Is it a bad time to buy clownfish?

[jayinc]

Hello Everyone

As the subject line asks, do you think it's a bad time to buy clownfish? It seems like all the LFS that usually carry clownfish (mostly false percs) are either lacking in stock or are carrying unhealthy looking specimens. Is this the same everywhere? I know the "Nemo" epidemic has been big, but is it causing a unhealthy trend in the fish that are either still in the ocean or the ones being caught and shipped? Just wondering what everyone else thinks about this matter. Thanks.

Jay

[JHardman]

Well this time of year is notorious for having disease and parasite outbreaks at the wholesale level, which means at the LFS and hobbyist levels too. It is mostly do to the lower temps in this part of the world.

If your LFS keeps their CB clownfish in a separate system from WC clownfish and takes reasonable precautions for cross contamination the CB fish will be fine. CB clownfish are readily available as they are anytime of the year, rather the LFS in your area are willing to order them is another matter.

[billpa]

ORA produces a boat load of CB clowns which are great IMO...if you LFS doesn't carry them, ask them to order or find another place that does...I forget ORAs website that I could direct you to...I know they CB maroons, and false percs...not sure what other clowns they breed...check them out through a google search...its a pretty cool and informative site.

billpa

[LargeAngels]

ORA's stock is great, but unfortunately almost every LFS puts them in the same bio system as others and contract external and internal parasites. I've heard some LFS say the came with brook, in actuallity the tank they put them in had brook.

[billpa]

exactly...the lfs I deal with sells mostly ORA fish...and they have their own tank...he deals mostly in corals so fish really aren't his bread and butter...but it is nice to know that he makes the extra effort to make sure they stay healthy.

billpa

[billpa]

and if LFSs were smart, they would dedicate tanks to ORA livestock...I'm sure they could even sell them at a higher price than usual because they do such a thing...I personally would spend the extra 10-15 bucks to get a hardy, healthy, CB specimen.

[nanocat]

It's mix and match out here. They have separate tanks, but the water is all plumbed together :rolleye1:

[JHardman]

Originally posted by billpa
and if LFSs were smart, they would dedicate tanks to ORA livestock...I'm sure they could even sell them at a higher price than usual because they do such a thing...I personally would spend the extra 10-15 bucks to get a hardy, healthy, CB specimen.

Actually any CB stock... Just because they are from ORA doesn't mean they are magical...

[LargeAngels]

Good point John.

[oama]

My mommy always told me I was magical:rolleyes:

J/K

And John is perfectly correct.

BTW the old, yet to be updated website for ORA:rollface:
http://www.orafarm.com/

Oama

[JHardman]

Wiggle your nose Doug. :lol: j/k

[oama]

wiggle, wiggle .....fizzle:rolleye1:

[jayinc]

Originally posted by billpa
and if LFSs were smart, they would dedicate tanks to ORA livestock...I'm sure they could even sell them at a higher price than usual because they do such a thing...I personally would spend the extra 10-15 bucks to get a hardy, healthy, CB specimen.

Geez, whenever my LFS does get any CB clowns in stock, they stick them in the same system as all the other fish and still jack up the price! $60 for a true perc., $30 for a false.

Jay

[billpa]

oh yeah sorry JHardman...CB clowns in general...I'm sure yours are just as magical...maybe more :bounce1:

[not ecooper]

Personally, we just got a CB order (source not released) and I was soooo disappointed! The ocellaris looked great, the saddlebacks looked great, but the maroon's all had underbites. The goldline goby's were DOA, and my orchid dottybacks came in with torn fins.

I'm so sad. I feel bad selling fish with an underbite to customers. My thought has always been....if I wouldn't put it in my tank, I wouldn't put it in theirs. So what am I gonna do with these fish that should have been culled!

[billpa]

yeah I just bought a pair of ocellaris this weekend...they all looked good at the store...the maroons were DOA...and their were a couple tomato complex that had really torn fins.

billpa

[sylfish]

Just curious, billpa, which LFS do you use for livestock. I am always willing to drive an extra mile or two on the weekends to look around.

[billpa]

Frazer Zoo...occasionally I will go to Hidden Reef or That Fish Place...I thought there were some good stores in Bucks County...Frazer Zoo is nice but very small...They usually only have like 5 or 6 different fish...a few clown species...a few cardinal species, dragonets, seahorses sometimes...but really they sell more corals than anything...not a bad place...has really made some improvements lately...still a bit pricey though.

billpa

[waterlily]

I asked at my LFS last week if they had any ocellaris and was told that they had just gotten in a shipment but that it was a bad batch and they were sick. They also told me that ich is rampant this time of the year due to temp fluctuations.

[Wheeldog63]

Yeah it seems like the supplier we are getting our ocellaris from is having HORRIBLE problems with them. I told the manager that orders our fish to not order any more Ocellaris untill the local breeder our other supplier has can supply us with more CB ones. The main problem I am having is with the Ocellaris, but we don't deal with many rarer or cool clowns. If we get more Ocellaris in tonight I will flat out tell the manager, as I have with some coustomers who have had problems with our past clown stock, that I won't sell any of them untill they have been in our system for at least a week or two and eating strong. I can't stand selling someone a fish I know will die or I know is not healthy.

PS. Oama, could you pm me with a little info on who to contact to start carrying ORA CB fish, I have been looking around and am trying to find a way to get them. Thanks.

~Kelly

[billpa]

http://www.orafarm.com/order.html

you must first set up a retail account with them...there number is on the webpage.


billpa

[oama]

Wheeldog63

You have a PM.