LFS and Ich

[bennkrys]

Well, for about three months I have been looking at an empty tank. Why? everytime I go down to the LFS I see at least one fish in the system with Ich. I don't won't to take any chances so I just leave. of course, they tell me its no big deal that the fish in the tank with the fish with the ich... looks healthy.. Whatever!!! Where or who is the best place to order from when you have nowhere close by to buy? I am looking for a good online source

[kau_cinta_ku]

there are alot of places online to get them. i have never ordered from any but alot of ppl have. i just like the feeling of being able to see the fish first before i buy but sence you can see your fish and they all are unhealty i can see why you would want to try. here are a few places.

http://www.aquacon.com/saltwater-fish-index.html
http://www.liveaquaria.com/default.cfm?siteid=20
http://www.marinedepotlive.com/

hope that helps

[LTJGAlex]

bennkrys:

Kau named the 3 most common sites. I don't order, since here in Jacksonville, FL we have 7 LFS in the city itself, and I can always find what I want. But those are all reputable. I can tell you I've called MDL and they are very knowledgeable and friendly; even though I told them I was just calling for advice and not ready to order anything, she talked with me for about 15 minutes.

Some LFS will definitely tell you ick is not a problem. I was at one of our less reputable LFS recently and saw a whole wall of tanks stricken with terrible freshwater ick. The manager was showing the fish to some newbies who were saying "I want that and that and that." I walked over and said Holy, they're all dying of ick. The manager just stared at me, said they'd be fine and continued bagging them. The newbies looked at me like I was a raving nut.

Oh well. So you can probably try some of those websites. Remember that some have minimum order amounts around $50 and they ALL charge at least $30 shipping.

[KAZEKY]

WWW.PETSOLUTIONS.COM IT'S GOOD AND THEY ONLY CHARGE 19.99 FOR SHIPPING GOOD LUCK

[Steven Pro]

So, you won't buy fish at your local shop because you see some sick ones. So, your solution is to buy fish sight unseen?

You are going to be far better off learning to properly quarantine your new acquisitions regardless of where they come from.

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-10/sp/feature/index.php

[LTJGAlex]

Originally posted by StevenPro
So, you won't buy fish at your local shop because you see some sick ones. So, your solution is to buy fish sight unseen?

Steven:

Do you think he should really buy from that LFS with the ick there though? I mean, ideally I'd say go to another LFS, but I'm assuming the 7-LFS thing is a luxury here in FL.

[ihavfishues]

Ich is always present in the water. It's a matter of the fish being healthy enough to have their slime coat in tact so the parasites cannot penetrate it and attach themselves to the fish.

If the LFS has fish without ich and you like the fish, buy it and qt it and watch it. If the fish is not stressed, it won't get ich on it.

That's why some have it and some don't.

[LTJGAlex]

ihavfishues:

I don't pretend to have the definitive answer on ich, but just to mention for the benefit of our thread-starter, there is no scientific agreement on the cause of ich.

There is a camp that posits that ich is present in some sand and that it attacks stressed fish, then there is the camp that you mentioned, that perhaps all fish have it in their gills and that it is opportunistic.

No one is sure, and you can see threads on here with 60+ posts debating the cause of ich.

Just to fill in the other side there.

[ihavfishues]

yep... best thing to do is to read, read, read...

I've never bought anything online, either... I'm always afraid that the two-day truck ride would stress out any fish... :lol:

[Steven Pro]

Originally posted by LTJGAlex
I don't pretend to have the definitive answer on ich, but just to mention for the benefit of our thread-starter, there is no scientific agreement on the cause of ich. Yes there is. Ich is always caused by a parasite called Cryptocaryon irritans. You have to have the parasite present for the fish to be infected regardless of their stress level.

[Steven Pro]

Originally posted by LTJGAlex
Steven:

Do you think he should really buy from that LFS with the ick there though? I mean, ideally I'd say go to another LFS, but I'm assuming the 7-LFS thing is a luxury here in FL. I will buy a fish from a store if some of the fish are sick. I might not buy those particular specimens, but I won't write off every animal just because of a few suspect ones.

By the way, I bought my powder blue tang knowing it was infected. Most of the fish you find at a LFS have something unless that store is quarantining all their animals and that is a true rarity.

[LTJGAlex]

About ich, of course it's caused by cryptocaryon, I just meant what triggers ich to infest a fish. That's the issue that's debated so heatedly.