Lies told in pet stores helping rookies.

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It does happen, fish die, but I often wondered what people's reactions are, when they see this in the store. If I see this, l tend to look for disease and avoid the tank all together, but that's what happens in most stores that are big, that's why I asked.

Xlem
 
Sounds like you guys arena pretty lucky. My big box stores are the worst. They have some nice saltwater stock and tanks, but don't even get me started on fresh. The worst thing about a big box store is when you go to get your water tested with those little strips that don't work anyway, and they say "Yep, your water's fine." Only had one employee ever tell me what I need to do to bring my nitrates down, this was in the very beginning when I had first set up my 10, and he wrote it all down on a slip of paper with directions. I still see him every now and then. Just my experience with big box stores, I usually don't go unless I need food, heaters etc.
 
I luckily have 3 small stores that specialize in three different parts of the hobby(fresh, salt, and huge arse setups)Lol. All three are great. Would never go to the box ones again, one sold me(three years ago when I had no clue) 10 bleeding heart tetra and a pleco for a 5.5g. Claimed the 'universal' rule was 2 fish per gallon. Another(when we were looking for a show betta) told me heaters/filters are bad for bettas.
 
Out of interest how big is a box store in the U.S.? Here they tend to be bigger for dry goods selection but the number of tanks is about the same.
 
I don't have any really Local fish stores, closest in nearly an hour but they only hire employees with a minimum of 20 tanks setup LOL. It does make for very knowledgeable staff though. The one time i was in their they had empty tanks stacked next to sale tanks and a loach jumped into one. I told one of the dudes he put it back and then i proceeded to get $12 in free goodies (what it was marked as).

Another one which i personally dont have experience with but my dad does. When i was very young this place was about 10min away from where we lived and had like everything, Saltwater, Freshwater, snakes, Frogs, Tortoises, Tarantulas, anacondas, rabbits, hamsters and even a small crocodile (not for sale). Back to the point my dad had some big 10-13 ft snakes and a 60 saltwater setup. Well the place didnt qt their stuff and he ended up getting a diseased rabbit which killed one of his snakes. 11 ft albino Burmese python i believe it was. He also got some live rock from their that had some kind of worms and killed almost 2 grand with of stuff he said. Sense then the place has been shut down multiple times for conditions puppy mills related stuff ect >.>.
 
The big box stores tend to have very large quantities, types and sizes like a warehouse of dog & cat foods and supplies, with numerous small animals for sale like Ferrets, mice, hamsters and bird varieties plus all their supplies. Cages, pens, beds toys.... you get the idea probably. Do you have "big box" stores in Australia?
 
It is hard for someone who gets hired as a person who knows about dogs to run over and catch fish for a customer. Or knows about snakes to help give advice about fish compatibility or water temps. Also the fish person to give accurate diet instruction for Lorikeets. Even though I understand and know of some book training that they do for the different departments within the store, it is hard to know so many things. So I have some empathy for the ones who care, of course no tolerance for those who don't. :/

I have had limited success rather than great advice with employees, even from really well regarded lfs.

I had a bacterial bloom (but before Aquarium Advice) sparkly milky water I couldn't see through and didn't know what it was and was told to clean my filter and keep cleaning it every week (new filter pad) and clean the water. After numerous different stores over several weeks finally found one guy who gave half accurate advice that it was a bacterial bloom and not to change the filter pad or water change for 21 days. :facepalm: So close...
 
1. Yes bettas are usually fine together
2. No copper based fertiliser won't kill you inverts
3. Go aright ahead- mess with your PH- chemicals are FINE!!!!
4. Those very expensive aquascaping plants will grow fine under you cheap generic low watt light

...Needless to say when I was starting out I killed alot of stuff ?
 
I was at a lfs yesterday and I was looking for some floating plants, and I noticed he had a marine set up for sale at 50℅ off. He told me you just add water and its good to go? And he said we sell the water here too for marine, I then said don't you have to cycle the tank first?? He said, no???? But he then tries to pressure me to buy the tank, I told him not at this time. I wasn't lying about not having any marine experience, but do you think he said something wrong???
Its not a bad store, a bit overpriced, his stock is good but I believe it was the owner that spoke to me , but I didn't like the info he gave me and I guess he was just doing his job of selling you stuff but he made me not wanting to buy there.[emoji50]

Clem
 
Clem,
If the tank was previously set up or came with cultured live rock it might not need to be cycled per say.
The live rock is cycled.
If it was all new and didn't come with cultured live rock he may have been fibbing a little....
 
coralbandit said:
Clem,
If the tank was previously set up or came with cultured live rock it might not need to be cycled per say.
The live rock is cycled.
If it was all new and didn't come with cultured live rock he may have been fibbing a little....
Click to expand...
It was a brand new set up CB.
The tank was acrylic , cube or nano style, with skimmer, light in the box ready to go. It was nice as he had one on display, with a clown and another fish ,not sure what that fish was? That's why I wasn't sure about the cycle process , being not being familiar with marine. It does catch my interest though. I didn't want to pick his brain too much, but I bought some floating plants off him anyways![emoji6]
It's my next venture down there road when I move, a marine set up!!!
Thanks for the tank advise for my breeding set up!

Clem.
 
Big box store..... told a friend of mine (11 at the time) that he could stock.. 2 Angels 1 silver dollar, 2 chinese alge eaters and 3 red claw crabs along with 5 guppy in a 15g.... needless to say guppies were killed withing 2 days...
 
gk2v said:
1. Yes bettas are usually fine together
2. No copper based fertiliser won't kill you inverts
3. Go aright ahead- mess with your PH- chemicals are FINE!!!!
4. Those very expensive aquascaping plants will grow fine under you cheap generic low watt light

...Needless to say when I was starting out I killed alot of stuff ��
Click to expand...

I have had this experience. It sucks.
 
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