Defending the LFS

[GodFan]

ok well in the wild some animals are eaten. But I am out of this discussion. I am afraid I am the odd man out and am making people mad which was not my intentions. Everything I say is going to be taken out of context. Best of luck to yall.

 

[jetajockey]

Only live food I'll ever used is mosquito larvae.

I'm not even particularly anti-live food, as a lot of the wild caught fish I get are accustomed to it. I attempt to transition them, but some still don't do well unless they have something wiggling. I guess it's less of a contentious subject when we are talking microworms, daphia, or baby brine shrimp, but still.

When I first got my EBJD he would only eat feeders. It took about 2 weeks of transitioning to get him over to pellets. The pickerel that I get in are predators, but even they can move over to pellets if the presentation is right.

Like I said, I'm not really against feeders, just trying to put a spotlight on the practice itself. Bashing one part of a store about ethical treatment and then ignoring another because it has been there forever is kinda lopsided. The same thing comes to mind when people complain about fish bred for deformity (balloon mollies, etc). There is a strong sentiment against them but everyone completely ignores the fact that fancy goldfish are some of the greatest examples of this practice, they've just been around so long that no one notices.

 

[DragonFish71]

Here's how you deal with it, be it a LFS or chain;

LOOK FIRST. Get an idea of the selection they have, see what you like

RESEARCH. See if what you like is compatible in your set up

BUY. You've done the leg work, enjoy the fish.

Both of the LFSs and chains I frequent now know not to try and talk me into or out of a sale. I've edumacated their employees enough, in front of their bosses and customers that they know I have a clue.

 

[Sharkbait54]

Amen to that, we all need those. I have a LFS here that has a good selection of fish and the owners are knowledgeable and pretty friendly, but the prices are sometimes hard for me to justify. It really adds up when you are getting 4-6 schoolers at 8-10 bucks each lol.

Ya their rainbow fish are about 12$ a pop and the new glow fish are 7$ each. But knowing they don't have a disease is priceless. I don't even use a qt with them. Obviously when I get into SW I will have to though.

 

[adadkins1]

Ya their rainbow fish are about 12$ a pop and the new glow fish are 7$ each. But knowing they don't have a disease is priceless. I don't even use a qt with them. Obviously when I get into SW I will have to though.

I agree, I'll pay just a tad more per fish since I've never gotten any sick ones from my LFS. However it does get quiet extreme!

 

[Sharkbait54]

I agree, I'll pay just a tad more per fish since I've never gotten any sick ones from my LFS. However it does get quiet extreme!

Yep but for the most part most common fish like barbs and tetras are sometimes 99 cents each. But I like them so much cause they'll order any kind of fancy pleco to hard to find dwarf cichlids.

 

[StevesPrettyCool]

I agree 100000% with DragonFish71, do your research and make an educated buy.

Reminds me of the quote "Facts are many, but the Truth is one". No matter how much of an expert your talking to, he's human too, and even tho the expert may be trying to give you pure fact, it may not always be true. Everyones capable of error and the experts are no exception.

I have run into some idiots tho and I'd be lying if I said I never ran into an LFS worker with less than accurate "advise"...

 

[mfdrookie516]

I'm pretty upset that the buger flipper at McDonalds didn't warn me that eating Big Mac's would cause me to get fat. Should have done some research on my own.

 

[StevesPrettyCool]

I have a love/hate relationship with my LFS. I hate the advise they tend to give out, but I LOVE buy one, get one free fish thursdays... LOL

I'd take a mom & pop shop over a chain anytime. chain pet stores eek me out sometimes. such a huge place, one wall full of tanks with one or two fish in each. I feel like someones watching me on camera and as soon as a buy a fish and walk out he's gonna come running out the back room with the same exact fish to replace it. in the time that I'm in the store I see 20 dogs walk in, but only 4 or 5 exit... like a whole Dr. Frankenstein thing going on haha...

in my experience the employees always give off the "I'm a genious and your just a common idiot" vibe at big box stores as opposed to being taken care of at the smaller places, even tho the info may not be accurate, it feels good when you see they are at least trying.

 

[Mumma.of.two]

I'm pretty upset that the buger flipper at McDonalds didn't warn me that eating Big Mac's would cause me to get fat. Should have done some research on my own.

Bahahahaha!!!

 

[jetajockey]

I agree 100000% with DragonFish71, do your research and make an educated buy.

Reminds me of the quote "Facts are many, but the Truth is one". No matter how much of an expert your talking to, he's human too, and even tho the expert may be trying to give you pure fact, it may not always be true. Everyones capable of error and the experts are no exception.

I have run into some idiots tho and I'd be lying if I said I never ran into an LFS worker with less than accurate "advise"...

The worst part about it is that people assume that someone is an 'expert' just because they work in the store. How come we don't hold that standard to other low paid employees that work in other types of stores?

 

[Lovin Fish]

Amen to that, we all need those. I have a LFS here that has a good selection of fish and the owners are knowledgeable and pretty friendly, but the prices are sometimes hard for me to justify. It really adds up when you are getting 4-6 schoolers at 8-10 bucks each lol.

