Average Joe Who Wants A Fish Tank

[backtotropical]

I ordered a chinese takeaway for dinner tonight. When it arrived, the delivery guy asked me about my tank. "Is that a tropical tank you've got?" We started chatting and he told me that he has just bought one the exact same, but he can't get fish for 1 week (some of you may anticipate what is coming next). I ask why one week, and he says that the guy in the LFS told him to put his sand and water in the tank and leave it for a week before getting plants or fish.

I asked if he had a filter and he said he does. I asked if he knew what the filter does and he said he has read the instructions but he didn't seem sure. I explained that he needs to biuld up the bacteria in the filter and to do this requires ammonia. I explained that leaving the tank for 1 week would do nothing unless ammonia was added, and that when he went back after 1 week the LFS would sell him fish to cycle with and that the fish would probably die. He asked what are the alternatives and i proceeded to start explaining fishless cycling............................

I then realised that the guy thought that i am a total looney. He really wasn't interested in fishless cycling, he just wanted fish in his tank. Anyways, is he going to listen to the guy in the LFS or some stranger who he doesn't know from Adam? I know who i would listen to if i was a beginner in the hobby, my LFS.

How can you sell fishless cycling to these people? It's so frustrating to know that i can give the guy better advice than the LFS will, and even more frustrating to know that he won't listen.

Aaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrggggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Esfa]

I have had the same probalem a few times.

Most people just dont want to have a tank running with no fish in it for about 6 weeks

Why dont you give him some mature media from your filter? Would at least save some fish.

 

[Spooky76]

lol. And its a good point too.
My GFs son has a small tank and went to his lfs who said leave it a week #### !!!! lol
I go in and say right...heres how it works...filter, bacteria, ammonia blah blah and he looks at me as if Im speaking french and says....well my lfs didnt think it was a problem..
I find the best way to make people cycle, isnt fishless cycling, but just to add, 1 or 2 fish.
Its very frustrating that everyone who learnt the hard way now knows how to do it, but to make people who have just started out do it is another story

 

[pauly]

More importanly what did you have from the Chinese, and was it good?

I find that anyone who isn't into the hobby, and I class newcomers in this category, simply aren't interested. I've tried on many occasions to explain to people why I can't add fish yet, or why the filter is so important. As soon as I start explaining they swithch off and change the subject - they don't understand so can't be bothered. A certain someone springs to mind ......

 

[three-fingers]

Aaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrggggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Trust me, it's even more frustrating working in an LFS, I have to to go through that at least 5 times every day I'm in .

Not to mention certain colleagues who honestly mean well, but their advice isn't exactly always accurate...never anything too bad and most of it works, but it annoys me. Trouble is they have way more actual experience than me, have worked in the store for longer, and naturally their advice generates more sales.

I don't really mind it though, most of the time people actually listen to you, since tanks aren't exactly cheap.

When it comes to someone setting up a tank, the skill is not to go into too much detail or make it sound complicated. IME about 75% of tropical fish customers only have a tank for ornamental value, so I just give them simple instructions on what to do. The remaining 25% are parents of kids with fish as pets, those are the best customers to deal with since they are actually interested din how to care for their pets properly.

With marines it's pretty much 100% ornamental, maybe just over half of that are customers that have a genuine interest in the biology behind it, and the rest of them always listen to advice and/or read up on the subject due to the fact that reef tanks are really expensive, and mistreating treating an animal can in many cases end up with £100's worth of livestock being wiped out, along with the time and effort put in.

With the goldfish customers its more like 50% pets, 25% ornamental value, and 25% completely random such as "we were given it", "my cat caught them" (that was from just yesterday, referring to two goldfish and a koi) or I've even had "I don't know" (when asked, where did it come from and why did you get it).
Goldfish customers are the worst to deal with because:
1)Goldfish are cheap and so many of the customers don't even seem to view them as animals
2) Even with the people who do care and keep them as pets, it's a big shock to be told what goldfish's requirements actually are so much so that they don't believe you, sometimes they basically say "well my mate kept one in a bowl for years" and then storm off. Their loss though, they wont be getting sold any fish by me.

'Aaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrggggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!'

I do actually really like my Saturday job at the lfs though, It's like being paid surfing these forums all day answering basic questions, only your speaking to people in person so it's more enjoyable to help them.

