Got my mandarin fish!!

[d.french]

http://www.marinecenter.com/fish/pseudochromisdottybacks/springeripseudochromisredsea/

got it at petco for 19 bucks and all other websites sell this fish for 40 to 60 bucks even other lfs so i got lucky, matter of fact are petco is now carrying corals to.

 

[fatman]

As a rule I quartine corals and fish without preventative medications. However, I have never bought fish or coral from PETCO. With all the rumors of disatrous results of purchasing fish and coral from PETCO though, I think I would probably change my methods if I bought from PETCO. I would definitely do at least an iodine dip on all SPS corals and at least a hypo saline quarantine on fish purchases from PETCO. They are a lot like the McDonalds of pet stores, as a lot of their employees are new to fish and other pets allowing for some very poor practices being carried out routinely.

 

[Damseluver]

Petco corporate policy prevents there employees, regardless of there knowledge of sw fish, from taking the common sense steps to eradicate parasites from there holding system.

There pricing on the other hand is hard to beat. In most cases I choose the species I want and arrange to pick up the fish on the morning it arrives at the petco before it ever comes out of the shipping bag and into there system.

I realize this goes against the conventional wisdom but I have had pretty good luck doing this. In fact I would advise this with the majority of LFS with these systems meaning parasite exposure or willy nilly copper exposure both of which can mean wasted money. IMO one less commercial/retail holding system the fish sees the better your chances.

The vast majority of fish losses are directly related to poor holding tank and shipping methods and not the hobbyist fault, all though the fishes death ultimately does occure in the end users tank and often is the reason for an early exit from the hobby for many. You would think the industry would make a priority of preventing this but evidently not. If these animals were higher vertebrates like puppys or kittens the public's outcry would force the necessary changes.

 

[d.french]

As a rule I quartine corals and fish without preventative medications. However, I have never bought fish or coral from PETCO. With all the rumors of disatrous results of purchasing fish and coral from PETCO though, I think I would probably change my methods if I bought from PETCO. I would definitely do at least an iodine dip on all SPS corals and at least a hypo saline quarantine on fish purchases from PETCO. They are a lot like the McDonalds of pet stores, as a lot of their employees are new to fish and other pets allowing for some very poor practices being carried out routinely.

true most petco stores cannot care for the fish let alone corals, but this new petco near were i live is one of the few who keep coral and the manager is in our local reef club and knows what he is doing. Plus has worked with a few employees on how to test and maintain there systems and how to handle different species of fish, inverts and corals. I've got a couple rocks of zoos with 50 plus polyps for 24.95 with pet pals card and good deals with snails also. Also doesn't matter where you buy corals always quarantine fish and corals and dip them, right now couple of really nice lfs in st. louis area been having problems with red bugs but didn't bother to tell anyone until are club members passed on word.

 

[fatman]

true most petco stores cannot care for the fish let alone corals, but this new petco near were i live is one of the few who keep coral and the manager is in our local reef club and knows what he is doing. Plus has worked with a few employees on how to test and maintain there systems and how to handle different species of fish, inverts and corals. I've got a couple rocks of zoos with 50 plus polyps for 24.95 with pet pals card and good deals with snails also. Also doesn't matter where you buy corals always quarantine fish and corals and dip them, right now couple of really nice lfs in st. louis area been having problems with red bugs but didn't bother to tell anyone until are club members passed on word.

A person with that kind of integrety and experience does not usually stay at stores like Petco as they are usually quite under paid. They usually go to a better paying store or get a job "sadly" out side the pet trade which pays better. Most pet trade jobs are held buy the second worker in a household ar a person pretty new to the job market. Pet trade jobs are as a norm, entry level positions and therefore low paying jobs that do not attrack knowledgeable employees unless they work only for supplemental income. I wish I was wron but I do not believe I am. Your lucky in what you have found and experienced.