Opinions from Experience

[Tom Toro]

I've always had good luck buying fish from other reefers that either breed them or just want to get rid of them.

I very rarely buy fish from lfs because it's usually a closed system and even though they're dosing copper, I can usually find one or two very diseased fish in another tank on the same system. Not only that, but there's a huge turnover and who knows what's coming in with what in/on their body.

Q: Do you feel comfortable buying fish from LFS' that have a closed system whether they dose copper or not?

Q: Is there a specific LFS that you've had great luck with?

Q: Do you feel comfortable ordering online, say liveaquaria.com or saltwaterfish.com?

Q: Is there a specific online company you've had great luck with?

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I know a quarantine tank is the best solution, but I'm willing to take chances, I'd just like to narrow 'it some.

[Sir Patrick]

I have baught many fish throughout the years, from LFS's in Mi, VA, and CA, along with many from Fellow hobbiests.

I have had the same experience with all of them. Most fish survive and thrive if you rule out the reasons I might have had them die because of my own fault, like bad water, improper maintanace, rushed acclimation.

I do have to say though- The only real bad experience I have had was fish from petco.....never had a single one survive and have baught a few.....but that was many years ago.

I will also add, there are a few fish in particular that are prone to coming into shops w/ certain ailments like internal parasites. These fish might be safer to buy from a fellow reefer thats been keeping it a while, unless you plan on treating and caring for the fish yourselfor with a bit of preventitive measures. A finicky eating fish that has been proven to eat prepared foods is also sometimes a better choice than a fresh wild caught picky eater.

Excluding parasite prone fish, finicky eaters, difficult acclimators and irresponsible tank husbandry, I have had roughly the same luck between just about every LFS I have baught from and local hobbiests and I have never quarentined a fish ever.

---------- Post added at 04:31 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:30 PM ----------

I cant add anything about online fish orders. i have never ordered one.

[Tom Toro]

Thanks for the help, Chris x 2. I ended up going to Pet Connection in Livonia. I've had good luck there over the years so I took a chance. I bought 4 Purple Queen Anthias that looked excellent. There was a young guy with glasses that really knew a lot about fish and advised me on about 5 other potential bad decisions. Good guy.

[binford4000]

I agree that PC does have a good fish selection and they even date the tank of when the fished arrived. Ryan and Ken have great experience and answer questions well. I also like the Ypsilanti fish doctors. Have never had an issue with their fish either and they are willing to hold them for you to ensure the fish is healthy. I have even had Luke point out issues with a fish that the wife wanted and he refused to sell it. Either store you'll do fine with. Reef solution also seems to have healthy looking fish since Carl took over too. I have never bought on line fish so can't help you there,sorry

[schminksbro]

Thanks for the help, Chris x 2. I ended up going to Pet Connection in Livonia. I've had good luck there over the years so I took a chance. I bought 4 Purple Queen Anthias that looked excellent. There was a young guy with glasses that really knew a lot about fish and advised me on about 5 other potential bad decisions. Good guy.

There are a couple of species commonly sold as Purple Queen Anthias.(Scott Michael's 'Reef Fishes Vol. One) Unfortunately both have a very poor captive track record. Even anthias experts have great difficulty maintaining them in a tank for more than a few months. Bartletts Anthias are very similar but much easier to care for and have a much better captive track record. I wish you all the luck with the Purple Queens.

[Tom Toro]

That's what I get for making an impulse buy. I'll treat 'em with kid gloves and see if I can keep 'em alive. Thanks for the info.

[Sir Patrick]

There are a couple of species commonly sold as Purple Queen Anthias.(Scott Michael's 'Reef Fishes Vol. One) Unfortunately both have a very poor captive track record. Even anthias experts have great difficulty maintaining them in a tank for more than a few months. Bartletts Anthias are very similar but much easier to care for and have a much better captive track record. I wish you all the luck with the Purple Queens.

Any ideas why?

[Sir Patrick]

Couldnt have asked for better information Chris. Thanks!

I was thinking it was parasites or something that could be prevented with quarentine procedures, but never did any reserch behind it.

[schminksbro]

That's what I get for making an impulse buy. I'll treat 'em with kid gloves and see if I can keep 'em alive. Thanks for the info.

Keep them fed at least 5 times a day while keeping pristine water quality. Good luck!

Any ideas why?

What Chris said below.

I know that was to Andy, but I have looked into these fish in the past myself a little and decided to skip them because of their track record, back then I think the longest I had heard of was like 3-6 months! They are hard to get adjusted and hard to get to eat. Also, they are a deep water fish and do not take to reef lighting very well, require high flow (not overly hard to achieve in most reefs), high oxygen levels, and like most anthias are very active with a high metabolism and should be fed small feedings several times a day... which can make it difficult to maintain good water quality especially if you have multiple fish competing for that small amount of food each feeding it gets to be a bigger and bigger feeding to make sure they are fed Also, they tend to "weed out the weak" and pick each other off much like chromis.

Also, being planktivores smaller foods will probably be the best to get them to eat. Goodluck Tom!