AquaNation is BettaHub!

How to buy a fish from the pet shop...Buying a new fish from the Petshop; What you should know.


 Hey fish geeks! Hope you all are going good.

 

Almost all hobbyists pay great attention and pour a lot of efforts in setting up their tank and getting the right water parameters. We set the tank with the right equipments, Dechlorinate water, enable proper filtration and set the right temperature…But occasionally our new fish dies even when all the parameters were just right.

 

But sometimes it’s not you but it’s the wrong choice. Maybe the fish was already sick due to improper maintenance, or it was stressed, or maybe you have some aggressive species in your tank that is leading to stress in the new fish.

 

 

We are going to discuss all the factors you need to keep in mind while buying a new fish. And if you confused about why your new fishes are continuously dying even when the parameters are right then this article s surely going to help you.


So here I have laid out step by step procedure for the buying right fish.



Decide your fish.

Decide which fish species you wish to have in your aquarium. Unless you have are a dedicated aquarium hobbyist, your fish should be easy to care for, not too demanding, and less-aggressive.

Among 30,000 different ornamental fish available you can choose the fish species taking into consideration of your tank size, your tank setup, the aggressiveness of the species, and it’s general tank needs(average temperature, pH).

It also sometimes depends on which fish you already have with you, check if the new species go along with the fish you already have and if their general needs are same.



Find the right Pet store.

In the last 2 decades, the aquarium business has grown exponentially and this resulted in opening of numerous pet shops all around. But this lead to a drop in the quality of service. So choosing a hop that houses great variety and  healthy live stock is important.

 

So here's what to expect from a perfect shop.

-The shop premises should be clean.

- The tanks should have clear water. In case you find that in most of the tanks water is yellowish, or cloudy it indicates dirty and unhealthy water conditions. So the fish in the tanks will also be unhealthy and sick.

- Fishes in the tank should be continuously swimming, look healthy, active, have bright colors, , and without any physical injuries. If you notice 60-70% fishes not active or have dull colors it means that those are sick and not well cared.

-  The shopkeeper should be knowledgeable about the fishes he/she is selling. They should have basic knowledge like Names of the species, their compatibility, life span, feeding instructions.

 


Get the right price.

Pricing is one of the most important aspects and you wouldn't easily find websites talking about it. The price may differ but there should be some limits and margin. First, find out some websites or videos on Youtube that talk about the prices of various fish. Then try finding prices in your locality like ' goldfish price in India'. 

If wish to know the average price of some common fishes and their reason then CLICK HERE. (Video from our blog partner MATSAY MALIKA).





Choose your fish.

Once you are think you are in the right shop and fishes are healthy it’s time to select the fish.

It means choosing the most healthy and happy fishes amongst all. Try choosing the most active and bright-colored fish pair according to the points mentioned above.

Make sure the shopkeeper gives you the fish that you choose. 

After purchase.- Assimilation

So once you buy your fishes, don’t just toss them in the tank.

Bring them home as early as possible and handle the bag carefully to avoid stress. Fishes who had already been sick or stressed can die just because improper handling!

Once you reach home put the fish bag in your tank for 15-20 mins This helps them to get accustomed to the water temperature of your tank. Also, this helps them to slowly get introduced to the new environment. Remember to only put the fish and not the water in the bag. Because,  if there is any disease in the water from the shop, it is likely to get introduced in your tank.

Don't panic if you see new fish get somewhat less active or breathing heavily. This is just because of the transition of the tanks. Also, they will not eat for the first day. But continued lethargic behavior indicates sickness. 

So this was how to buy a perfect aquarium fish.

Hope you enjoyed it and this article helped you.




About the Author

Shahu Vijay Sardar is a teenage Aquarium hobbyist from India. Considered as one of the youngest aquarium hobbyists, Shahu started fishkeeping at age of 6 and started AquaNation so as to educate people about the aquarium hobby. He has been featured …

1 comment

  1. Excellent dear😊👍🏻👍🏻
Please tell us your suggestions or any new topic request. Remember to be kind and courteous,
Cookie Consent
We serve cookies on this site to analyze traffic, remember your preferences, and optimize your experience.
Oops!
It seems there is something wrong with your internet connection. Please connect to the internet and start browsing again.
Site is Blocked
Sorry! This site is not available in your country.