I hear that! I spent $90 on 8 Kryptopterus Minors. Loosing any due to unsuccessful aclimation is really frustrating after spending that kinda money. And I still feel it was ridiculous to spend $6 each on a glowlight adding up to a school of 12. Good grief! And now I'm going for a school of 8 Puntius Denisonii at $30 each plus shipping. Crazy crazy crazy. Too bad there isn't a break if someone is getting a school larger than 6. That's be nice.

 

[jetajockey]

I hear that! I spent $90 on 8 Kryptopterus Minors. Loosing any due to unsuccessful aclimation is really frustrating after spending that kinda money. And I still feel it was ridiculous to spend $6 each on a glowlight adding up to a school of 12. Good grief! And now I'm going for a school of 8 Puntius Denisonii at $30 each plus shipping. Crazy crazy crazy. Too bad there isn't a break if someone is getting a school larger than 6. That's be nice.

Some people will work with you on that, I know that the supply lists I look at have volume discounts so they really should pass that on to the customer, I know I would anyway.

 

[Lovin Fish]

Some people will work with you on that, I know that the supply lists I look at have volume discounts so they really should pass that on to the customer, I know I would anyway.

If only I lived closer to you! I would shop at your spot for sure!

 

[StevesPrettyCool]

The worst part about it is that people assume that someone is an 'expert' just because they work in the store. How come we don't hold that standard to other low paid employees that work in other types of stores?

yeah at the closest chain to me, the employee roster seems to change every week, and no one working the floor looks older than 18, so that is when the common sense kicks in and you realize its just a job so you take anything ya hear with a grain of salt.

my statement about experts pertained to the quote. In any field of work, even experts are wrong at times, so no matter who your listening to its smart to do a little research. Better to go in with a little info than to go in blind.

 

[Sushisnake]

My lfs is a small, mom and pop, mixed aquarium/pet store. The family who own it are great in some ways and I always felt really welcome - until two days ago when I took back the 10 kg bag of calcium carbonate coral sand one of the juniors pushed on me as a viable alternative to river sand in a 8.5 ph area. No other alternatives other than gravel were offered. I'm afraid the wedding is off now. I was received like a leper!
I've done business there for years - for my other pets and on and off for aquaria stuff.
It's only since joining AA that I've realised that they've advised me wrongly or not at all for years. eg. I was given a ph test kit. I tested my water. My ph wasn't 7. I asked the lfs for advice. Mom sold me ph adjusters. No advice - no guidance - just chemicals. And it wiped out the tetras I had at the time.
I've had total tank crashes and the only advice was have another go with a different fish.
The list goes on and on and has cost me thousands in dollars and tears over the years. And now it's even worse because mom and pop are never there - just a couple of kids under 18.
They'll still have my custom - I don't have a choice. They're the only show in town. But anything I buy from them will be quarantined and no suggestions or advice they offer ever acted on until I get a little faith back in them.

 

[Annaliesa]

My LFS is pretty terrible. The staff are incredibly and consistently rude, and their tanks are ridiculously over-stocked. Pet stores generaly over-stock their tanks, as the tanks are meant to be temporary quarters. Which I get. But when one has twelve full-size African Cichlids in a 50 gallon tank, it's a sign to run away.

In contrast, the chain pet stores here aren't terribly over-stocked (minus feeder fish), the staff are friendly and pretty knowledgeable about what they sell, and the tanks are very clean. Yeah, they definitely try to sell you stuff, but it's tends to be healthier alternatives (Fish food appropriate for the breed you're buying versus the generic jar-o'-food, more accurate testing kits versus those crappy strips, larger tanks, etc). They make a bigger sale, you get better stuff, everybody wins.

They do a decent job (The fact that we have a large university with reputable biology and pre-vet programs helps), so I shop there instead of the LFS. I absolutely shop at local businesses as opposed to large chains for as much as possible, even if it means paying a little more. When it comes to pets, though, I only adopt or buy from people who take good care of them.

Businesses are always hit or miss. There are great LFS's, and there are great branches of chain stores. Just ask around, stop by prior to making a purchase to check them out, and of course do research on what you intend to buy. If you aren't comfortable with the store, shop somewhere else. Easy as that.

 

[jetajockey]

The fish food for the appropriate breed thing I find is more of a gimmick most of the time (betta food anyone? ) , but yeah the big box stores definitely offer up more variety and usually better quality items. The other thing is the small mom and pop stores that don't get much business often have product that has been sitting in there for ages.

 

[awilson133]

theres a Lfs called tails n scales where I live it might be a lil far but its worth it great advice, service, and stock..i just hate going to petsmart or petco. one time I went in to petsmart to get a 5.gallon tank. my first one. and to buy fish the same day..(boy was I dumb lol) the guy told me that it has to sit for one week to cycle and use nutrafin cycle.. that how ever is not the case...i wish I knew why they give advice like that..

 

[jetajockey]

the guy told me that it has to sit for one week to cycle and use nutrafin cycle.. that how ever is not the case...i wish I knew why they give advice like that..

I think it's because it's something they've tried in the past that worked for them for whatever reason, or it's something that they were taught. Most LFS workers don't do all the research required to really understand the cycling process intimately and advise others appropriately. It's on par with getting mechanic advice from a auto parts store worker, they sell a product but it doesn't mean they know everything about it.