# Just a little ranting about fish purchases....



## iheartmypitbull (Aug 25, 2010)

..... please please PLEASE make sure you research a fish before you get it! It drives me ABSOLUTELY NUTS when people go "oh, I just picked up a few of these today and don't know anything about them."

It's important that you know what you're getting yourself into, ESPECIALLY if you're getting into some of the bigger/more expensive fish. I might be a little biased but it seems to me that it happens a lot more with cichlids than any other fish. NOT ALL CICHLIDS CAN GO IN A COMMUNITY TANK WITH YOUR GUPPIES! NOT ALL CICHLIDS WILL BE FRIENDLY WITH EACH OTHER!

Please make sure you know the appropriate tank mates, water requirements, and tank size for the fish you want. I want to strangle people who go "um...... I just bough this baby oscar and put it in my five gallon tetra tank and now all my neons are dead.... what happened?" Working at a fish store I just want to smack both the people who come in like that AND the people who were dumb enough to sell the fish without asking about the tank first.

PLEASE MAKE WISE PURCHASES, THE FISH SHOULDN'T HAVE TO SUFFER BECAUSE OF YOUR IGNORANCE!!!

thanks.


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## kitten_penang (Mar 26, 2008)

we'll it's the buyers responsibility to study bout the fish first before buying. can't blame anyone actually. as they say ask and you'll receive


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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

Very sensible advice. I wish more would take it.


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## fryup (Jan 12, 2010)

i totally agree with this thread ....thank you hopefully ALOT!!! more people will read this


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## iheartmypitbull (Aug 25, 2010)

I'm just sick of people thinking that water is water and that they'll all flourish in the same pH, temperature, salinity, etc. Fish are not all the same!

Have you guys ever noticed in fishtanks in movies a lot of the time they have thrown fish together with different water requirements that would probably kill each other in real tanks?


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## Mettalikatt (Jul 26, 2010)

never noticed. I can only think of one movie that even gives a good shot of a fish tank. Deuce Bigalo? I think it was, not sure. I'll have to look for that now!


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## iheartmypitbull (Aug 25, 2010)

I saw a movie one time (can't remember what it was) that had bettas, african cichlids, and bala sharks all in the same tank. Sounds like a recipe for disaster to me.


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## Mettalikatt (Jul 26, 2010)

Wow! multiple bettas, balas with bettas, cichlids with them on top of that!


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## iheartmypitbull (Aug 25, 2010)

I know. Don't get me wrong, the colors and everything were gorgeous together (which is what they were going for, I'm sure) but I'd hate to see how the fish looked after shooting all day, or week or whatever.


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## Calmwaters (Sep 2, 2009)

I was helping out at the small lfs one day and a guy wanted to buy just one cory cat to go with one he already had and me and the other guy tried to tell him he really needed to get at least 2 more so the fish would not be stressed and he would not listen to us then had the nerve to say," There just fish if they die I will get more." I wish I could of smacked him.
Just want to add this should apply to any animal you get after all they don't chose us we chose them.


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## iheartmypitbull (Aug 25, 2010)

Oh man, I woulda let you hit him


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## Mettalikatt (Jul 26, 2010)

Except cats! They'll choose you sometimes. Two of mine did
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Calmwaters (Sep 2, 2009)

The guy that was trying to convince him with me just looked at me and rolled his eyes. Then when he left we talked about how he was such an idiot.



Mettalikatt said:


> Except cats! They'll choose you sometimes. Two of mine did
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


LOL Dogs do to if you live out in the country were stupid people sometimes abandon them. :evil: When I was little we always had 2-5 dogs that always just showed up at our house and of course we feed them and they decided to stay. We had several great dogs come to us that way.


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## iheartmypitbull (Aug 25, 2010)

That's the one downside to working at a place like that, sometimes you get great people who you can chat with for hours, other times you get the idiots who shouldn't own fish.

