Question about buying fish

[Todd2]

I bought 4 spotted cory cats at Petsmart the other day (Petsmarts tanks were looking better then the other LFS's) They even had a couple panda cories in the spotted cory tank! I was hoping to get a couple of them. Anyways I asked the girl working there that I wanted 4 cories. Like usual once she put the net in the tank all the other fish starting darting around like crazy. She finally got 4. 2 of which looked good and healthy, one of the other two was pale and didn't have much color and the other one was lethargic and just laying on the bottom of the bag. Me being the passive hesitational (is that a word?) person I am didn't say anything and just walked up to the register ticked off in my mind and payed for the fish.

Luckily, there all doing well and moving around in the QT. They've regained some of there color. But we'll have to see.

Should I have said something when she was picking out the fish? I feel like it'd be rude to say I want that one or this one. Or something like "Can you put that one back and get me another one?" But should I say this? What does everybody do/say when they go to buy fish?

 

[Jchillin]

The consumer (you) has the right to be selective about which fish they want. Though most LFS employees would rather just net out the first fish they get, you do not have to take them if you do not want them.

 

[woo]

I usually find the "best" looking one, keep my eyes on it, and tell the worker which one I want.

 

[id10t]

In general, you shouldn't go picking feeder fish individually, unless its like "but not that white fuzzy one over there!". Otherwise, in the case of non-feeders, let 'em net them out and then carefully look them over to make sure you are happy with those particular fish. If not, ask for a re-catch.

Of course at the pet[smart|co|supermart|*] stores, they usually have a warranty of at least a few days if not 2 weeks, subject to a water test. But it may not be worth your gas money to go and get your replacement fish...

 

[Zagz]

I don't purchase feeder fish so I always look the fish over well and choose whether or not to buy them. After all like JC says, you are the consumer, you wouldn't accept substandard furniture would you?

 

[Tiffi]

That's the way I do it too. Select the most beautyful one and keep my eyes on them.
Everybody does that, that they want to hae the best looking fish of the tank.

I did that one time at a private house, where the guy had bunches of guppyes and corys in the basement. He was rude and didn't care which one I wanted, so I asked him if I could get different ones. He told me to go if I'm not satisfied. As a girl of maybe 20 at that time I rather went fast. Well, in my mind I wished him the pest around his neck !

In my lfs (and most other stores) it was never a discussion, they ALWAYS asked which one I would want !

 

[Guest]

wow, i had no idea someone would NOT be picky about which fish they get.. LOL.. i point to EXACLTY the fish I want.. no ifs ands or buts. And then I examine them in the bag and I know that fish get stressed, but if they don't look healthy I ask them to take it back out.
THIS IS WHY:
one time i was going to add rummy nose tetras to my tank... so i asked for eight of them and i just wandered around while the guy scooped them out. He took me up to the counter and i payed him and we went out to the car. Well my husband was driving home so i decided to look at the fish while we were going home... there were TWO dead fish in the bag!!!! Now this place was always very clean, excellent tanks, and excellent service, and i still go there, but it was a new guy that scooped them out. WE turned around and I decided to return all the fish, just because and i went home empty handed that day..

But anyway, don't be afraid to tell them exactly which fish you want! If you wanted the pandas you should've pointed them out so you would get them. Don't worry, you are the customer and you deserve to get what you want.

 

[Acer]

like everyone said i always chose the best and let them know which one i want, if they net the wrong one i'll let them know. i also like the fish that are the hardest to catch because in my eyes they are the healthiest? i dont want the one who barley moves or is just sitting at the bottom because it was the easiest to catch..

 

[talloulou]

Oh I'm always picky too. You have to really check them out and don't feel at all bad about asking them to ditch one they've netted in favor of another. Often sick or weak fish are the easiest for them to net and you don't want those. I've also had them put fish back if the netting goes badly. For example the other day I saw them getting a raphael caatfish for another customer.....it took a long time to net and the fish got stuck in the net and it took awhile to get it unstuck. I would have rejected that one in favor of a different one for fear that the netting process had hurt/weakened it.

 

[cinciboy]

I will usually hang around for some time and select the fish. I will not go with my family when selecting fish (my wife will on her heels to visit mall).. so take my own time. After deciding I will tell the staff to get it.