# Fish on sale = a good thing?



## ohmyfish (Feb 20, 2010)

My cycled 12 gallon tank is doing well, with 3 zebra danios (bought 40 days ago) and 1 neon tetra. I bought 2 fancy guppies and that 1 neon tetra about four days ago. I acclimate fish slowly. On the second day, 1 guppy died and on the forth day the other died. Both were active, appeard fine, but slowed down just before death. They were on sale. *My question is...* Why are fish REALLY on sale?  There could be a variety of reasons but I've never gone further than speculation. What are some specific reasons your LFS has given for having a fish sale? Could the fancy guppies have been on sale because they were defective? *Another question is...* Should I avoid fish on sale altogether? Are most fish on sale defective? I bought that 1 neon tetra because I was afraid all tetras would drop dead. The neon is doing well so I'm getting him a bunch of friends to school with soon. As for guppies, I'm beginning to dislike them.


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## Darkblade48 (Jan 28, 2008)

Fish are usually on sale because the supplier wants to either move the fish, or use them to attract customers to their other (regularly priced) items. This is quite normal in business.

I would be more worried as to why your fish died in the first place; I assume you have cycled your aquarium?


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## AquariAM (Jan 28, 2010)

You can't keep neons in groups of less than 7. Even 7 is kind of small. Just get another five zebra danios, and make that your whole tank. They get very nice and shiny and irridescent. Good fish to have while you learn for a few months.


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## Darkblade48 (Jan 28, 2008)

Personally, I think Zebra Fish are to small for a 12 gallon, but...


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## Riceburner (Mar 14, 2008)

Darkblade48 said:


> Personally, I think Zebra Fish are to small for a 12 gallon, but...


How can a fish be too small for a tank size? A 100 neons would be great in my 90.....till the JDs and Oscar get to them....


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## ohmyfish (Feb 20, 2010)

Darkblade48 said:


> I assume you have cycled your aquarium?


Yes, it is definitely cycled. And I use Prime. 



AquariAM said:


> Just get another five zebra danios, and make that your whole tank. They get very nice and shiny and irridescent. Good fish to have while you learn for a few months.


I have been thinking of doing just that. Keep it simple for awhile. Just because I have room, doesn't mean I must buy fish.



Darkblade48 said:


> Personally, I think Zebra Fish are to small for a 12 gallon, but...


I definitely understand where you're coming from. They are quite exuberant and agile, like sharks. They do need a lot of room.


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## Darkblade48 (Jan 28, 2008)

Riceburner said:


> How can a fish be too small for a tank size? A 100 neons would be great in my 90.....till the JDs and Oscar get to them....


 It was late at night; I clearly meant the inverse (that Zebra Fish are too large and active for a 12 gallon tank).


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## dl88dl (Mar 8, 2010)

Darkblade48 said:


> It was late at night; I clearly meant the inverse (that Zebra Fish are too large and active for a 12 gallon tank).


LOL...that makes more sense

Btw, I usually like to buy fishy that are on sale...that way I can get more fishy


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## BettaBeats (Jan 14, 2010)

fish on sale are either A a good deal or B a good deal. I dont think shop keepers can say 'this tank is collapsing lets put them on deal!'
Zebras are high energy fish, perhaps the stress killed the guppies? 


and guppies? i know they are nice to look at but...


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## conix67 (Jul 27, 2008)

I've not had a good experience with fishes on sale from BAs. Once I bought 15 neon tetras that were on sale, like 2 for price of 1, and the tank had about 30 left. Some didn't look good, so was reluctant about their condition.

So, I asked the guy there to pick only healthy ones, after he's all done, I saw a few that didn't seem to move. When asked about it, I was told that species like to play dead when being netted, so they will be fine once I'm home. 

Well, upon arriving, those that were playing dead were really dead! So I counted about 7 alive after few days, and they are still with me. 

So I'd be cautious about some that are on sale..


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## AquaNeko (Jul 26, 2009)

conix67 said:


> I've not had a good experience with fishes on sale from BAs. Once I bought 15 neon tetras that were on sale, like 2 for price of 1, and the tank had about 30 left. Some didn't look good, so was reluctant about their condition.
> 
> So, I asked the guy there to pick only healthy ones, after he's all done, I saw a few that didn't seem to move. When asked about it, I was told that species like to play dead when being netted, so they will be fine once I'm home.
> 
> ...


