New Gourami Caretaker!!

**Goes to 11!** · 10-31-2012, 04:15 PM

Which is another reason to return the fish, Heaters are not optional for tropical fish.

Return it to the store and start researching what is required to keep fish before you bring any more home, Being here is a good start.

**MandyK** · 10-31-2012, 04:39 PM

1. I don't see how you cycled your tank with no test kit. You need an API Master set. Do not get strips, they are inaccurate and a waste of money.
2. As stated above, you HAVE to have a heater for tropical fish.
3. That tank is NOT big enough for any Gourami.

Return the fish, and do your research. Otherwise you are going to kill the fish.

**newbief** · 10-31-2012, 05:32 PM

By the way, I did ask a sales associate at Petsmart and they suggested this fish was good for this size of tank and I showed them the tank I purchased which was from them. The guy suggested that this fish was good. However, he never once suggested a heater which I know now was the problem. I did return the fish today too. Thank for your help.

**Angelfish11788** · 10-31-2012, 10:16 PM

do listen to anything from the petsmart people, they sell stuff, mine sales pacus and say 40 gallon is max,, i have seen pacus big as truck tires

**Goes to 11!** · 10-31-2012, 10:40 PM

The Petstore [LFS] people are trained to stock shelves and net fish, They are not there to do your research, That's your job.

If you are an informed customer you will not be talked into putting a gourami in a 5g tank - Or anything else inappropriate and everybody is better off.

EDIT: Angelfish obviously does not preview her posts [Might start though :-P] - I am confident she meant "do notT" in the comment below.

do listen to anything from the petsmart people,

**MandyK** · 10-31-2012, 11:14 PM

Props to you for doing the right thing! Some people would be hard headed about it and just let the fish die, so I respect you for your decision. :)

Now you can get everything started out right, and have a great tank.

**butterbean** · 10-31-2012, 11:22 PM

You and your fish have had a very bad start and it hurts I know my experience a few years ago was not the same but I made so many stupid mistakes that I can guess how you feel. It is common to see fish want them and not really know how much is involved in actually having an aquarium. Don't give up just start reading and learn about how set up and care for an aquarium and about the fish themselves. I promise it will be worth it fish are not only beautiful but fascinating.

**Angelfish11788** · 10-31-2012, 11:34 PM

Originally Posted by 850R

The Petstore [LFS] people are trained to stock shelves and net fish, They are not there to do your research, That's your job.

If you are an informed customer you will not be talked into putting a gourami in a 5g tank - Or anything else inappropriate and everybody is better off.

EDIT: Angelfish obviously does not preview her posts [Might start though :-P] - I am confident she meant "do notT" in the comment below.

do

Angelfish does 90% of time preview HIS posts, but when typeing on the small ipod, welp i should just give up doing it on it, i always make mistakes and the auto-check sometimes gives horrid results. d$$$ my gf gave me heck for calling myself Angelfish, saying it is a girly name.. welp 850R point proved my friend

**newbief** · 10-31-2012, 11:50 PM

Originally Posted by 850R

The Petstore [LFS] people are trained to stock shelves and net fish, They are not there to do your research, That's your job.

If you are an informed customer you will not be talked into putting a gourami in a 5g tank - Or anything else inappropriate and everybody is better off.

EDIT: Angelfish obviously does not preview her posts [Might start though :-P] - I am confident she meant "do notT" in the comment below.

Ummmmm....850R calm down!!!I am aware that I should do some research, and I did. A little help from the outside world should be fine too.

And I disagree with your statement. If a person works in Petsmart they should be able to inform customers correctly and if they don't know the information they should say "they don't know".

850R please be nice, you sound a little rude to me.

**Goes to 11!** · 11-01-2012, 12:19 AM

Oops Angelfish! Sorry, My bad

I usually do notice the gender thing, Really. Just making sure you sent the message you intended. :-D

Ummmmm....850R calm down!!!I am aware that I should do some research, and I did. A little help from the outside world should be fine too.

And I disagree with your statement. If a person works in Petsmart they should be able to inform customers correctly and if they don't know the information they should say "they don't know".

850R please be nice, you sound a little rude to me.

I am perfectly calm. You can tell because I don't post with multiple exclamation marks, You should try it sometime.

IMO "I don't know" would be a perfectly acceptable answer but many of them don't even know how little they know. Again, not knocking them just pointing out to you that 'fish care info' is not a large part of their training and if you go in there expecting expertise you should not be surprised when you are let down.

Disagree all you want but what 'should' happen at LFS has no bearing on the reality of the experience and the fact is that the more you know going in the less likely you are to make a bad decision based on some other persons ignorance.

BTW - Do you also expect the cashier at the grocery store to know all the nutritional values [Fat, Carbs, Cholesterol], Serving sizes and suggestions, Gluten, Caffeine, Sugar, MSG, and Fiber content of the food they carry?

In the end: If you rely on the clerks for info you didn't bother to research, It's you [And your fish] that pay the consequences. not them.

Facts are not rude or nice, They are simply facts,