Ian M.
If you buy from here have meds ready.
Healthy tank got fish from here had a massive epistylis break out after adding them in. Should have quarantine lesson learned.
Response from The iFISH StoreApr 12, 2026
Hi Ian; We’re really sorry to hear about your experience, and we truly appreciate you sharing it. Epistylis can be frustrating to deal with, and you’re absolutely right that quarantining can be a good precaution when introducing new fish. Many of our customers have successfully acclimated their new fish from us without a quarantine after receiving their fish since we quarantine the fish prior to shipping on this end. In many cases, though, epistylis is actually secondary to underlying environmental or bacterial conditions. It tends to show up when there’s elevated organic waste, stress, or existing bacterial activity in the tank, which can sometimes be triggered when new fish are introduced and the system gets temporarily out of balance. Although our fish are quarantined and carefully observed before shipping, situations like this are never something we want for our customers. That said, the addition of new fish can create stress for both the newcomers and existing tank mates, which can sometimes bring out underlying issues that weren’t visible beforehand. We do wish we had heard from you right away when the fish arrived or at the first signs of trouble. We’re always happy to help troubleshoot things like water parameters, filtration, and treatment options in real time. Many times, with early intervention, these situations can be managed much more easily. If you’re open to it, we’d still be glad to help you get things back on track. Feel free to reach out to us anytime. We’re here to help.