Lfs Rant

[rebrn]

Ok so there is a new aquarium only store that has opened about 20 minutes from my house, the first Aquarium Only store that is not more then an hour away. I was sooo excited to here this, finally an actual aquarium store close by. Anyway, so I go in there to check it out and there was this little girl and her mom looking at aquarium, it was like a flash back to a couple of months ago when I first walked in to the pet store and said I wanted an aquariums ... totally lost and very confused. So I here the sales guy tell the lady about cycling her tank, I was impressed, I was never told anything about cycling at the big chain stores. But that is where it all went down hill. The lady told the sales person that she knew about cycling and had been doing research on it and that she would like to do a fishless cycle but had heard conflicting reports on fishless cycles, the sales clerk rolled his eyes and said "there are no conflicting reports fishless cycles just don't work and it would be faster to do a cycle with some fish, and any one who tells you different doesn't know a thing about aquariums and is probably some PETA freak." No joke, those were his exact words. Ok, so the women agreed, again obvious that she knew nothing about aquariums, he immediately sold her a 29 gallon tank kit (filter included), a stand, heater, water conditioner, the whole nine yards. Then proceded to tell her she needed 20 fish to cycle her tank and that she should not do any water changes for a minimum of 1 month or else she would stall the cycle. At this point I was livid, I was and still am a beginner and I know the frustration of being told inaccurate information just so the LFS can make a sale. I was about to butt in and say something, when the women said that she would come back for the fish the next day so she could get her tank set up. I thought oh good here is my chance ... as she was checking out I left the store (I didn't see anything I needed at the store) and waited for her outside. When she came out I told her the info she was given was completely incorrect, that she should do a fishless cycle, if for no other reason its easier and less time consuming. I ran through the basics with her and told her about my experience with other fish stores, I also told her about this fourm. She was very greatful for the advise she said "the tank is really for my children and I know that if we had lost fish they would have been devistated, that is why I initially wanted to do a fishless cycle". I just don't understand how people who work at any pet shop - fish or other wise - can constanly give bad advise to those of us who are obviously new and confused.

Ok rant over.

 

[DiscusKeeper403]

I just don't understand how people who work at any pet shop - fish or other wise - can constanly give bad advise to those of us who are obviously new and confused.

For some, it may be that they have been ill informed. But I think in the scheme of things the pet store thinks these people will loose their fish and come buy more. In the long run they are probably loosing money, as people end up becoming discouraged and quickly take down their tank. As for the employees reply, that probably would cycle the tank. I would think with quite a few deaths though, not the most humane way to do it

 

[waterdrop]

Interesting rebrn, that's one of the few stories I've heard where the motivation of the LFS person sounded less benign and possibly more calculated about getting extra sales from the first round of ammonia-poisoning deaths.

Its really ashame if an LFS owner can not embrace fishless cycling as I think the original motivation for most of them going into the business (the fish-mainly type stores) would probably have been a like of the hobby in their own lives. Of course, significant numbers of them may have been more interested in different pets if its a pet store, or some of them may have come into the business via their family and been more interested in the business side of things than the fish.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[GuppyGoddess]

The LFS by me gives quite a bit of odd advice. . .including fish-in cycling (and telling me that I can keep 5+ fish in my 3-gallon). The one thing that store does emphasize is testing ammonia levels. If I were you, I would have walked over and handed the customer an API ammonia test kit and explained to her how that would help. I doubt you'd have convinced her not to buy the fish, but at least helped her keep more of her fish alive.

 

[rebrn]

Interesting rebrn, that's one of the few stories I've heard where the motivation of the LFS person sounded less benign and possibly more calculated about getting extra sales from the first round of ammonia-poisoning deaths.

Its really ashame if an LFS owner can not embrace fishless cycling as I think the original motivation for most of them going into the business (the fish-mainly type stores) would probably have been a like of the hobby in their own lives. Of course, significant numbers of them may have been more interested in different pets if its a pet store, or some of them may have come into the business via their family and been more interested in the business side of things than the fish.

~~waterdrop~~

I know... I think that is why I was so angered by it. I have come to expect it from the large chains but this store isn't a large chain. In fact they advertise as fish lovers, fish experts and that all the staff has at least 10 years of experience with aquariums.