NAME AND SHAME!!!

[Jae1525]

I dont know about you, but I am sick of reading about people with bad LFS.

It seems to me that some LFS just buy in stock that they dont have a clue how to look after and hope that people buy them before they die.
It has also come to my attention that some LFS dont ask you about your setup before you buy a fish/invert and before you know it you have a 10gal tank with a 12inch clown loach or common plec in it! (although its partly your fault 2 for not researching you fish)

There are many other instances of bad conducts from LFS so I have set this post up so we can name and shame those bad LFS.

The gloves are off... ROUND 1... DING

 

[wrs]

I dont think your supposed to "name and shame" lfs.
sorry

 

[Jae1525]

I dont see why not.
If it is a valid reason and true then it is not illegal. Maybe a bit harsh but if lfs dont consistantly meet the standards then its what they deserve.
Besides, were not asking for addresses and phone numbers here.

 

[Wyld-Fyre]

I've found a way around this argument about naming and shaming specific LFSs.

There's a place not far from me, in Bedfordshire, located not far from a retirement town, in a famous 'Garden Centre', and which sells the most scrawniest ill-looking fish, at extortionate prices, one will ever come across. It is no wonder they're advertising like crazy to try and pull in the punters. Additionally, they also employ one of the most uninformed assistants on this side of the planet (sorry kid, but you are still a kid).

On the plus side, upon driving there, the scenery wasn't too bad.

 

[Jae1525]

You see!!!

Dont you feel better for that! Round the houses is just as good!!!

Thanks for sharing.

 

[Wyld-Fyre]

I wonder what personal experiences you had 'Jae1525' with your LFS?

 

[StingrayKid]

I had a LFS tell me that a freshwater stingray could live in my 30 gallon for life. Of course it was labeled "Teacup Stingray", which is a name for stingrays that are still babies. This guy would have probably got at least 12 inches in diameter at full grown. Unfortuately, the power went out while I was on vacation and all my fish died, including the stingray I bought stupidly!!!! (of course I didn't know that the thing would get that big when I bought it!)

 

[Guppylover]

I'll have a go...
Well there is a pet store called Pets Paradise nearby here and...IT'S HORRID!!! ...that felt really good
The poor fish There is a row of 5 tanks, they are all 1/2 a gallon tank and in each tank there is at least 10 fish!!!

Tak One:
#15 Penguin Tetra
Tank Two:
#8 Guppies
Tank Three:
#12 Neon Tetra
Tank Four:
#20 Dwarf Otocinclus
Tank Five
#5 Angelfish

There are a few rows of tanks like this all over the store... and do you want to know where they keep their bettas? ...
There are these tiny little containers around 4cm wide and 4cm long...The Poor Bettas
Then there is a 35gal tank that is kept on the floor...with 40 Goldfish inside!!!!!
The people who work there look at all the fish as if it was normal to keep them like this
I have never bought any fish supplies or fish from that store and I never will!

I'm also curious Jae1525...what happened with your bad lfs?

 

[Jae1525]

Its good to share.

One in manchester I went to had allot of dead fish in the tanks, dead and decomposing. Thats the worst by far!!!

I have been to so may that have had various problems. Pets At Home is ridiculously exspensive and has a bad range of fish. The staff have no idea how to do a proper water test at all.
I was doing a cycle and had high amonia so I thought I should take in some water to be tested to see what they said.
Some punk kid told me the amonia was fine but I had just gotten a reading of 2.4 at home!

I think my main gripe with most fish places is that they just buy things in and hope they get sold before they die! Makes me rly angry when I ask about a fish/invert and the person doesent have a clue!!!

 

[Vip]

Pets Paradise are full of bananas, i walked in there and walked out, they wanted $6 for a pack of blood wroms. I asked one of the people behind the desk if they get cichlids in or not and she asked me whats that?

 

[Jae1525]

Sounds like the US version of pets at home.

Once you find a good lfs You just gotta stick with it and ask them to order in the fish you want. Even if they cost a bit more its worth having a healthy fish.

You gotta support your good lfs and not let the pet superstores take over and drive them outta business!

 

[nightlife20]

iv got two bad lfs's near me

one is sooo thick he calls fish by other names to make them sound more rare, ie jap fighter fish= molly
he once had oscars in with guppys... needless to say he didnt have many gupps left. he also had a giant pacu on a little 10gal.. the thing couldnt turn around!

the other one is over priced and has the normaly fish, but all tanks like most places are connected... but this one takes it to the extreame of even the cold water tanks filtration is connected... about a month ago they had a bad case of ich in one tank... it spread throught out every tank in the place.
also, they had a lovley fighter gold/green and brown in with java loaches... the fighter was obviously ill it kept goin down to the bottom, then goin up for air then sinkin down to the bottom again... the last time it went to the bottom it was swammped with java loaches they were eatin it alive!, i pointed out to the lfs assistant and all he said was ' oh its ok, i dont have to feed that tank later as they are havin there feed now'

it made me feel physicaly sick.



i agree with someone who posted, 'once you find a good lfs stick with it'. i have... and they will order me almost anythin i want.

 

[Cheese Specialist]

Betta Aquaria in Byker

...North East England

I went there on the advice of someone from another fish forum (an admin in fact). It was horrible. They had a nice looking marine section but the rest was terrible looking. They had dead fish all over the place. It's where I first encountered dyed fish (in person), their fish looked undernourished. The clown loaches were so thin, I am not sure if it was skinny disease. Their fish were poorly labelled and some of the labels were wrong. The staff were unfriendly and dour and to top it off their prices were through the roof!!

As you can tell...I am not a fan

Oh, and the guy who suggested them also doesn't have a clue about fish I later found out when I was looking to rehome some fish and I found out what he had in a 2ft (70lish) tank. Oh dear, oh dear.

Betta, my arse. The only ones they had were in a terrible state, unless yoyu count the few dead females that I saw.

 

[Jae1525]

Thats sad.

Like I always say, just mix up polystyrene and petrol and you have yourself a nice batch of sticky napalm to burn the place down with. Save the animals first of course.

 

[GP]

Location 1: 1 mile from house. Convient, yet horrid. Bettas in cups with unchanged water. Fin rot galore. 9 albino oscars in a 2 gallon tank. cichilids and tiger oscars in 2 gallon tank. 40 gallon 1000 guppies..

Location 2: 30 miles from house. Amazing. about 1000 tanks all clean, I think I saw 2 dead fish. Hospital tanks, tanks for liverock, sections for saltwater fish and sections for fresh. Bettas in cups but water changed twice daily. When I told the guy I had a GSP in a five gallon (I already knew my info on my GSP), he repeated all the info I had learned to me, brackish, need 30 gallons, heavy filtration etc. Recommended Aquaclear, and knew everything about the filter. I asked him what live food would be best for my puffer, and he recommended and gave me ghost shrimp, one of the best for baby puffers. The people at the store knew so much it was ridiculous.