Has anyone ever complained to a chain store about their fish care

[OhNeil1969]

I'm kinda of jumping back into this thread and I like what I've been reading. I'm especially moved by the plight of the people that work at these stores that really care. I think I may have a solution! If we find someone we trust at a chain pet store and we want to encourage management in rewarding those employees then we need to start speaking up. Let their manager know how much of an asset those employees are to the store. Let other associates know that you would rather deal with the employee you know and trust. Become friendly with those good associates and let them know they are appreciated.

Just some food for thought!

 

[WendiDell]

I'm kinda of jumping back into this thread and I like what I've been reading. I'm especially moved by the plight of the people that work at these stores that really care. I think I may have a solution! If we find someone we trust at a chain pet store and we want to encourage management in rewarding those employees then we need to start speaking up. Let their manager know how much of an asset those employees are to the store. Let other associates know that you would rather deal with the employee you know and trust. Become friendly with those good associates and let them know they are appreciated.

Just some food for thought!

That sounds like a great idea. That is if you can find someone there that cares. Unfortunately at the store near me no one is very knowledgeable or cares to be.
They do keep the dead fish cleaned out and the tanks aren't hideously over stocked. At least not since my Grandson and I made our little scene there. But if you ask for a Master Test Kit they will hand you a bottle of 5-1 test strips. If you ask them how to fix a problem with ammonia, they will try to sell you Ammo-loc or similar product. But never mention that daily PWC will be necessary for a while. Oh, and cycling is something you do on a bike.
I only go there if I need something quick. Otherwise I order my supplies online and I get my fish at a store that 3 towns over to the North. They have amazing stock and decent pricing. And they will order anything you want without adding on to the price. They keep some of their personal fish in a couple of the tanks at the store.

 

[HeathB]

Hi HeathB,
It's difficult being the only one at work that gives a s... Been there, done that.
I'm sure it's hard to hear all the horror stories about the company you work for.
All you can do is treat your own fish well and try to encourage the people where you work to do some research about the animals and products they work with. The rest is up to them to do whats right.

Ha, yeah, I love it when I'll be stocking up the fish food and ornaments sections on Tuesdays, and someone comes up and asks me a question. I'll start rattling all kinds of actual advice at them and they give me this look like I'm nuts. And then I get yelled at for taking too much time not stocking since they get upset if you stay over longer than you're scheduled.

 

[WendiDell]

Ha, yeah, I love it when I'll be stocking up the fish food and ornaments sections on Tuesdays, and someone comes up and asks me a question. I'll start rattling all kinds of actual advice at them and they give me this look like I'm nuts. And then I get yelled at for taking too much time not stocking since they get upset if you stay over longer than you're scheduled.

You have my sympathy. I was once told that my job wasn't a popularity contest and that I wasn't suppose to help the nurses if I had a free moment. It made the other Respiratory Therapists look bad when they said no and then I say yes.
I still helped them, I just told them to never tell anyone else I did it.
You can only do your best and not get fired doing it.
It would be nice if your employer noticed your knowledge and took you out of the stockroom and onto the floor with customers. I think you'd be of better use to them out on the floor.
Good luck to you, you won't be a stock boy forever.

 

[mandy2936]

That's awesome WendiDell, doing a good deed and not caring whether you get the credit or not. That's awful, that they don't want you helping others. You are doing a very nice thing. I was going to give your rep points, but it wouldn't let me because I "need to spread around some rep points before giving it to you again".

 

[xxwolfpackof1xx]

my petsmart isnt all that bad theres some overstocking but they do really well untill we get to the reptiles that's where the issue liies what should i do?

Sent from my Vortex using Aquarium

 

[Homedog98]

Tell them their tanks are messed up. Don't sugarcoat it. Tell em like it is. Unless your thirteen like me... In which case turn on the water works... But if your a guy thirteen year old... No clue. And just need to brag a bit... Just got a HUGE babysitting job! I'm gonna make enough to cover almost half of my thirty gallon upgrade! So happy!!!

 

[WendiDell]

That's awesome WendiDell, doing a good deed and not caring whether you get the credit or not. That's awful, that they don't want you helping others. You are doing a very nice thing. I was going to give your rep points, but it wouldn't let me because I "need to spread around some rep points before giving it to you again".

Thank you. I'm going to look ignorant here but what are rep points?
I haven't been on AA very long, so I'm still learning their process.

 

[jessibell]

My local petland is okay, they try pretty hard but like people say, business first. I asked them a few weeks ago how big a tank a green spotted puffer would need, and they looked it up in the book... they said "ten gallons... but it can't have any tank mates in a tank that size."

I didn't say anything, but the next lady I talked to at the same store said at least a 30 and showed me the 55

I rememver working at petland and trying so hard to make little changes in my department, just small little things that would make life easier for employees and animals, but all I ever got was "yeah, that's a great idea" and then nothing. The biggest thing I learned is that there is no profit in livestock of any kind. Even when they sell mutt puppies for a thousand bucks, all that profit gets sucked up in the cost of maintaining them - that's why pet stores try to do it so cheaply and cut corners when it comes to actual animal welfare and animal care. If you can fit 16 oscars into a ten gallon, just do it, who cares if a couple of them die? Litters of puppies, yeah who cares if they are in little 2 foot by four foot cages most of the time, because giving them everything they need for proper social development during their critical socialization period would involve money and employee work hours. Just clean them and feed them.

I learned that in order to keep animals properly, meet all of their needs, cover the cost of meeting these needs AND THEN charge enough to make a profit, you would have to up the price to a point that would discourage most people from buying at all. In the long run you might have fewer people keeping fish, but those that do would probably take better care of them. After all, selling one fish for 20 dollars makes the same profit as selling 20 fish for one dollar. Most stores would rather sell 20 fish for a dollar because the profit is in all the crap they sell with it.

 

[mandy2936]

Thank you. I'm going to look ignorant here but what are rep points?
I haven't been on AA very long, so I'm still learning their process.

Rep Points are those little green squares under your profile name. The more points you get, the more little green squares. Members on AA give them to people who have posted something good. In other words, if a fellow member wrote a really great post, that was very informative and really helpful, someone may give them some rep points. Also, some members give rep points if they agree with a post, too. You get the idea. When you give them to someone you can add a little comment, too. Also, when you go into the User CP tab, you will see the most recent rep points and comments that you've received. You can give someone rep points by clicking the scale icon to the left of the exclamation icon.

 

[WendiDell]

Rep Points are those little green squares under your profile name. The more points you get, the more little green squares. Members on AA give them to people who have posted something good. In other words, if a fellow member wrote a really great post, that was very informative and really helpful, someone may give them some rep points. Also, some members give rep points if they agree with a post, too. You get the idea. When you give them to someone you can add a little comment, too. Also, when you go into the User CP tab, you will see the most recent rep points and comments that you've received. You can give someone rep points by clicking the scale icon to the left of the exclamation icon.

Thank you, I wish I'd known about those little buggers before. I've received some very helpful and generous advice here on AA. I would have liked to give out a few of those rep points.
I will from now on , thanks to you.