LFS Red Devil vs Petsmart

[Adamson]

So lately I've been looking at getting another Red Devil, I had one a while back and really liked it. I was thinking about getting one from Rapps, then I thought it would be more efficient to get one locally as things are a little tight right now.
So I have a couple options. Obviously there is Petsmart, but at Petsmart you don't really know what you are getting. Odds are it will be a Midevil and certainly not true, probably an f9 fish of some sort.
My other option is an LFS that is a little over an hour away. He apparently has two true male Red Devils that are about 5" (pictured below).



The questions I have are:
Do you think the pictured Red Devils have a chance of darkening up? I know throughout their lives they tend to change color.
Secondly, what is your opinion of Petsmart Red Devils?

Thanks in advance!

 

[oscaroo]

i highly doubt the petsmart midevils look very diffrent. It's just the name everyboudy is worried about.

 

[Miguel]

That are as midevils as all others, which does not mean that they won' tur beautifull.

Thos will not get darkes. Evenaully orange or orange and wjphite.

I would take the 2 pictured.

 

[tiger15]

You have already answered your question. If you want pure breed, you have to get it from reputable dealer like Rapp. Long timer domestic breeds are typically mixed or line breed race that don't look like their wild cousins. I am not a scientist and don't care if it is pure or not pure as long as it is a pretty fish.

 

[Azedenkae]

I agree completely with tiger15 lol, if you want purebred get it from a reputable source, but pretty is pretty and I'm sure tiger15 thinks the same - I buy fish for what they are, not what a label says about them. Don't care if they're wild caught or inbred to the 19th generation, or rare or whatever. If they're pretty, or chalk full of personality, or has whatever trait that makes them seem desirable, then they're worth my attention. Even if they're rare or whatever, if they're unattractive to me then they're worthless, to me.

I think it's a good way to decide on things, so therefore imo midevil or red devil or midas or otherwise, if you like it then buy it. I personally won't because I don't how those look (the first looks better btw), but it's up to you.

That said, there are sometimes valid reasons why you'd want a specific fish that is definitely identified, as you want the end product of it, but in this case it wouldn't be of concern.

 

[tiger15]

Red Devel is the most manipulated CA and exhibit the most variation in color and body form. With introduction of parrots genes from the East, the bloodline is even more confused. The redest devel is not the pure breed wild type, but the various types of man made parrots. I never like deformed blood parrots, but do like the King Kong or Mammon parrots which have the most intense red and round body form, yet exhibit no obvious deformity.

 

[Belly up]

I avoid Petsmart at all costs. I tried to trade in some fry and was told they do not take fish from local breeders, ever. It did`nt matter that I had been buying from them of that the parents were bought there. They would`nt even just give me store credit. Because of that I never buy fish from them, regardless of what kind it is.

 

[Azedenkae]

I avoid Petsmart at all costs. I tried to trade in some fry and was told they do not take fish from local breeders, ever. It did`nt matter that I had been buying from them of that the parents were bought there. They would`nt even just give me store credit. Because of that I never buy fish from them, regardless of what kind it is.

I don't live in America so I don't really know, but it sounds like a reasonable policy to me. Many stores don't buy fish from local breeders to protect their own tanks from possible diseases that exist in the local breeder's tanks as many of them are just casual fish keepers that may happen to have fish breed for them, and the additional effort in having a quarantine tank just isn't worth it, hence the policy.

So even if you did buy fish from them and have fry from those fish, those fish were still born in your tanks. Not saying your tanks are chock full of diseases, but as they say - prevention is better than cures - so it would seem like that's what they're doing.

So yeah, sounds reasonable for them to have such a policy, but eh. Not living in America.

 

[mrrobxc]

I doubt it will darken once its lost its pigement. Someone who has experienced it may know better but it has never happened before for me and I've kept Devile/Midas on and off for a long time.

I think the white ones look nicest IMO. Unless you want to be breeding them to sell to other CA Specialist, I wouldn't bother on whether it is pure or not. But, if youre pretty OCD about fish, spend the extra money and order from the many specialist out there.

Personally, I like those two pics you posted.

 

[Adamson]

Thanks for the responses everyone.
I doubt that the fish at the LFS are "true" as the owner says. I think I will swing by Petsmart and see if there are any I like there, and if there isn't probably head down to this lfs.
One other thing I could do is buy a few from petsmart (they are only $6) and grow them out and see which one I like. Whereas the LFS isn't that expensive either ($20) but it would cost me about that in gas to get there and back.