LFS: A Horror Story [Archive]

FarRock

10-01-2015, 08:54 AM

Hi y'all.

I have two LFS and none of them have discus. I spent a few day at my inlaws in CT and noticed there is an eBay seller who has many strains of discus in CT. I set up an appointment. I was excited since his prices were competitive and the pics on eBay were stunning. Dear god, the horror.

All of his discus were housed in three 30 gallon tanks. He has approximately 70 discus; 30 in one tank, 30 in another, and his largest discus all crammed in one tank. They could barely swim.

I've heard the term "stunted" around here but haven't seen really bad cases. Well, now I have. I would say his discus looked much more like footballs than frisbees. Nearly all of them had this huge bump above their mouths. 50% of them have ugly black spotting all around their front.

In the end, I found ONE discus in the entire store that looked worthy of a purchase. It has beautiful red coloring (might be a red leopard, not sure). Perhaps I'll post a pic later. It is about 3". I doubt it will reach the full 6+" but it certainly looks pretty.

I actually walked out of the place mortified. There were dead fish in multiple tanks. It was horrible. Even the birds in the store looked like they would rather be dead.

DISCUS STU

10-01-2015, 09:29 AM

I've found a few decent juvies in at a local lfs in the $15 tank and have taken the chances based on my experience, to raise them. These have worked out well but in no way does this place compare to what your're describing, which sounds like Discus Hell.

It would be good to see a picture and I hope you haven't spent much.

FarRock

10-01-2015, 09:40 AM

Didn't take pics of the place. The guy would have been really mad. It was awful. The fish I got has perfect color and near perfect shape. I would say it is 3.5" and very bright. Paid $20.

DISCUS STU

10-01-2015, 09:43 AM

Can you send a picture of the fish?

Debow

10-01-2015, 12:09 PM

Was the dealer located in New haven ? I went to a place called I think world wide pet and fish? I think. There were dozens of tanks with cloudy green water with discus. Guy had a large parrot that has seen better days just standing on the cash register crapping all over everything. Has to be one of the worst hole in the wall places and the shop keeper was a slob.

Lighthouse7

10-01-2015, 01:03 PM

U guys are cracking me up lol! - Lighthouse

FarRock

10-01-2015, 01:08 PM

rickztahone

10-01-2015, 01:15 PM

What I find more horrifying than the story is the fact that you walked out of there with something. I'd be scared to go back in to my house wearing the same clothing I wore at that place!

Lighthouse7

10-01-2015, 01:45 PM

I actually walked out of the place mortified. There were dead fish in multiple tanks. It was horrible. - i agree with Ricardo i would not have taken anything home from that place - Lighthouse

DISCUS STU

10-01-2015, 02:45 PM

I used to go to a place in Hackensack, NJ which was similar but the fish may have been slightly better. Vietnamese pot bellied pigs running around, saw a large python or boa slithering around the ceiling (Oh, that's where it went to!) etc.

Place smelled like ammonia, (nicer way of putting it). The owner was hilarious and it was a family establishment with the wife, the daughters, and the son involved. It had it's charm.

Debow

10-01-2015, 05:27 PM

Its places like this that make buying quality fish from good dealers worth the money. But when you stroll into them they give you quite the shock and quite a story.

FarRock

10-02-2015, 06:45 AM

90724

The red guy is the one. Sorry its a bad angle and he is moving but normally his fins are nicely curved. (The other two are juvies I have been growing out).

Phillydubs

10-02-2015, 10:43 AM

Interesting... I was going to second the motion that you even made a purchase...

They always say, people who give those places $ keep them going... If he knows he can dump some garbage off to a consumer he will keep selling... if people walk out and run for the hills, he makes no $ and his place goes bye bye as it should...

I know it is hard to walk away at times, especially in instances when you are eager to get something new and have the $ as it burns a hole in your pocket, but that $ would have been well better spent on a sponsor here who sells similar sized fish at a million times the quality...

I've walked away from possible purchases after trekking to a place in hopes of buying... One place I will not mention a name is one that has been highly spoken about here, not a sponsor, but a world of a different set up then where you were and I saw things I didn't like an bailed...

Just sayin... it is your $ you can do as you please...

Larry Bugg

10-02-2015, 11:59 AM

Should have walked away. You took a big chance taking one home............no matter how good you thought it looked and then no QT!!

rickztahone

10-02-2015, 06:10 PM

Should have walked away. You took a big chance taking one home............no matter how good you thought it looked and then no QT!!

I know I said it earlier, but I will say it again, that is a big risk OP took by taking one home. The only possible thing that would make me even consider doing something like this is possibly if I was looking at a 8" discus, perfectly round and healthy looking. That may be the only reason I would have walked out of a place like that with a discus, but I would have realized the risks involved. Doing that for a lesser discus is a risk that in all honesty, just isn't worth it.

I don't mean to pile on here, but if new members happen to see this thread before purchasing their own discus, maybe they will think twice about getting discus from a place that sounds similar to what you described OP. Maybe we can direct them to a sponsor and have them starting the hobby on a much more level ground.

FarRock

10-03-2015, 07:53 PM

Hi all,

Thanks for you comments. I am aware of the risks and the no QT. I do plan at some point in the future to give away my current fish and buy 6 from Ken. I'm just playing (learning) with the ropes for now.

seankelly

10-03-2015, 08:32 PM

I agree with the last guy,I would have walked out with nothing,there's a guy from Statin Island N.Y. That puts up so many Discus on Aquabid and has really great prices,but the few times iv contacted him wanting to come and buy fish directly from him there is always some excuse that he is moving or even more crazy things.I only live 30 minutes from where he is,I don't know anybody that have actually gotten fish from him,so I can't say anything negative about his Discus,but when you live close by and there is NO CHANCE of visiting the fish house I think its a warning sign to stay away

tonytheboss1

10-05-2015, 01:12 PM

:bandana: Your attempt to salvage & rescue one discus although commendable is probably not the best of choices. Just saying "NO" to these reprehensible establishments keeps them from profiting & eventually forces them to either change or go out of business. "T"

FarRock

10-06-2015, 09:34 PM

Why don't I listen to you guys?

All my fish died. http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?121404-Do-These-Symptoms-Sound-Familiar&p=1176766#post1176766

rickztahone

10-07-2015, 11:32 PM

Why don't I listen to you guys?

All my fish died. http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?121404-Do-These-Symptoms-Sound-Familiar&p=1176766#post1176766

I am sorry to hear, and no one here is going to say "told you so" because so many of us have gone through JUST THAT. We give the advice we give simply because we have been there and know what it is like losing a batch of discus because of improper QT practices or lack of good husbandry skills

Skip

10-08-2015, 08:48 AM

Why don't I listen to you guys?

All my fish died. http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?121404-Do-These-Symptoms-Sound-Familiar&p=1176766#post1176766

OH CRAP.. i just read the OTHER post first.. then saw this one.. DOH!!

we all make mistakes.. its whether we learn from them or not..

good luck