Buying New Fish ? Options

[goldrush]

Hello everybody

It is the time of the year(esp with the Chinese New Year a month away)when we are tempted to reach deep into our pocket to buy another goldfish or two to add to our collection. The Chinese believe that to add some auspicious feng shui enhancement(goldfish being one of them)will usher good fortune and prosperity in the coming year. So before you go down to your favorite LFS haunt a pause for a cause may help to reduce any mortality in your precious find.

THINGS TO LOOK OUT FOR BEFORE YOU BUY

1)Look at how the fish swims. From its swimming movement, one can easily tell of its health. Healthy fish are the ones that are always busy , looking inquisitive and ever ready to find and follow your finger or two and awaits for any morsel of food in the housing tank. So look for one that is busy busy busy.

2)Skip those tanks that have floating corpse .Its just not worth the risk to buy a presumably unaffected fish living in the same quarters! It just goes to show the LFS keeper does not care one bit and the floating dead are actually releasing diseases with the aid of the current in the tank. Please assume all tanks to be affected as these are either centrally processed or else the net are used from tank to tank oblivious to the well being of its inhabitants.

3)Ask the LFS keeper the time of arrival. It’s a bit tricky here as most of us are drawn by the urge to purchase new arrivals the minute they touch down and these run into risk of fishes being not acclimatized yet to their new surrounding and living out their stressful travel. Such fish are highly susceptible and mortalities are inevitable if inexperience handling are on the cards .If these fish have been for a while chances are that they are strong and have developed immunity to most frequently encountered diseases

4)Inspection 1 .Look at the gill movement(Remember the most vital organ visible )Rapid, open gill movement with listless physical stature points to gill diseases that are usually fatal .So stay away from these if you want to save your pockets!

5)Inspection 2.Please do your homework on the requirements of a structurally sound fish. Each variety may differ on their criterias of an acceptable standard. Dorsal fish should have erect dorsal. Pectorals should be paired and even in size(the absence is a severe handicap)There should be two anals but if there is one it should ideally be at the center Look at the edges of the fins. Uneveness usually indicates presence of fin rot or history of it. Look at the body structure.If the head to body proportion is too big for your liking you may have cachexia(wasting disease)in your company and these will succumb eventually.


When you have decided and bag the fish,do a final visual assessment of

a)the gill area:look for any gill inflammation and thicken edges and unilateral opening
b) the anal port check whether it is inflamed and any redness. Female may show slight protuberance and this is acceptable.
c)The mouth area check for redness or whitish strings(usually columnaris)both outside and inside of the mouth.
d)Finally the eyes; look for cloudiness and opacity(may be sign of eye worm or cataract)

It is not my intention to discourage spending on fish during this festive season.This article serves to remind ourselves not to buy on impulse but buy them only after careful evaluation are made with regards to their health and status, for one lapse of security will bring about morbidity or even mortality to the new as well as the old existing population. So bros usher in the year of the rooster with a crow but not with unnecessary COCK-Ups………………Cukooookoooo…………..

Regards

goldrush

[The Matrix]

2)Skip those tanks that have floating corpse .Its just not worth the risk to buy a presumably unaffected fish living in the same quarters! It just goes to show the LFS keeper does not care one bit and the floating dead are actually releasing diseases with the aid of the current in the tank. Please assume all tanks to be affected as these are either centrally processed or else the net are used from tank to tank oblivious to the well being of its inhabitants.

peng you, u sure or not ....

in this local scene, dead fish is so common in any lfs. fish died anytime in those environment. Even if the shop keeper diligently remove dead fish, it makes no different between those that din't manage to remove the dead bodies.

[goldrush]

Yo matrix

If I dont see I still presume all fish "new " as fully infected by one thing or another,so quarantine still remains the only defence against all possible infection.Pls read my commandments .If I see them floating,I would be the more wary of the presence of an infective outbreak and if the urge to buy is greater than the urge to forgo then it is the risk I have to take .Extra care and attention may be required to isolate the new comer for better observation in the weeks to come.

regards

goldrush

[The Matrix]

Yo matrix

If I dont see I still  presume all fish "new " as fully infected by one thing or another,so quarantine still remains the only defence against all possible infection.Pls read my commandments .If I see them floating,I would be the more wary of the presence of an infective outbreak and if the urge to buy is greater than the urge to forgo then it is the risk I have to take .Extra care and attention may be required to isolate the new comer for better observation in the weeks to come.

regards

goldrush

good fish is good fish lah, just buy. why think so much.
all fish no matter healthy or not when purchase, all same care, same attention.

[goldrush]

The above serves as a general guideline esp for newbies and such rules are often broken by many of us esp if the temptation overrules our judgement.I for one breach it many a time .Take yesternight for eg.Cannot resist to buy this ranchu with strong evident of tail and fin rot .See atteched.A classic case of fin rot .Strict isolation,warded to high dependency ward with immediate treatment.This one need no further observation to ascertain ailmnet as the signs and symptoms are obvious.Salt and interpet product on finrot the regime to prescribed.


