Columnaris Flexibactor and Peaches Pets

The past few weeks, my mission in life has been to find out what is wrong with my stupid fish. I honestly did not think when we got fish that they would be so hard to raise. I mean, we had a goldfish for NINE years! We totally ignored it, rarely fed it, and it was just fine. How hard can tropical fish be? Everybody has them! My friend Karen assured me even dummies could raise tropical fish. Apparently, I'm too smart to raise fish? That must be the case!

I researched. I read books. I bought "aquariums for dummies" and read it cover to cover. I went to Petco. I asked questions. I posted on forums. I went back to Petco and asked more questions. There was no answers anywhere. Why are my fish dying and why the heck are my red finned shark's insides turning white and transluscent? Finally, someone told me like it was no big deal. It has Columnaris Felxibactor. Oh, well, duh, why didn't I think of that? I did more research which then warranted a trip back to Petco yet again for medication. I was greeted with a "never heard of it" and "we're out of sulfa. Go to Petsmart."

Now, I hate petsmart. This is the same store we bought our aquarium from, the same people who told us to go home, put water in it and dump the fish in. Nobody said anything about cycling the tank first. We lost several fish before I finally found out what the probem was. Duh. The girl working the fish department at Petsmart looked to be about 14. I overheard someone ask her a very basic question and she just stared with a blank look. I knew she'd be less than no help.

Then I remembered back to Tuesday night when the neighbors brought crickets for us to eat at mutual (fear factor night... you can read about it on my other blog), and I asked them where on earth one finds edible crickets, since I doubted they collected them out of their garage, and honestly, I've never thought where one would buy crickets before. "At Peaches" she told me. Peaches??? Holy crap! We do have a non-big box pet store!!! I'd forgotten all about it. It was at Peaches where we got our goldfish that lived nine years. How could I forget about them?

So it was off to Peaches with me. I asked the lady up front what to do, she sent me back to the office, ask for Gayle, she said. She's the owner. Gayle was more than happy to help me. So happy, in fact, she spent 20 minutes on the phone to a fish medication company to find out exactly what it is that I would need to cure my fish and how to do it. While I waited for her, I wandered back to check out the puppies, found the one I wanted (it's a major compromise with my dh... they are Doberman/Boxer/Heeler cross puppies. Gorgeous dogs!!! Now if I only actually "wanted" a dog. Dh thought they sounded too much like mutts to him, but he did consider it for about 12 seconds there before he knocked my senses back into me).

My red finned shark has now been medicated and for the first time in 3 days, it's actually swimming around the tank instead of hiding in the corner. And I owe it all to Gayle at Peaches Pets and her call to the fish medication company. Just for the record, if your fish gets Columnaris Flexibactor, you need Jungle labs "Fungus Eliminator" or Binox. From now on, she is getting all my pet business. Thanks Peaches!