A thought of mine about LFS

[Bl80]

So in reading alot of things on here about fish that are sold to ppl for small tanks, that will get to big, fish that are not compatible etc I just wonder.... For 2 recent reasons ESP. Long but possibly pointful, lol

Last weekend my son brought home 6 spotted green puffers. He took a pix of the sign saying they would get 1.5 inches... He told them what we had cycled ( just had taken juvie mbunas out) etc.... They sold him 6.... Telling him they thrived in groups.... Upon research and asking I find they are aggressive, will be about 6 inches and will only be able to keep 2 once I finish resealing a spare 55 I have in the back room. Etc

Today, we were out and about and saw a huge sale at a aquatic shop. Never been so we stopped. The most annoying one ( upon s few other overheard convos) was someone who had a 6 gal tank ( fluval edge ) IN their cart... That they talked the ppl into.... ( obviously an uncycled tank) THEN sold them an elec blue Jack Dempsey, elec yellow lab, a red zebra, and a few neons!!!!!!! NO FLIPPING JOKE!!! I politely butt in and asked if they had other tanks.... nope, their first for a child with dibilitating issues.... so I started to explain their choices to them.... They were very nice.... Pulled up some profiles to show them size etc.... Needless to say I bought NOTHING and they did not either!!!!

I wish I was closer, I'd give them seeded material ti start a tank bought elsewhere.... But I showed them a few nice choices for a smaller aquarium and suggested craigslist for an established tank.... They never thought of that

In all the babble.... Besides those selling aquatics being obviliius... in my sons case, posting they will get only 1.5 inches... Do you think that there are times they do this intentionally because they feel you will come back to buy that bigger set up there??? Etc???? Sry.... Just random thought to share... To the only place I know might understand... Thx... I feel better....

 

[BeavisMom62]

LOL! I know how you feel. I've wondered about that myself. I think it is either the sales people truly are not educated about fish, are not fish people, but just bodies to sell things. either that, or as you mentioned, they give erroneous info, knowing that your stock will die and you will not only have to come back and buy more fish, but it also then gives them an excuse to sell you even more stuff that you dont need to "fix" whatever problem it might be that caused your fish to die in the first place! They never educate people about cycling. "here buy this bottle of x-instant cycle and add fish".

Its not so bad once we know what we are doing, but as newbies, esp if you've never been to a forum or know nothing about fish, you tend to believe that the people selling you stuff know about what they are selling.

 

[BeavisMom62]

When I first started, I was told that I could keep four goldfish in a 15 gal tank. Didn't know anything about it. hey people keep goldies in a bowl right? So MY fish have TONS of room! LOL. After I learned better and upgraded to a new tank for the goldies, I had a fully cycled 15 gal tank sitting empty. Go back to the LFS and fell in love with silver (black?) tipped sharks. How many can I put in a 15 gal? Im told SIX! I figure I'll understock and only buy four. Come to find out they need something like a 70 gal tank! Thankfully they let me take the sharks back, but I definitely learned, as we all have, RESEARCH first!

Like you, I tried to educate a customer who was getting bad advice. A woman came in to buy goldfish for her son and keep it in a bowl. I interupted and asked the salesman "don't they need at least 10 gal per fish?". The customer looked so surprised and the salesman actually agreed that they do. The customer kept pushing, didn't want any other fish but a goldie and a bowl. Of course the salesman caves and says "well, I guess you COULD keep it in a bowl". I had to leave. NO talking to some people!

 

[Bl80]

Ya it really irked me. I mean luckily we have the means to keep 2 puffers and I think 2 others already have a home in a few weeks.... But those poor ppl... ESP all the $ in the fluval etc.. For a child's happiness.... Argh... If they were closer I'd have given them seeded material and I have a 5 gal set up I could have given them gravel, prob put together a filter to run etc, just not fish... I just really felt bad for these ppl... We were a few hours from home as it was... Me usually the quiet shy one, I really surprised my other half and my son!!! I had to scoop their jaws off the ground... Lol

 

[bstnrdsx]

I find that its the LPS that are willing to sell ice to an eskimo. I've been to quite a few LFS, where FISH is the main fuction and not PETS, and they were pretty adamant about making sure you had the right set up for what you would have at adult size. Of course, even though they have the right to refuse service, not many owners will allow a sale to be turned down by the customer with a 15 gallon tank who refuses to get anything but 4 juvvie Oscars and forego putting food on their families table.

 

[jetajockey]

You know the saying, a fool and his money..

With the ease of internet access these days, there really should be no reason that people should go into pet stores totally uninformed.

As far as the inaccurate information, you could try to correct them on it, some of their info is probably outdated/misinformed, and if its a chain store, it's probably just some label they slap on there.

You can't expect a LFS to be 100% about everything they keep. There are a few out there that are, and are awesome, but it's just not the norm.

It's sad, but a business is in business to make money, and unfortunately, sick fish need meds, dead fish need replacements, and small tanks need bigger ones.

On the flip side of things, I've seen that with some of the better LFS out there, they can tend to have kind of an elitist type mentality (maybe too many "you MUST do this n that", and be a daunting place for a total newcomer to go into.

 

[Bl80]

I frequent one store that I really like and respect. At least the day time people. there is a large selection of fish from pond to saltwater and everything inbetween. The ppl in the evening arent so knowledgable... I have even traded some juvies with 2 of the people there and when I cleared out my Tropical tank most went to the ones tank he set up for his kids and the rest he found homes for. It just really baffles me tho some of the things that are sold to people ....

