View Full Version : LFS selling tropical fish that are kept in coldwater
Blue goldfish
12-06-2002, 5:32 PM
One of my LFS sells tropical fish that are kept in coldwater tanks. Like for instance a Red Tailed Black shark. There was no heater or warm water circulating or in the tank. The store it's self isn't heated like a fish room, or anything. Does anyone know why they do this???? And are the fish they sell in good condition??? Or are the fish conditioned to live in coldwater?? Any opinions or help would be great.
slipknottin
12-06-2002, 5:37 PM
likely because they need to feed less, and the fish produce less waste.
Most fish can tolerate colder temperatures, but will be much more lively in a heated tank.
Wippit Guud
12-06-2002, 5:38 PM
Depending on their lighting, the lights may keep the tank warm enough.
Or they just don't care...
Are you sure its not a central filtration system?
JohnMemorialHS
12-06-2002, 11:36 PM
Originally posted by vfrex
Are you sure its not a central filtration system?
Yeah I was going to ask that, all pet stores I know have a central filtration system, it simply doesn't make sense to spend the money on mechanical filters on every tanks and too much work (water change) if depending on biological filters. Usually petstore keep FW fish in cooler temperature than desired, for reasons that slipnottin pointed out.
probably just trying to keep costs down by scrimping on things they shouldn't. might be assuming "room temp" is fine.....
and you wonder why the fish are sick? ;)
i have a couple places around here that seem to do that, i don't go often enough to know the death rate, but i think cheap is the key here. no heater to buy/break..... no electricity for it...... lowers the metabolism.... probably stops fish from getting ich right away too from bad shipping or at least delays seeing it somewhat. it doesn't hurt them if the fish die after you buy them, it just makes you a repeat customer with a chance to sell you extra stuff along the way........
sorry if this is cynical.......
NJ Devils Fan
12-07-2002, 8:49 AM
JohnMemorialHS, can you imagine how much money that would cost to put a mechanical filter in every tank! lol
JohnMemorialHS
12-07-2002, 10:11 AM
Originally posted by NJ Devils Fan
JohnMemorialHS, can you imagine how much money that would cost to put a mechanical filter in every tank! lol
EXACTLY.
Oh, if the store does have a central filtration system, usually there's a big heating device of some sort, so maybe that's why you don't see heaters.
appaloosatb
12-07-2002, 10:35 AM
Not every LFS has visible heaters. I work at a LFS that has one big heating system for all the tanks. We just changed stores, and we have the neatest state-of-the-art filtration system now! All tanks are divided into groups of 6 or 7 depending on fish kept in them, and those sections are each filtered by an individual sump. The system does an automatic 10% water change on each tank daily. Heat comes from tubes that run through all the sumps and is adjustable in back, although we also have individual heaters in the sumps in case the heating system fails, and also to fine-tune the temps (for example, the discus section is warmer than the livebearer section).
I'd ask the store if they heat the tanks and how the tanks are filtered. If the tanks aren't heated, I'd be wary of buying fish from there...
somefinnfishy
12-07-2002, 10:41 AM
You do not need a central system.
We run bare bottom tanks 40ls or 40breeders
All have 4 small air driven filters.
And a heated fish room.
We have close to 400 tanks and only one tank has the NFS sign on it for a mild case of ich.
All our big tanks 8-90s 6-120s and 9-220s all have air driven UGFs that do a great job!
Sharyl C
12-07-2002, 11:06 AM
Depending on size, the pump that is being used to run a central filtration system may provide enough heat to warm the tank(s) water as well.
We have a system like that - the pump is oversized and it keeps the water quite warm...too warm actually. We are getting ready to downsize it I think.
just my 2 cents.
Blue goldfish
12-07-2002, 12:24 PM
No there is no main filtration system. All the tanks contain things that resemble a sponge filter, with an airstone powering it. Though some of the tanks containing guppies or paradise fish/gouramis are heated by visible heaters but also contain the same filtration method. I don't know why, but a while back (before i began researching and becoming an expert) when we set up a fish tank for my dad, we bought fish from them and we're stupidly coiled into a UGF. We got a molly, guppy, betta, and angelfish. They said that they went well together. Wrong. Betta died, Molly killed the guppy and the angelfish also died. And then the molly died. I refuse to buy any tropical fish from them except for bettas or coldwater fish. I don't buy fish supplies from them either unless it's fish food. The filters they sell are very expensive. Instead i go to another LFS with quality stock and very nice and experienced store owners.
bettaman
12-07-2002, 3:51 PM
MY LFS uses all hang on the back filters, emperors I believe. They have the best fish in the region. A little expensive though
ArkyLady
12-07-2002, 4:02 PM
I went to the LFS today and made it a point to check out his aquarium setup. He has individual power filters on each tank and I didn't see any with heaters. He only has 20-25 tanks, so it's not a huge operation. A few of the tanks had thermometers in them and all the ones I saw were sitting at around 70 degrees.
He keeps the tanks rather clean (gravel and glass), but most of his power filters were in very sad shape. Some had biowheels on them, but they were so encrusted with stuff that they didn't even turn anymore.
I have bought several fish there and never had a fatality yet, so I guess even though the situation isn't ideal, he's doing an ok job :)
mwood322
12-07-2002, 4:56 PM
My favorite fish store heats the room, and uses air driven sponge filters in each tank. They almost never get ick, and if they do, it is limited to that tank. I never agree with Centralized filtration for this reason. With that system, one tank gets ick, they all get ick. I buy most of my stock at this store, and haven't lost a fish from there, barring the poor one who was killed by a weird fungus from Petco.
--Mia
Serrateeth_2002
12-07-2002, 5:34 PM
My lfs tanks needs no heater,maybe because the country is all warm and humid,but the fish get icks alot because they use central filtration but not all of the fishes get ich.