Trust

[Da_Oz]

Ok I read a lot of post on here about people saying if it comes from the LFS it should be fine.

1 Do you really know where the LFS gets it stuff it sales. A lot order in the stuff some buy from private people. Some go collect stuff on there own. Just cause they work in, own, manage, or what a Pet store don’t mean they know everything about Pets.

2 I have bought things in and seen things in LFS’s that have and will kill my fish. On a personal note I lost around $200 US in fish from a coconut cave that was made for a fish tank and sold in a LFS.

3 I don’t trust one person that says something will work I try to get more than one point of view when it comes to my fish health. It is not the point that I did something that killed a $2 guppy but just the fact I did something that killed a fish. I always try to give my point of view on something and to my best say where I get my point of view from.

4 How many post or hear from people first hand. “ Man I was in Blah Blah store the other day and there tanks was so bad, dead fish every where etc etc. If they have no problem loosing money killing there fish. But you really think they will have a problem making money killing your fish.

I am NOT bashing LFS they are great places and with out them we would be really messed up. I know I don’t want to have to fly to South Africa to find a wild fish when I want a new fish. But just trying to point out just cause you see it or hear it there don’t make it fact.


Sorry found a typo

 

[JacopoFishy]

indeed. I was at my LFS last night, and I adore the place but also realize not everything they say, advise, and do is right.

we all know the size of the bags we take our new fish home in. try about 12 siamese fighting fish all in one of those, separate compartments, but honestly, each one had enough room to just sit and breathe. almost none were moving, just opening and closing their gills slightly. I wonder if they know they'll need a new supply of oxygen soon?

also, I find myself speaking up whenever I'm in there because the salesperson isn't giving other people the correct information or enough information. example, a salesman was talking to a couple about siamese fighting fish and how they cooperate with other fish. he failed to mention the fact that any other fish with bright/colorful/big fins will most likely be harrassed/killed by the betta. I spoke up, but now I think I've been labeled a know-it-all jerk.

the other day I also had to point out a fish left with a stub of a tail. I told the salesperson he either had finrot or was being attacked by the other fish in the tank. he seemed put off but nonetheless agreed to place the fish in another ank for a couple of days. *sigh* essentially, LFS's often get distracted with the common duties of business and forget to check their tanks constantly. its a shame.

me and the long posts! )

 

[Aquascaper]

It's always best to get as many opinions as possible as long as you can use that info for your benefit, ie. don't ask the LFS guy whether you should buy 'the cheap one' or 'the more expensive one'
My LFS is run by a guy who really knows his stuff, some of his staff are a little less informed so if he's not in I always wait until he's there before commiting myself (he actually talked me out of buying a piece of equipment from him that his colleague was pushing onto me as he had seen a good second-hand one in the local freeads!)
I also like the way he listens to my concerns if I have spotted a fish in distress or a dead one in any of his tanks, he'll sort it straight away or if he's busy he just tells me to get a net and move the fish to another tank/hospital tank or, if it's dead, to put it in an inspection tank so that he can check it over before disposing of it.

 

[Narayan]

I trust Maidenhead aquatics (UK). They are helpful and if they don't know, they will admit it and find out for you. Their stock always seems healthy and they will not sell you anything that looks sick and they quarantine their fish before selling.

Ask Red, they wouldn't sell her clown loaches untill they were ich free and good to go.

 

[Tropjunky]

same here i used to love in london so it was a short buss ride but i jus moved to peterborouth and the 1st thing i did was find one of their branches. the products are a bit on the rough side but the advice is solid. I've worked there and it's kool.

the only thing i would say is that they cheak on the fish every 1-3 hrs and takeout the dead ones so u won't find the dead ones in the tanks only in the bin outside. but the overall sate of fish health is very impressive even after working there.

If u want tank setup and fish in one go from them ur gonna have to rob them. and then wen u buy fish is "lets play 20 questions"

 

[PaintballFan07]

I also agree. This is a story from the past by the way: One day i went to this one pet store n i asked the peson from the pet department about the PH angel fish would prefer. N they said 8.2, so i bought the the stuff that would bring my waters ph to 8.2 n came home, changed my water, then added it to the water. the next day i lost 3 5yr old angels. I stoped going to that pet store.

 

[Narayan]

I'd also like to say that although their stock is in good health and its cheaper to buy livestock from them, however buying equipment from them is more expensive. My advice is to buy livestock from them (Maidenhead) but go to Pets at Home to buy hardware and food, it looks like they are cheaper for that (I'd never but livestock from them though).