 

[jourdy288]

How to sell, fishless cycling, hm, well, explain that, although it will take longer, the results are well worth it, as it doesn't result in the death of fish, and imagine that, for a moment, your lungs are being filled with ammonia. And there's nothing you can do about it. So, it is best to cycle the tank with no fish.

 

[Inchworm]

I then realized that the guy thought that i am a total looney. He really wasn't interested in fishless cycling, he just wanted fish in his tank...

How can you sell fishless cycling to these people? It's so frustrating to know that i can give the guy better advice than the LFS will, and even more frustrating to know that he won't listen.

Hi backtotropical

Believe me, as someone who has never done a fishless cycle, the very idea of pouring ammonia into a tank that I would be planing to put living creatures into sounds totally bizarre. Even knowing all I do now, I'm not sure I would actually do it.

I hope you gave him the address of TFF, and offered him some of your bacteria laden filter media, at least.

 

[funkyhoney]

I have had similar experiences... very often. I work in a large pet shop and mainly look after fish and I can safely say at least 50% of my customers have very little idea when it comes to fish keeping. I'm by no means an expert, but when I try to explain (as simply as possible) the concept of the nitrogen cycle, the fact that neon tetras are indeed tropical and that cleaning out the entire tank every week is not a good idea - all I ever get is blank stares and nods.

Having said that there are a lot of people who do try and come back every week following advice and heading onto the net for information as I can't explain everything there is to fishkeeping even if I talked myself blue.

At the end of the day the concept of cycling with fish is a lot more appealing to your average joe/amateur.

 

[BigC]

I belive LFS should supply everyone who purchases a new set/tank up a factsheet on various types of cycling.
Some wont be bothered as it's money to them if you loose your fish but any true Aquarist shop should.

 

[funkyhoney]

I belive LFS should supply everyone who purchases a new set/tank up a factsheet on various types of cycling.
Some wont be bothered as it's money to them if you loose your fish but any true Aquarist shop should.

Most non-fish enthusiasts just see it as "a fish is a fish, if it dies, it dies" in my experience. I personally have never been motivated by money as I get paid regardless of how much I sell; I have personally written up and printed beginner fact sheets on various topics and put them in the customers disposal.

But you're definitely right when you say most businesses will not do anything like this, only people like you and I who care about what happens to the fish that are sold.

 

[CFC]

I'm the same as inchworm, i've never actually cycled a tank with a fishless cycle, i ran an experiement on a spare empty tank once to see how it worked and got bored with after two weeks so if i can get bored cycling a tank when i've got dozens of tanks full of fish around me for a newcomer with their first tank its going to be worse.

Personally i always tell people to cycle with zebra danios and give them the forum address, if they want to learn they'll have a read and go their own way, if they dont then they'll cycle the tank with danios and get there in the end.

 

[backtotropical]

That's my frustration!!

I really want to tell people about fishless cycling. No offence to anyone, and i hope none is taken, but IMO, if you care about the well-being of the fish and have the knowledge about fishless cycling, theres no excuse for making the poor things suffer ammonia poisoning. My problem is trying to make people understand fishless cycling and realise that fish-in cycling is detrimental to the fish's health. It is so frustrating that some people think that 'It's just a fish' and 'If it dies, i'll buy another one'.

Anyway, I did ask the guy if he had internet and he said he'd be getting it soon so i didn't give him the forum address as i didn't think there was much point. I'm sad to say that i didn't offer him mature media as by that point he thought i was a loony and was trying to get back to his deliveries. No doubt next time i order chinese i can offer him some media and hopefully won't scare him with the prospect of fishless cycling.

Cheers

BTT

Oh, i had chicken curry and lemon chicken with boiled rice and it was beautiful!!!

 

[businesslamb]

When I set my tank up a couple of years ago I planted it first then did a fishless cycle. It was over christmas and even though there were no fish our guests were fascinated by the plants moving gently in the filter current so a fishless tank need not be so "boring"

Happy new year

businesslamb

 

[bucksgill]

i enjoyed my fishless cycle. i put the gravel in and some fake plants and left ot to settle for a week. Then each week for 3 weeks i added decor and real plants it was quite fun and gave you lots of time to research about what fish you want and you had time to make big decor changes to your tank

 

[kribensis12]

I dont do fishless cycling. I just use the same filter or exchange media. Also, when i get new tanks, i f the media dosent fit, i sit the cartridge in the tank next to a air stone. Other than that i put in bio-zyme, and let it sit for a few day's if i have the time.