The most ridicules things I've ever heard. (A small rant!)

[lessthanlights]

Please enjoy this small sampling of my ridicules night. Needless to say her tank was beyond disaster. Feel free to add your own!

ME: “Is that turbo snail alive?”
HER: “Na- I’ve never been able to keep them alive.”

ME: “Have you considered using an RODI filter.”
HER: “Yeah, I used one once but my well water clogged it so I don’t bother anymore. I know there is alot of algae but you can always look down from the top if you want to see the fish.”

HER: “I’ve never had a single bristle worm”
HER: 30 minutes later- “Check out that little guy”
ME: “That’s a bristle worm”
HER: “Oh, Is that what that is- I have hundreds of those”

HER: “ I don’t believe in water changes- they are alot of work”

HER: “It’s ok not to do water changes- that's only if you want your tank to look like the fish stores”

[drummereef]

That's crazy! You should really try to teach your girlfriend what's up.






:lol: Just kidding.

[ACBlinky]

Wow, sounds like one of those conversations that gives you a headache! Who were you visiting?

My rather long contribution, from when I worked p/t at a LFS on weekends to support my reefing habit:

Man: "I've got ich in my tank, will this product work?"
Me: "Honestly, probably not -- most 'reef-safe' bottled products for ich don't do much. I would suggest using a QT to treat the fish -- it doesn't have to be a fancy setup."

Man: "Well, it's a big tank and I don't want to try and catch the fish. I'll just get this and ask my fish guy what he thinks."
Me: "Sure, we have a good return policy, just keep your receipt just in case."

Man: "On second thought, maybe I won't buy it."
Me: "Okay... "

Man: "So what should I do?"
Me: "Really a QT is the best answer I can give you. Depending on what fish you're keeping, you could try cleaner shrimp but they're not a cure and some fish won't even let them 'clean'..."

Man: "Sounds good. I'll take six."
Me: "Okay... what kind of fish have you got, just to make sure --"

Man: "Tangs. All of them have ich."
Me: (Catching six shrimp)
Man: "No wait... just three. And can you give me a discount?"
Me: (Writing discounted price on bag) "Sure, there you go."
Man: "I'm not sure... are they going to work? Maybe I should just buy that stuff. Maybe I should get both. Maybe nothing... I have to see what my guy thinks... no, okay I'll take the shrimp."

Later that day I get a phone call...

Man: "My lion fish ate the first shrimp when I put it into the tank."
Me: "You have a lion fish?!?"
Man: "Then he ate the second one when I put that in."
Me: "Okay, don't put in the third one, bring it back! I didn't know about the lion fish, I thought you had tangs!"
Man: "Naaa, I'll try it and see how it goes."
Me: (Banging my head on the counter)

The next day he called the manager screaming and demanded a full refund for all three shrimp. Guess who got blamed? :rolleyes:

[Paul Davies]

noooooo, how can person like that keep fish, let alone marine fish !!!! Maybe he has too much money and lack of love for marine life that he dosent care about it.

I wonder how much more livestock he has lost to stupidity ?

[Gundo5000]

YIKES!

[yongsum]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8884153#post8884153 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ACBlinky
Wow, sounds like one of those conversations that gives you a headache! Who were you visiting?

My rather long contribution, from when I worked p/t at a LFS on weekends to support my reefing habit:



:lol: that's classic...a shame but hilarious nonetheless

[EnderG60]

My pesonal favorite was listening to a lady that was trying to get my boss to replace every living thing in her tank because and I quote...

"You never told me I shouldnt spray my rocks with RAID"

Turns out she saw "bugs" on her rocks and decided to remove them spray them with raid and put them back in the tank.:eek2:

I suppose I didnt help things by laughing my *** off!

[Luv'reeftank]

crazy people ask question and hen still don't listen

[Lev F.]

I'll add some:

Comments on my Antennarius Nummifer:

"That thing is ALIVE?!?"
"Does it breathe through it's butt or something?" - In reference to the gills, which are located behind the pectoral fins.
"If you put a fighting fish in, will they fight?" - I get this one a lot, and not just on the frog.
"Nice frog. Does it ever come up for air?" - They apparently forgot that it was frogFISH.

After seeing him feed:

"Wow. Is that guppy still alive in there?"
"you LET that thing BE IN YOUR HOUSE?!"

Comments on the tank:

"Those are nice plants. Are they real?" - ALL of the non reefers say this. ALL OF THEM!
"You have so little fish."
"Can I eat those shrimp?"
"What happens if I drop the whole can of food in there?"

And yesterday in an LFS, a comment that i found really funny:

A 5-6 year old was walking through the LFS with his mother. He passes by the invert tanks and states (word for word) "Hey Mom, Seafood!"

At least it's better than "Nemo!"

[Jacsubi]

Working at an lfs, I can't tell you how many times that I have heard "Nemo", and "Dorii".

[keinreis]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8885110#post8885110 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Jacsubi
Working at an lfs, I can't tell you how many times that I have heard "Nemo", and "Dorii".

Might be annoying to store workers, but I can say that started my 3 year old into enjoying my reef tank more. He absolutly lovesthe tank and loves helping with maintenance. so I let him get away with calling my hippo dori and my clown nemo!

[lessthanlights]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8884153#post8884153 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ACBlinky
Wow, sounds like one of those conversations that gives you a headache! Who were you visiting?


I was responding to a local classified add- thought I could score big-time cause she was moving. Instead all I found was 125 gallons of hair algae. I did however get a gobie and a few clowns for cheap. The best part was the add said "will teach!" WILL TEACH??? Teach me what?

[TimTen]

Atleast that guys lion fish is happy. He was probly thinking he hit paydirt with all the shrimp he was getting fed.

[dvmsn]

When I worked at a lfs store a guy came in complaining that all of his fish were at the surface gasping for air. I asked when he did his last water change he says “ I don’t do water changes, I have these drops.”

[Amphiprion]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8884153#post8884153 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ACBlinky
Wow, sounds like one of those conversations that gives you a headache! Who were you visiting?

My rather long contribution, from when I worked p/t at a LFS on weekends to support my reefing habit...The next day he called the manager screaming and demanded a full refund for all three shrimp. Guess who got blamed? :rolleyes:

Happens all to often, does it not? I have had many similar experiences, all the fault of the customer.

woman: I want one of the nemo fishes for my daughter's fish bowl.

Me: Err, I am afraid that isn't going to work, not for long, anyway.

woman: You mean I spent the money on all this stuff ( :rolleyes: which includes dechlorinator, a net, and the bowl, amounting to ~$15) and can't keep what ever the hell I want?

Me: (stumbling to explain myself) Well, they are marine fish (i.e. saltwater) and they won't survive long in a fish bowl and even less time in Freshwater. Besides, at $29.99, this fish is double the cost of your setup! Why not try a Betta spp.?

daughter: (screaming) I WAAAANNT NEEEMOOOO!

woman: Give me the damn fish, now! I don't want to be fed all this garbage. I was told by someone else here that this setup is good for everything. I should say something to your supervisor about your dishonesty!

