Fish Shop Fails

[CherryNova]

My new 300L tank is set up and running (seeded with filter media from the old tank). It's been a while since I've had to buy fish, I'd forgotten what a hassle it can be! So far...

They tried to sell me about 10 angels for the tank (no ta, maybe 1 when everyone else is settled)
Tried to cajole me into buying a Parrot (again, no ta!)
Have massively failed to count the number of Harlequin Rasbora I asked for.
Have managed to sneak a mystery guest in with the Rasbora (small, thin tetra shaped body. Clearish with a black spot on ventral fin. Can't get a pic of the crafty little sod)
Have given up a couple of Harlquins that still look like fry. One 1 swimming near the surface with a very round belly... Keeping and eye on it.
Oh and I picked up 4 more Albino Cory and. 4 fish, only 7 eyes. Not the end of the world, I'm naming her Leela (Futurama, I'm a nerd)

Will I be buying there again? NOPE.

 

[mislisa]

I had my local lfs (which is normally really good) try to sell me a common plec, saying that when it got too big, i could bring it back... i just got a bristlenose instead!

 

[Dieses Madchen]

The first cichlids I bought, which were 2 severums and a GT. While they were putting them in the bag, the GT jumped out and no one noticed till we got home. I called the store and they had found the poor fish floppin on the floor. He was okay, and no fish were harmed.

 

[thereverendturtle]

And that's why I'm friends with the owners of the three stores I shop at. I catch all my own fish, and they know that I know my fish.

 

[PrairieSunflower]

I look in all the tanks before speaking to someone and always sound like I have a plan once I do speak! I've not had someone trying to sell me fish I didn't want. Plus, I always look in the bag before I pay to confirm they caught what I wanted. I really like going to Maidenhead Aquatics now. So far the people I have asked questions too were very honest rather than just trying to sell me things.

 

[coolie]

I like MA. The only thing is where they took over Southern Aquatics in Christchurch, the prices of chemicals, food and dry goods doubled, fish prices about the same tbh. But I do like their staff and shops.

 

[elmo666]

Not in anyway trying to sound condescending, but number 1 rule is to always inspect the fish in the bag before leaving the shop and again before the fish join your tank. With the amount of fish turnover in most lfs, unforetunately it is all too common that fish which are well below par are often sold. Bad information also seems to be common place. I over heard a customer being advised to place the fine sponge at the TOP of a jewel filter, and this despite the pic on the box clearly showing it's correct location at the bottom, after the coarser sponges have removed the larger particles. I waited for the customer to move away before trying to correct the owner. He was adamant I was wrong and asked me to mind my own business! The motto of the story is whenever possible, research your own info from reliable internet sources and go to your lfs armed with the knowledge you need

 

[coolie]

*** wondering which way up my sponges are ***

 

[CherryNova]

I should have checked the bag in the shop but the guy made a show of checking it in front of us... I felt rude doing it myself! I spotted the mystery fish in the car on the way home, by which point we were an hour away sadly. The wee intruder is going to a local shop this weekend.

 

[elmo666]

If you have a jewel filter coolie, they go from coarse at the top down to fine blue at the bottom. You should be using a white pre-filter at the top which they say should be replaced weekly. I bought a large white coarse wool sheet from my lfs for £4.99, I cut it to size, split in 2, the sheet gives me around 70 filter pads which wash out great, I re-use them 4 or 5 times. The jewel web site has a great page showing exactly how the filter should be set up

 

[Didge007]

LFS here (and the only 'decent' one within 1hr radius), knows me well but continually treats me as though I know nothing. I've learned one guy knows his stuff, the other is just an idiot. Any time I have a problem he tells me to put salt in my tank (I have corys and neons, no thanks). There is always at least one short-finned male betta in the female tank. I've been told I could mix certain types of fish when I can't. They also tell people to 'let your tank sit for a week before you add new fish'...thankfully I found this forum before that week was up

 

[Lizi_angelfish]

They also tell people to 'let your tank sit for a week before you add new fish'...thankfully I found this forum before that week was up

Just out of interest, does anyone know why they say this? Because it is blatantly wrong? My only thought is that they don't want people knowing how much work it really is... Maybe they all secretly know about fishless cycling but just pretend they never read about it!

 

[Craig89]

Don't forget at the end of the day it's a bussiness, they need people's trade and if they tell everyone to cycle then they wouldn't have a reagular income,

 

[dbanner]

Don't forget at the end of the day it's a bussiness, they need people's trade and if they tell everyone to cycle then they wouldn't have a reagular income,

That and they know fish are likely to dieor at least have shorter lives in unicycled tanks and so people go back, say the fish died of unknown causes and then the LFS can sell you some "instant cycle" in a bottle or some other miracle bottled formula and yet more fish.

Although one of my LFS (maidenhead aquatics) has loads of information about fish less and fish-in cycling up on the walls. Tells you everything you need to know from how to start off right through to the end. Also things you should do in certain situations. Iv been there many times where different staff members have walked the customers over and talked them through it... Very good to see. Also fills the customer confidence in the shop and its staff I'd much rather that than shops given out false or no information just to get customers to go back when the run into problems

 

[Crossfire]

The people at my LFS never try to make me buy inapropriate fish.
But they think its ok to tell people that tetras need schools of 6+, so they sell them one neon tetra, one x-ray tetra, one pink jewel tetra, one bloodfin tetra, one glowlight tetra, and one serpae tetra and BOOM there ya go 6 tetras in a school