Big Chain Pet Store Employee, Venting

[hennaartist]

Almost a year ago we had our first lfs open in our town, as a fish keeper I was thrilled, but also disappointed it was a chain store. I have since, however, become absolutely thrilled with it. The employees in the fish department really know their stuff. I have taught them a few things, and they have taught me a few things, but after all there are so many varieties of fish and each has it's own needs, requirements, and techniques for sexing.
I'm a very regular customer (at least once a week), but not for refunds or exchanges lol. I like to check out the new stock when it comes in and get some crickets for my ropes and ABF. The employees seem grateful when I step in and tell a customer it's a bad idea to put certain fish together or too many, and since I'm not an employee, I can be rude about it when needed.
As far as how many fish to put in a tank, I explain it to my daughter in terms of "how many people would you want to share your room with?", "what about a messy person, someone that takes up too much space, or a bully?" and "you can't put a big fish in a small tank, because you wouldn't want to live in a closet".

 

[CPryor]

Yea yall have alot to keep up with! I saw them selling this lady 2 young serpae tetras to put in a tank with an oscar. I made sure she realized she was buykng a snack lol

Man thats hardcore about the gourami! I coukdnt sex them!

Haha...there are many fish for which I still don't have a firm grasp on their compatibility....like the African Leaf Fish your sig says you have! Just tonight I had someone ask if they would be okay with gourami. I had NO IDEA, and told him so. Thoughts? I've only heard of them being successful in species-only tanks, and told him a bit about their feeding behavior....he's dreaming about his next tank now

*EDIT* I would like to clarify and assert that at least I know that combo would never work. I've often told people "You can put this fish in with that fish, but you're just buying your fish an excellent meal"

The gourami can be sexed by their top fin shape, apparently. I have not had anyone else ask about finding a mating pair for them, soooo...my accuracy has yet to be tested.

 

[hennaartist]

The gourami can be sexed by their top fin shape, apparently. I have not had anyone else ask about finding a mating pair for them, soooo...my accuracy has yet to be tested.

Yes, the males are more colorful and have a dorsal (topfin) that is pointed in the rear, whereas the females it is rounded. Many chain stores only sell males because they are more colorful.

 

[CPryor]

The employees seem grateful when I step in and tell a customer it's a bad idea to put certain fish together or too many, and since I'm not an employee, I can be rude about it when needed.
As far as how many fish to put in a tank, I explain it to my daughter in terms of "how many people would you want to share your room with?", "what about a messy person, someone that takes up too much space, or a bully?" and "you can't put a big fish in a small tank, because you wouldn't want to live in a closet".

BLESS YOU! Want to drive over to NC and hang out in my store?????

I love your explanation! I use something like that often when a customer who has bout a itty bitty tank is really disapointed when i tell them only some guppies or a betta will be suitable. They talk about having a betta once that was "soooo boringgggg". I ask questions and EVERY TIME they were keeping them in those little breeder-box-sized "aquariums" (what do you even call them?), and/or did not have a heater. I tell them that they have not seen a bettas real personality, because "if you lived in a freezing cold closet, you probably wouldn't be too fun to watch either"

Thats such great advice though...I'm setting up a 10 gal. for my boyfriends son, and I will definitely have to borrow those terms! Thanks!

 

[CPryor]

Isn't sexing gouramis hard? Lol I love the people who come in and ask you to sex the little angelfish an then get mad when you say you don't know because they're to small.

Same for the parakeets! I can tell the green parakeets sex, but the fancy color ones? I turn to the cage/tank and theatrically sing "ennie meenie miney mo...." I have all sorts of lame routines to amuse myself.....if not always the customer.

 

[GodFan]

Haha...there are many fish for which I still don't have a firm grasp on their compatibility....like the African Leaf Fish your sig says you have! Just tonight I had someone ask if they would be okay with gourami. I had NO IDEA, and told him so. Thoughts? I've only heard of them being successful in species-only tanks, and told him a bit about their feeding behavior....he's dreaming about his next tank now

*EDIT* I would like to clarify and assert that at least I know that combo would never work. I've often told people "You can put this fish in with that fish, but you're just buying your fish an excellent meal"

The gourami can be sexed by their top fin shape, apparently. I have not had anyone else ask about finding a mating pair for them, soooo...my accuracy has yet to be tested.

Well I actually have the true african leaf fish. Most big bix stores only carry cnetompoma aka african bush/leaf fish. If it is the cnet then it is community compatabke with anything that isnt excessively aggressive or small enough to be a snack. If it is true african leaf fish then it is compatable with anything it cant swallow (it can swallow anything smaller than it pretty much so 3 inches plus) and nothing excessivly aggressive again (however Ibhave never seen anything try to hurt one of these guys unless it is over mutual food.)