Me: Okay, here's your fish :mad2:

Next Day....

woman: (hunting ME down) I want all of my money back! You sold me a sick fish.

Me: You are exactly right :mad2: :mad2: , my apologies. Here is your credit.

[TimTen]

I wonder how many clowns that movie has sent to the big bowl in the sky.

[lessthanlights]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8887115#post8887115 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by TimTen
I wonder how many clowns that movie has sent to the big bowl in the sky.

On the flipside how many responsible reefkeeper have spawned from Finding Nemo?

[AVALover5498]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8886071#post8886071 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Amphiprion
Happens all to often, does it not? I have had many similar experiences, all the fault of the customer.

woman: I want one of the nemo fishes for my daughter's fish bowl.

Me: Err, I am afraid that isn't going to work, not for long, anyway.

woman: You mean I spent the money on all this stuff ( :rolleyes: which includes dechlorinator, a net, and the bowl, amounting to ~$15) and can't keep what ever the hell I want?

Me: (stumbling to explain myself) Well, they are marine fish (i.e. saltwater) and they won't survive long in a fish bowl and even less time in Freshwater. Besides, at $29.99, this fish is double the cost of your setup! Why not try a Betta spp.?

daughter: (screaming) I WAAAANNT NEEEMOOOO!

woman: Give me the damn fish, now! I don't want to be fed all this garbage. I was told by someone else here that this setup is good for everything. I should say something to your supervisor about your dishonesty!

Me: Okay, here's your fish :mad2:

Next Day....

woman: (hunting ME down) I want all of my money back! You sold me a sick fish.

Me: You are exactly right :mad2: :mad2: , my apologies. Here is your credit.

I absoluetly can't stand people like this! If it was me, i would have been fired for doing something bad to her! :furious: :)

[Bebo77]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8884153#post8884153 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ACBlinky
Wow, sounds like one of those conversations that gives you a headache! Who were you visiting?

My rather long contribution, from when I worked p/t at a LFS on weekends to support my reefing habit:

Man: "I've got ich in my tank, will this product work?"
Me: "Honestly, probably not -- most 'reef-safe' bottled products for ich don't do much. I would suggest using a QT to treat the fish -- it doesn't have to be a fancy setup."

Man: "Well, it's a big tank and I don't want to try and catch the fish. I'll just get this and ask my fish guy what he thinks."
Me: "Sure, we have a good return policy, just keep your receipt just in case."

Man: "On second thought, maybe I won't buy it."
Me: "Okay... "

Man: "So what should I do?"
Me: "Really a QT is the best answer I can give you. Depending on what fish you're keeping, you could try cleaner shrimp but they're not a cure and some fish won't even let them 'clean'..."

Man: "Sounds good. I'll take six."
Me: "Okay... what kind of fish have you got, just to make sure --"

Man: "Tangs. All of them have ich."
Me: (Catching six shrimp)
Man: "No wait... just three. And can you give me a discount?"
Me: (Writing discounted price on bag) "Sure, there you go."
Man: "I'm not sure... are they going to work? Maybe I should just buy that stuff. Maybe I should get both. Maybe nothing... I have to see what my guy thinks... no, okay I'll take the shrimp."

Later that day I get a phone call...

Man: "My lion fish ate the first shrimp when I put it into the tank."
Me: "You have a lion fish?!?"
Man: "Then he ate the second one when I put that in."
Me: "Okay, don't put in the third one, bring it back! I didn't know about the lion fish, I thought you had tangs!"
Man: "Naaa, I'll try it and see how it goes."
Me: (Banging my head on the counter)

The next day he called the manager screaming and demanded a full refund for all three shrimp. Guess who got blamed? :rolleyes:



lol classic.....

[exoticaquatix]

um, im not sure what sort of store you work for but my boss would never give me a hard time for sending an ignorant piece of garbage, like the woman who demanded a clown fish (on behalf of a bratty child) for a bowl, out of the store empty handed. im surprized some one on this site with so many posts (leading me to believe they are an educated and well informed aquarist) would knowingly send a fish to a garunteed death. thats as irresponsible as the person buying the fish.
i work in a LFS for a few reasons, one of which is to help educate people who have no clue what it is they are doing with the hope of making them more responsible and successful fish keepers.

ive heard alot of stupid crap come out of customers mouths and have been misled quite a few times but never send fish off to certain doom when i i know the situation. ok, rants over.

-nick

[Criminal#58369]

Only thing about the movie it caused people to want clown fish/ hippo's and some don't care, i find that sad they don't do research, but than again its there money.

[Orca33]

Man I cant belive you let that fish go out of the store knowing the fish was gonna die. I think I would have backed handed that ignorant dumbA** for saying something so stupid!

[Ezramore1]

I would have let her talk to the supervisor. Let him sell her the soon to be dead fish. i think the right to refuse service policy definatley applies.

[merseyman]

... yeah, bad move. Is an LFS job really worth sending fish off to certain death, not too mention, swallowing all your pride? I've worked in several pet stores and never let someone make a ridiculous purchase like that. Fortunately, all my bosses backed me up.
Side note* an excellent drinking game for those who work in an LFS, or better yet, public aquaria: each contestant is assigned "look," "fish," "pretty," or any such word and does a shot each time a visitor says that word. Best done on off days, or save the drink total for after work!

[vessxpress1]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8888482#post8888482 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Ezramore1
I would have let her talk to the supervisor. Let him sell her the soon to be dead fish. i think the right to refuse service policy definatley applies.

I couldn't agree more with this statement. Doesn't every business reserve the right to refuse service to any customer they feel necessary? It should be posted on the counter.

What kind of place are they running? I wouldn't have sold the fish. If they wanted to fire me, so be it. Wouldn't want to work for a place like that anyway. It's easy to see the pressure put on people though when you have managers thinking about dollar signs and stupid people.

There's no way in he!! I would have given her a refund!! No WAY!

To be honest, I'm shocked that someone could be so stupid and kind of glad I don't work at a LFS. :rolleyes:

[Amphiprion]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8888806#post8888806 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by vessxpress1
I couldn't agree more with this statement. Doesn't every business reserve the right to refuse service to any customer they feel necessary? It should be posted on the counter.

What kind of place are they running? I wouldn't have sold the fish. If they wanted to fire me, so be it. Wouldn't want to work for a place like that anyway. It's easy to see the pressure put on people though when you have managers thinking about dollar signs and stupid people.

There's no way in he!! I would have given her a refund!! No WAY!

To be honest, I'm shocked that someone could be so stupid and kind of glad I don't work at a LFS. :rolleyes:

Unfortunately, we don't really have to option of refusing sales. We can warn/recommend until our mouths fall off, but not refuse. Believe me, this sort of thing is commonplace where I work and I would certainly tell her to take a hike...if I really could. I don't want to mouth off, because that just makes the store look bad. While I can't agree with everything we do, I know we are a good store and I do what I can to make it better. But the old saying still holds true there: "The customer is always right."

