Bettas and Gouramis

[Dan White]

Hi. My father went to the best LFS in the area and they sold him one of
those dwarf gouramis with the red sides (yes, I know this probably isn't the
scientific name :) ). They asked what other fish he had (55 gal tank) and
he said tetras and a betta. They said "perfect - a nice peaceful tank." So
he bought the gourami and now the betta's fins are totally shredded. I knew
gouramis weren't so peaceful so I don't understand why they told him they
would be. They have a strict policy on the return of fish. Do we have a
case here? I'd like to return the fish for store credit.

thanks,
dwhite

[Daniel Morrow]

Mid posted.


"Dan White" > wrote in message
...
> Hi. My father went to the best LFS in the area and they sold him one of
> those dwarf gouramis with the red sides (yes, I know this probably isn't
the
> scientific name :) ). They asked what other fish he had (55 gal tank)
and
> he said tetras and a betta. They said "perfect - a nice peaceful tank."
So
> he bought the gourami and now the betta's fins are totally shredded. I
knew
> gouramis weren't so peaceful so I don't understand why they told him they
> would be. They have a strict policy on the return of fish.

I have never heard of an lfs refusing to take fish unless they can't resell
it. If they tell you they won't take it back then at the very least try
another lfs. Good luck, ad I am sorry to hear about your betta getting it's
tail shredded. Later!

Do we have a
> case here? I'd like to return the fish for store credit.
>
> thanks,
> dwhite
>
>

[Dan White]

Daniel Morrow wrote:
>
> I have never heard of an lfs refusing to take fish unless they can't
> resell it. If they tell you they won't take it back then at the very
> least try another lfs.

Really? I would think they wouldn't take them back due to potential disease
from a home tank they don't know anything about. I think this is their
policy. They should have known better abour the betta though.
dwhite

[Elaine T]

Dan White wrote:
> Daniel Morrow wrote:
>
>>I have never heard of an lfs refusing to take fish unless they can't
>>resell it. If they tell you they won't take it back then at the very
>>least try another lfs.
>
>
> Really? I would think they wouldn't take them back due to potential disease
> from a home tank they don't know anything about. I think this is their
> policy. They should have known better abour the betta though.
> dwhite
>
Generally, fish that customers bring in to a fish store are healthier
than many of the shipments that arrive from fish farms. The fish are
also less stressed because they are acclimated to local water and
haven't been sloshing around in a box for as long as 24 hours.

--
Elaine T __
http://eethomp.com/fish.html <'__><
rec.aquaria.* FAQ http://faq.thekrib.com

[Daniel Morrow]

Mid posted.


"Dan White" > wrote in message
...
> Daniel Morrow wrote:
> >
> > I have never heard of an lfs refusing to take fish unless they can't
> > resell it. If they tell you they won't take it back then at the very
> > least try another lfs.
>
> Really? I would think they wouldn't take them back due to potential
disease
> from a home tank they don't know anything about. I think this is their
> policy.

I have taken fish to fish stores about 7 or 8 times so far (most of them
being extra fancy guppies I needed to find a place for to avoid
overpopulating my tanks because fancy guppies can breed like mad) and have
never been refused. In the "old" days the shop would require 2 weeks notice
but other than that I have pretty much just left them in the store and told
the manager/clerk before leaving. On second thought I was refused once, the
chain was pet country and they got a new store policy to never accept
incoming live stock unless it was from "official" channels (i.e. only if it
was shipped to that branch of the chain from their headquarters
(warehouses)). I guess the bottom line is look around and there is a very
high (extremely high) chance you will find a store that will take them (lfss
are more likely to take them than chain stores I think which is yet another
reason to avoid chain stores and go to lfss). Good luck, and later!

