Because The Man In The Shop Said ..........

[the_lock_man]

You know what... This site needs a leaflet/mini poster..

We can print them out and hand them out to our lfs, it could have the title "second opinions by friendly fishkeepers"..

I would presume most shops would accept it, they could just hand one over to new fish owners and say, "these guys will see you right"

In an ideal world, yes, but if you were a profit-driven shopkeeper, who wants to sell all the add-ons, like pH adjuster, and aquarium salt, and carbon filters, would you advertise a website the debunks all those myths? Would you advertise a website that directly contradicts all the advice you've been giving your customers for the xx years you've been in business?

What we really need is for the Ornamental Aquatic Trade Association to be more proactive with their home-study courses (assuming that these courses are properly constructed), and make them compulsory for membership. In my industry, a company can only be a member of the Trade Association if at least one member of staff has passed the individual full membership examination.

 

[Sesshis_grl]

I know! I'm not an expert and don't pretend to be but from being on this forum I know the basics now, and it kills me to hear them giving out this bad advice. But like someone said..you don't want to be the rude know-it-all thats just spouting off

I'm just getting sick of employees trying to push salt on you for everything under the sun. I know the issue of adding salt to your tank turns into a debate with people on both sides of the coin, but it did horrible things to my tank and I tell people never again. But of course they look at you like you know nothing and they know everything, even though you just heard them tell someone something crazy a second ago. Madness I say

In a perfect world I would already have my fish shop and would have trained employees that actually know what they are talking about

 

[RustedKnight]

In an ideal world, yes, but if you were a profit-driven shopkeeper, who wants to sell all the add-ons, like pH adjuster, and aquarium salt, and carbon filters, would you advertise a website the debunks all those myths? Would you advertise a website that directly contradicts all the advice you've been giving your customers for the xx years you've been in business?

What we really need is for the Ornamental Aquatic Trade Association to be more proactive with their home-study courses (assuming that these courses are properly constructed), and make them compulsory for membership. In my industry, a company can only be a member of the Trade Association if at least one member of staff has passed the individual full membership examination.

I think they have the wrong way of looking at it;

Eventually all their customers will figure out their being told crap and find another shop, tell all their friends (and online) about said crap shop, that friend tells their friends etc, and lfs has to rely on lying to new customers constantly.

Whereas if they give the customers some GOOD information, customers fish survives, customer buys constant supply of food and plants, and filter media, customer WILL upgrade the tank, customer will always come back. Customer will inform friends of fantastic fish shop.. Friend buys tank...etcetc..

Doesn't take a genious....

 

[the_lock_man]

In an ideal world, yes, but if you were a profit-driven shopkeeper, who wants to sell all the add-ons, like pH adjuster, and aquarium salt, and carbon filters, would you advertise a website the debunks all those myths? Would you advertise a website that directly contradicts all the advice you've been giving your customers for the xx years you've been in business?

What we really need is for the Ornamental Aquatic Trade Association to be more proactive with their home-study courses (assuming that these courses are properly constructed), and make them compulsory for membership. In my industry, a company can only be a member of the Trade Association if at least one member of staff has passed the individual full membership examination.

I think they have the wrong way of looking at it;

Eventually all their customers will figure out their being told crap and find another shop, tell all their friends (and online) about said crap shop, that friend tells their friends etc, and lfs has to rely on lying to new customers constantly.

Whereas if they give the customers some GOOD information, customers fish survives, customer buys constant supply of food and plants, and filter media, customer WILL upgrade the tank, customer will always come back. Customer will inform friends of fantastic fish shop.. Friend buys tank...etcetc..

Doesn't take a genious....

I think the issue is that the LFS owners are probably giving out the info in good faith, believing it to be the best advice going. They need proper education.

 

[Harlequins]

It sickens me,that alot of peeps go and ask for advice,thinking they must know best because they run an lfs and unfortunately get given the wrong advice

We see if all too often when peeps come on hear saying what so called 'gospel info' they've had from lfs shops only to realise when its too late that its all codswallap!!

Its a shame that fish can't be protected like dogs & cats etc,such is the world we live in ehh??

Well done star for saving the tank,fingers crossed the fish pull through

 

[star4]

Good news so far, had a text earlier from the lady in question, no more deaths since I re-arranged her tank for her and she has done another wc with the gravel vac I sent which has worked and removed the rest of the gunk. She just now needs to re-home the 7" plec they sold her

 

[RustedKnight]

good news.

I think most shops should start selling plecs as order only.. Or atleast start getting some definate details from their customers..sheesh.

They're #41#### pretty fish, but they'd never live in a tank my size.

 

[star4]

Totally agree or stop lying saying they will only grow to the size of the tank!! she has seen my 2 big plecs so knows how big they can get, but she was again told, dont worry this one wont get that big!!

 

[Vasili Fish]

Hmm sounds familiar my first experiance of the guy in the shop

sold me 2 angel's 20 neons 2 plec's a Betta fighter fish 2 kissing gourami's a knight goby and a female fighter and 4 tiger barbs and a spotted climbing perch , hence the angels ate all my neons,the plecs are now getting to a size of 5" each and are the dirtiest fish in the tank (told thay were cleanest)the 2 kissers bought turned out to be both males and battled to the death till i only had one best part is he sold thease to my Mr's & 3 gallon tank that cost £48 quid inc fish.