[emerald chondro]

working at an lfs you definitly get ****ed everytime you here "Nemo"..that being siad i have my own stories

Ive already questioned the lady in the story below to make sure the tank is stable enough for a fish and it is.....

lady: I'll take that fish (points to a flame angel)
Me: Ok...takes 45 min to catch the flame out of the 55 gallon.

After finally bagging the bugger i go to the register to ring her up and she goes $75 for him oh no forget i dont have that kind of money....Ill just take that clownfish over there (in a 10g)

I was soo ****ed after tearing apart that nice tank to catch the fish that she didnt end up buying
:mad2:



Then another time we special ordered a fish for a lady and it came in Doa and she accussed us of lying to her about being able to get that fish and stormed out of the store cussing.


Then theres always the guy who takes the nice livestock from the store then returns it with torn fins or ich and gets another one..(naturally he's best friends with the business owner who has no marine experience)

[Amphiprion]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8888970#post8888970 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by emerald chondro
the business owner who has no marine experience)

BINGO!!!!

[lessthanlights]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8888946#post8888946 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Amphiprion
"The customer is always right."

Nope- not true at all!

[merseyman]

"Unfortunately, we don't really have to option of refusing sales. We can warn/recommend until our mouths fall off, but not refuse. Believe me, this sort of thing is commonplace where I work and I would certainly tell her to take a hike...if I really could. I don't want to mouth off, because that just makes the store look bad. While I can't agree with everything we do, I know we are a good store and I do what I can to make it better. But the old saying still holds true there: "The customer is always right."

--- well, that may be the POLICY at the particular store where you work, but it is certainly common for any retail establishment to have "right to refuse service" policy. I ran the marine and reptile sections at several pet stores and had the authority to refuse any customer. I don't feel that it would make your store look bad to simply say: "I'm sorry, but we simply can not sell you A because of B, C, and D. We're certainly happy to help you w/ an appropriate choice that will leave you happier in the long run." You can't please everyone. Selling indiscriminately gives your store a worse reputation in the long run. That fish dies, who is she going to blame to all her friends? Not to mention the educated folks who hear you're selling marines for fish bowls. In the end, it is your choice to work in that environment. At least you could explain to the owner why it's bad policy.

[Amphiprion]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8889121#post8889121 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by merseyman

--- well, that may be the POLICY at the particular store where you work, but it is certainly common for any retail establishment to have "right to refuse service" policy. I ran the marine and reptile sections at several pet stores and had the authority to refuse any customer. I don't feel that it would make your store look bad to simply say: "I'm sorry, but we simply can not sell you A because of B, C, and D. We're certainly happy to help you w/ an appropriate choice that will leave you happier in the long run." You can't please everyone. Selling indiscriminately gives your store a worse reputation in the long run. That fish dies, who is she going to blame to all her friends? Not to mention the educated folks who hear you're selling marines for fish bowls. In the end, it is your choice to work in that environment. At least you could explain to the owner why it's bad policy.

Whoa, let's slow down a bit. I don't sell ANYTHING indiscriminately--I look at more variables, etc. than the vast majority of people do. Despite the downsides, I do enjoy the good parts of my job and would like to keep it. Refusal of a sale to a customer would probably get me fired (since it has been part of a 25 year+ policy). When I say a 'bad reputation', I am not necessarily referring to the reefkeeping community, but the common customer as a whole (as we sell things other than marine aquaria). If they see an employee mouthing off to a customer (in situations like this, it doesn't really matter who is right), it just looks bad. I myself am educated (and I don't appreciate the tone used above) and I know what the reefing community thinks because I am a part of it :) You make it sound as though I want to sell them :confused: , but you have managed to take everything out of context. Do you think that I enjoy that aspect? You are right, it is entirely my choice to work there, because amidst what I have described, there is a lot of good that is done and still more work that needs to be done (no place is perfect). Policy is policy--it has been discussed and probably won't change anytime soon. Please be more careful when throwing around accusations :), as I don't believe you are in a position to do so.

[tigereye37]

Alright, leave the poor nemo guy alone, its not his policy. On the upside at least he is there to make the attempt to dissuade the ignorant customer. I'm sure that over the years the knowledgeable employee has managed to save hundreds of fish from would-be deaths at the hands of customers that just want to buy the "pretty fish." I wish the store where i buy my stuff had people on staff that could answer the questions i ask before purchasing. I'm sick of going into the store, asking the kid that works there a question and getting an answer i know is completely wrong just to try and sell me something. On that note, anyone know of a good aquarium shop in RI for reef?

[cyclops23]

i work part time at Gander Mountain, and i know whats it's like having to deal with ridiculus company policies. at least Amphiprion's here on RC, learning and sharing what he knows. he warned the lady, she wouldn't listen (this happens all the time to me). he obviously likes working at the LFS, so what point is there getting fired by going against something you can't change? tigereye said it, i hate going into a LFS around here and trying to talk to someone who doesn't know anything and doesn't give a rats@$$ if the fish lives to make it out of the parking lot.

[alizarin]

The owner of the better fish store in my area has gotten the nickname "The fish nazi" because he'll say "No fish for you" if you don't have the right tank a la Seinfeld.

[ACBlinky]

ROTFL that's too funny, I was called that a few times at work -- I absolutely refused (even though it was against store policy) to sell goldfish to anyone buying a bowl. It was betta, or nothing. Unfortunately on a busy Sunday with 8 people on the floor in the fish department, it was all too easy for them to go to someone else.

I forgot my best 'awful customer story' from the time I worked at the LFS...

2:00pm on a busy Sunday in January...

Man: "My wife and I want to buy six of these (FW) angelfish."
Me: "Have you got a big tank? These guys can get larger than people think, and they're territorial."
Man: "Oh yes, it's a 65g" (showing me with his hands in the air how large a 65g is -- everyone seemed to feel the need to do this, it drove me nuts)

Me: "Okeedokee, just remember they're going to pair off as they age and you may need to re-home some of them -- you can bring them back for credit if you like." (Catching fish)

Later on that afternoon, around 4:30pm...

Manager of another department: "Um... this lady is very angry, did you sell her and her husband these angelfish earlier today?"
Me: (Taking the bag of dead angels in ice water) "What happened?!?"
Woman "We just bought them. Now they're dead. I want a refund."
Me: "Well... the time on the receipt is 2:00pm, and it's 4:30pm now..."