They should have known better abour the betta though.
> dwhite
>
>

[Tynk]

<<Hi. My father went to the best LFS in the area and they sold him one
of
those dwarf gouramis with the red sides (yes, I know this probably
isn't the
scientific name :) ). They asked what other fish he had (55 gal tank)
and
he said tetras and a betta. They said "perfect - a nice peaceful
tank." So
he bought the gourami and now the betta's fins are totally shredded. I
knew
gouramis weren't so peaceful so I don't understand why they told him
they
would be. They have a strict policy on the return of fish. Do we have
a
case here?>>

Pet Shops these days! GRRR!!!
If the shop person had any sense about the fish they were selling they
would have known that Gouramis and Bettas are both anabantoids. This
family of fish are a bit quarelsome and shouldn't be housed together.
Bettas and Gouramis are simply to closely related to be housed
peacefully, and yes...it's usually the Gourami doing the butt kicking,
not the Betta.

[Gill Passman]

Tynk wrote:
> <<Hi. My father went to the best LFS in the area and they sold him one
> of
> those dwarf gouramis with the red sides (yes, I know this probably
> isn't the
> scientific name :) ). They asked what other fish he had (55 gal tank)
> and
> he said tetras and a betta. They said "perfect - a nice peaceful
> tank." So
> he bought the gourami and now the betta's fins are totally shredded. I
> knew
> gouramis weren't so peaceful so I don't understand why they told him
> they
> would be. They have a strict policy on the return of fish. Do we have
> a
> case here?>>
>
> Pet Shops these days! GRRR!!!
> If the shop person had any sense about the fish they were selling they
> would have known that Gouramis and Bettas are both anabantoids. This
> family of fish are a bit quarelsome and shouldn't be housed together.
> Bettas and Gouramis are simply to closely related to be housed
> peacefully, and yes...it's usually the Gourami doing the butt kicking,
> not the Betta.
>
I did once keep a Betta without any shredding problems in a tank with 2
Pearl Gouramis but I believe these are one of the more peaceful of the
Gourami clan - I wouldn't do it again as the diet was incompatible and
yes also having researched and properly about mixing anabantoids. I
keep my current betta in his own tank and feed him according to his
needs and appetite rather than the less specialised diet of a community
tank -

Gill

[Dan White]

Thanks tynk and Gill. That gives me some ammo to go to the fish store with.

dwhite

[Tynk]

Dan White Sep 12, 8:00 pm show options

Newsgroups: rec.aquaria.freshwater.misc
From: "Dan White" > - Find messages by this
author
Date: Mon, 12 Sep 2005 21:00:46 -0400
Local: Mon, Sep 12 2005 8:00 pm
Subject: Re: Bettas and Gouramis
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Thanks tynk and Gill. That gives me some ammo to go to the fish store
with.


dwhite

Anytime!
It's always best to go "armed" with info before heading to the pet
shop. = )
Happy fishing.

[Beano]

Dan,

They should take the fish back, since they dealt you dodgy advice.
Just kick up a stink in the store. Anyway, if they were any kind of
fish store, they would have quarantine tanks...

[John D. Goulden]

> Hi. My father went to the best LFS in the area and they sold him one of
> those dwarf gouramis with the red sides (yes, I know this probably isn't
> the
> scientific name :) ). They asked what other fish he had (55 gal tank)
> and
> he said tetras and a betta. They said "perfect - a nice peaceful tank."
> So
> he bought the gourami and now the betta's fins are totally shredded. I
> knew
> gouramis weren't so peaceful so I don't understand why they told him they
> would be. They have a strict policy on the return of fish. Do we have a
> case here? I'd like to return the fish for store credit.

You got lousy advise. Gouramis and bettas are closely related. Male bettas
will fight anything that looks like another male betta, and gouramis are
notorious betta harassers. With their long, flowing plumage, male bettas
usually come out on the losing end of any fight with gouramis. I would
complain to the LFS management, and look for a better store. In the
meantime, you need to separate the two species, preferably in different
tanks.

--
John Goulden
mostly goldies, guppies, swordtails and bettas