LFS and Aiptasia

[Toronto_Guy]

I went to different Big Al's location in the Toronto area today (on Dundas Rd in Mississauga, for those familiar with the area). I was initially pleased to see a large coral selection (as compared to other locations I have been to). Typically, I am lucky to find one or two corals that appeal to me when I go the Big Al's locations that I frequent. Today, I would have had a hard time choosing which to buy.

When I looked closer, there were dozens of Aiptasia in their four coral tanks. I saw several full grown ones, and when I looked closely at the egg crate they were using at the bottom of their tanks I could see many tiny Aiptasia migrating to different corals along the egg crate.

I didn't buy anything. In fact, I only went there to get some shells for my hermits. They offered me some empty snail shells from their tanks for free, but I politely declined that after seeing the Aiptasia.

There were a couple of other issues too. Three of the fist in their reef DT had spots on them that looked like ich. There was also a large dead fish floating in their live rock curing tanks.

Since I am new to the hobby, my question is, am I correct in totally avoiding a store like this, or am I being too picky?

I guess my question is more along the lines of what should my general tolerance level for that sort of thing be when visiting a LFS?

[bama]

Im picky as hell.. I dont want anything bad in my tank.. I almost bought a firefish today, but I saw that one of their tangs in different tank, same system was getting ich, so I decided against it..

[irr0001]

If I see ich in any LFS's system..i will most likely never buy fish from them. It never disappears if there are always fish in there. Some say that it is always in your system..but I haven't seen it in mine after I treated it by going fishless for 6 weeks almost a year ago..so I don't want to risk it. You're not being too picky. And I have found out that if there are aiptasia in a tank that I get something out of..no matter how hard I look in the store..one will pop up when I get home.

[ibefishy]

I agree with the others. I will go in a nd look around but if there is anything I see that I dont like then I ususally wont buy anything. I went today to a lfs and was looking at a small frogspawn frag, when I was going to ask about it I noticed some flatworms on another coral and then really started looking and the tank was infested with flatworms. Needless to say I walked out empty handed.

[Toronto_Guy]

Thanks for the advice. My thought was that if they had let the Aiptasia problem get THAT bad (to the point that a novice to reef keeping spotted the problem) then there might be other overall issues with their livestock practices.

It was a shame too..... there were at least 3 corals that I really wanted to have. LOL

[irr0001]

You could still get them..aiptasia really isn't THAT big of a problem..it can be easily fixed (joes juice, lemon juice, peppermint shrimp, etc.)..You will just have to watch whatever you purchase and eradicate the aiptasia as they appear.

[the fisherman]

I will only say this you made a smart choice in not buying from them. I often see this at a store that I go to get dry goods.

[NUGIO]

if it has signs of ick, and as long as the fish is taking food at the lfs ill buy it and QT.and i always haggle over the price since it has ick,i usually get it for much cheaper