The other side profile.Notice the damaged frayed fins and tail.



The posterior end profile of its tail.The rays are visibly damaged with open rays as shown

[ball]

Goldrush,
Rot until so obvious still buy ah? If no discount, not so worth right?
Today I saw one butterfly tail in sea view, only one that catch my attention out of three tanks, but I never buy because the gill look a bit funny to me. One side like a bit exposed, thot it move quite fast compare to other fishes also. So to be on the safe side, go home empty handed lor. Waste petrol only.

[goldrush]

Hi ball

When I visit any LFS, it's just an eye opener for me to all the various ailments and diseases(hospital setting) that we may encounter in our fish keeping.Look carefully at all the new arrivals and learn the various presentation of diseases.Though not confirmed and unable to diagnose grossly,this is an area where you can literally test your knowledge of what you have learned thro forum and reading and compare real findings with your theorectical background.The more pathetic the housing is ,the more you are likely to encounter an excellent learning ground.Try to pick up parasitic infestation,like argulus and anchor worm,columnaris are aplenty if you can discern them.Like I said sometimes the urge may overcome your judgement and you may take up the challenge to purchase a diseased fish so that you can nurse him back to health if you think that particular fish has a potential and you are confident enough to take up the challenge.It take alot of experience and time to learn and recognise diseases,so my advice to newbies is to proceed such purchase with upmost caution.

regards

goldrush

[goldrush]

To add further to our discussion, a word of caution to all potential buyers. Due to new arrivals and exotic breeds flooding the market during this festive season ,we are spoiled for choice but not short of options to buy the many varieties and qualities(not in terms of health of course)of fish available. Too many a times we may not resist the temptation to purchase our fish from one source and not even on same day. As we go hunting along we are mesmerized by the myriads of goldfishes available and each shops seem to display better fish with each passing day. Unknowingly we have forgotten of our limited quarantine facilities available and the danger of mixing all new comers in a given space further add to the concoction of a cocktail of diseases to be expected. These generally have detrimental effects on the well being of the newcomers as their resistant and health are already compromised .So be more prudent and exercise restrain and spare a thought for them .I can understand the enthusiasm and the kia suism involved in securing the best selection but without proper preparation to receive your new purchase the consequence of loss cannot be unduly discounted as such. So best of luck to your HUNT but don’t let your purchase HARASS and HAUNT you in the coming year………

Regards

goldrush

[The Matrix]

man .... i have yet to reach the limit of my quarantine area ... already over 20 new fishes purchase last week and over 30 in qt at home and got another 2 more during lunch time.

you find any lfs that too high risk ( dead fish, sick fish .... etc) to make purchase hor and the fish not bad one hor, must say leh.

[Seacucumber]

u siao liao....

[goldrush]

man .... i have yet to reach the limit of my quarantine area ... already over 20 new fishes purchase last week and over 30 in qt at home and got another 2 more during lunch time.

you find any lfs that too high risk ( dead fish, sick fish .... etc) to make purchase hor and the fish not bad one hor, must say leh.

Ha haha matrix care if you can share your QT regime with such mass intro in a supposedly large qt area.What sort of cocktail of drugs or medication do u suggest to mass "disinfect" all newcomers???????I hope it is not some kind of WMD.


good luck

[The Matrix]

Ha haha matrix care if you can share your QT regime with such mass intro in a supposedly large qt area.What sort of cocktail of drugs or medication do u suggest to mass "disinfect" all newcomers???????I hope it is not some kind of WMD.
good luck

Large qt area ? I got a lot of tanks. plastic tanks buy, use, old liao throw. somemore can wash and stack up instead of using glass tank. so waste space. big big small small i also dunno how many i got. 2gal, 4gal, 6gal, 10gal, 25gal, 40gal and whole room tanks and tubs lah.

i dun do mass qt. 1 fish, 1 tank.

drugs har ... Salt. kekekekeke

呋喃西林
青霉素
卡那霉素

[jhansolo]

If only my wife can let me do that

[The Matrix]

If only my wife can let me do that 

if u got spare room, not in use or your study room not fully utilised, then can do it. just say put in hall too messy. must keep hall nice and cosy. so shift the tank to room. then slowly expand from there lor.

I know of someone even convert the 2 toilets to fish tank room. he told wife so he can change water faster and won't mess up the place. And got guests come, surprise them with fish tanks in there. hahahaha ... a place to "relax".

[goldrush]

Good for you to have room as well as tubs and tanks of difference sizes to cater for such mass buying.Not many of us have such facilities .I bet changing water and monitoring their health and progress must take a hell lot of time since these are not centrally processed.A potential risk of infection to note may be using the same hose to execute the water change.Are you a professional in the aquatic industry? If not such abundance of arrivals usually will lead to early abandonment of tedious tasks and commitment as exhaustion take the toll out of the ordinary keepers!Truly amazing passion...