Picking Out a Healthy Fish from the Pet Store

Before you pick out a fish to bring home from the pet store you should always do a visual assessment of both your prospective purchase and it's surrounding environment - the condition of its tank mates are very important. Here are some of the top things that typically indicate an unhealthy fish.

1. White spots. 
2. Dead fish. 
3. Ragged fins.
4. Pale or inflamed gills.
5. Stringy poop. 
6. A sunken in stomach.

If the fish you are looking at is exhibiting any of the above signs, don't buy it. Just walk away and keep looking for a fish at a different pet store - or at least wait until the one you are at has had a chance to get things under control. There will always be another pretty fish, and it's not worth bringing a sick one home to infect the rest of your investment. 

On a final note, you should always quarantine new fish - regardless of where you purchased them, or their seemingly good health. It can take weeks for some parasites and illnesses to present themselves, and it's much easier to treat one fish in a smaller Q tank than your entire fish tank set up.