 

[luxum]

I found a LFS here that has a good staff and doesn't sell dyed fish which is a huge plus for me. I've never heard them giving bad advice, they mark tanks as not for sale when the occupants are sick, they don't sell stupid products that don't work, and when i went to get the stock for my tank, the staff member went and got a fish book and stared into the tank full of juvenile Bolivians for half an hour to get me a mixed sex pair. (This is not an easy task when they are young and not displaying much sexual dimorphism yet, although now that i've studied them i could pick out a mixed pair easily by looking at the dorsal fins.) He even knew about fishless cycling! These are the sorts of things that make a good fish store imo.

But sometimes fish stores are not so good, and sometimes even the good ones will consider profit over what's best for your fish. They may not even realize that's what they are doing if they are an employee just following policy. The danger of this is highest at the big pet store chains where the people manning the tanks aren't always people that love fish. So never trust your LFS to tell you the truth. Always keep in the back of your mind that they are running a business, and that profit is their priority. Sometimes the best way to profit is if all your fish die and you come back to buy more, sad but true. Don't get me wrong, a good store can be a great source of information, but always make sure you confirm that info from a source who's priority isn't getting your money. Do your own research, never rely on a retail outfit for all your information.

And if you do manage to find a good store, support them! Spend the extra 10 bucks to buy your equipment and supplies there if you can afford it. Send your friends there. Tell the staff how much you appreciate the good things about the store.

 

[CFC]

Ive yet to find a truely 100% great LFS, every one i have ever visited has been let down in some way or another. The thing i find worst is shops that boast that they specialise in rare/exotic species but then employ young inexperienced staff that know nothing about the fish they are selling, it looks unproffesional and can have disasterous consequences.
To be honest the only people i trust are a small handfull of other fish keepers that i know have vast knowledge and experience and my own research, ive yet to meet a single LFS worker who i would trust to give the correct advise half the time let alone every time they were asked.

 

[Cat]

employ young inexperienced staff that know nothing about the fish they are selling,

I came across that in one shop i went,I was looking in the tanks and asked a lad some advice,

me--- How much is that clown Loach,
him--- whats a clown loach?


me... Can a severum that size go in a community tank
him... I don't really know


me .. whats that fish (it was a danio)
him..he looked at a label and said (it could be that)

I asked him can anyone else help me ?his response,
manager is out can you come back later.

mmmmm no I'll not bother thanx

 

[kaley822]

i dont think you will ever get away from bad advice. tThey have to employ young, inexperienced people because if you were older and educated and had half a brain in your head, you could get a better job than working in some fish store. So just research for yourself and don't assume that the fish store owes you free advice on everything.

 

[CFC]

They have to employ young, inexperienced people because if you were older and educated and had half a brain in your head, you could get a better job than working in some fish store

If they were willing to pay better wages then they would probably find that elder more experienced people would apply for jobs in fish stores, i know not every shop can afford to pay out better wages but many of the larger stores take a large ammount money and could easily afford it. I recently applied for a managers position with a local shop and was offered the job immiedietly but had to turn the offer down due to the lack of pay on offer

 

[luxum]

Well Cat, at least he admitted to not knowing instead of making stuff up like a lot of them do.

 

[rvm]

I agree on the Maidenhead Aquatics thing, and I am lucky enough to have 1 branch within a 2 minute drive and about 5 others within half an hour. I've been looking for some Geophagus Jurapari the last week since mine was killed, and foud 2 branches had some, both asked about tankmates, tank size etc. But I would say that their prices are quite high. I was in Bracknell branch today and they had 3 clown loaches that admittedly were huge (biggest I've ever seen anyway!!) but they wanted £110 for all 3. Having said that they were reluctant to split them, which shows they obviously care about their fish. Whilst ringing around for Jurapris, I had a couple of other LFS's say "whats one of them?!!"

I think you have to take the advice given with a pinch of salt from any LFS. I had one guy in a maidenhead aquatics shop say that if I put a Lima Shovelnose in with a Severum, the Lima would eat it, and to quote CFC, that would look like a Yorkie trying to swallow a frisbee!!!

 

[clutterydrawer]

I came across that in one shop i went,I was looking in the tanks and asked a lad some advice,

me--- How much is that clown Loach,
him--- whats a clown loach?


me... Can a severum that size go in a community tank
him... I don't really know


me .. whats that fish (it was a danio)
him..he looked at a label and said (it could be that)

I asked him can anyone else help me ?his response,
manager is out can you come back later.

mmmmm no I'll not bother thanx

I think it's good that he was truthful rather than just making stuff up, at least he wasnt' ashamed to admit he didn't know much.

And in answer to the original question, I trust my lfs on most things but I've noticed occcasional misinformation eg he told me rainbowfish didn't need to shoal. Either way, it's a pretty good place.