Then the kisser turned his attention to my angels and killed them both , my knight goby lasted all of 2 day's died as he failed to mention brackish enviroment i was unaware until it was too late , my fighter was nipped to the size of a small female as i was told the barbs were good tank mates for the betta wrong! and dont get me started on my climbing perch he just naughty all day

And the best one was when i asked about Tiger oscars and then told my mr's thay be fine in the 3 gallon tank she just bought and wont grow no bigger thats were i had to butt in as i seen thease monster before and there huge

Moral of the story the guy in the shop talks bollocks reserch the fish you want google is your freind and ask a billion questions, i now only trust myself and reserch everything before i buy a fish well most times impulse's are deadly to your fish trust me i now i know

Now the betta has his own home in 3 gallon tank with the kisser as a tank mate actually get on great

And my community tank now only holds the perch plec's barb's and my new 2x Tiger oscars o and a rainbow shark i adopted off a mate as he dint know you cant have 2 per tank and thay fought for litrally hours hence i googled it found reason why thay fighting now he's in my tank

But as of next week i get my 3rd tank for the barbs and perch.

Now i only gotta rehome two plecs mission imposs comes to mind

 

[RustedKnight]

Hmm sounds familiar my first experiance of the guy in the shop

sold me 2 angel's 20 neons 2 plec's a Betta fighter fish 2 kissing gourami's a knight goby and a female fighter and 4 tiger barbs and a spotted climbing perch , hence the angels ate all my neons,the plecs are now getting to a size of 5" each and are the dirtiest fish in the tank (told thay were cleanest)the 2 kissers bought turned out to be both males and battled to the death till i only had one best part is he sold thease to my Mr's & 3 gallon tank that cost £48 quid inc fish.

Then the kisser turned his attention to my angels and killed them both , my knight goby lasted all of 2 day's died as he failed to mention brackish enviroment i was unaware until it was too late , my fighter was nipped to the size of a small female as i was told the barbs were good tank mates for the betta wrong! and dont get me started on my climbing perch he just naughty all day

And the best one was when i asked about Tiger oscars and then told my mr's thay be fine in the 3 gallon tank she just bought and wont grow no bigger thats were i had to butt in as i seen thease monster before and there huge


Moral of the story the guy in the shop talks bollocks reserch the fish you want google is your freind and ask a billion questions, i now only trust myself and reserch everything before i buy a fish well most times impulse's are deadly to your fish trust me i now i know

Sounds like you had it rough..

I sometimes wonder if it's worth calling RSPCA on these buggers, fish have feelings too.

 

[alex.wardle]

I dont think I am actually allowed to name the shop (sure I have seen it in previous threads somewhere) but its in a part of Birmingham called Erdington and its an 'Aquatics' shop.

I just hope I wasnt too late with these fish, I did all I could last night. I didnt bother testing the water, there was no need because the gunk & smell told me the ammonia would be very high.

Is it by any chance the one not far from erdingtons high street down a steep hill from it. Thy are pretty bad I went in on Tuesday looking for a golden nugget plec, thought I saw one and asked what it was. Ermm ermmm arrr yer its just a normall plec, I hurt trend around and walked out with out saying a word.

 

[Vasili Fish]

Well i suppose it put's off most new to the hobby like me and thay wont continue but i am stubbon and now dont even ask him technical questions just ask to see the fish i want eat food, and inspect their tanks before i buy but even then you taking a chance, as there starving the fish thease days, i also found a better lfs at half the price and the guy do know his stuff so there are good people out there but the closest to me is the stupid lfs

 

[star4]

I dont think I am actually allowed to name the shop (sure I have seen it in previous threads somewhere) but its in a part of Birmingham called Erdington and its an 'Aquatics' shop.

I just hope I wasnt too late with these fish, I did all I could last night. I didnt bother testing the water, there was no need because the gunk & smell told me the ammonia would be very high.

Is it by any chance the one not far from erdingtons high street down a steep hill from it. Thy are pretty bad I went in on Tuesday looking for a golden nugget plec, thought I saw one and asked what it was. Ermm ermmm arrr yer its just a normall plec, I hurt trend around and walked out with out saying a word.

Thats the one, I went on Wednesday and was horrified at the amount of dead fish. Was that large midas there Tuesday rammed in with all those larger plecs and that poor battered JD?

 

[Twinklecaz]

The trouble is a lot
of people don't want to believe the
good advice when they hear it.
They like to think of fish as an
easy pretty pet so when they're told
all about cycling and ilnesses
they'd rather believe that you're wrong
and the man in the LFS who say's you can add
magic potion and add loads of fish to a 20 litre
is the one who is right.

 

[alex.wardle]

I dont think I am actually allowed to name the shop (sure I have seen it in previous threads somewhere) but its in a part of Birmingham called Erdington and its an 'Aquatics' shop.

I just hope I wasnt too late with these fish, I did all I could last night. I didnt bother testing the water, there was no need because the gunk & smell told me the ammonia would be very high.

Is it by any chance the one not far from erdingtons high street down a steep hill from it. Thy are pretty bad I went in on Tuesday looking for a golden nugget plec, thought I saw one and asked what it was. Ermm ermmm arrr yer its just a normall plec, I hurt trend around and walked out with out saying a word.

Thats the one, I went on Wednesday and was horrified at the amount of dead fish. Was that large midas there Tuesday rammed in with all those larger plecs and that poor battered JD?

It was. Sory for the multi multi quote. Absalute horror show. I would rather take the trip outto Solihull and go to shurly aquatics the. Ever go there again after that episode. Not shurly's is a spot on aquatics. Everything u need, great selection staf are spot on and tanks are spotless.