 

[BeavisMom62]

On the flip side of things, I've seen that with some of the better LFS out there, they can tend to have kind of an elitist type mentality (maybe too many "you MUST do this n that", and be a daunting place for a total newcomer to go into. quoting jetajockey

Yes, that is true too. One of the ma and pa lfs that I go to is sort of like that. But Im not a total newb and I am usually going in there for something specific, so I already know what I want and have no questions. But I do feel the "attitude" in the air. Although, the last time I went there I was goldfish shopping and really only wanted one (at the time I had 3 goldies in a 55 at home), but fell in love with another one and bought him too. Of course I planned on tests and appropriate water changes, but when I mentioned that I probably shouldn't be getting that extra fish or I would be overstocked, I was told "no, your not overstocked. You could still put a couple more in there". Ummm...ok.

 

[BeavisMom62]

Ya it really irked me. I mean luckily we have the means to keep 2 puffers and I think 2 others already have a home in a few weeks.... But those poor ppl... ESP all the $ in the fluval etc.. For a child's happiness.... Argh... If they were closer I'd have given them seeded material and I have a 5 gal set up I could have given them gravel, prob put together a filter to run etc, just not fish... I just really felt bad for these ppl... We were a few hours from home as it was... Me usually the quiet shy one, I really surprised my other half and my son!!! I had to scoop their jaws off the ground... Lol

Well good for you! I'm usually the quiet one as well but sometimes you just gotta! I know what you mean, those Fluvals arent cheap. Ironically, just last week I was in a LFS and people were buying puffers, not sure what kind, I just heard the conversation. But the owner (who I already know really doesn't know much about fish, I've educated him on quite a few things since I've been going there) was telling them that although he was keeping them in freshwater they do need salt (well, thats good anyway), but he says "just throw a couple of handfuls of salt in the tank and you'll be fine". !!! Doesn't say what kind of salt, how much salt, obviously nothing about SG or anything. Sigh. What can you do?

 

[Bl80]

Ya my son brought some home so I immediately researched and asked on AA... Wondering when I need to start making it a brackish tank.... They are like .75 inches big..., still lil ones....

 

[tlkng1]

The LFS I frequent the most has given up on me . They know better than to snow me and I've done the same thing. Counseled people during their forays at the store.

What I have found in many stores is that the "experts" never actually answer a quesiton. They talk a lot until you say something that negates what they just said and then they act like they gave you the advice.

I miss the store I had out in Oregon..THAT place knew fish. Haven't found a place anywhere near as knowledgeable..at least not close by.

 

[BeavisMom62]

Yeah, I know you'll need to make it brackish eventually but I don't know when? Im not good at puffers. Tried to keep pea puffers and they actually ate each other, even though they aren't supposed to. Started out with ten and ended up with two and never found any bodies. Then I tried figure 8's but I'm not good at figuring out the SP and stuff and ended up killing the poor guy. I gave up. At that time I had, I think 7 tanks and that was enoug work! Now I'm down to 3 (23, 55 and 60 gal) and even they are hard to keep up with some weeks!

 

[Bl80]

I'm willing to try, from what I heard they are neat lil creatures... And I already have the tank so why not, lol... What's ONE more....

 

[BeavisMom62]

LOL! You are showing major symptoms of MTS disease! LOL! I may try again in the future. I was a very new newbie when I had mine and could barely keep my FW fish alive. Maybe someday.... Go for it!!

 

[Bl80]

Ya I have a few Tanks, lol we all find them relaxing love to watch them grow...

 

[Oblivion]

caveat emptor.... "let the buyer beware"
sad but true.

some places are good, some arent, i always let my purchasing $$ do the talking/walking.

i try research fish in advance, its not always easy though when theres something you like and a fish sale on.
wish i had one of them fandangled phones with direct access to the intertubes though... it sure would come in handy to do a quick bit of investigoogling while in-store.

 

[Bl80]

caveat emptor.... "let the buyer beware"
sad but true.

some places are good, some arent, i always let my purchasing $$ do the talking/walking.

i try research fish in advance, its not always easy though when theres something you like and a fish sale on.
wish i had one of them fandangled phones with direct access to the intertubes though... it sure would come in handy to do a quick bit of investigoogling while in-store.

Yep I started trying to figure what to do with a tropical tank before they were even all placed.... Then we kept flipping ideas.... I really wanted lake victoria cichlids but couldn't find them.... Then I did and put the 90g fish in the 55 g ( convicts) and traded the jack dempseys that were in there ( which were rescues from a very small tank) for other mbunas and voila... Its worth the research less headaches in the future.... And happy finned families...

 

[BeavisMom62]

Isn't that the truth, B180? Research has saved me lots of times, once I made so many mistakes by NOT doing research first! Yep, learned my lesson. Just like the QT lesson. some things ya gotta learn the hard way. Too bad that fish have to die for my knowledge, but at least the fish that come after benefit.

 

[Bl80]

Yep, agree.... Just wish ppl who sell were more educated.... Or at least had programs avail for ppl to research in the larger chains.... Even books...

 

[HUKIT]

I truly think the responseability falls on us as consumers, just like any purchase made in life research plays a important role in our decision making process. Impulse buyers tend to live their lives that way, with the majority of their purchases being made without research or proper planning. It all boils down to the age ole saying buyers beware.