So Happy

[Baccus]

We all know of somebody who has kept fish, had them all die and (mostly from lack of knowledge and wrong advice) and the person swears off the whole fish keeping hobby. Well a person at my husbands work, had experienced the same troubles. BUT for once took sound advice and read up on how to cycle a filter/ tank and is in the process of doing this before worrying about stocking and rates.
Another proud development with this newbie fish keeper is that she will be getting rid of all the plastic plants and going live plants, which are at least going to do some good for the tank.
I guess people getting to see established tanks that have been running for years with large healthy fish and plant populations really can sway people in the right direction.
Now if I can just convince them to join this or similar forum I know they will get a whole lot more out of the fish keeping hobby.

 

[RobRocksFishTank]

Some of my best customers were people that were misguided by bad advice and sworn off of fish because they did everything "right" and failed. They would come in the store for other animal needs and browse the fish tanks because they enjoyed looking at them. I loved overhearing someone say, "I wish we could keep fish alive." That was my cue.
 
That was in the days before internet, when the LFS ruled over the chain stores.

 

[CSnyder00]

Chain stores train their staff as well, but sometimes the training is wrong or the employees just don't care enough to learn. PetSmart makes you read a lot of info, but they don't test you. You just have to complete the book.

 

[NickAu]

 
Chain stores train their staff as well, but sometimes the training is wrong or the employees just don't care enough to learn. PetSmart makes you read a lot of info, but they don't test you.

One local pet store will quite happily sell you a Black Ghost Knife and tell you " no sir, they don't grow much bigger than they are now" They will also sell you clown loaches without asking " how big is your tank" .
 
I am banned from there because when I hear people ask about fish and how to keep them I always step in and ask is the tank cycled? how big is it? And then I point them to this site to do a bit of reading before deciding what fish to get. The shop hates it because the people end up not buying anything, They go home and research things first.
 
I am no expert, in fact I am far from it and while I do ask what may seem silly questions sometimes, I have learned quite a lot from the members here.
 
Thank you for trying to educate me.

 

[RobRocksFishTank]

LMAO, Nick. You don't know how many times I've wanted to do that. Just never really felt it was my place. I do quiz the employees, though. They usually don't even know I'm doing it.
 
CSnyder, in my day working at LFS stores, the good ones employed experienced hobbyists. I have to say, since you mentioned the company, that the PetSmart stores that I have been to have quality fish departments. Not always staffed well, but the tanks and the fish never fail to impress.

 

[guppiegirlie]

I've been going to the same lfs for years, first with my father as a little girl! ! It's still going strong now and the same lovely couple who run it, and now their son too.

I have to agree on the lfs side being the better place for honesty.

Getting my first tank a few years ago it was an unconventional array of uncompatible fish due to buying from pets at home, yes that fish is fine with that one etc I ended up with an uncycled tank full of kribs, clown loaches, khuli loaches male and female guppies and my little plec who by the grace of God (!) Is still here today!

Obviously my kirbs attacked anything and everything, my guppies died as did my clown loaches. Daddy to the rescue and after a good and proper telling off, bagging up my kribs and visiting my old faithful lfs I've never looked back!

I now own a, imo absolutely beautiful heavily planted rio 180 which is home to a few guppies, platties, neon tetras, bentosi white fin tetras, a couple of dwarf (honey) gourami, a couple of khuli loach (remaining from my initial disaster! ) albino plec, golden loach and my newest additions four stunning german blue rams.

I agree with nickAu, although I've gathered general knowledge over time, usually by learning lessons the hard way! I still very much class myself as a beginner.

This site had helped immensely, people here are very friendly and knowledgeable, its a fantastic forum and would, and have, highly recommended it to my other fish loving friends.