Woman: "Yah, I took them home and they were dead in the bag. Give me more fish or a refund."
Me: "The tank these fish were in is at 80F. This water is partially frozen. Did you put them in the car and continue shopping in the mall?"
Woman (Looking shifty) "No... I took them right home."
Me: "And you live how far away?"
Woman: "It's only like 15 minutes, and they were dead when I got there."
Me: (Waiting for her to realize I'm not an idiot) "You do understand that if you left them to freeze in your car while you shopped, our live fish guarantee doesn't apply, right? I'm sorry, we can't refund them."
Woman: "Fish are cold blooded. They were fine. They died because they were sick."

This went on for a while. After I showed her the other healthy angels in the tank and explained what rapid temperature swings and January temperatures will do to a baby fish in less than a gallon of water over a 2+ hour period of time, she finally stormed out... but not before threatening to call head office and have me fired.

[DrBDC]

There must be a lot of stores with shoddy company policies. :rolleyes:

Even our ethical :lol: petco refused to sell me black mollies because I mentioned feeding them to a lionfish. I had to send my wife back to get them.

[r0bin]

I am sorry but I still don't think there is any good reason to sell a fish if you KNOW its going home to iminent death. Would that not be considered animal cruelty on your part? There is NO way I would have sold that lady with a fish bowl a clownfish. Why not just take the fish out and kill it right there in front of her, would have been easier on the fish. Please dont take this post personal, I just shiver to think what that little fish went threw till it died.

[Eclectic Taste]

Gotta agree with r0bin - no reason why a store can't have a policy that says "We will refuse any sale if we cannot confirm the customer has the knowledge and equipment necessary to properly care for the animal and give it a good home." This can apply to birds, fish, cats, dogs, etc.

The problem is that fish have no SPCA representation - can you imagine the uproar if someone wanted to buy a puppy and stated they intended to just keep him in a small box?

[tibbs2]

.

[blface]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8889864#post8889864 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by alizarin
The owner of the better fish store in my area has gotten the nickname "The fish nazi" because he'll say "No fish for you" if you don't have the right tank a la Seinfeld.

A very good friend of mine who has since passed on was always refered to as the "fish nazi". He always refused to sell people fish he knew they would end up killing. This thread reminded me of the fun times I had watching him drill people on the correct care & maintenance of this hobby. He would kick people out of his store at least once a week. "No fish for you!!!":lol:

[TWallace]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8893305#post8893305 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by r0bin
I am sorry but I still don't think there is any good reason to sell a fish if you KNOW its going home to iminent death.

What about feeder goldfish?

[specrn5]

Ha, this reminds me about the time I went to petco and I overheard this lady talking with an associate. She said that she just set up her tank and she wanted a nemo and stringy thing (pointing to a anemone). I thought for sure the petco employee would refuse to sell...nope, the lady bought them and merrily went on her way to kill the poor things.

I've been on the opposite end though. I went to an LFS and bought my 36g and at same time tried to purchase a lionfish for my 75g. The sales person thought I was going to setup the new tank and throw the fish in. I had to convince her that I really had an establish tank at home and that I wasn't ignorant about cycling. :lol:

[simion3]

I think everyone here knows that its wrong to sell fish to someone who you know if not going to take care of it properly but theres nothing you can do about it. If your the LFS employee and you refuse to sell them the fish whats going to stop the customer from buying it from another employee or from another store? And please stop saying "I wouldve yelled at her right there in the store" or "I wouldve killed it right in front of her" etc because you more than likely wouldnt have. If you have ever bought a fish that has died while under your care I don't think you should really be passing judgement on anyone here JMO

[SptfireXIV]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8893305#post8893305 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by r0bin
I am sorry but I still don't think there is any good reason to sell a fish if you KNOW its going home to iminent death. Would that not be considered animal cruelty on your part? There is NO way I would have sold that lady with a fish bowl a clownfish. Why not just take the fish out and kill it right there in front of her, would have been easier on the fish. Please dont take this post personal, I just shiver to think what that little fish went threw till it died.

For the love of God, get off his back. The store has a policy, he can't change it, he doesn't want to get fired, so he does what he has to.

Its easy to act all righteous when you're sitting in front of your computer, but if you were in his situation would you honestly have risked losing your job over a clownfish?!

[kfowler]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8895362#post8895362 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by TWallace
What about feeder goldfish?

Ditto. "A weed is just a plant we haven't found a use for yet."

In addition, I'd be careful about criticizing anyone who makes their living at a LFS and does not set the rules of the store. It's easy to say you would have done this or that when your livelihood doesn't depend on it.

[techigirl78]

Amphiprion - Well maybe if you stick around at the store for awhile you'll be able to convince your boss and/or owner of the store that sometimes the customer is definitely not right. I think it is good that you at least warn people, even if they say otherwise when they kill their pets.


Sometimes I'm pretty amazed with people who work at pet stores. Most vividly I remember the time when a store clerk was actually trying to get a couple with a toddler interested in a reticulated python to buy it rather then stear them in the right direction. When the guy walked away I just had to tell the couple the potential danger of the snake - i.e. similar to anaconda, known man eater, particularly dangerous for first time snake owners, etc. I still can't stand that store.

[Amphiprion]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8896677#post8896677 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by techigirl78
Amphiprion - Well maybe if you stick around at the store for awhile you'll be able to convince your boss and/or owner of the store that sometimes the customer is definitely not right. I think it is good that you at least warn people, even if they say otherwise when they kill their pets.


Sometimes I'm pretty amazed with people who work at pet stores. Most vividly I remember the time when a store clerk was actually trying to get a couple with a toddler interested in a reticulated python to buy it rather then stear them in the right direction. When the guy walked away I just had to tell the couple the potential danger of the snake - i.e. similar to anaconda, known man eater, particularly dangerous for first time snake owners, etc. I still can't stand that store.

I have worked at the store for 5 years, mentioned it many times, etc. That is just their policy on livestock (it aggravates me as much as the next person) and they have stuck to it for 25 years--it is the 'customer is always right' attitude that won them so many awards, etc, so no, they are not about to change it. Fortunately, it doesn't necessarily happen every day--most people actually listen. It is just the jerks who do this. I actually try to avoid them when possible, because it just pi$$es me off the whole time. I only work there to help people out and to offset some tank and college costs. Believe me, I want to help people AND fish (I am an aquatic veterinary major/marine biology major).

[goda]

amp you know wha tyou do is wrong
so i wont say anything more

anyways.. my fav
"I have these drops" ( i hear it alot too.....)

me" try this " hand then rowa phos
" dont they have this in drops"
me " do you use a skimmer"
"no"
me " the liquid we sell needs a skimmer to work"
"well ill try it and see how it goes. i dont like filter bags"

... come back aweek later and buys rowa phos

[reefshadow]

Amphiprion, that must be stressfull.

It's ironic, too, because a policy like that generally costs a business more in the long run, when they are having to pay to stock fish/inverts, sell them to peole they know are going to kill them, and then refund money to someone who is probably going to give up anyway and not be a repeat customer (thank god!).

It sounds to me like you need to become the local competition, open up a store across town!

