Favorite LFS "CUSTOMER" STORIES ...

[Dark Jester]

This one kills me these days. I will agree with this statement when we are referring to wild caught rift lake African cichlids and wild caught Amazonian cichlids where there is a drastic difference in the water chemistry that they are used to. But considering that most cichlids of African and Central/South American descent are now raised in the same massive fish farms, using the same exact water chemistry, and be are being kept in the same LFS with the same tap water and they all look healthy and happy, why can't they live together due to water parameters? I've seen dozens of aquariums with African and American cichlids housed successfully together.

I can think of much better reasons to keep these cichlids seperate, such as diet in the case of keeping African Mbunas with SA/CA piscivores. But I think the water parameter argument is not valid anymore except in extreme cases such as with wild fish.

^ I have to agree with this - though there is always the expception. Many world renown discus keepers keep and breed their discus in 7.2 tap water.

Well said, and great point about them all being in the exact same water in the LFS (in the big box ones anyway). Makes a lot of sense. I'll have to keep that in mind when planning future tank stocking.

 

[Sab_Fan]

Well said, and great point about them all being in the exact same water in the LFS (in the big box ones anyway). Makes a lot of sense. I'll have to keep that in mind when planning future tank stocking.

I wonder how valid this argument really is ... basically, what is being said is that thousand of years of evolutionary development are countered because the fish have been raised in the same water for the last, what, 10-20 years? or less?

I'm sure there is some truth to it, but it still seems a bit simplistic ... I don't doubt that African rift cichlids would still do better in water that resembles their natural state, and the same for Amazonian cichlids ...

and I would note that my LFS keeps African cichlids and CA/SA cichlids in completely different water ...

but sure, farm-raised fish should be more adaptable than wild-caught, no doubt ...

 

[Darth Scohin]

I wonder how valid this argument really is ... basically, what is being said is that thousand of years of evolutionary development are countered because the fish have been raised in the same water for the last, what, 10-20 years? or less?

I'm sure there is some truth to it, but it still seems a bit simplistic ... I don't doubt that African rift cichlids would still do better in water that resembles their natural state, and the same for Amazonian cichlids ...

and I would note that my LFS keeps African cichlids and CA/SA cichlids in completely different water ...

but sure, farm-raised fish should be more adaptable than wild-caught, no doubt ...

According to some German Rams eggs can't be fertilized in Hard Water high pH conditions

 

[TamponVampireTBag]

I wonder how valid this argument really is ... basically, what is being said is that thousand of years of evolutionary development are countered because the fish have been raised in the same water for the last, what, 10-20 years? or less?

I'm sure there is some truth to it, but it still seems a bit simplistic ... I don't doubt that African rift cichlids would still do better in water that resembles their natural state, and the same for Amazonian cichlids ...

and I would note that my LFS keeps African cichlids and CA/SA cichlids in completely different water ...

but sure, farm-raised fish should be more adaptable than wild-caught, no doubt ...

I doubt one could prove better either way, so its really a moot point.

 

[maxxxx]

I wonder how valid this argument really is ... basically, what is being said is that thousand of years of evolutionary development are countered because the fish have been raised in the same water for the last, what, 10-20 years? or less?

I'm sure there is some truth to it, but it still seems a bit simplistic ... I don't doubt that African rift cichlids would still do better in water that resembles their natural state, and the same for Amazonian cichlids ...

and I would note that my LFS keeps African cichlids and CA/SA cichlids in completely different water ...

but sure, farm-raised fish should be more adaptable than wild-caught, no doubt ...

I think you hit the nail on the head when you referred to the claim, as it was put forth, as simplistic. There is a long history of Selective breading and other manipulation of ornamental fish stock that support the argument. However I think we would need an entire thread or a few courses in Ichthyology before we could be at the point where we could talk about this specific example.

http://nsgd.gso.uri.edu/hawau/hawauw93001/hawauw93001chap6.pdf
http://ressources.ciheam.org/om/pdf/c34/98606207.pdf
http://freshwateraquariumpro.org/the-history-of-fish-breeding/
http://www.ornamental-fish-int.org/files/Man-made.pdf

....the above is a sampling; a few on point, some some not so much, etc., but it is indicia that there is a huge body of research on this stuff and a lot of us in the hobby are having the same discussion.

my 1 1/2 cents

 

[NCStateFisher]

okay... enough about cichlids and back to the LFS stories? lol - got a petsmart interview in less than an hour we'll see how it goes

 

[Dark Jester]

okay... enough about cichlids and back to the LFS stories? lol - got a petsmart interview in less than an hour we'll see how it goes

Good luck.

 

[Sab_Fan]

okay... enough about cichlids and back to the LFS stories? lol - got a petsmart interview in less than an hour we'll see how it goes

agreed ... I saw a serious de-rail coming up ...

but one of the things I wanted to point out is that my LFS does separate African cichlids from New World cichlids ... totally different sections, totally different water ...

so there was an LFS-story buried in there

 

[maxxxx]

agreed ... I saw a serious de-rail coming up ...)

Good point, sorry to wander off on the tangent.

Fingers crossed for you on the Job prospect

 

[_Jessica_]

Some guy wanted me to try and find a leopard shark the other day...............for his 90g.

Cough.