I'd have to say my favorite customer was an older lady who's koi kept getting stolen at night by her neighbors and she told me she was gonna sit in her kitchen with the lights off holding her shotgun and anyone who came after her koi was going to get shot because "i'm an old lady and I don't know any better, tee hee"


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## kitten_penang (Mar 26, 2008)

woah now thats a loving grandma. watch CSI in one episode about a young girl being killed and dumped in a dumpster.they found her coz this fake cop with real uniform snatched this lady's bag was persued to a abandoned home and cornered with no where to run but a window.he leaps out the window and fell into the huge garbage bin in the alley and landed on the dead girls body. they went to a club coz she had their admission chop on her thigh. in the club there was this huge tank with several white koi in it. he claims they cost 12k a piece or was it 12k a month for maintenance. koi in a noisy club teaming with cigarettes smoke and contraband...... 0.0


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## fryup (Jan 12, 2010)

iv been working at a lfs and the people who work there have a passion for there animals/pets and care for there fish......we have ofter laughted people out of the shop because of what they wanted ......some have asked for 2 male bettas in a 5 gallon hahahaha and others ask for parahna with SMALL chiclids hahaha we just dont allow them to buy fish


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## cballas (Sep 1, 2010)

If I had a fish shop, I'd put up a giant sign saying "No question is stupid, ask away! Please research the
fish you are interested in, or you might as well burn your money right HERE!" and have a little BBQ. lol 

;-) It would hammer in the financial downside of ignorance, since some people care more about their wallet's health than their pet's health (unfortunately).


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## Inga (Jun 8, 2010)

Calmwaters said:


> I was helping out at the small lfs one day and a guy wanted to buy just one cory cat to go with one he already had and me and the other guy tried to tell him he really needed to get at least 2 more so the fish would not be stressed and he would not listen to us then had the nerve to say," There just fish if they die I will get more." I wish I could of smacked him.
> Just want to add this should apply to any animal you get after all they don't chose us we chose them.


 
It sort of funny you mention that because that was sort of the answer I got when I talked to the LFS about some of the fish I had purchased from them, under their suggestion. They basically told me to flush them and get new fish. I was shocked and saddened by that advice. I am always sad when I see animals of any kind being sold in the chain store types. I honestly never really went into the fish sections of those stores until about the past year. I was a little shocked at what I saw in them. Now that I have learned more about fish, I am even more so. All fish species seem to suffer. Feeder fish, Pleco's and Sharks are the ones I most see misrepresented.

I even went so far at Petsmart to show them printed information proving they have their tags mis marked on some of their fish. The admitted it was wrong but now months later, it is still the same and they are still selling fish that can potentially get 18-24 inches long to people who have 25 gallon tanks. Makes me angry and sad at the same time.

I am thinking of getting some loaches to add to my tank yet but am hesitant until I can more easily recognize species on sight. I don't want to get there and have them tell me it is what I want only to find out it is the wrong species and it is actually going to get as big as a dolphin or something. I made the mistake of trusting them once. That WON'T happen again.


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## iheartmypitbull (Aug 25, 2010)

Ugh, that drives me NUTS! I work at PetSmart and I hate those tags. I always tell everyone to add six to twelve inches, depending on the fish. And I hate hate HATE that we sell pacus. I firmly believe that if they belong on the "don't buy these fish unless you're super experienced and have a twenty gajillion gallon tank" list. There are so many things I would change about working there, I'd love to open my own store where I wouldn't have to deal with an idiot company and could hire people who actually knew what the f*%# they're talking about
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Inga (Jun 8, 2010)

Yeah, I would be thrilled if at least one of them knew what the heck they were talking about. When I first started this whole thing, I knew NOTHING ( like everyone else) I trusted that they knew what they were talking about as they claimed to know all there was to know about the fish they sold. 

First mistake was buying a bunch of Tiger Barbs to cycle the tank. This after I said I wanted a community tank. I managed the cycle process without losing a fish but that was because I found this place and started doing daily 30 gallon water changes for a few weeks. Next mistake was buying the Leporinus (again at their suggestion) Great choice for a 60 gallon heavily planted tank as you know. Next was the 4 Gourami (Yup, I am down to 1 Gourami) Actually those last two stupid things were simultaneous, incase you are wondering if I don't learn. 