On the subject of silly things people say, number one (it's been mentioned)

Them- "I love the way all those plants look in there!"
Me- "Those are all animals, actually, yet have have a symbiotic algae called zooxanthellae living within their tissues that provide blah blah blah blah..."
Them: glazed eyes, slack jaw, drooling by now, hopefully they retained at least the animal part, but hard to tell through the fog.

It's fun to feel like I can educate someone at least a little though, and occasionally someone is very interested in it! I've even made a few converts, who have reef tanks of there own.

[Varanus37]

People lacking knowledge but overflowing with enthusiasm are everywhere. I do educational shows for children using exotic animals and I see it all the time. I did a show for over 300 high school age kids a yr or 2 ago and got nailed by an 11' Burm because of a girls curiosity and another girl almost lost a finger to a hungry snapping turtle. Yet another threw a gerbil about 5 ft in the air and when I caught it I lost a nice chunk of my hand for saving its life. LOL, it happens to all of us.

With the burm...she was an 11' albino who belonged to a friend of mine. She had escaped her enclosure earlier in the week and burned herself a bit(nothing too bad) so I was the only one allowed to handle her for the demonstration, so as to protect the injury. Somewhere in the process she was climbing up my back. A girl came in from the room behind me and all I heard was why is there a big brown mark right here on such a pretty yellow snake? Then WHAM!! and my hat was gone and my head was burning badly, lol...Sharp teeth!

The snapper...We had a young lady actually ask why the face was so smooth when the shell was so rough and then try to pet the critters nose! We honestly had to post a sign that said Don't Touch...this snapper was probably 14" in. across, we're talking losing a finger if she had gotten close enough.

Help the ones you can and if it bites or stings...maybe some folks need those life lessons more than others.

[SpektralerSpeer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8895362#post8895362 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by TWallace
What about feeder goldfish?

Feeder goldfish should not be used in any case - it's not a healthy or natural diet, especially for marine animals. Ghost shrimp are a much better alternative.

"Freshwater feeder fish, like mollies, guppies, and goldfish are very popular foods, but you should not feed your predators only live freshwater fish, since they lack fatty acids that marine fishes need for good health."

http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?articleid=2732

Paul

[TWallace]

That wasn't the point, though. Someone posted that it's never ok to send fish off to certain doom with horrible customers.

[PrivateJoker64]

Everyone need to understand that these lfs's are in business to make money. No sales, no money. If they refuse to sell to someone, for any reason, word will get around, but the reason for the refusal will never be mentioned. Enough of this goes on, and pretty soon they will have too few customers to stay in business. They can't survive by only selling to those of us who know what we are doing - WE ARE THE MINORITY. And we will always be. We can't support the industry alone.
Don't go ripping on Amphiprion. He can only try to dissuade, he can't refuse. He did all he could. Some of you will say, "He should have quit the job." If he did that, how could he try to dissuade the next "idjit" from doing the same?

[Amphiprion]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8896853#post8896853 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by goda
amp you know wha tyou do is wrong
so i wont say anything more

anyways.. my fav
"I have these drops" ( i hear it alot too.....)

me" try this " hand then rowa phos
" dont they have this in drops"
me " do you use a skimmer"
"no"
me " the liquid we sell needs a skimmer to work"
"well ill try it and see how it goes. i dont like filter bags"

... come back aweek later and buys rowa phos

You really don't need to say more because you are beginning to be childish, just grow up and begin living in the real world--you and several others. We are dealing with business and corporations. They aren't going to change because a bunch of 'fish geeks' like myself and others say to do something differently, since they are making plenty of money with what they are doing now. We are in the vast minority of customers. I do everything I possibly can with what I can, and if you (and others) criticize me for that, then you can take a hike. You have apparently failed to understand anything, so there is no longer any point in my saying anything. By all means, continue your meaningless rant(s), now that I am done.

Thanks to all the more realistic/mature individuals who understand the situation more accurately. Think of it this way--if I weren't there, then they would have someone much more inexperienced, etc. in my place.

[vessxpress1]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8897887#post8897887 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by PrivateJoker64
Don't go ripping on Amphiprion. He can only try to dissuade, he can't refuse. He did all he could. Some of you will say, "He should have quit the job." If he did that, how could he try to dissuade the next "idjit" from doing the same?

I guess this is a good point and I should take back part of what I said. I would still try to talk with the manager about store policies over this. You don't have to refuse fish to everybody. I would think MOST people are willing to listen to reason from knowledgeable people, if not only for the sake of not wasting their money. Therefore knowledgeable people need to remain employed there.

The store should still have a basic policy in place to at least make an attempt to spare fish. When it's blatantly obvious that someone has zero knowledge, they should be refused. If they aren't capable of even making an attempt at providing a livable (SALTWATER enviroment for GODS SAKE!), the customer should be refused. Someone carrying around a fishbowl asking for a clownfish should be refused. Nobody can change my mind on this. If you scare away a handful of customers, so what. What does it really matter? There's no shortage of people in this world.
At least the guy tried. I wish I would have had this guy to talk to when I was starting out. Would have saved a lot of money and fish. Yes, I lost fish when I was a newbie. It doesn't make it any better but at least I was trying my best to make an attempt and learn.

[Alaska_Phil]

From the guy I inherited care of our office marine aquarium from:

"remove half the rocks every other week and scrub them off in the sink" (he used fresh tap water and soap!)

"I can't gravel vacuum, it raises a white cloud that kills all the fish" He was using an undergravel filter

"Protine skimmers are just high priced unnessesary equipment" the nitrates were over 200ppm when I took over.

"Make the new salt water low in salinity because it tends to rise between changes" He did believe in make-up water between changes.

He was dosing with phyto-plankton weeky despite having a FO tank with absolutly no filter feeders.

He was very glad when a big chain pet store opened in town, they didn't try to tell him what he wanted was a bad idea. He'd already learned to only go to the LFS on the day the owner was off. I lost count of how many fish died in that tank in the year he was keeping it. If one died, he'd buy 2 new ones to replace it, without ever looking into why it died. His selections were based on price and looks. So no surprize I inherited a tank with 1 yellow tang, 3 clowns a BCS and a bunch of Damzels. And he had a whole slug of special chemicals he added to the marine and freshwater tanks.

Phil

[GreshamH]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8889864#post8889864 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by alizarin
The owner of the better fish store in my area has gotten the nickname "The fish nazi" because he'll say "No fish for you" if you don't have the right tank a la Seinfeld.

Let me guess, Fish and Other Ichthy Stuff :) He's famous gloablly :) Nice guy, insane knowledge and a credit to the industry :)

And this is coming from some one on the other side of the country :lol:

[Alaska_Phil]

On the sub topic of selling fish to anyone...When the big chain store opened in my town we were afraid the LFS would go out of business. In reality it's helped their business! After having one fish after another die, petco customers come to the LFS to find some better advice. ;)

[merseyman]

... hey amp, you seem like a nice person w/ nice intentions. i was just trying to make the point that just because it's policy doesn't make it right. if they won't change i guess you just have to live w/ their decision or quit. believe me, there are LFSs that do worse @#!* to their livestock than any customer could if they tried. anyway, keep up w/ the good work, you can't win them all.

