Stores With Callamanus Worms

[Jayba]

So as a Levamisole pimp I have figured out what stores are infested with Callamanus worms. I have simply been asking people where they got their fish from. Very distinct patterns arise. One store in Red Deer and another little store in Edmonton are the winners of the Parasite Pusher Award for 2012/2013.

They are a common parasite, and a bear to get rid of, especially in a store setup. They are VERY VERY easy to transfer from tank to tank, customer to customer. For the most part if a fish is showing worms, there are tons of eggs scattered throughout the tank, and the fish not infected, soon will be. They are transfered tank to tank with nets and moving fish.

I spoke to one store about it, and got a politically correct response. Fast forward a year......I picked up 4 fish from this store, and have been in quaranteen ever since, thank god, they have worms.......ticks me off. When I hear people say they are going to shop there I cringe! Get some Levamisole with your purchase!!!

Sure I understand the we should QT our fish bla bla bla. 90% of people don't have this ability, and frankly arent ever told to. John Q Public just wants a little fish to add to the already overcrowded tank....lol

My conscience says don't sell the fish till you get things under control, the businessman side of me sees the making a profit side of it, where is the realistic balance?

Your thoughts on it?

[Guppygirl]

Nasty, nasty little worms. I had some that wiped out a tank of guppies came with some platies a few years ago. This was before I knew that there was a treatment. Most stores I am guessing, don`t even realize that they have worms. Fish die and they think nothing of it. The average person probably would not notice them either unless you knew what to look for or noticed that your fish were getting skinny and had red worms out the butt.

I only thank the fish gods that I had separate items for each tank( net, siphon hose, and anything else that could cross contaminate other tanks.)It didn`t spread thou I do know that other people have had it go through all their tanks.

Fish stores are in it for the money, and with the number of fish that are shipped to them they could be infected right after they fixed the problem. It either ends with suppliers who should treat their fish and then ship them worm free or with us the ever weary fish buyers who have to quarintine and treat the possibly sick fish. It would be nice to also see some meds that are readily available. Not everyone has a friend or knows where to find someone with the meds that work.

[DustinWozniak]

I think that it should be a combination, attempt to rid the store of them and notify the customer he will need to quarantine their purchase. They should also offer discounted meds.....

[ckmullin]

They will never admit a 'problem' with their product as people will just walk down the metaphor block 2 the next LFS. Hence if they don't/won't tell they have no reason to offer discounted meds or to say their product needs major quarantine.

If they do admit, kudos for helping the industry.

[Jayba]

They will never admit a 'problem' with their product as people will just walk down the metaphor block 2 the next LFS. Hence if they don't/won't tell they have no reason to offer discounted meds or to say their product needs major quarantine.

If they do admit, kudos for helping the industry.

Unfortuntly this is how it works. I know if they handed me a fish and a bag of meds I'd go elsewhere, fact is that if they know the fish are ill. They aren't supposed to offer them for sale I thought....

[blink]

Although there shouldn't be any dispute on what a store should do, ultimately it comes down to ethics. IMO, if your fish/dogs/zebras/monkeys are sick you should not be selling them and you should pursue any available treatment as it becomes a health and welfare vs. animal cruelty thing.

[flyfisher]

This topic is taboo in LFS just mention it and watch the reaction some are honestly unaware a lot are.They should try to treat in store but this could prove difficult considering the variables involved the life cycle of this pest,central filtration,etc.I wish they would carry meds and some good advise for customers to treat themselves.

[425nm]

Whenever we end up with parasites at work, I QT the tanks as best I can. No idea what they do when I'm not there.

Thankfully I have yet to deal with callamanua. Or notice it at least...

[RandomHero]

My wife who knows nothing about fish had called me at work saying her favourite oranda was pooping a worm. When I asked the people at the store they laughed, and told me it was indigestion, but I knew there was something wrong. 2 days later he died (bloated, and not symmetrical). I think it was a fish from one of these infested places in Edmonton that spread it to my wifes favourite fish, but as soon as the thought of a parasite is brought into a store it's shut down.

