I was at a local Pet Store yesterday?

[Bigguppy]

I was at a local Pet Store yesterday, the lady who runs it gave an excuse for 1/2 of their tanks having ich. When I asked her what was up, she said it's becuase of the weather recently?

Has everyone ever heard of such a thing? If so what's the science behind it?

I don't think she know's what she's talking about. She told me just recently she took the heaters out of all the tanks. When I asked her why, she said becuase the water was staying stable above 70. In the 72 range.

Crazy. I told her that most of her stock were tropical fish that prefer water temp in the range around 78. (except the cold water golf fish) She said oh, well I guess I should be putting the heaters back in.

 

[daveedka]

First off, while there are many good LFS employess out there, by and large the people who work in LFS's know very little. Kind of like the tool salesman at sears who has never changed his own oil.

There are many myths about ich, stress will allow ich to "break out" in a tank that didn't show it before, cold weather causes cold water, which could lead to ICH showing up more prevalently. Other than the stress of fluctuating temps, or cold water weather would have no bearing on ich in an aquarium (outside in the wild I don't know if it would or not). The thing I really never have figured out is why someone would remove a heater from a tank in the summer. The heater (assuming a decent quality heater) is thermostatically controlled so it only comes on when needed otherwise it just sits there. Seems to me the tank would be just as logical of a place to store it as anywhere.

Just an FYI If you are interested, Here is an article about ICH and killing ICH that is pretty well on target with all of my other research. It's lengthly, but worth the time to read.
ICH
dave

 

[Bigguppy]

Yea. Thanks. I just couldn't understand it. She actually owns the pet store and knows absolutly nothing about fish. Funny. I guess they make most of their money off of puppies but still.

 

[Cearbhaill]

Sounds like a pet shop to avoid- puppy sales, sick fish, and clueless people.
Have you another LFS nearby that better deserves your business?

 

[Bigguppy]

Petsmart and Petco 30 miles. Bad LTS 2 miles. I think I might actually ask them if they need someone to show them how to raise fish... It might help.

 

[beviking]

I pull my heater out during the summer b/c it's one less thing to clean (albeit probably only have to clean it twice if I left it in all summer!)

As for the store having ich troubles, how could they avoid ich? Think of the space and holding capacity they would need to effectively quarantine and treat for ich on all the fish they receive. Besides, then their sales on ich meds would plummet. From that standpoint, it doesn't seem very practicle.
As for the replies she gave you...what did you expect?

 

[daveedka]

Sounds like a pet shop to avoid- puppy sales, sick fish, and clueless people

While I would reccomend caution, I certqainly wouldn't avoid a pet store solely on the grounds that they have ich OR are uneducated in the basics of fish keeping. Very few LFS's have highly knowledgeable employess, and if you don't live in a large metropolis, your options are limited.

As beviking said, it is virtually impossible to avoid Ich in an LFS. Combine the large number of shipments recieved, with the stress of shipping and tight tanks, and you will almost certainly have ICH. The question is do they continue to sell fish when they know they have ICH? That would be unnacceptable in my book. Some of the best LFS's I deal with still have the occasional tank under treatment, but they mark them as sick fish and refuse to sell them until treatment is complete.

I pull my heater out during the summer b/c it's one less thing to clean

I never thought of that one, But then my heaters stay reasonably green most of the time, despite the fact that I hide them from the light as much as possible.
dave

 

[Rava]

Originally posted by daveedka
While I would reccomend caution, I certqainly wouldn't avoid a pet store solely on the grounds that they have ich OR are uneducated in the basics of fish keeping. Very few LFS's have highly knowledgeable employess, and if you don't live in a large metropolis, your options are limited.

I believe Cear said that due to the fact the pet store sells puppies, as well. Sick fish and stupid people are rather hard to avoid... But supporting pet stores who sell puppies is a no-no. You're likely supporting puppy mills, among other undesirable things (I won't go into, due to the fact this is a fishy discussion, not one based on the reasons we don't buy puppies from pet shops ).

 

[Cearbhaill]

Bingo.

But agreed- wrong forum for the discussion.

 

[daveedka]

I won't go into, due to the fact this is a fishy discussion, not one based on the reasons we don't buy puppies from pet shops

If either of you believed it shouldn't be discussed, you should have both kept your comments to yourselves IMHO. I purposefully skipped over/ ignored the political crap and dealt with the fish issue. I support stores that sell puppies, and will continue to do so. I also believe the people who buy any animal should be responsible for it and yes that includes puppies. Most importantly I don't much care who likes My views on this and who doesn't. I grow very weary of the political comments and links on this site, when a good many of us are only here to share info and enhance our hobby. If you want to talk about it more, PM me or e-mail me. I'll be glad to tell you how I really feel somewhere other than the boards.
dave