My LFS...again

[jaysee]

Yesterday I went in to pick up some more tiger barbs to bump my pack up to 10. The owner came over to get the fish for me, so I asked for 2 males and 2 females. He said, "well, it's pretty much a roll of the dice, unless you know how to tell them apart." Soooooooooo, I walked him over to the tank of big TBs and showed him how to sex them. Was he just stroking my ego or did he really not know how to sex them??? They are VERY easy, even when small.

Also, I saw for the first time a tank full of dyed tetras...next to the tattooed mollies and dyed parrots. Considdering that he's never carried these fish before, I think times must be rough for him too and I attribute it to trying to stay in business. That's what I'm telling myself.

[Wiggs]

I don't know what I'm going to do, i know times are tough but that store seems to be only getting worse. Even worse, their return policy sucks.


Speaking of sexing, He gave me 4 male FMs when i asked for 2 and 2. It's REALLY not going too hot in my tank right now.

[korith]

One of the owners of a fish store I go to was telling me sometimes their supplier will add in some fish to their orders, if they have room in the shipping boxes. That might explain the dyed fish, then again it may be what you said. I've noticed one of the shops near me more willing to go out of his way to do special orders for smaller amounts. He was always a bit reluctant to do that before.

[Ashley]

I have a great little fish store by my work. They get everything from local breeders (plants included). I have never seen anything dyed or tattooed (thank goodness). They have some really awesome killi fish too, too bad they don't live longer than 6 months!

[Northernguy]

One of the owners of a fish store I go to was telling me sometimes their supplier will add in some fish to their orders, if they have room in the shipping boxes. That might explain the dyed fish, then again it may be what you said. I've noticed one of the shops near me more willing to go out of his way to do special orders for smaller amounts. He was always a bit reluctant to do that before.
Thats what they tell me up here too!:22:

[Jaster]

Maybe he just didn't want to chase a specific fish around... just grab the first four he can. He might have been hoping you didn't know. lol

I've seen an uprise in painted fish around here too. Even with a few of the small mom and pop places who would normally never carry them. I saw them at Petco and Petdepot too. Petsmart here says they will never carry them no matter what. (impressed me..lol)

Even my fish guy has a few. (Boy did he get an earfull) He said the same thing you did korith. They just appeared in his order. (I gave him a hard time about how thats what I would say too because I wouldn't admit to actually ordering them either... lol) But people have been asking for them too more and more. He doesn't want them or want to sell them... but... business... He does tell people about them and what they go through. He said a lot of people don't care because they are cheap and look cool.

[korith]

Even my fish guy has a few. (Boy did he get an earfull) He said the same thing you did korith. They just appeared in his order. (I gave him a hard time about how thats what I would say too because I wouldn't admit to actually ordering them either... lol) But people have been asking for them too more and more. He doesn't want them or want to sell them... but... business... He does tell people about them and what they go through. He said a lot of people don't care because they are cheap and look cool.

To his credit he didn't have them in any of the tanks in the store, just in the backroom where he quarantines them. He belongs in a few of the local fish clubs and would probably take too much flack from people in the store:hmm3grin2orange: Most of the oddball stuff that no one buys, ends up in his tanks at home.

[robflanker]

did you manage to negotiate lower prices?

[Ashley]

With dyed and tattooed fish, doesn't it eventually fade away? So what's the point? I mean why put an animal through something so stupid that doesn't even last. I could be a hypocrit because I recently purches a blood parrot (non-dyed), but it's still not a breed made by nature. I felt bad for it though in the petstore. The tank was jam packed with blood parrots, feather knife's and massive common plecos. The feather knife's were all over the blood parrots biting their sides and fins. The fish I chose didn't go after one fish at all, so I wanted to get him out of there. If I had a massive tank, I would have taken the plecos too.

[Northernguy]

There is a big difference between dyed ,tattooed and Hybrid fish!
Dyed are all one color,usually look like albinos or neon colors.
Tattooed have messages and look totally disgusting.
Hybrids are two or more species combined.

[Jaster]

did you manage to negotiate lower prices?

No not really... they are just really cheap around here. Anywhere from $2-10 depending on the fish. There is a place here that were selling inked parot fish for about $5.

I think that might be part of the issue. Some stores will sell them cheap just to get rid of them... Persdonally I think they should be more expensive. By a lot... might discourage people from wanting them so much. Who's going to buy a $100 molly?

As far as fading... I'm sure it will fade. Anybody that has a real tat will tell you if it's not done right or dead enough it will fade over time. I'm sure it's the same for fish. These fish aren't inked correctly in any way... Though I'm sure the fish will die before the color fades enough to notice.

[Marty]

Yesterday I went in to pick up some more tiger barbs to bump my pack up to 10. The owner came over to get the fish for me, so I asked for 2 males and 2 females. He said, "well, it's pretty much a roll of the dice, unless you know how to tell them apart." Soooooooooo, I walked him over to the tank of big TBs and showed him how to sex them. Was he just stroking my ego or did he really not know how to sex them??? They are VERY easy, even when small.
I am still trying to work out the sexes on our barbs :(
My understanding is the females are normally larger and plumper while the males are smaller but have red lips and tips of their fins... is that right?

I have a couple that look like they are full of eggs and not releasing, I wouldnt mind breeding them but unsure on the best way.

[Northernguy]

I bought some dyed black skirt tetras a year ago!I thought they were albinos!
They sure look like it but they are dyed.They have not changed color at all yet!They also seem to be every bit as healthy as the other fish in the tank.
I did buy these fish without knowing what they were but I do like them.I would not buy anymore and I would not have if I had known more about them first.
Here is a couple of pics of my dyed tetras.

[jaysee]

Marty - the male barbs have red noses, females do not. Their fins are a much brighter red and more completely red, where the females fins are a little red, but fade to clear. The other main difference is the tail fin - the tops and bottoms are bright red for males, while the females are faintly red and mostly clear.

[bushwhacker]

I bought some dyed black skirt tetras a year ago!I thought they were albinos!
They sure look like it but they are dyed.They have not changed color at all yet!They also seem to be every bit as healthy as the other fish in the tank.
I did buy these fish without knowing what they were but I do like them.I would not buy anymore and I would not have if I had known more about them first.
Here is a couple of pics of my dyed tetras.

when we set up the tetra tank, wife brought home 6 of em NG.. i didnt know it either till i did some reading on em. i explained how they do it and she swore never to get another

[jaysee]

Female
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male
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