Is there a good counter comment to that 'they like to play dead' comment? Is there some reference material from some creditable source that points out that neons don't just play dead?


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## dl88dl (Mar 8, 2010)

conix67 said:


> I've not had a good experience with fishes on sale from BAs. Once I bought 15 neon tetras that were on sale, like 2 for price of 1, and the tank had about 30 left. Some didn't look good, so was reluctant about their condition...


If the fishy don't look healthy...never buy it unless you have lots of money for fish medicine



conix67 said:


> So, I asked the guy there to pick only healthy ones, after he's all done, I saw a few that didn't seem to move. When asked about it, I was told that species like to play dead when being netted, so they will be fine once I'm home...


Never take the words from a lfs staffs...they normally don't know too much but try and ask for the fish manager they should know more



conix67 said:


> Well, upon arriving, those that were playing dead were really dead! So I counted about 7 alive after few days, and they are still with me...


Not too many fishy knows how to play dead LOL...ID sharks and Tri-color sharks sometimes will play dead after you put them in a bag but this only last for a short time 
Btw, I think Clown loaches are the only fishy that knows how to play dead



conix67 said:


> So I'd be cautious about some that are on sale..


I have to agree with you on this one...always be cautious when buy any new fishy


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## conix67 (Jul 27, 2008)

dl88dl said:


> If the fishy don't look healthy...never buy it unless you have lots of money for fish medicine


That's exactly what I asked the staff to pick only the healthy ones. There were plenty that looked healthy to me back then.



> Never take the words from a lfs staffs...they normally don't know too much but try and ask for the fish manager they should know more


I was new to the hobby back then, so I took their word for it.



> Not too many fishy knows how to play dead LOL...ID sharks and Tri-color sharks sometimes will play dead after you put them in a bag but this only last for a short time
> Btw, I think Clown loaches are the only fishy that knows how to play dead


Well, some marine fishes such as my blue tang know how to play dead. When it was new in my reef tank, whenever I had my hand in the tank, it would lie down flat on the side and stop moving.


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## Fish_Man (Apr 9, 2010)

I agree with the "fish on sale" its good that they have new fish on sale each week at BA's but the reason is always why?..... why are you on sale?? They have too many? Importing new ones? Who knows..... 

I've had bad experience with shrimps that were on sale.... almost all dead


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## trailblazer295 (Mar 7, 2010)

Could be a simple fact they have not moved all the fish yet and need the tank for fish that will be coming in.


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## ohmyfish (Feb 20, 2010)

conix67 said:


> I asked the guy there to pick only healthy ones...


Unfortunately, the fish that are easy to catch are usually the least healthy. Thats my assumption, anyway. The difficult fish to catch are the ones I ask for. But, yeah, when you're getting 15 neons, you cannot really ask the staff to net each fish individually because that would take awhile. 

When Pj's Pet Centre (at STC) has fish on sale, sometimes the tank has a red sign that also reads "Health Guaranteed" in fine print.



trailblazer295 said:


> Could be a simple fact they have not moved all the fish yet and need the tank for fish that will be coming in.


I definitely think that is the case most of the time. Also, I find that I spend more when fish are on sale. Usually, when I think I'm getting a great deal, I take advantage and buy more. A frequent sale usually keeps customers interested in just dropping by the store. As soon as the customer is in the store, they are more likely to buy something they wouldn't have.


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## trailblazer295 (Mar 7, 2010)

I definitely think that is the case most of the time. Also, I find that I spend more when fish are on sale. Usually, when I think I'm getting a great deal, I take advantage and buy more. A frequent sale usually keeps customers interested in just dropping by the store. As soon as the customer is in the store, they are more likely to buy something they wouldn't have.[/QUOTE]

That is true usually if a fish you are looking for (schooling fish) you might get a bigger school than you had planned.


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## Tropicana (Feb 15, 2009)

Whenever i go to big als and buy more then 8 fish I get the manager to lower the price by 50c each. Works most of the time and saved me 5$ recently... I also do it if they look a bit 'slow', or they are just way over priced.


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