Anyone Get Ripped Off By A Local Store?

[stargirly1208]

I just wanted to share my story because I wanted to support my local fish store instead of going to places like Petco or Petsmart who hire dummies as their fish employees. I went to my family-owned fish store here in Ohio and they had my german blue rams that I've been wanting forever and ever. So i checked them over diligently like I always do for any signs of disease and whatnot. After deciding that they looked good, I bought 2 of them for $5 each. Long story short, they died 2 days later! I checked my water like 5 times and everything seemed to be in check. So I went back and he told me it's not his fish because his other 2 are alive but he'd be nice and let me have those two or my money back but if I took the other 2 I'd be on my own. So I went over to check the other 2 and one was dead and the other was breathing heavily. So I decided to get my money back.

It just peeves me that I try to support local stores and this guy is no better than Petco! I am still searching for a truely good fish store in Ohio besides aquarium adventure which seems to be the only decent one left. Just thought I'd share and hear other stories other people may have.

 

[dwarfgourami]

I have found that there is no guarantee that a small family-run lfs will be better that a chain store, any more than vice versa. All shops are run by people. I've had crap advice in a small family store, and learnt lots about cichlids in a Pets@home. And I've had crap advice in another Pets@home and bought lots of healthy fish in another family store. All you can do is keep going round the shops and checking what they're overall quality is.

 

[CathyGo]

I just wanted to share my story because I wanted to support my local fish store instead of going to places like Petco or Petsmart who hire dummies as their fish employees.

Not all PetSmat's and PetCo's are on the same level. The one I work at has a knack at attracting hobbyist or making their fish people into one after they've been working there for awhile. Some PetSmart and PetCo's suck and I wouldn't buy fish there or listen to their advice but some can be decent. I've had really good luck with most of the local fish stores around here. One of them though consistently charges almost 3 times what you would pay elsewhere and the employees are VERY rude. It has a ton of display tanks with all the fish we sell as babies as full grown adults so I'll make the trip to look but I never buy anything and try to avoid talking to the employees.

 

[JamieBailie]

I just wanted to share my story because I wanted to support my local fish store instead of going to places like Petco or Petsmart who hire dummies as their fish employees.

Not all PetSmat's and PetCo's are on the same level.

I have to agree with this, My local Pets At Home was actually very good, BUT in the last few months it's got worse, I wouldn't buy fish from there again, They have let the tanks get dirty and there seems to be lots of floaters! I'm guessing a change in management or something caused this.

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Hey stargirly1208, how did you acclimatise the rams to your tank and how long for? They could have died from a ph shock thing or something.

 

[orange shark]

my lfs is crap, but 2 new ones have opened around me, i went to check one out and its much better than the other one. Only problem for me is that its difficult to get to compared to the crap one

 

[Kribster]

I work in the LFS, Pets@home, and am the fish guy. The manager there took me on after i named every cichlid in the tanks in latin and english names lol. No, PAH tries to keep their staff at a good level, but at the mo we have had huge probs with the deliveries, and there is a lot of preassure on the store managers from head office, we dont have much time to really care for the fish other that feed em, clean em and take out the dead ones.

Still, i try to make a difference.

 

[flash22]

i've got a few lfs and a pets at home not to far away so plenty to choose from. Lfs i use has good prices esp on dry goods/tanks thay only have a small tank room but theres stock turns over quite fast and thay have the odd rare fish(es) in. Thay seem to get a few plecs in too bn,king tiger and queen whatsamacallit.

i find pets at home expensive also made the effort and been further a field. Ruxley Manor i wasn't impressed with. Same goes for maidenhead aquactics (dartford) a few dead fish and the koi pond outside was dark and murky. I did like the look,feel and stock that birchwood aquatics (swanley) when i get time i think i will go back there.

 

[stargirly1208]

Hey stargirly1208, how did you acclimatise the rams to your tank and how long for? They could have died from a ph shock thing or something.

I left them in for 20 minutes and slowly acclimated them. my ph was at 7 so like i said there wasn't really anything wrong with my water. I really think it was his fish because when i went back his fish that was alive was looking pretty bad already.

I work in the LFS, Pets@home, and am the fish guy. The manager there took me on after i named every cichlid in the tanks in latin and english names lol. No, PAH tries to keep their staff at a good level, but at the mo we have had huge probs with the deliveries, and there is a lot of preassure on the store managers from head office, we dont have much time to really care for the fish other that feed em, clean em and take out the dead ones.Still, i try to make a difference.

where are there pets@home? i hear a lot about this place but i've never seen one

 

[Ilya]

There is a LFS that I only shop for supplies. They sell used 30-40 gallon aquariums with stands for about $100-120. And that's cheap! They have a whole bunch of other stuff too. But I only buy my fish from Petsmart.

 

[pica_nuttalli]

You're going to write off a shop because you had two (notoriously delicate) fish die on you? High standards

 

[Dorkhedeos]

Ive had many rams die on me the first few days, so i wouldnt blame the store.

 

[jourdy288]

My LFS small store hasn't ripped me off, but has given bad advice. I ended up buying a bbs kit rather than salt and eggs to grow my own up. They thought it would be easier for me, but at least I am breeding them now.

 

[stargirly1208]

It's not that I'm writing the store off, it's just it makes me mad when he tells me it isn't his fish, when it clearly was. I've seen other stores carry those fish and they were in wonderful condition, just they're soooo far away from here (i'm at college). I will see if his new store will look better, this store is a hole in the wall and he never takes care of his tanks... i don't know, i just wish there was a good local store closer to toledo... i'm still searching. I found one and i have to wait until wed. to see if he actually ordered my rams for me like he said he would. if he's trustworthy, he's definitely got my buisiness! and yes, i do have high standard hehe. I usually shop at petsmart in toledo, but the people there don't know how to handle fish! i mean it's to the point where they'll drop one and say do you still want it? but they're fish are good quality. ohio needs more stores.

 

[Britesprite]

My LFS is usually resonably priced, but they do occasionally have some fish that are way overpriced (some mollies for $10!) But they take very good care of their fish. They only have a staff of 3 and they all know what they are talking about and can always answer any questions I have. I don't mind paying the extra money every now and then to support them.