OMG!!!!!

[e-cat]

i phoned an lfs today(NOT the one in my sig, they where closed), so i asked if they had an aquaclear 500 in and the price, then i thought i would ask this guy about the snails that i want out of my tank and see what he had too say(iv been in this store before and when im talking person too person he gives me straght ansewers) and he said use a clown loach( he didnt even say they like too be in groups) so i said it's for a tank with an electric catfish and he says "clowloaches are tuff and hardy fish it will be fine" then i said"you must be kidding , if your gonna give sh*tty information too people like that you have just lost the said of the filter and no more business from me". i cant belive he recomended a clown loach as being a tuff hardy fish and on top of that too put it with a fish that kills every thing. what wont some lfs do for a sale, geesh

 

[Cherry Barb]

Mark that place for 50 lashes with a wet tail fin!

 

[e-cat]

this store isnt a big chain either theres only one of them and only one person works there, so its not like its just some dumb kid, iv had long conversations with this guy on fish mosly cichlids and catfish and he uses scientific names and knows his stuff but suggesting a clownloach with and e-cat was just dumb.

 

[Jacob Morgan]

I can't stand that !

I don't confront them, As I am 16 and they tend to get rather snotty with me if I question them. I just nod and go along then I know to double check any comments he makes to me that I don't know the answer to on here or elsewhere.

The other problem I've ran into is service! I've gone to a lfs, There was one other couple infront of me. He helps this couple while that couple is being helped 2 more couples come in. He helps BOTH of them before me. One bought a beta and the other was just asking questions and showed no interest in buying anything.

he then helped me, and since this place was 1 hr away I went ahead and bought some things, bout 70 bux worth of lr and inverts! Tho i've never gone back.

Bottom line I guess, Never trust what you LFS tells you, however their is exceptions to this ofcourse, but generally not.

 

[madasafish]

Well, he might have been trying to make a buck... but it sounds like he just had no idea what an electric catfish is capable of! I don't think I would have known they were as powerful as they are if I hadn't read your posts...

Nonetheless, shame on him for giving advice when he didn't really know what he was talking about. I think most LFS employees are guilty of that to an extent...

 

[Oscar]

As the owner operator of a small LFS, I agree that shame on him for giving advice on something he obviously did'nt know about. BUT I disagree with the statement that MOST LFS employees are guilty...... I, and my one staff member have over 70 years experience between the two of us. It is a standard in our store that if we don't know, and sometimes we dont, (you can't know all there is to know about any subject) we tell the customer we will find out. If we can't find out right there and then we get their phone number and do a bit of research...sometimes here on this board 8O

 

[madasafish]

Glad to hear some stores are run with integrity!

My opinion is based on the fact that I've gotten bum advice (which most of the time I have not taken) from FS employees very often in NY. A lot of the employees here are listless and completely uninformed. I imagine that in smaller LFSs with a slower turnover rate, ethics apply and experience is the name of the game. I guess I really meant FS employees in general (including and especially applying to big chains).

One guy at one of my LFSs is very honest, and always refers me to another employee or the manager if he doesn't know the answer to my questions. I always appreciatete that honesty.

One example of a poorly informed LFS employee is the guy who told me that a neon blue dwarf gourami was the female to a dwarf male elsewhere in the same tank. I had done a lot of research into the matter on the web, and I knew to look for a more rounded dorsal fin and more drab coloration on the females... I saw both qualities to an extent. The guy said he was almost 100% positive I was getting a male and a female. And... he was wrong. They've been sworn enemies ever since. But they do add interest to the tank, since neither really bullies the other--they just stay territorial.

 

[shawmutt]

As the owner operator of a small LFS, I agree that shame on him for giving advice on something he obviously did'nt know about. BUT I disagree with the statement that MOST LFS employees are guilty...... I, and my one staff member have over 70 years experience between the two of us. It is a standard in our store that if we don't know, and sometimes we dont, (you can't know all there is to know about any subject) we tell the customer we will find out. If we can't find out right there and then we get their phone number and do a bit of research...sometimes here on this board 8O

I wish I could find a lfs like yours. Every clerk in every pet store I go to will say anything except "I don't know"--even if it's complete and utter bs. It's gotten to the point where I make sure I have all my research done before I go to the lfs, and if I come across something I don't know, I go home and come back another day with the info. I've gotten some terrible advice from lfs. I'm about to post about the most recent piece of bad advice today...DOH!

 

[e-cat]

Nonetheless, shame on him for giving advice when he didn't really know what he was talking about. I think most LFS employees are guilty of that to an extent...[/quote]

thats just it, he does know exactly what there capable of doing, he was telling me about the one he used too own a few years back and he was one of the lfs that i had trying too import it.

 

[Allivymar]

I always do my research before purchasing. Well, except in the case of the Bamboo shrimp LOL but I had done some general reading about em prior so wasn't going into it cold.

Even the good lfs doesn't always have someone working the fish dep't who is knowledgeable. For example, I was in there yesterday and noticed they had skunk loaches. I was in LURVE! What pretty babies. I asked about em, and wanted to know if they would school with clowns and were they aggressive. They thought they would school, and didn't think they were aggressive. I restrained myself tho, and came home and did some research. Sure enough, they DON'T school with clowns and are REALLY agressive. Imagine how thrilled I'd be if I found that out after bringing em home?

I agree shaw; its up to us to know what we are asking for and what we need. Its rare (at least in my area) to find a LFS owner such as Terry or Oscar who understand how important this is to us and is as knowledgeable.

Thumbs up to you e-cat, for being well-informed prior to asking. I would suggest however *grin* that a slightly diff approach may have been useful; instead of reaming the guy out LOL use your knowledge to try and inform HIM! You've got the experience and skills; use em Your info may help someone else in a similar situation down the road.

 

[talenzmeier]

Hold On There Dude

Jacob,

You were definitely dissed when they ignored you for an adult! However, don't give up on your lfs just yet.

I, too, had a bad experience on advice. When I was starting out my marine tank and adding the first fish, one of the guys at the lfs said I could put a Three-Spot Damsel, a Yellow-Tail Damsel, and a Four-Stripe Damsel in the same tank! Being a newbie I figured that they were all Damsels, so no big deal. Much to my dismay, the Four-Stripe Damsel was the first to go and was followed by the Yellow-Tail Damsel. Little did I know that putting those three in together was a recipe for disaster. After they kicked the bucket, I complained to the head-dude of their marine area. He was very apologetic and he said that the guy I spoke to had no business recommending marine fish when his specialty was freshwater. When I stopped by later in the week, I could tell that they had a meeting about this issue and now the guy doesn't stick his nose in the marine arena. Now I know I'm an adult and there is a double standard, but if you're knowledgeable, and it sounds as though you are, they'll respect you all the same. One more thing, just remember, the squeaky wheel gets the grease! If somebody cuts in line, call them on it.