http://forum.aqua-fish.net/ A forum devoted to aquarium fish, plants, techniques and fish keeping as a whole. en http://forum.aqua-fish.net/?topic=fish-need-rely-on-the-keeper#1 How many times have we gone to our local tropical fish supplier and seen people impulse buying fish because they look pretty,never researching whether they are compatible with the other tank inhabitants or if the water parameters are suitable. Every fish keeper should think before they buy. The retailers sadly let people buy willy nilly as fish with long lives mean less revenue in some cases,not all retailers have this attitude fortunately. Research your fish before you go in the shop as some staff can give bad advice if they are inexperienced. A lot of fish are now tank bred,this saves depleting the natural stocks but wild caught fish are still available.Shipping these fish ultimately means for every one sold many met their death being transported,this is very true when it comes to marine fish. Always check the tanks of the retailers for dead or ailing fish,if there are some present do not buy. Try to imitate the conditions each species would have in the wild,happy fish live longer. Never add fish to an uncycled tank,they will not do very well at all,often resulting in death. Patience is a top quality in fish keeping. Never overstock your tanks,would you like to live in a room with 50 people,the answer to that is no! Always check out the adult sizes of fish,they are normally sold as juveniles Never release fish into the wild,they will not survive if they are tropical. mickey 2008-06-02