People can be stupid...

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I hear ya ;) We all have "WAR" stories. :facepalm: At least you made the attempt (y) Let's hope the buddy and the Dad in the OP's story don't have that mentality :)

YUP....I read the first post, the invitation at the end to share stories, and I was like..... I could write an encyclopedia on all the horror stories I've heard about.

I work at a big chain. I've been cussed out for revoking the warrantee on a red-tailed shark that was destined for a goldfish bowl. I've been LOUDLY accused of trying to cheat someone out of money for insisting on bigger tanks for goldfish. More times than I can count on my fingers and toes, I've had someone interrupt my explanation of humane treatment with a shoulder shrug and "GAWD, it's JUST a fish!, lady" ....ah, I will not start: I'll never stop :ROFLMAO:
 
Bah! Lol let me re-phrase what I meant xD. It's spring break atm, so I am going to compile a list of helpful sites. Once SB is over, I will hand him a sheet of paper, and it will say "Read with your dad." It will include: My phone #, list of helpful sites. I will link him to AA if he has any q's I cannot answer. Lol I hope this makes me look like a crazy jerk x)


Cycling 45 Gallon. ???

I think you forgot a word in there. LOL Didn't you mean "I hope this makes me NOT look like a crazy jerk x)" ? :D

I wouldn't say you looked like a jerk just a person who cares and was very frustrated about the situation, but that you are planning on continuing to try and help your friend and give him guidance only shows a strength of character on your part. If he chooses to ignore your advice so be it, at least you will know that you tried which is the most any of us can do. (y)
ABSOLUTELY! The best we can do is try. If the customer or friend doesn't want to listen to reason, there's not much more we can do. (But we need to give them the reason first. That was my point. ;) )

(y)
 
I think you forgot a word in there. LOL Didn't you mean "I hope this makes me NOT look like a crazy jerk x)" ? :D


ABSOLUTELY! The best we can do is try. If the customer or friend doesn't want to listen to reason, there's not much more we can do. (But we need to give them the reason first. That was my point. ;) )

(y)


Lol yeah, it def should xD


Cycling 45 Gallon. ???
 
I have 3 colleagues at work who all bought a fish tank roughly the same time. One has listened to everything and has yet to add fish. One messed up then listened and the other just does the opposite to what I suggest.

I told him not to get a plec for a while especially whilst the tank isn't cycling and he went and bought 5! Thought it was funny because he got a good deal.

He is letting his water age with chloramines before adding it to the tank. Refuses to do more than 20% change every TWO weeks.

Now he is trying to offload his ammonia damaged stock to one of the other guys because he wants 'a few' silver sharks.

I wouldn't mind but he is approaching 50.
 
OP , it sounds like you are quite emotional about this issue. But what is the point of worrying about things you powerless to change? Your friend is not interested to learn, that's not the end of the world. I bet there are few topics that you (and anyone else )are apprehensive about. My sister for example being a dental professional deeply disapproves how I take care of my teeth. While she is perfectly right I plan on doing absolutely nothing about it. Surely i willvpay for it later , but flossing twice a day? Pffft, to much work, I brush enough :)

So don't worry, just smile and wave :)
 
OP , it sounds like you are quite emotional about this issue. But what is the point of worrying about things you powerless to change? Your friend is not interested to learn, that's not the end of the world. I bet there are few topics that you (and anyone else )are apprehensive about. My sister for example being a dental professional deeply disapproves how I take care of my teeth. While she is perfectly right I plan on doing absolutely nothing about it. Surely i willvpay for it later , but flossing twice a day? Pffft, to much work, I brush enough :)

So don't worry, just smile and wave :)


Lol when I posted this it was 5 min after it. I had steam coming from my ears xD. Lol I'm much more calm now :p But still annoys me greatly that he completely ignored me. Floss your teeth vs Help your fish? Not the best analogy x)


Cycling 45 Gallon. ???
 
The analogy is in the fact that all of us have a side that not completely meets expectations of others and even "common sense" sometimes. Your friend completely ignored you , I bet you don't take 100% of his suggestions about your lifestyle to heart either. Such is life... You can steam, scream, jump around and things still not going to change. So why bother?
 
I totally agree. There are some topics that for whatever reason we are unapproachable about. They want mom to have a colonoscopy. She begs me not to have it. I went with mom's pleadings and nixed the colonoscopy. At 92, she's had a long good life. If she doesn't want it she shouldn't have it. On the other hand I made her get 2 root canals b/c suffering was imminent without them. I liked the flossing analogy. I think it's a point well made.
 
I mean it's comparing living things (fish) with teeth... Other than that it works though :p


Cycling 45 Gallon. ???
 
Teeth are living things too! I have a few people close to me with tanks, not all the best care and maintainence go into them. I offer advice if asked, other than that I say nothing. My standards of aquatic cleanliness and ascetics differ greatly from theirs, and that's cool.its one thing to come on a site like this and seek help, it's another to have your friend attempt a guerrilla water change Rambo style;) just look at your tank and smile..
 
Eh...I really need to change my sig to "as a pet store employee...", because I use that phrase in about 90% of my posts on here...