[scaryperson27]

Don't go ripping on Amphiprion. He can only try to dissuade, he can't refuse. He did all he could. Some of you will say, "He should have quit the job." If he did that, how could he try to dissuade the next "idjit" from doing the same?

Exactly!! Point well made. I would hate to see some other ignorant nutjob take his position.

If I were in his position, I would have done the same thing. Besides, if the woman didn't get the fish from him, she would have gotten it elsewhere. At least she got slapped in the face with her silly antic. Maybe under all that steam she realized she was wrong.

[r0bin]

"The store should still have a basic policy in place to at least make an attempt to spare fish. When it's blatantly obvious that someone has zero knowledge, they should be refused. If they aren't capable of even making an attempt at providing a livable (SALTWATER enviroment for GODS SAKE!), the customer should be refused. Someone carrying around a fishbowl asking for a clownfish should be refused. Nobody can change my mind on this."

I totally agree with this. and by the way I would have quit my job over it, and I have worked at a pet store and I have refused to sell to stupid people. If a place is THAT unethical I can go get a paycheck somewhere else. Sorry people that just how I feel. There IS NO WAY I would have sold her that fish, I would have walked out over it. Honestly this story is so stupid I am having trouble believing its even true.

[jermpool]

I have only had 1 store ask me if my tank was cycled. Out of 5 stores. Only 1 was a big chain. But now the only 2 localy owned stores I buy fish from know me when I walk in. The first question at one store is hows your tank doing?

And the Nemo thing drove me nuts. I hated going to a fish store, ecspecialy a PETCO because you heard at least 1 time everytime. My kids tried that but I wouldn't have it. Thats not nemo its a clownfish.

[goda]

thanks amp for quoting me ... the one who said the least ! LOL :)



what i like is when you get the customers who have spoiled kids

and when your talking to teh parents the kids ( ages 7-16) go
" we have a big tank its 125 gallons "blablbalbalbalbalba ) of course FO)

you just wanna say to them... so what. i have larger... so quit bragging and let me help your parents.. i really could care less about the new TV you got over the fish tank!!!!!


then you get the peoiple in who think that because your young .. you know nothing


iv had peopel say to me "yeah right like you could help. can i talk to the manager"
only to be called over a few minutes later to help them... you just grin at them as you tell them about what tehy call " the swaying one in the back" ( usualy xenia that htey pronounce zannaa):p

[goda]

"And the Nemo thing drove me nuts. I hated going to a fish store, ecspecialy a PETCO because you heard at least 1 time everytime. My kids tried that but I wouldn't have it. Thats not nemo its a clownfish."

we all gave up where i work ( worked)
we call them " tomato nemo" "clarki nemo" nemo" false nemo

atleast hen helping people with kids.. cause the kids will always correct you " NO ITS A NEMO"

[Amphiprion]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8900314#post8900314 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by goda
thanks amp for quoting me ... the one who said the least ! LOL :)


You just happened to be the straw that broke the camel's back . I apologize for any hard feelings--I just have a low threshold for ignorance :D (both on my employers' part and the fine folks here on RC). I suppose I have yet to get used to it here (unlike at my job).

[goda]

lol amp we all know you. and know you know alot and care about the fish we all gotta do things we dont like or agree with but it cant hurt to try and take it to the top of the chain and have thigns changed... atleast you try and stop it at the customer level.. iv seen alot of peopl who dont know jack.. or just dont cara dn will gladly sell NEMO to a person trying to keep him alive n a thimble full of toilet water ( petco. along with every other chain.. only chain that iv ever see questions asked at was bigals,,, but then again all they do is fish)

[goda]

back on topic

how many of you walked to someone and asked if they need help and before finishing the sentance oyu regret it relizing the customer isnt goign to understand and dosnt care to understand. and its gonna eb a lonnnggggg day

the ones you sya no to and then they sya " what if i use ...." millions of time

back when i got new lr and had algae probloms some one at my house said " its so pretty whats all that swaying green stuff. can i have some for my tank " ( it was a fw tank they had) :( they didnt even see all teh corals :((

[Alaska_Phil]

I love little kids who call my clown fish Nemo. I correct them and say "No, thats Marlin, Nemo's dad. See Both his fins are the same size" :p Now I just added a small clown to pair with my older one, not sure what I'll tell them. :(

Back to stupid things said that I blame on the Movie: "Do I have to take all the fish out of the tank to clean it?" Yes, I've been asked that by several people. Thank God they were only setting up a freshwater tank.

Phil

[AndyB4784]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8900706#post8900706 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by goda
back on topic

how many of you walked to someone and asked if they need help and before finishing the sentance oyu regret it relizing the customer isnt goign to understand and dosnt care to understand. and its gonna eb a lonnnggggg day

:((

how can you think like this and work in sales?

[Monti]

Hey robin- there's no reason to doubt that this story is true. I've seen so many examples of ignorance and arrogance in customers in my years at lfs that this story seems hardly far fetched at all. You would probably need to pick yourself up off the floor if you heard some of the things I've seen people say and do. Amp, I feel your pain! I've had so many customers try to go behind my back after refusing to sell them something its not even funny. Seeing those same customers come hollering for a refund if they manage to get there way is even less funny. One of my favs is a lady asking me which were the "communion" fish and which ones were "progressive." It took me a second to figure out she meant community and aggressive. Then there's "Afican Chinchillas or Chicklets" or the too oft heard "my fish always die after I clean the tank... I mean I scrub it real good with soap and everything and they still die." And some times the owners aren't much better. I had one owner who fell in love with a dogface puffer. The only tank they had at home was a 175 reef. Even though every employee tried to talk them out of it they were convinced that "Sweet mr puff puff wouldn't really eat any of my corals I don't think... I mean, look at the way he follows me around!" Once the puffer was released in their tank, he proceeded to head straight for their pride and joy, a huge neon orange flower anenome, and take large bites out of it.

[Tim the Stick]

Well, here's a GOOD, but rediculous story, and I'm the butt end of it. My only saving grace and save of face here is that I KNEW something was wrong, but didn't know what. On to the funny story.

My Home base at the time was a 36 gallon bow front that was overstocked to the max when I got it. 6 inches of sand in the bottom, filled litteraly to the top with live rock, and housing a pair of clowns, 1 hippo tang, 1 midas blenny, 1 yellow tang, and a pretty good size cleaning crew. No one had space 1 to call their own, and I knew full well my focus would be "save this poor reef" when I got the thing home. So I started the 75 up very shortly after moving the 36 to my house.