Ok so wheover said that a tiger oscar would glow if you fed it neons is an idiot (or a really good unethical sales man....) I know our petsmart wont sell anything to be eatin except feeders or ghost shrimp.

 

[IShallNtEatFish]

Today while at the petstore... My boyfriend and I were looking at the fish, we asked one of the workers if they new the specific type of algae eater they had labeled "algae eater" she looked at is straight in the face and said "idk one that eats algae I guess. Really I have no [moderator edit] clue, I hate fish, I applied here to play with [moderator edit] puppies all day. But I'm stuck here fishing out dead fish all day"

 

[GodFan]

Today while at the petstore... My boyfriend and I were looking at the fish, we asked one of the workers if they new the specific type of algae eater they had labeled "algae eater" she looked at is straight in the face and said "idk one that eats algae I guess. Really I have no [moderator edit] clue, I hate fish, I applied here to play with [moderator edit]puppies all day. But I'm stuck here fishing out dead fish all day"

I hope you reported him to the manager!

 

[azmodan]

One of my first jobs many years back was working at a big name videogame store, the second busiest store for that company in the world. All day nonstop I'd have parents come in asking me for recommendations of games to get for their kids. The company I worked for stressed not only quick sales but also selling games that were newer (more expensive), even if they were terrible. I applied for that job because I thought it'd be awesome recommending people titles I loved and knew were quality games... only to realize two things:

1. Most parents didn't care and just wanted some horrible movie tie-in game.
2. My bosses were very happy with this as these games were usually more expensive. Make the sale and move on to the next customer.

At some point I got very fed up with all of this and just started being very honest with people. "Would I recommend the new Jonas Brothers game for your son? Only if you hate him and you're trying to punish him. Here, buy The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker for him instead." Then I quit working there.

I couldn't mix a hobby I loved with an environment like that. I don't really play videogames anymore as my hobbies have changed as I've gotten older, and I much prefer working on my tanks now. But I'd never work in pet store that sold fish.

tl;dr - Mixing a hobby you love into a mainstream mass market business atmosphere can make you very unhappy. If it really bothers you then move on to another job.

 

[Nat_a126]

Here's what my Glofish tank looks like, and no, it doesn't have more algae as long as you have shrimp or snails. I get a little extra here or there, but nothing that a quick mag-scraper and some rubbing of the decorations during water change time won't solve.

I've been running my Glotank for over a year now and have never noticed any adverse behavior from my inhabitants, so the light doesn't seem to bother them at all. I actually see more of my shyer guys in this tank because the different light spectrum doesn't seem to make them as nervous

Edit: Oh, and another way to encourage them toward the bigger tank... Those awesome lionfish and jellyfish decorations are too big to fit into the small tanks

Your tank is literally the best glofish tank I have ever seen!!! Is it the 36 gallon bow front?

 

[MJSerik]

Gonna join in the venting. Last night I went to a {No names please}to buy my lion some ghost shrimp. I heard someone talking about lions (one of the rare stores in my area that carries salt, I normally go to a different LFS who knows everything about anything fish) and I went over and showed the woman pictures of my fish. She said she was buying one and I asked how big her tank was. She said thirty, and I was really excited. Turns out she wasn't getting a dwarf, but a Volitans. I got into an argument with the "Fish Specialist" talking to her, and after being told I obviously know nothing about lionfish, I pulled up site after site on my phone. The lady left and she was furious with the store. Needless to say I wasn't helped with the shrimp afterwards.

 

[Luananeko]

Your tank is literally the best glofish tank I have ever seen!!! Is it the 36 gallon bow front?

Awww, thanks! Yes, it is a bowfront. The bowfront tanks really help the layout "pop" imo

 

[CPryor]

Gonna join in the[No names please]. Last night I went to a petsmart to buy my lion some ghost shrimp. I heard someone talking about lions (one of the rare stores in my area that carries salt, I normally go to a different LFS who knows everything about anything fish) and I went over and showed the woman pictures of my fish. She said she was buying one and I asked how big her tank was. She said thirty, and I was really excited. Turns out she wasn't getting a dwarf, but a Volitans. I got into an argument with the "Fish Specialist" talking to her, and after being told I obviously know nothing about lionfish, I pulled up site after site on my phone. The lady left and she was furious with the store. Needless to say I wasn't helped with the shrimp afterwards.

Luckily we don't have saltwater... I'm still trying to research the cichlids to give good advice about them. I'm PERFECTLY capable of telling people "You know, I can't answer that question, but there's a cichlid book over here we can look though together...."

I like to think i'm building customer relationships better that way.

 

[bribo12]

Luckily we don't have saltwater... I'm still trying to research the cichlids to give good advice about them. I'm PERFECTLY capable of telling people "You know, I can't answer that question, but there's a cichlid book over here we can look though together...."

I like to think i'm building customer relationships better that way.

I think that's another thing a lot of pet store employees don't do. If they don't know something I'd much rather them just say that then try to bs it.