But, as a pet store employee....tell the jerk about his abuse, but try not to imply that he's a jerk...instead stress the benefits of a well-maintained tank ("Loose that gross brown scum! Beautiful, active fish blah blah!"), then, let it go: you'll drive yourself insane trying to solve all the pet fish's problems in the world...take it from me! Some people just believe the powers that be put fish on this earth so we could plunk them in a glass box for our amusement, and slowly kill them with their own filth.

Some WILL listen, if you phrase it the right way...other won't. It's not worth raising your blood pressure over, when it won't make a difference.
 
Teeth are living things too! I have a few people close to me with tanks, not all the best care and maintainence go into them. I offer advice if asked, other than that I say nothing. My standards of aquatic cleanliness and ascetics differ greatly from theirs, and that's cool.its one thing to come on a site like this and seek help, it's another to have your friend attempt a guerrilla water change Rambo style;) just look at your tank and smile..


Lol, you guys make me sound so rude! I was trying to help him, and he says , "Why don't you show me." After 10 minutes of hauling my 5 gal bucket and stuff up there, he tells me he doesn't want me to do it. Make up your mind! He then insists I stay for 90 min more, to wait for his dad. Like c'mon, you can't just tell me to run home, with me thinking it will be a 5 min thing and then change your mind and say, "Ok never mind just wait."
 
Lol, you guys make me sound so rude! I was trying to help him, and he says , "Why don't you show me." After 10 minutes of hauling my 5 gal bucket and stuff up there, he tells me he doesn't want me to do it. Make up your mind! He then insists I stay for 90 min more, to wait for his dad. Like c'mon, you can't just tell me to run home, with me thinking it will be a 5 min thing and then change your mind and say, "Ok never mind just wait."


Haha...passionate fish people love to debate! I enjoy participating :)

I vote you just do the "rambo-style" maintenance mentioned, because it offers two possibilities:

1- You will successfully pull it off and improve the fish's lives.

2- EXCELLENT piece for the local news after you get caught. You will be a legend. Send me a news clipping?
 
I've worked for Pet Stores a few times over the years. Last was being a Pet Care Lead at my local Petsmart ( like an assistant manager for the live animals and fish ).

I had one lady insist on talking to the Store Manager. She bitterly complained that I was refusing to sell her a baby Bala Shark for a 10g tank. She was insisting she'd upgrade to a bigger tank.

My manager explained I was the expert and if I wasn't happy selling her the fish, then the health of our animals and fish was our priority.

She only started saying she would buy a bigger tank AFTER I refused to sell it for a 10g.

We'd had too many dead baby Balas returned for panicking and killing themselves in 10g tanks. All alone, no friends and tiny tank...all bad. Fast baby fish bashes into side of tank and another dead one. So I finally got them to stop selling them to small tanks.

The success stories were nice. The couple that was ready to give away their tank. After killing two tankfuls of fish in a row. Trying to add too many too fast to an uncycled 20g.

I got them to buy a trio of Cherry Barbs. Live plants and a test kit.
They added more Barbs later. About 3 months later they came to announce they had 30 baby Cherry Barbs :)

Every store is different. Some LFS suck, some big box stores don't ;) some people are convinced that fish only live a year or two. My crazy Harlequin Rasbora girl is at least 6yrs old.

I learn new stuff everyday ?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I learn new stuff everyday ?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


I think this is the most important thing to take from this. We are always learning. We can never know everything in any subject. It's what you do with the knowledge that counts.
 
I think this is the most important thing to take from this. We are always learning. We can never know everything in any subject. It's what you do with the knowledge that counts.

So, so true!!! "The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing." ~Socrates
 
I've worked for Pet Stores a few times over the years. Last was being a Pet Care Lead at my local Petsmart ( like an assistant manager for the live animals and fish ).

I had one lady insist on talking to the Store Manager. She bitterly complained that I was refusing to sell her a baby Bala Shark for a 10g tank. She was insisting she'd upgrade to a bigger tank.

My manager explained I was the expert and if I wasn't happy selling her the fish, then the health of our animals and fish was our priority.

She only started saying she would buy a bigger tank AFTER I refused to sell it for a 10g.

We'd had too many dead baby Balas returned for panicking and killing themselves in 10g tanks. All alone, no friends and tiny tank...all bad. Fast baby fish bashes into side of tank and another dead one. So I finally got them to stop selling them to small tanks.

The success stories were nice. The couple that was ready to give away their tank. After killing two tankfuls of fish in a row. Trying to add too many too fast to an uncycled 20g.

I got them to buy a trio of Cherry Barbs. Live plants and a test kit.
They added more Barbs later. About 3 months later they came to announce they had 30 baby Cherry Barbs :)

Every store is different. Some LFS suck, some big box stores don't ;) some people are convinced that fish only live a year or two. My crazy Harlequin Rasbora girl is at least 6yrs old.

I learn new stuff everyday ?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


I totally agree! Some petsmarts (My local one) has Pretty knowledgable employees. I find if you show you know what you're talking about, they won't try to pressure to buy random stuff as much. For example... When I first got my 10 gal, I lost 2 / 3 fish. Then employees (Diff then current store) told me nothing about cycling, nothing about live plants, ammonia, anything. Now, 1 year later, new petsmart, right off the bat, first time in store, I get asked if my tank is cycled. Score! Not all big chain stores are bad, ya know :p


Cycling 45 Gallon. ???
 
Come to the sw side and you will see a whole new definition of stupidity...lol
 
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