I noticed I could NOT keep my parameters in line on the 75, AT ALL. Not even overnight. Cycling a new tank is one thing, but taking out existing water and live rock from the 36 that was stable as a rock (even though stuffed like a turkey, litteraly) and adding 1/2 and 1/2 fresh R/O-salt mixed water that had set and stabilized to existing "decent not dirty" leftover tankwater should NOT have been doing what it was doing.

After 2 weeks I had about 3/4 to 7/8 of the live rock transfered, still had the fish in the 36 that was still stable as a rock from day 1, and I now had the same live rock and most of the same water into the 75 and couldn't figure out what was wrong. I made the call, and put the fish and the rest of the 1 inch of sand and rock into the 75 and hoped I could hash it out. From then on, parameters were stable as a rock again...??? Adding the fish stabilized the water? Huh? Went on that way for 6 months.

That's when I took on my next door neighbors refugees, a 10G nano he didn't clean untill the filter element clogged up and overspilled all but 4 inches of the water out of it at 2:00 am. Yeah, add in the "you have to save my 2 clowns/coral beauty/pink chromis/purple firefish" while I'm at the front door at 2:00 am in my underwear. I'm already overstocked, can't figure out what's wrong with my water, let's add in the neighbors sick and dying refugees at 2:00 am in January.

The next day, the refugee clowns came out and went back into the now salvaged/cleaned and refilled nano (that my neighbor DIDN'T tell me he set outside in the snow all night with the live rock in it) and later that day went back to the LFS for credit. As for the rest of the flock, yeah, they're still in there today.

Enter Dummy move....

I then added the live rock and sand out of the nano into the 75. From that day on, the Nitrates were at 100+ PPM no mater HOW much water I changed. I changed up to 30-40 gallons a week, still had 100+ PPM Nitrates, 0 Amonia, 0 Nitrites. ***?

Enter gravel vac.

Dropped to 80 PPM.

After battling for another 4 months with no losses, my same next door neighbor comes over and goes "WOW, look at all the red slime you have! It's coating every rock in your tank!"

"That's not coraline algea?"

"No. I know what that is, and I can't even keep a nano. Man, how can you keep that off the glass?"

"I clean the glass once a day."

Off to the LFS where I look like the ultimate idiot and say the following in front of just about every reefer in Detroit on a Saturday afternoon.

"Hi, I have a red slime problem. It's been coating my rocks for over a year, my nitrates have been over 100 PPM for that year, and I just found out it's not coaline algea. My tank is a 75 gallon with a scratchbuilt 25 gallon fuge and has the following in it: 2 clowns, 1 hippo tang, 1 yellow tang, 1 coral beauty, 1 purple fire fish, 1 pink chromis, 1 midas blenny. Oooo. Those are pretty, how much for the queen angel and the emperor angel?" All in the same breath.

And left with the Angels.

Yes, later that day I brought back over 1/2 the existing flock and the angels went into the QT for a week, but still, if you would have been there, you'da shot me.

3 weeks later, no slime. Good coraline growth. Corals growing so fast I now rarely feed the angels, I just left them munch zoos, schrooms, and welsos and that keeps them from spreading too rapidly to control. Plus it's free food.

Tim

[Pattylucylaura]

Well anyone ever been yelled at by a store owner for trying to help his customers I have. Well it all started when a couple were in the LFS buying a new 80 gal and the owner sells then a knockoff Bakpak and odysey lights after he walks away I tell them there are better skimmers for what they are paying and the lights are ok (the owner didn't hear this) I then start to tell them about RC and another local board (he heard this) as soon as they left he proceeds to rip me a new one about giving his customers advice like that, all RC does is give bad advice and cause people to get out of the hobby I said and selling them sub par equipment that may or may not keep there tank thriving is good advice and walked out I only go back every once and a while usually to pick up some dry goods.

[George Gouveia]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8901296#post8901296 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Alaska_Phil
I love little kids who call my clown fish Nemo. I correct them and say "No, thats Marlin, Nemo's dad. See Both his fins are the same size" :p Now I just added a small clown to pair with my older one, not sure what I'll tell them. :(

Back to stupid things said that I blame on the Movie: "Do I have to take all the fish out of the tank to clean it?" Yes, I've been asked that by several people. Thank God they were only setting up a freshwater tank.

Phil

I guess you could call it Coral (nemo's mother :) )

[Alaska_Phil]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8902924#post8902924 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by George Gouveia
I guess you could call it Coral (nemo's mother :) )

Hmmm...that could work. But then I'd need to find a baraccuda too. :rollface: NOT!

Phil

[merseyman]

... despite all the problems the movie created, perhaps it also helped instill a love for the ocean environment. Everything's a trade-off.
Not a rip on anyone in particular, but the terrible grammar in some of the posts on RC drives me nuts! (English major, forgive me)

[Myka]

^^ I hear ya on that one!!!

[Alaska_Phil]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8908856#post8908856 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by merseyman
... despite all the problems the movie created, perhaps it also helped instill a love for the ocean environment. Everything's a trade-off.
Not a rip on anyone in particular, but the terrible grammar in some of the posts on RC drives me nuts! (English major, forgive me)

Sorry, I are a engineer after all. :rolleyes:

Phil

[zoanthid2009]

i work at a lfs

Her: do you know anything about fish?
Me: yes
her: is there a humaine way to euthanize my fish?
me:what kind is it?
her: a cichlid
me: you could give it medicine
her: you mean like OD it?
me: no like treat it
her:no i have been doing that for a month
me: well if your bring it in i will feed it to one of my fish
her: NO NO!
me: well juststop medicating
her: and let it die?
me: yep
her: ok thanks bye

[Freed]

OK all you tree huggers, if you had a pair, and it sounds like some of you don't, you would/should deny the sale of a fish, cat, dog, gerbil, turtle, etc., if you knew without a shadow of a doubt that the critter you were selling was definitely going to die because the purchaser had absolutely no inkling of knowledge of what he/she was doing and that by not selling said critter to said purchaser you would have to fight tooth and nail to convince your "boss" that what you did was the best for the critter AND the store. Shouldn't matter that you would possibly lose your job, shouldn't matter that your "boss" would be mad at you or that the "store policy" is to never deny a sale. That is the policy but you CAN push to get it changed and you CAN change it if you try hard enough after all, isn't there some unwritten policy somewhere that says

the critters have rights too?


The right to live?

[Alaska_Phil]

the critters have rights too?

I had Salmon for dinner, caught it myself last summer. :D
I wonder how pickled clownfish tastes? (farmed of course) ;)

Phil

[mhj1580]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8898130#post8898130 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Amphiprion
You really don't need to say more because you are beginning to be childish, just grow up and begin living in the real world--you and several others. We are dealing with business and corporations. They aren't going to change because a bunch of 'fish geeks' like myself and others say to do something differently, since they are making plenty of money with what they are doing now. We are in the vast minority of customers. I do everything I possibly can with what I can, and if you (and others) criticize me for that, then you can take a hike. You have apparently failed to understand anything, so there is no longer any point in my saying anything. By all means, continue your meaningless rant(s), now that I am done.

