Tropical Fish Forums

[SpudBerry]

This fish tank is supposedly for my 10 year old son - the last time we had a pet type project it was for the same son. We went to Petsmart and got all the stuff you need for a hamster and then purchased the hamster. We went through 2 hamsters that each died within a week. We then went to a little local pet shop and got Jo the 4th and he/she lived a normal 3 years. So I'm a little concerned to go back there and get anything from their fish tanks. On the other hand - there is only one other little fish shop in town and I know nothing about them. Are there any things to look for when seeing if a place runs a healthy shop? Comparing return or guarantee policies won't mean much as I already know that Petsmart has a great policy - I just wish we didn't have to use it so much with the rodent.

[Maestro]

Generally in my experience, pet stores that specialize in aquariums sell the healthier fish. However, I buy most of my basic supplies from large chain pet stores because the prices are much better for the same product. But buying a healthy fish is much better than a potentially weak one, so I would check out that fish shop.

The ways I can tell if the store is good, is if they have a wide variety of fish/plants/corals etc., if they have a knowledgeable staff, the water in their aquariums are clean, and if the vast majority of their stock appear healthy.
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2500 gallon (9,450 L) Koi Pond
15 gallon (57 L) Low-light planted
6 gallon (23 L) Betta splendens

[monstrosity]

I find Petsmart to be expensive. I do buy a lot of my fish there, even though they're not kept well. Check out the LFS.
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29 G