Why Do Lfs`s Find It Hard To Look After Their Stock Properly?

[elisew]

I went down to the local LFS yesterday with my Son to get him a couple of musk turtles, while I was there I thought I`d have a look to see if they had any Neon Dwarf Rainbows because so many people have mentioned these little fish and I was curious to see what they`re like.
After finding the tank they were in I could see straight away that there was whitespot on quite a few of the fish so I called one of the members of staff over and thought I`d see how far he would go to sell me the rainbows.
After a few minutes of asking him questions i.e Are they definitely dwarf, how big do they grow, would they be ok in my community tank with my other fish etc, I asked him if I could have 6 (2 males and 4 females). He told me that he couldn`t pick particular sexed fish out as sexing them was difficult, (I though the males were red finned and the females yellow)?
He prepared to get a bag for the fish I`d asked for and was completely ignorant to the whitespot.......until I pointed it out, at which point he went a deep red blush and stuttered that maybe I should wait a few days then come back and get some of the rainbows.

Now I`m far from being an expert but I`ve experienced in the past, seeing the misery that whitespot can cause a fish, (one of my first fighters erupted with whitespot the day after I got him home). Surely members of staff at an LFS should be trained and informed/advised that they should be taking much more care and not selling infected fish??

It makes me so bl**dy mad that some LFS`s really don`t give a t*ss about their fish

 

[Malt_Vinegar]

They are a business at the end of the day. They don't make a lot of money, and training a load of staff each time they have new ones is difficult. Most of the staff they take on will not be interested in learning much about the fish. Its a job.

Its been happening for years, will continue to happen for as long as the industry is alive and kicking.

Perhaps you could have mentioned to the staff that the tank was unsuitable to sell before you messed the poor staff member about.

There are exceptions, and the best way to help is to try and buy your stock from a decent shop. Chances are that 90% will go to a chain store, as they are cheaper..... So, Mr Posh fish shop with great fish care loses out, and ends up going bust.

 

[elisew]

They are a business at the end of the day. They don't make a lot of money, and training a load of staff each time they have new ones is difficult. Most of the staff they take on will not be interested in learning much about the fish. Its a job.

Its been happening for years, will continue to happen for as long as the industry is alive and kicking.

Perhaps you could have mentioned to the staff that the tank was unsuitable to sell before you messed the poor staff member about.

There are exceptions, and the best way to help is to try and buy your stock from a decent shop. Chances are that 90% will go to a chain store, as they are cheaper..... So, Mr Posh fish shop with great fish care loses out, and ends up going bust.

Thanks for your reply however, I didn`t mess the 'poor staff member about' at all. As stated I wanted to 'see how far he would go to sell me the rainbows'.
I was pretty shocked that he was quite happy to take me for being dumb enough not to see the whitespot especially considering it was very obvious, but as you say, they don`t care. I guess some of these places presume we`ll take any old cr*p they tell us, after all there are enough stories posted that show that to be the case.

I think I`ll be sticking with Maidenhead Aqauatics in the future.

 

[Curiosity101]

It really depends on the shop. At the end of the day there is no law that says you need to know about fish to sell them.

The guy could've been taking you for a ride, equally he might just not have known...

I just kept looking for shops till I found one I was happy with. As malt vinegar said... bad shops are always going to be around. You just have to vote with you feet and keep the good ones open!

 

[Liam50]

well i just went to swallow aquatics in kent and the guy who served me was fantastic warned me about the acara i was buying. Suggested possible tank mates and asked what size aquarium i have. So not all bad.

 

[bubble87]

ive been to a fair few bad lfs.it disgusts me to be honest.
its true its just a job to them and most dont care for the welfare of the fish, and just what ends up in there back pocket every month.
i think you were right to lead him on like that as it now shows you not to shop there.
some guy tried to sell me a sick fish for half price once just to get rid of it,but i did take it and nursed it back to good health as i just didnt want to leave it there to be mistreated.
you would think that the staff they hire to take care of the fish would have some good knowledge about them wouldnt you. at the end of the day it all comes down to money.