[ckmullin]

My wife who knows nothing about fish had called me at work saying her favourite oranda was pooping a worm. When I asked the people at the store they laughed, and told me it was indigestion, but I knew there was something wrong. 2 days later he died (bloated, and not symmetrical). I think it was a fish from one of these infested places in Edmonton that spread it to my wifes favourite fish, but as soon as the thought of a parasite is brought into a store it's shut down.

1. make sure said LFS has that fish species

2. bring in the dead fish slap it down on the table (take out of bag) and say loudly I don't need fish with parasites...I want my money

3. see if they still laugh after you demand to talk to a mgr

one of the biggest things that gets my goat are retailers who treat customers like dumb little children

(disclaimer: no offence to any children)

[rompergoddess]

Ultimately, these lfs should take the shipment, put it in quarintine, and should be taking it up with their suppliers, and demanding their money back, and NOT using the offending supplier again. That would definately slow down the problem.

I, as a customer, am shopping in their establishment, paying top dollar and expecting to recieve healthy fish.

The question of free meds, or notifying potential customers is just ridiculous. The oweness needs to be on the store, to do the right thing, and deal with their suppliers to make sure that they are recieving healthy, parasite-free fish.

Edited February 8, 2013 by rompergoddess

[Jayba]

Ultimately, these lfs should take the shipment, put it in quarintine, and should be taking it up with their suppliers, and demanding their money back, and NOT using the offending supplier again. That would definately slow down the problem.

I, as a customer, am shopping in their establishment, paying top dollar and expecting to recieve healthy fish.

The question of free meds, or notifying potential customers is just ridiculous. The oweness needs to be on the store, to do the right thing, and deal with their suppliers to make sure that they are recieving healthy, parasite-free fish.

Part if the problem is that we (the consumer) may be paying top dollar, but the store isn't. They use suppliers that provide them with fish for the lowest price for increased profit margins. They could use better breeders etc. but who would pay $15 for a guppy. They gotta make a buck too.

They hope their sick fish get turned over fast enough that they die in your tanks and not the stores. Sure they offer a guarantee but it relies on the customer to find the receipt and provide a water sample. Too much work for a fish for most people.

[cainechow]

They hope their sick fish get turned over fast enough that they die in your tanks and not the stores. Sure they offer a guarantee but it relies on the customer to find the receipt and provide a water sample. Too much work for a fish for most people.

Then there are guys like me that will take the guarantee right to the limit. When I first started my tank I was at the LFS every 3 or 4 days until my 30 days were up... and my water was always perfect. There are definitely better LFSs and less good ones.

[cainechow]

To piggy back on this poll: How long do you QT?

[Cgy_Betta_Guy]

The reality is that money is the big factor. Dont imagine it is practical for a fish shop to have the room or $ for a second set of tanks strictly for QT, to have spent the extra $ on a set of tanks that are not tied into centralized filtration systems or that it spends the $ on meds at the proper dosages for the volumes of water at the shop to treat all new fish in a shipment. Even if they did treat a shipment, how are they to guarantee that they have completely wiped the illness or parasite out? I am sure many have seen instances where fish look great but as soon as they are stressed from being put into a bag and sloshed around, ich or whatever pops up.

Yes they could tell everyone that they have sick fish but that is essentially putting the stigma upon themselves and announcing "Our fish are always sick". Would you return to the store if they were constantly saying that their fish have this or that illness? It is unfortunate that they probably wont tell you that fish are sick in their store but I can see that being said at any time they get a new shipment in. And with the frequency of new shipments coming in, how would they maintain a 3-4 week QT from shipment to shipment? As with anything people tend to pass problems off to someone else so that they dont have to deal with it and its easier. A store guarantee is perfect example of this. Its essentially saying beyond 48 or 72 hours, the problem is yours not ours.

The customer is at the end of the chain and unfortunately suffers all the risk but the vast majority of those customers probably think of fish as cheap disposable pets. That being said, the serious nature of callamanus worms should probably warrant a warning to customers that are expressing interest at purchasing so they can make an informed choice.