I am enjoying my fish but they were not the fish I wanted and now I am stuck with them unless I can find a new home and start all over. I am looking for a second tank and this time, I won't make the same mistakes I did the first time around. All in all, I learned not to trust the Petsmart employees to know anything. I do think they do an excellent job of maintaining their tanks though. At least the one here does. I have been pretty happy with the health of my fish, if only I had the "right fish" it would all be good. I also, have been pretty happy with the plants from there.


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## iheartmypitbull (Aug 25, 2010)

That's why I always tell people to research from multiple sources before doing ANYTHING! Even between employees at stores, opinions on what's right and wrong varies drastically. I will say to be wary of places like PetSmart because it seems like they'll hire just about anybody. When I applied there I knew absoluely nothing about fish, birds, or reptiles, and my only experience with small animals was the hamster my mom got me when I was four. I had to take an online survey that basically just assessed how well I play with others and the interviewing manager went "well, you got all greens so, you're hired!" Luckily I was concerned enough to read up on every animal we sold so I would be informed when talking to customers, but I'm sure not everyone takes that initiative. In no way am I trying to bash my own company, I'm just saying you should absolutely make sure you know what you're getting into before you buy fish.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Inga (Jun 8, 2010)

LOL Yeah, I learned that the hard way. Luckily because I am persistent in my care (to a fault) the casualties that could have happened were avoided. 

It must be difficult as an employee that does know right from wrong to still sell to customers who insist they want fish that you know will not live in their tank. I don't know that I could do it day in and day out. You can try to persuade people to make the right choice, but sometimes, they are not willing to learn the right way because it isn't what they want. 

Lucky for me, I am not an employee and I CAN say something. I figure I don't want people to make the same mistakes I did so If I can help someone out, I will. I am passing on everything I have learned here.


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## iheartmypitbull (Aug 25, 2010)

Thankfully most of the customers that came on wanting the "wrong" fish were open to suggestion. But you're right, the snooty ones got to me and I transferred to working nights 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## kitten_penang (Mar 26, 2008)

theres always snooty one.just keep your cool.your right and you know it so don't let them keep you down by their ignorance


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## redchigh (Jan 20, 2010)

That's why I'm not sure I could work at an LFS.

Stores rely on impulse buys... I know that...
Cycling isn't conducive to impulse...

Plus someone comes in and wants to buy a fish bowl.... I'd wince everytime...

The manager might think they're intelligent, and we get into arguments... bah.


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## kitten_penang (Mar 26, 2008)

in business the manager goes "customers are always right :lol:"


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## iheartmypitbull (Aug 25, 2010)

I do it mostly for the awesome discount 

Thank goodness I didn't work on commission though, cause I wasn't always the customer favorite. We're allowed to refuse service but I'm the only one who ever did so, and I assure you I made no friends along the way. But I stood up for what I believe in (although the lady who wanted 200 feeder goldfish for wedding centerpieces wanted to punch me, I'm sure)
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Inga (Jun 8, 2010)

Where were you when my nephew was buying Guppy's to throw in my tank with my Tiger Barbs, Gourami and Rainbow shark?

I could have used a skilled sales person that day. lol


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## iheartmypitbull (Aug 25, 2010)

Oh goodness. I don't like people buying fish for me either. I came home from work one day to a new cichlid in my tank, my sister saw it at walmart and bought it, no quarantine or anything. Yikes. 

He was cute though 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## kitten_penang (Mar 26, 2008)

lucky you dint have any neons in there oor you wouldn think they were cute


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## iheartmypitbull (Aug 25, 2010)

Very true. At least they stuck with what I had because it was in my african cichlid tank. And it was a red zebra, not an oscar 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## kitten_penang (Mar 26, 2008)

i guessed at one oint in time she did learn something about chilids


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## iheartmypitbull (Aug 25, 2010)

Right 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## kitten_penang (Mar 26, 2008)

;-) keep the good word flowing my friend


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