Adrienne Posted July 9, 2008 Report Share Posted July 9, 2008 As the title says .... what do you think? The reason so many fish die soon after they are purchased is because plastic bags, when left floating in the tank as most of us do, release toxins when the water touches both sides of the bag. The toxins kill the fish. This is the story given to a friend when she went back to her lfs to say her fish had died within 24hrs of purchase. By the way the shop is not in Auckland. Comments welcome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supasi Posted July 9, 2008 Report Share Posted July 9, 2008 Just demand a refund as the fish were sold in toxic bags.And say that SPCA should know they are poisoning fish. Play them at their own game and hassle them with trivial problems :evil: :evil: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Afrikan Posted July 9, 2008 Report Share Posted July 9, 2008 What a load of hogs wash I would be going in there and demanding my money and threatening them with Campbell Live :lol: :lol: (jokes) however I would be asking for my money back or at least a replacement :-? Mind you, only if water parameters are fine and dandy can anyone ask for a replacement or refund, I take it her tank is good? 8) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firefish Posted July 9, 2008 Report Share Posted July 9, 2008 A shop told me not to float the bag, but I did it anyway not seeing what could go wrong. That was a few weeks ago and none of the fish have died. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanjury Posted July 9, 2008 Report Share Posted July 9, 2008 lol thats a goodie I always have and always will float bags, and have never had any imediate losses, if the bag did leach toxic stuff I would say it would be pretty instant and would also have some affect on other fish, I doubt they would make fish bags from something that leaches chemicals just doesn't make sense to me, sounds like a petshop telling porkies again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VinsonMassif Posted July 9, 2008 Report Share Posted July 9, 2008 I think the idea of a bag leaching toxins after such a short space of time is utter bollocks! If the fish are sold from the store then the bags are new. They are made to be safe for fish. IMO more likely reasons the fish die soon after purchase are either poorly acclimatized or the fish were sick or overly delicate to start with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TM Posted July 9, 2008 Report Share Posted July 9, 2008 Best one i have, and it is true.. A child with his mum took a dead fish into a sjop here in Chch. The owner, who now has moved on, told the child his fish had drowned He did replace the fish at no charge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RochelleMay Posted July 9, 2008 Report Share Posted July 9, 2008 I must say I have always kept plastic bags in to acclimatize fish completely. And what happens when Your posting a fish in plastic bags sometimes it can be for a couple days if postage is really slow, that means you couldnt do that as the plastic bags will leach and all fish being sent will die. I would tell them to stop talking absolute rubbish! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cichlid7 Posted July 9, 2008 Report Share Posted July 9, 2008 The owner, who now has moved on, told the child his fish had drowned :lol: :lol: how could you tell someone that their fish had drowned. the next thing the mother will see is her child catching all the fish and laying them on top of the tank. :roll: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanjury Posted July 9, 2008 Report Share Posted July 9, 2008 I think the shop owner was being a nice guy and helping out a poor child who had lost his beloved pet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TM Posted July 9, 2008 Report Share Posted July 9, 2008 :lol: :lol: how could you tell someone that their fish had drowned. And keep a straight face Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrienne Posted July 9, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 9, 2008 I have to keep a straight face a lot where I work (at a school). Its easy - you bite the insides of your cheeks!! :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cichlid7 Posted July 9, 2008 Report Share Posted July 9, 2008 And keep a straight face thats what i was meaning :lol: :lol: i think i could hold it for about 20 seconds then start laughing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David R Posted July 9, 2008 Report Share Posted July 9, 2008 LOL! Its only been happening for how many years now? You'd think if that was really the case they would have stopped it by now. I never float my fish, I just tip them into a bucket with a bit of tank water, then use a piece of air hose to slowly trickle tank water into the bucket to gradually acclimatise them. No way am I putting LFS water into one of my tanks!