pets tores, mollies and thamine

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Posted by EdK on May 06, 2003 at 15:53:18:

In Reply to: pets tores, mollies and thamine posted by bloomindaedalus on May 06, 2003 at 11:44:24:

:"actually, Ed, in many cases the copper is used BEFORE the fish get to the pet store. The farms where the fish are raised use copper based chemicals to reduce parasite catastrophies in their ponds."

These are single shot treatments for a short period of time (which can then be repeated as necessary) and are removed either by precipitation and/or flushing the pond with fresh water. The fish in the stores that use stuff like some of the different fish savers usually do not limit the treatment time and the fish are kept continually in the copper until sold or they have died. (I have been in stores getting feeders to scent rodents and have had the employees tell me to discard the water due to copper.)

"The biggest problems with pet store feeders caused by the pet stores that i've seen are starvation (many places simply don't feed their feeder fish)and generally unclean conditions."

Many stores either minimally feed or do not feed all of the fish in stock depending upon the expected turnover rate as this keeps the water cleaner and reduces cost.
All fish are not fed for at least 48 hours prior to shipping and are usually not fed until (if they are lucky) the retailer or the end customer. As many fish originate in Singapore this can mean that the fish has not been fed for four to five days upon recipt while more locally produced fish such as goldfish may have been without food for at least 48 hours (Depending upon time at distributer-> wholsaler-> retailer-> you).
If concerns about starvation exist then the fish should be held for at least 48 hours and fed a good diet to replace lost fats and protiens.

":As far as go mollies, these are as good or bad as goldfish."

Actually as I led to undestand it they are nutritionally better than goldfish as they do not have the bad fat ratios. Also several types of mollies regularly range into marine conditions and will survive and reproduce there.

"I personally feed gambusia affins (a "mosquitofish")"

A livebearer and related to mollies although a different genus (same family) and about the same as the mollies nutritionally.

" and several killie fishies (which i have yet to have correctly identified) to all my fish eaters. You can often get both of these fish at bait stores or from farm fish wholesalers."

Sounds like Fundulus species.

Follow Ups:

pets tores, mollies and thamine bloomindaedalus 05/06/03 (4)
- pets tores, mollies and thamine EdK 05/06/03 (3)
  - goldfish are high in cholesterol EdK 05/08/03 (2)
    - dare i ask, "which kinds?" np bloomindaedalus 05/08/03 (1)
      - dare i ask, "which kinds?" np EdK 05/08/03 (0)