lps

[lpiasente]

I went into a lps today and saw the most horrid thing the discus were soooo skinny I have never ever seen discus like it. Their eyes were literally bulging out of their heads. If they were dogs or cats the rspca would shut them down. I wanted to take them all home just to see if I could fix them but at $89 to $200 each!!!!!!! They are actually selling them and I wouldn't risk my beautiful fish. Some poor unknowing sucker may even buy these. I am going to send them a letter a nice one and maybe tell them about worming them and feeding them properly. Do you think I am waisting my time? I thought about these poor starving fish all night. :(

[Hollowman]

Leanne,

It is a terrible thing to see for sure, but in all honesty there is nothing you can do. By all means write to them, but it wont make a bit of difference because there are still people out there who will buy these fish, not knowing anything about them.
WE know what it takes to look after these beautiful fish, but they have to cater for all sorts of different species, probably all on the same system without even knowing about qt. It is a shame, and only a very small handful of lfs's know and care enough to educate themselves about how to look after the fish they stock. I know of one myself.

Whatever you do, do not feel tempted to buy these fish. Why risk the beautiful fish you already have, it is a recipe for disaster. All you can do is make people aware and with sites like this one, educate people in what discus should be like when looked after properly.

Steve

[Barry N]

The best thing you can do is make your feelings known (if this is what you want to do) BUT don't give the shop your business for anything.

Too often LFS stock discus unwormed, unfed and with awful water conditions. IE so skinny it's animal cruelty. Could a pet shop sell dogs in this condition?

[Hollowman]

Could a pet shop sell dogs in this condition?
yes, all too often

[swampy1972]

[quote="Barry N"]The best thing you can do is make your feelings known (if this is what you want to do)

I saw the same thing today at shop called "Lots of Bubbles" near Wollongong. They had a vey large breeding pair of Blue Turqs bought in 2 weeks ago in beautiful condition. Today the female was jet black, suffering extensive fin rot, was extremely thin and was hiding in a corner. :(
I voiced my concerns for this fish (and several others) to the staff and was told "discus go black when they're ready to breed". They obviously have no idea!
I even offered them 1/2 of their asking price for the pair just to try and save what was once a very beatiful fish. They obviously refused.
I wonder what the RSPCA would say about this sort of treatment of fish?

[Old Dave]

Swampy,

Dropped in and checked out the fish in the above post.
No sign or price on the tank with the black & blue "pair"

She (cleaning air tube) really is a long way from good health but not beyond help.
Illusn & Hollowman would say 100% wc 2x day... with salt!!

I'm waiting for the lfs at Kiama to start carrying a few discus.
Check it out sometime when the Kiama markets are on. :wink:

Old Dave

[rburrowes]

To be honest, thats how I originally got into Discus.

I felt sorry for 3 skinny and malnurished Blue Diamonds, bargined the LFS down to what I thought at that time was a resonable price at the time.

I fed them, wormed them and cared for them, 1 lost one of them but the other 2 are really happy, of course they are a bit stunted. But I have never looked back.

These fish were the start to my Discus obsession :)

[tha_krust]

dont waste your time, the lfs is there to make money and get the fish out of their shop...you will also find most lfs (well the ones here) keep there temps too low, overcrowd, have too many tanks running through 1 sump\filter spend way too much time on their african cichlids and there discus look like S$#%..and generally dont "care"(as in not as passionate about the hobby as you) for the fish..

half the discus in perth lfs should be humanly put to sleep due to stunting from lack of care

[swampy1972]

I agree Dave. I saw the fish when they arrived so I'm sure sh could be brought back. I just don't have the $300 they're asking to take the gamble.

Real shame!!

[Old Dave]

Swampy,

if you paid $150 for them they would still be making a reasonable profit. :evil:
Even the severums in the display tank aren't what they used to be.
If the previous owner has more to sell he should sell them through here :thumb :thumb

I agree with tha_krust that the temps are not what we would keep discus in.
From memory they are the only occupants in a 2' tank with u/g filtration. pH unknown. I think it is simply a water issue.

If I see sick, dying or dead fish in a lfs I am always very wary, but there are stores out there who really do care for their stock.

Careful selection & quarantine are still our best defences.

jmo,
Dave