LFS & Bad Advice

[Greyland]

Hi everyone, just a quick post - I really need to check that I'm not going crazy here.

Long story short - I'm new to fish keeping, was given bad advice, and my first tank is way over stocked. Due to being unable to afford a tank upgrade in the near future I have decided to return some of my fish to the LFS (Box Store) I got them from.

Tank is 130 litres (34.4 gallons) and I was sold 5x fancy goldfish to go in it.

The LFS got quite huffy with me stating they were 'very confused' why I wanted to return them because my tank was plenty big enough. I explained what I had learned about fancy goldfish stocking (loosely 20g for the first goldfish, 10 per additional) and they said that had 'never heard of that' and that their 'fish stockists' don't agree.

I managed to convince them to take the fish back, but I'm left scratching my head. Is everyone's experience with LFS this bad?

 

[Ashenwelt]

Nope. Some are good and some are bad. Find a good one. However... I will say goldfish are probably the least understood common pet fish. Most people remember getting one at a fair, it lives x number of weeks or months and dies. It never got that big! Yeah because it was inadvertently left to die in its own waste usually.

But in general, try and educate and find a good LFS. And know that will not be perfect.

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[Greyland]

Thank you so much for your reply! It's a bit overwhelming being new to fish keeping - learning so much, then being told otherwise by the LFS! You've put my mind to ease

 

[Ashenwelt]

Good! And try and stay in the hobby... Much better than coming back after a decade... Trust me. Lol

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[Greyland]

Just took the other 3 fish back and she was very rude verbally. Lesson learned; don't trust pet store employees to be knowledgeable.

 

[Barliman]

Just took the other 3 fish back and she was very rude verbally. Lesson learned; don't trust pet store employees to be knowledgeable.

Yeah, and don't ever shop there again.

 

[mambee]

Most people don't realize that goldfish get very big and can live 20 years if they are cared for correctly.

 

[Toad]

Honestly, as a person in retail and in the hobby, lodge a complaint. Explain that you were mis-informed about the care of pets that you purchased and had to return them, and that you expect more up to date information on pet care from a store that specializes in that. Also that the employee was rude, because regardless, they shouldn't have been rude and that you plan on takinh your business elsewhere.

Sad to say, but this is the only way to force these places to change their practice I've worked at a big chain and yeah, their 'training and recommendations' are sad.

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[Andy Sager]

Honestly, as a person in retail and in the hobby, lodge a complaint. Explain that you were mis-informed about the care of pets that you purchased and had to return them, and that you expect more up to date information on pet care from a store that specializes in that. Also that the employee was rude, because regardless, they shouldn't have been rude and that you plan on takinh your business elsewhere.

Sad to say, but this is the only way to force these places to change their practice I've worked at a big chain and yeah, their 'training and recommendations' are sad.

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Have to agree here. After spending over 40 years in the pet "Business", I know that the only way to get things changed is to complain to the right person. Either a manager or the owner should be addressed and not the employee. The language YOU use should not be hostile or adversarial but informative to the lack of help and/or proper information that the employee gave you. By siting where you got your information that differs from the employee's info would be helpful as well. The internet, while informative, is full of misinformation so you might want to check out some books at the store or even the library to back up YOUR claim of being misinformed ( which you were, btw ) would also be helpful.
Just remember, "You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar" and when it comes to pet shops, this is more true and most likely to get a better response.
Good luck and keep us posted.

 

[Greyland]

Thank you all so much for your in put! Hopefully now I will actually be able to get my tank to cycle! Unfortunately I only learned about cycling AFTER being sold my tank with fish! In the coming weeks I may post again with my water readings etc. if I have no luck!

 

[enrgizerbunny]

It's certainly not the same everywhere. My local petco is the closest store to me and they've been spot on. Although I'm well known by the employees because my dog helps out with testing for their trainer, but the employees who work in aquatics are very knowledgeable and I would imagine they encourage correct fish/tank selection. They carry lots of fish that are appropriate for 10g tanks, which had got to be the most common among kids. I've seen them warn about compatibility issues before, so I'd expect they recommend decent stocking if they know the tank/filter size.

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[Barliman]

It's certainly not the same everywhere.

Yep. I have two Petcos equidistant from me. There is a noticeable difference between the two in terms of fish and plant selection, and employee knowledge.

 

[Andy Sager]

Sadly, box stores are going to differ as to their training of employees and knowledge of their stock but that is really not any different than privately owned stores as well. Both can have good ones and bad ones. You just need to find one that is close enough to make going there worthwhile and has a good reputation for knowledge. I have been known to travel over 3 hours to go to a good pet shop and I have had customers that have traveled much further than that to come to my shop. ( I even had 2 from out of the country that only came to my shop.) So to the OP, I suggest you do some investigating of the stores in your area or travelability and in the future, support those stores that can help more than hurt.