[revhead]

i was VERY concerned for any unwitting customer that may be sold infected fish & add them to a tankfull of beautiful discus or loaches or any tank for that matter unknowingly

And what do you think about the stores that sell fish infected with, say, nematodes? Unlike Ich these can spread to people....

To tell you the truth Mike, that makes me feel like letting the arsonist in me out from within !!