Why I don't want to work at a fish store.

[Auratus]

Well, I was at wal-mart yesterday and a lady was getting a goldfish. I look in her cart and there sits a bowl less than 1/2 a gallon and she's already buying the fish. I hear her ask the employee "are they social do you need more than one?" The lady said, sorry I don't know. So my mom speaks up and goes "My daughter can answer that!" lmao.... so the lady asks me and I say well is that the bowl your putting him in? She said yes and I said yes they are social but you can only have one in that size of a bowl and I gave her a discusted look kind of like this . So she asked me well do you think it's mean to put a fish in a bowl like that? So I tried to be nice and said "imo yes." She asked why so I told her about how big they can get and how long they can live and how you damage their organs because they can't grow properly and blah blah. She said, well don't they just grow to the size of their surroundings? So I put it this way. If you put a puppy in a crate it's whole life is it going to stop growing? No, it will keep growing. That is a big rumor and not true. But I said it nicely . She said well what happens then? I explained about damaging organs and fish not developing properly. So she said, well I'll just get this and see if we bond and then maybe I'll get something bigger...

Even after I told her what would happen she just brushed it off like I had said nothing. People don't listen!!!! And the wal-mart lady was just standing their like . So I just said okay, do what you want. Good luck when you come back with a dead fish 2 days from now because you didn't cycle your tank or even bother buying water conditioner. I think if I worked at a fish store I would be too mean to people that didn't listen to me . People make me angery!!!!!

 

[Pointy_kitty]

i know what you mean
i have been in that EXACT position a billion times before AND worked in several pet stores
i think its better when i am working at the place because i am a brilliant sales person (i could literally sell a car to a blind man )
so even the most ignorant people end up going home with the right stuff
for example,
if they are heartless monsters who don't much care about the "life" of the fish in general,
i "sell" them the idea of a big set-up being much more beautiful and show them with the best equipment, how they will be the envy of all their friends....
as i subliminally teach them how to take propper care of the fish

 

[endparenthesis]

Yeah, I don't know why some people even bother asking questions. You know they've already made up their minds beforehand.

In 1/2 a gallon I would think a goldfish would choke on its own waste long before it would even have time for organs to get damaged. I think she'll find that out pretty soon.

 

[Tempestuousfury]

I know how you feel.

I'm still going to try working at a petstore, even Walmart!

The problem with helping people out at Walmart is that they think we have no idea what we're talking about or they just don't care. it'd be a separate matter at Petsmart, but not at Walmart.

I tried helping this woman out once and she bought 3 goldfish, light substrate and a 1.5 gallon tank. I told her not to get more than 1 goldfish and that it'd get too big for the tank and would die from its own waste. I got the same response as you.

Perhaps it's because we're young? (Not sure about how old you are, but I'm 16)

 

[SailfinGirl]

I get that where I work at the lfs...

Im 17 and people are like "yeah, she's just young, she cant possibly know what she is talking about. I hate it when you get people who think that because they have kept fish for years, there's nothing a newbie like me can teach them. How about manners!

When you tell them they cant add more than 6 fish to a tank at once, some insist on it and get very rude. Of course, we can always refuse to sell them at the manager's discretion, but Ive never had to do that.

I think its good that fish prices are going up (for example, a medium goldfish used to be £1.49, now they are £2.25) because it will help to discourage impulse buys - it can only be good! If I had a customer like that, I would offer her to speak to another member of staff who would back me up, probably the manager!


All this said, I LOVE working in an pet store - you get to watch the fish all day and you learn LOADS! Plus, if you arent happy with the way fish are being kept you can change it if you work there. Gotta Love working at the LFS!

 

[thecichlidaddict]

I never worked in a fish store but I did work in a pet supply store for many years. Boy did I master the art of guilt - very few people who picked up a bag of dog chow actually ended up walking out the door with it

I think all fish stores need more repsonsible kids - the type that frequent these forums. Dealing with stupid people is a retail thing - no matter what is being sold. the trick is not to be condescending, or people will not listen.

 

[Fiddlesticks]

I know what you guys mean. Iv never met an animal i didnt like fish or otherwise, but most people I can take or leave. Some people just think they know all and are so freaking self centered. They dont give 2 bits about a poor little fishy choking on his own waste

 

[noelberg]

I want to get a p/t job at a lfs (on top of my f/t teaching job) but I don't think they would want me because I would flat out refuse to sell fish to someone like that. "Bond" my ass - that lady should be forced to live in her shower while the goldfish swims in a 300 gal tank and see how they "bond" then maybe we'll let her occupy the entire bathroom area

 

[thecichlidaddict]

that lady should be forced to live in her shower

You mean in a closet - a shower has a drain, that's cheating for certain... um.. elements

 

[Drac39]

Yeah some of the people at the fish stores,dont know anything about fish.

 

[noelberg]

that lady should be forced to live in her shower

You mean in a closet - a shower has a drain, that's cheating for certain... um.. elements

LOL.

We should throw a few of the people who make those super tiny (less than .5 gals) betta containers in there with her. And then throw 80 pounds of food in with them ...... And check on them in a week And we'll give them "fresh" new air that we forgot to dechlorinate.

 

[jumpman]

We should throw a few of the people who make those super tiny (less than .5 gals) betta containers in there with her. And then throw 80 pounds of food in with them ...... And check on them in a week And we'll give them "fresh" new air that we forgot to dechlorinate.

and don't forget the closetbuster....

 

[PETsMARTchick]

I know exactly what you mean. I tell people all the time that golfish can't live in bowls, it's a myth. I suggest a Betta but they don't listen! They say something like, "Well, I had a goldfish in a bowl when I was a kid" or "I've had fish longer than you've been alive." When I tell them they really need a 20g or more they look at me like I'm crazy! People never realize how complex and difficult having fish really is.

 

[Auratus]

I want to work at a petstore to try to help the fish but I know it wont work... people are stubborn.

It was like this guy at petco brought back dead sw fish and so the guy who worked their was asking him about p.h. and nitrate and all that good stuff and he told the guy that sw tanks don't have a p.h........ how do you argue with someone like that?

 

[fishdudein]

One of my good friends is pet department manager at WalMart, he runs nice clean dept, keeps tanks looking as good as he can ( a lot of complaints about quality of Wal-Mart fish goes back to supplier problems ), but he is terribly frustrated with "stupid customers", come in and ask for advice and then do not listen to a thing you tell them. Also, after he leaves for the day there are some real staffing issues in the store, anybody can be pulled out of their department and even if they don't know the first thing about fish they are expected to answer customers questions and sell fish. Having the pet dept. fully staffed with knowledgeable employees is not a priority for management, they want somebody who can unload a truck, run a cash register, and net fish, all at the same time preferably.
At one time I had a part time job in a strictly saltwater shop. It was an enjoyable experience, but I don't know that I would do it again....I like to keep the hobby separate from "bringin home the bacon", keeps it more of a relaxing thing for me anyway