 

[CPryor]

Today while at the petstore... My boyfriend and I were looking at the fish, we asked one of the workers if they new the specific type of algae eater they had labeled "algae eater" she looked at is straight in the face and said "idk one that eats algae I guess. Really I have no [moderator edit] clue, I hate fish, I applied here to play with [moderator edit] puppies all day. But I'm stuck here fishing out dead fish all day"

Wowwwww man.... that's sadddd. I wouldn't be able to answer the question fully...but I'd look on the info card to see if it had the scientific name and write it down on a sticky note for you I'd also point out the max size (over a foot), and that they are labeled as simi-agressive....thats what I remember from the info card anyway. I could show you other options if that didn't appeal to you....I don't know if that would get me respect...but dang, it's better than that girl!

 

[CPryor]

I think that's another thing a lot of pet store employees don't do. If they don't know something I'd much rather them just say that then try to bs it.

Thank you! I'd rather a customer leave thinking I'm an idiot than finding out later for sure that i'm a crooked idiot who talked them into buying something unsuitable.
....i feel they're more likely to come back and buy if they always feel good about their purchase...or lack thereof. And we sell so many books and magazines, I can usually find something relevant in the books if they can spare me 10 min. to research something they haven't!

 

[Autumnsky]

Well my daughter worked for a large store chain and after her knowing about my fish she made sure to give good advice and her company will allow them to refuse a sale if the fish will not be going to humane conditions.

My thought is for every one here to email and or call one or several companies about how their STUPID pictures on the boxes are bad for the hobby and wrong, like 6 or something goldfish in a 5 gal. From basically good companies too.

Thank you people who try to help and if you don't know are willing to check on it, or at least suggest checking on it first. The books are at least great references. My daughter suggested I would work there after she moved out of state, and I was really tempted, but told her I couldn't possibly because I would never hardly sell anybody any fish!!! So Bless you all who are trying to make the fish world in the stores clean.

I went into a store and there were half dead Bettas with way too much food in their cups and I told the clerk and she said that's ok we will be changing the water in a couple days. So I told the manager and he helped get the water changed that day, but on a different occasion/store was told there was no one who could do it then. Most seem to care some, even if they don't really know what the answers are. Even with what seems like is decent training programs in place they don't actually train accurately with proper information.

Thanks again for all of you who do care and try to make a positive difference!

 

[herp_mommy]

I was at my LFS the other day (not big box) and there was a lady there talking about her black ghost knife in a 30 gallon. She was asking the smartest employee if some other fish (can't recall what) would be ok in there.
She walked off after talking to him and I was like... "a ghost knife in a 30?"
He just leaned into me and said low, "This lady never listens to anything I say. I tell her something and she does the opposite. I just gave up."

There was no real point to my story, other than I feel for you guys dealing with stubborn customers.

My favorite LFS keeps a large freshwater tank of adult specimens of the larger species. A black ghost knife, Arowana, Oscars and other large cichlids, and common plecos. They're not always there, because they're for sale lol, but it's still a nice simple visual tool to anyone new to the hobby.

 

[CPryor]

I went into a store and there were half dead Bettas with way too much food in their cups and I told the clerk and she said that's ok we will be changing the water in a couple days. So I told the manager and he helped get the water changed that day, but on a different occasion/store was told there was no one who could do it then. Most seem to care some, even if they don't really know what the answers are. Even with what seems like is decent training programs in place they don't actually train accurately with proper information.

Thanks again for all of you who do care and try to make a positive difference!

Agh! We clean their cups twice a week, and give them just two pellets when we clean. We are instructed to check them all as we restock them every night, so if the employee is carrying out company policy, they're checking to see who needs an extra cleaning. We do have quarantine tanks in back, and one is just for bettas....it's lined with breeder boxes, so if one looks particularly sad, we can get it into slightly more, better oxygenated water.

I think they'd sell better in 1gal. jars....they have such good personalities if you give them just a little room to show them off!

 

[CPryor]

My favorite LFS keeps a large freshwater tank of adult specimens of the larger species. A black ghost knife, Arowana, Oscars and other large cichlids, and common plecos. They're not always there, because they're for sale lol, but it's still a nice simple visual tool to anyone new to the hobby.

Thats so cool! We do have a large plant tank. We keep one foot-long comet (feeder fish) in there - he's our "ambassador for goldfish". When someone wants to buy a goldfish for too small a tank, we point him out and tell them thats what a happy goldfish looks like, with plenty of water to grow to max size, and debunk the "they only grow as large as their tank" myth.

I've had one or two customers put back the bowls and rush off to buy a new filter for their pond thats just sitting there breeding mosquitoes....thats a great feeling that keeps me going

I would LOOOOOVEEEEEE to have a large tank with a full-grown Oscar to show! Thats probably the third most abused fish (after bettas and goldfish )