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cichlid7 Posted July 9, 2008 Report Share Posted July 9, 2008 I think the shop owner was being a nice guy and helping out a poor child who had lost his beloved pet yea but how Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Afrikan Posted July 9, 2008 Report Share Posted July 9, 2008 I float my bags... but no LFS tank water reaches my tanks I am afraid.... ya can open bag and add water from your tank etc blah blah, but I sure as hell would never tip the darn water and all into my tank :lol: That is asking for trouble Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimboNZ Posted July 9, 2008 Report Share Posted July 9, 2008 I've followed Wet Pets instructions and nothing bad has ever gone wrong *knocks wood* Put the bag in a bucket, open it up, fill the bag with your own tank water so that there is 1/2 old water 1/2 new water, leave 10 mins, into new home! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ant N Posted July 9, 2008 Report Share Posted July 9, 2008 Problem may have been pH shock, Africans kept in neutral , mixed species display tanks in LFS then taken home to high pH tank...bamm, just a thought? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrienne Posted July 9, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 9, 2008 This shop person was saying that plastic bags are only toxin free when theres water on the inside and that the moment water contacts both sides they leak toxins - utter cr-p in my opinion or we all would have fish dropping off each time we get them. However the shop keeper did offer a replacement fish which was politely declined. I don't think any of us would ever let other tanks water touch ours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Afrikan Posted July 9, 2008 Report Share Posted July 9, 2008 Yeah as far as I know or have been told the bags are purposely toxic free solely for the whole idea of fish in the first place :lol: I don't think any of us would ever let other tanks water touch ours It is amazing the amount of people do tho or have done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bedazzled Posted July 9, 2008 Report Share Posted July 9, 2008 I never add other water to my tank, I do float the bags though and I have never had a loss straight after purchase. I just float the bag for a while then add a bit of my tank water and float for longer then I catch the new addition with a net and put it in the tank. Even though I trust my LFS ya just never know what is in the water when they get stuff from so many different places. I was very surprised to see the woman at the LFS tip water from my tank in to theirs when I returned something though. I have visited another FS and had the person talk total crap to me though lol the tanks looked like crud too, won't be going back there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpidersWeb Posted July 9, 2008 Report Share Posted July 9, 2008 I dont float my bags for tropicals and here is why: a) The temp between the bag and the tank will be almost the same, if anything the tank will be only a couple of degrees warmer. Exception made for long trips. b) when the bag water warms up ammonia builds up in the bag, not pleasant for the fish, or the occupants whom tank is about to get dumped with dirty water. c) Fish in bag will be freaking out and causing more stress The exception being when its a very fragile fish, and pH changes are expected. In which case you're probably better off mixing the water 1/4, then 1/2, then release over a period of 10-15 minutes rather than dump. I have my tanks usually in the low 7s, which is very common, so haven't had this issue. Ideally you'd use a Q tank or net the fish from the bag and move them without taking the water with you. I don't always take my own advice, but its what I've found to be best from practice and reading. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VinsonMassif Posted July 9, 2008 Report Share Posted July 9, 2008 when the bag water warms up ammonia builds up in the bag, not pleasant for the fish, or the occupants whom tank is about to get dumped with dirty water. That is a good point IMO. Putting possibly contaminated water from the LFS into your tank is a bad idea. I like the idea of using a drip line and a bucket. Put the fish and water from the bag into a bucket next to the tank. Put a length of airline tubing into the tank and start the syphon into the bucket. 20L bucket takes about an hour to fill up. Slow acclimatization. Then net the fish and put them into the tank. Throw old water away. I have never lost any fish using this method. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpidersWeb Posted July 9, 2008 Report Share Posted July 9, 2008 That's the best idea I've heard! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
purplecatfish Posted July 10, 2008 Report Share Posted July 10, 2008 I think it shouldn't matter if you tip LFS water in, because any fish should be going into a quarantine tank for several weeks before going into their final tank. You can then make sure that pH and temp are close so that the transter from quarantine can be done by net. Always quarantine fish, and yes I've learnt this the hard way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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