Freshwater

128
Part II: Fish and How to Care for Them
Is the tank water clear or murky?
Do the tanks look like they have been properly vacuumed lately?
Is the front of the glass clean or does it still bare smudges and fingerprints
from the grade school class who visited the shop the week
before? Someone who won’t even take a couple minutes to clean the
front glass doesn’t care very much about presentation or the impression
the shop makes on its customers, and usually does not care about the
health of their fish, or their customers’ best interests either.
Are the shelves full of merchandise, neatly stocked, and organized, or is
everything just tossed together on one shelf?
The fish
A good quality retailer has good quality fish. No exceptions. If a dedicated
dealer is not happy with his suppliers, he quickly looks for another who can
provide high-quality fish. While you are browsing through a store, see
whether the dealer’s fish are swimming boldly (out away from the decorations)
in the open spaces of the aquarium, or hiding in the corners. Fish that
hide in corners usually have health problems after you bring them home. If
the fish in the shop look like they just swam through a waste dump, find
another pet store.
Here are some things to look for when examining fish:
Do the fish look generally healthy?
Are the fish’s fins erect?
Does the body display proper color?
Does the fish have a good shape, and is the body correctly formed for
the particular species?
Do all of the merchant’s fish appear to be in good health, or just a few?
Has the dealer shown honesty by turning the lights off or putting a sign
on sick tanks to indicate diseased fish — or is the store just selling fish
in bad condition?
The equipment
There are times when your equipment will wear out or fail, and you need to
replace it. Make sure that the dealers you choose have an adequate supply of
equipment and parts. Nothing is more frustrating than having to run from
store to store to find a simple piece of equipment such as a net, pump, or
filter. Make sure that your dealer has a wide selection on hand. If not, make
sure the shop can order needed supplies and get them in within a reasonable
amount of time.