I just re-learned a fish purchasing lesson over the past few days. This was my first outdoor water feature, my first outdoor fish, and my first two casualties. Lesson learned once again - Never Buy Fish Until You Spend Time Watching Them!! :)
A few "fishing" tips if you're searching for new pond fish, or any kind of "pet fish" for that matter...
Check the phone book - You want to buy your fish from someone that specializes in them. My error - watch out for "garden sell-it-all" centers... They sell fish as a minor portion of their business, not the major. You want somebody that "knows fish" .
Once you've found somewhere.. Visit Visit Visit! Make the time and effort. Visit on different days of the week, varying times, etc. Things to look for - dead fish in ANY of the tanks ... cloudy water, muddy filters, fish that behave oddly (sporatic movement, frequent trips to the top to get air)... watch the staff ... Are they testing water? Do they feed at a certain time of the day? What kind of filter system are they using? Do they offer to answer questions you may have, or just say "what can I sell you?" Search for a facility that offers Money Back Guarantee's! If they don't, no matter how sweet the owners seem, run, don't walk from the store... If they get a "bad batch of fish", which promptly croak once they reach your house, you want an aquarium owner that will refund for the damages ...
When you *finally* find the perfect aquarium store, keep an eye on the one tank of fish you're interested in ... For example, find the Koi ponds, and watch those Koi ... keep an eye on their water, how frequently they arrive at the store.... If when you are able to purchase fish, if you find the pond with dead Koi in it... convince yourself to *step away from the pretty fish tank* .. RUN, don't walk, out of the store, and wait patiently for a "healthy fish trip" to purchase.
I hope at least some of you find this lesson helpful ... I kept tropical fish as pets for many years, and became skilled at keeping a healthy tank. In my readings, I have always found that purchasing fish is the most serious, but most often overlooked. Be cautious! I know that pond fish aren't cheap, and those of you that have them value them as pets, just like your dogs and/or cats. I was lucky to have a great aquarium store in PA, and I miss being able to just wander through their store to see what new fish they had. Some of those fish made the amazing journey across the state of PA and lived the entire two years I was in grad school (even to their new owners that bought my tank+). I have not yet found a reputable aquarium keeper in my area, but it is not as important as I sold my aquarium "stash" when I moved to SC.
Again, I hope this was helpful.
-Jennifer
A little "fishing" lesson ..
