Big Pet Stores need to learn about plants... :/

[enchanted]

I'm researching all the plants in my tank so I can decide a nice Aquascape....

First, I get sold Mondo Grass, not a good aquarium plant.

Then, I'm researching the Acorus and find out it is not a true Aquarium Plant EITHER!

You think they would at least sell plants that people can grow...

 

[Lateral Line]

The typical employees in fish shops are notoriously uninformed about most aspects of aquarium management. Plants are the green things right?!

 

[chkltcow]

It's not just big pet stores, though. Most pet stores don't give a crap about plants. They either focus their energies and learning on saltwater, because that's the big money and beautiful fish..... or they're usually a general pet store that sells all kind of things, not just fish. I've yet to see a store known even marginally as much about plants and freshwater as they do about coral and saltwater.

 

[enchanted]

Well, maybe it's the suppliers?

They shouldn't even offer them if they won't grow in aquariums.

 

[chkltcow]

Well, maybe it's the suppliers?

They shouldn't even offer them if they won't grow in aquariums.

Yes and no. Petsmart sells Mondo grass because they also sell reptiles and terrariums. It's a great terrarium plant. The problem is, they sell it submerged with the normal aquatic plants with nothing to signify that it is a bog plant, not aquatic.

 

[clutterydrawer]

in my opinion ALL pet stores need to learn about plants. the majority I've been to don't have names on theirs and can't identify them if you ask. and obviously i'm not going to buy a plant if I don't know if it's suitable for my tank...

 

[enchanted]

At least my LFS is honest in how the plants grow, submerged, floating, half-submerged, etc... and even if he isn't always sure of the name, he knows the growth and he has yet to be wrong there.

But places like Petsmart and Petco, and others are where "average" people tend to buy plants and it's sad that they sell all these plants and I bet 50% or more just die and make a mess out of the tank. Probably killing fishing and causing people to give up hope.

 

[purple_drazi]

I was feeling fairly discouraged about my local specialty store, for example a staff member claimed to be knowledgable about bettas and to have bred them but said that he had never heard of them jumping. Fairly discouraging.

I was in there a couple of weeks ago though and happened to find a staff member who is knowledgable and competent! He really knows his stuff. yay!!
I took his name and now whenever I call the store for advice or if I need to buy something I ask to speak to him. Happy customer here!

 

[tear-scar]

Well, they are "pet" stores . . . I don't really consider aquascaping a "pet" hobby. I mean, mostly a good aquascape is about the lay-out and plant selection FIRST, and fish selection SECOND. And as long as you don't pick lots of different dither fish, something harmful to the tank, discus/angels with colors that mess up the feel of the tank, or something way out there, you'll probably be ok and have lots of people say, "Ooh . . . what a beautiful tank!"

In the context of a great planted tank, a fish becomes just a fish . . . just an ornament in the display or the back-stage clean up crew. Sure there might be some stand out, but only the owner if anyone appreciates that fish's uniqueness/personality, and even then-- focus is still on the tank as a whole. I doubt Amano names all his otos and says "good boy! I love you so much!" as he watchest them eat algae.

In other words, aquascaping is more like Art, and a lot less like having a pet. Besides, how intimate a relationship can you have with a neon tetra?

Generally artists are a much narrower crowd, and there are a lot less places to cater to their needs. We all have to live with that fact here.

I personally can't expect petsmart to have a great selection of plants anymore than I expect a general store to have copic alchohol pens, Lining pens, painting knives or oil paints.

For good stuff, you will normally have to go out of your way.

 

[clutterydrawer]

art stores exist though....i have yet to see an "aquascaping shop". hmm, maybe I'll start one.

 

[George Farmer]

Most shops selling plants just tend to keep the plants alive rather than grow them, therefore they will only tend to keep plants which will have a longer shelf-life. Unfortunately, these tend to be the semi-aquatic or decorative varieties.

I am lucky as my LFS has the plants for sale under metal-halides and co2. Even then I tend to go mail-order.

 

[tear-scar]

art stores exist though....i have yet to see an "aquascaping shop". hmm, maybe I'll start one.

That's true. Too bad

My LFs bring in a great selection of aquatic plants, but they are able to do this because the plants are mostly on request, and are bought within 3 days of a ship-ment . . . they re-stock plants on thursday mostly.

 

[enchanted]

My LFS keeps some nice plants around. What gets me though isn't that they sell, or that they don't know what they are.

It is the fact they sell non-aquatic plants to people who don't know better. This can destroy an aquarium and is very bad.

 

[jacblades]

Well, maybe it's the suppliers?

They shouldn't even offer them if they won't grow in aquariums.

Yes and no. Petsmart sells Mondo grass because they also sell reptiles and terrariums. It's a great terrarium plant. The problem is, they sell it submerged with the normal aquatic plants with nothing to signify that it is a bog plant, not aquatic.

the tag says it is a terrarium plant.
i pulled some potted plants that were dying and put them in with the newts. my manager asked why i did and i told him "read the tags-theyre not truly aquatic"
he then got mad because the supplier had "deceived him"

i have a few coworkers that dont know a flip about fish or anyhting else that we sell. often you can get more info from the tags under the fish/plants than from the employee...