+1 on swallow aquatics ive always had great service and fish from there

 

[Curiosity101]

The thing that annoys me is when you try to help and get the condescending tone... I noticed a tank of bolivian rams at a shop in Nottingham city centre, the fish were clearly badly infected with callamanus worms. I was only browsing cause I was new in the city and was just getting to grips with where was good n bad etc. But anyways I saw no quarentine sign (plus the price hadn't been removed or anything) and their filtration was on a multi tank system so on my way out I just said. 'Hiya *big friendly smile*, I just wanted to tell you there's bolivian rams are infected with callamanus worms, just incase you didn't know'
I got the most horrible glare ever and was very roughly told 'yeah I know. They're being treated'

I left and was just like...hmm...never going there again.

 

[Twinklecaz]

I've yet to find one I love. The one I use is just ok, the best of a bad bunch. I don't think any of my fish were all that healthy when I got them (think they are now *touch wood*). One of the tanks had whitespot in the first week I went there, I didn't want to mention it to the bloke because he seemed very knowledgible (and a bit grumpy and scary) so I thought he probably already knew. I went back a couple of weeks later and it still had it(only one fish both times though bizarrly) so then I told him. He was like "Oh yeah you're right". In fairness to him the tank looked fine the most recent time I went.

A thing that bothers me is their lack of quarentine though. If they have Q tanks then they must be out the back, the sick tank I mentioned never had a sign put on it or anything (as far as I know)and when I took my bully Platy back a couple of weeks ago, the woman (his wife I presume) put him straight back in the tank with the other black and white mickeys.

BUT.......I've never seen a dead fish in any of the tanks which from what I've read is a very good sign. A few sick looking ones but that's it.

 

[Ludwig Venter]

As it was mentioned, their prime objective is to make money and get rid of the fish they have purchased without delay....

In my experience (here in SA),... I notice that they get their fish in bulk, and then hope to get rid of them before their next feeding is due..... Feeding fish in transit is an additional expense, and also means you have to do more regular water changes....

I've seen batches of up to 2/300 of fish come into the LFS, and then seen them deteriorate due to lack of food....

 

[kelvinrankin767]

Luckily my LFS is very good alough i only go in when this one guy is in he relly knows what hes on about, He wouldent sell any sick fish i think its against the law well ime in ireland might be different elswhere.

 

[markandhisfish]

ihave never found a truly great lfs either. i very rarely go in them these days. i get my fish from a specialist breeder/importer i get my dechlorinator online and i make my own food , so i dont need an lfs.

 

[Twinklecaz]

I'd love to find a local breeder type. No luck yet though. I don't think it's avery popular hobby in this area

 

[Craig89]

My lfs is great Evan if the stocking is a little repetitive the staff always have time for you and are very friendly and helpful especially when i was new to the tropical scene. Not once have i seen i sick or dead fish in any tanks and if a tank is in quarantine its always labeled up. Only thing is now they are starting to close through the week when they used to be open 7 days not a good sign but top marks to the guys at QSS.

 

[Twinklecaz]

Yeah i worry mine will go out of business coz they seem to sell SO few fish (the 3rd Honey G that was in the tank I got my 2 from nearly 6 weeks ago is still there) but they run an online aquatics thing quite similar to Charthouse so I think that must support them. I hope.

 

[Mark Z.]

It really upsets me when I walk past tank after tank that have multiple dead fish floating. At the very least, they could remove them.

When I was a kid, we had a small pet store in the neighborhood and the owner took great care of his fish, had quarrantine tanks and baby tanks, knew us by name and often threw in "freebies" for us. Every month, he gave us kids a Tropical Fish Magazine for free.

Today, all I have around me are "chain" pet stores. Most of the time the kids working there don't even know a catfish from an angelfish and don't even care to know. You usually have to educate yourself before going in those kind of places or you will have problems.