New Shipment; All Sick; Who's at Fault?

[cchhcc]

One of the local fish stores near me just got a huge shipment of great cichlids in the other day. Most of the species are pretty rare (especially in a retail store), and all are desirable.

HOWEVER, every single fish in the new shipment is covered in ich and/or a slimy bacterial infection. I saw the fish around dinner time the day they arrived (they were unpacked in the morning and through the day). Some of the fish were positively half dead looking (though they're doing much better now), and most were definitely feeling the effects of the ich, etc. Thankfully, every tank was being treated with mediation......but they still had the fish for sale!

Here's my question: who do you blame for the sick fish? The supplier or the retailer?



There are two key CONFLICTING components of my inability to come to a satisfactory decision:

1. The retailer takes trade-in fish regularly (introducing them directly to the tanks) and clearly does NOT quarantine anything or disinfect tanks between shipments.
2. It's hard for me to believe that disease levels could be so high in a tank that a newly arrived fish would show visible signs within hours of introduction to the store's tanks.

So, again, who's to blame?

 

[haynchinook334]

Well, you only seen the fish on the retailer side of the house. It could have been at the suppliers side of the house, but who knows. So all in all, if the the supplier sent sick fish, I would say the supplier. But, if the fish came in sick, can happen in travel, and the retailer sells it like that, then its the retailers fault.

 

[cchhcc]

Well, you only seen the fish on the retailer side of the house. It could have been at the suppliers side of the house, but who knows. So all in all, if the the supplier sent sick fish, I would say the supplier. But, if the fish came in sick, can happen in travel, and the retailer sells it like that, then its the retailers fault.

Good points, expecially there at the end. I should have emphasized it more. The retailer is clearly at fault NOW for offering the fish for sale in the state they're in!

In contrast, my favorite lfs is disinfecting tanks every time you go into the shop. They sell through a shipment, take the tank offline, and bleach everything. When new fish come in, the quarantine them before offering them for sale. They charge more for sure, but it is well worth it!

 

[armac]

Sounds like a bad situation.

 

[bomber]

Well, you only seen the fish on the retailer side of the house. It could have been at the suppliers side of the house, but who knows. So all in all, if the the supplier sent sick fish, I would say the supplier. But, if the fish came in sick, can happen in travel, and the retailer sells it like that, then its the retailers fault.

I concur.

 

[dogofwar]

Ultimately it's the retailer's responsibility to provide a quality product to the customer.

What if it was fruit or meat? That the supplier sent rotten produce or maggot filled beef isn't an excuse to pass it off on the customer.

Of course, retailers remember which suppliers treat them right... but they're the one that "touches" the customer. Otherwise, we'd all just order wholesale...

Matt

 

[UTEP]

Both are at fault-supplier for selling fish that are sick and the owner for selling sick fish to the customer.

 

[jgentry]

Both sides have to be held accountable. The wholeseller needs to be held accountable by the LFS buying from them and the LFS needs to be held accountable buy it customers. When shipping large quantities of fish ick is often a problem and it is something that should almost be expected to happen from time to time. The stress on the fish are so high that outbreaks occurr. The store should not be selling sick fish though. If they get sick fish they should notify the wholeseller of there issues and get the fish healthy before selling.

What is the stores live fishcy? How long of a guarentee do they give?

 

[darth pike]

I saw the fish around dinner time the day they arrived (they were unpacked in the morning and through the day).

How long was "through" the day? When I worked in a LFS, the fish were unpacked and acclimating in a bucket and treated with meth blue within minutes of arrival, no matter how large the order was or where it came from (one wholesaler was in town, but it didn't matter if it was the one bagged 30 minutes prior to arrival or arrival via air from florida fish farms).

Sadly we didn't quarentine either, but any tank showing signs of any disease weren't for sale and treated immediately (unless something like lymph, where the tank was sterilized).

 

[Aquanero]

Ultimately it's the retailer's responsibility to provide a quality product to the customer.

What if it was fruit or meat? That the supplier sent rotten produce or maggot filled beef isn't an excuse to pass it off on the customer.
Matt

I have to agree with this. As a customer I deal with the retailer. If the fish comes in visably sick, the retailer doesn't sell it. The supplier is the retailers problem not mine. As a retailer it is there ultimite responsabilty to sell healthy live stock.