Thanks to all the more realistic/mature individuals who understand the situation more accurately. Think of it this way--if I weren't there, then they would have someone much more inexperienced, etc. in my place.

I have been in the store and have to say he does everything he can short of being fired. As for the story I have seen/ heard better ones while at that store.

[lessthanlights]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8910133#post8910133 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Alaska_Phil
I wonder how pickled clownfish tastes?

quote of the night!!

[Drakis]

I told my little nephew that the Finding Nemo plot would be different in nature, if nemo's mom died, nemo's dad would become the mom and nemo would be the new dad......

[Bubbled-tip]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8910281#post8910281 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Drakis
I told my little nephew that the Finding Nemo plot would be different in nature, if nemo's mom died, nemo's dad would become the mom and nemo would be the new dad......

Thats messed up.....

[goda]

lol iv told people that before as well. ( usualy to teenage girls ) and they start freeking out going EWWWW thats so wrong

[agreeive?fish]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8908856#post8908856 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by merseyman
... despite all the problems the movie created, perhaps it also helped instill a love for the ocean environment. Everything's a trade-off.
Not a rip on anyone in particular, but the terrible grammar in some of the posts on RC drives me nuts! (English major, forgive me)


The only reason i passed english classes was the teaches could not stand the idea of having me in thier classroom for another year....might of helped if i would of had the old maid english teachers rather than the hottie young teachers....lol

[Navyblue]

While I was looking at a blue damsel.

LFS owner: So do you like that fish?
Me: I guess it'll be too aggressive.
LFS owner: Nah, that is the mellowest fish among the fishes here.
Me: ...

While I turn towards a bleached anemone.

LFS owner: Do you like that?
Me: I guess that needs lots of light, I only have a strip of NO fluorescent.
LFS owner: That is good enough.
Me: ...

Btw, he has a huge display tank full of hair algae.

Around two year later I visited the same store they stopped selling saltwater livestock, and their display tank is converted to FW.

[Myka]

For the record:

"Ridiculous"

:p

[reefshadow]

OK all you tree huggers, if you had a pair, and it sounds like some of you don't, you would/should deny the sale of a fish, cat, dog, gerbil, turtle, etc., if you knew without a shadow of a doubt that the critter you were selling was definitely going to die because the purchaser had absolutely no inkling of knowledge of what he/she was doing and that by not selling said critter to said purchaser you would have to fight tooth and nail to convince your "boss" that what you did was the best for the critter AND the store. Shouldn't matter that you would possibly lose your job, shouldn't matter that your "boss" would be mad at you or that the "store policy" is to never deny a sale. That is the policy but you CAN push to get it changed and you CAN change it if you try hard enough after all, isn't there some unwritten policy somewhere that says

the critters have right too?

the right to live?

I was laughing, but then I started to wonder if you were serious, and I stopped laughing

[Fishyfins]

LMAO at this thread. i too work for my local lfs, and im sure weve all had the whole wanting to keep marines in a freshwater tank, and not accepting the requirements of fish before. ive even had "do you have begs to put the fish in when you sell them" before.

the best ive ever had is this....

oh phone

Me: Hello, how may i help you
Man: Erm, hello, i bought this fish off you yesterday, but its dead, can i bring it in and get a refund
Me: Yes, certainly, as long as you bring in a sample of your water and it tests out ok. may i ask what fish it is please?
Man: It was a dragon wrasse
Me: Are you sure its dead and not just hiding, cos they can dissapear for a while when added to a new environment
Man: Oh yeah, its certainly dead, its lying on the bottom of the tank lifeless
Me: Again, they can do that sometimes. we get it happening all the time early in a morning just as the lights are switched on
Man: No, i said its dead, and its dead
Me: Ok, if you wanna fetch it in with a water sample, ill see what i can do
Man: Thankyou

An hour later
a large man walks up to me carrying a small bundle, which he plops on the counter
Man: I rang up earlier about a dead fish
Me: Ah yes, i remember, did you bring a water sample?
Man: No
Me: I asked you to bring one in, i cant help you otherwise
Man: Are you saying i have bad water quality
Me: Not at all, its just procedure. we cant let you take another fish until we can say your tank is fine, and for that, we need a water test

Insert argument about water testing here. At the end of this, i pick up the bag, and examine the fish, and notice small gill movements
Me: Erm...sir...this fish is still alive
Man: No it bloody well isnt
Me: Its gills just moved....watch

At this point i show the guy the moving fish

Man: Well....its dying

I ask a collegue to go and put it in one of our systems. note that there was no water in the bag, so the fish could not be acclimatised. We watch as the fish swims out of the bag, and swims happily around the tank, as if nothing had ever happened

Me: It looks healthy to me sir
Man: Are you alling me a liar?
Me: Well, this fish is fine, there is nothing wrong with it. How did you acclimatise the fish to your tank?
Man: The way you should
Me: Which is? Explain it to me, what did you do
Man: I floated it for an hour
Me: Thats it? you didnt do any water adjusting
Man: What do you mean?

At this point, i explain about the proper way to acclimatise fish, and he tries to get out of it. In the end, he leaves angrily, leaving his fish behind. a few minutes later, we feed the fish, and the poor wrasse eats like any normal fish, rather vorasiously. An hour later, an even larger man, who turns out to be his son, walks up to me, looking rather angry. This guy was huge, and im only a small skinny 20 year old kid

Son: Oi, my dad brought a dead fish in this morning, and said you wont give him a refund
Me: Ah yes, thats his fish swimming around in the tank over there
Son: No, my dad said it was dead
Me: I assure you, thats the fish he came in with



To cut a long story short, this guy tries to tell me his dad knows everything about fish, and wouldnt bring in a live fish and say it was dead. it also turns out his tank is riddled with hair algae and he looses a lot of fish. In the end, i blind this guy with science, and he leaves with his tail between his legs, taking the fish with him....i felt sorry letting it go, but it was their fish when all said and done

[Angel*Fish]

That's priceless - lol
Great story :lol: :lol: :lol: (except for the very end, of course)

And regarding Amphiprion ---

He is doing a very fine thing working in the LFS. I can't believe that isn't obvious to everyone.... I personally don't have the fortitude to work at the LFS, but I also couldn't work at a cancer or a pediatric hospital. But I'm sure glad there are wonderful people who can and will.

The fish are lucky to have him.

[fishyz]

I was at the LFS and I overhead the conversation that was happening between teh salesman, a man, and his girlfriend.

man: we would like to purchase some fish.
salesman: ok, which ones?
girlfriend: oh! oh! the pretty one with the blue stripe.
man: ok we'll take 6.
girlfriend: and the one with the cute little face.
man: ok 3 of those.
salesman: ok, any others?
man: ok I like the 4 with the yellow fins.
salesman: (as he hands the man the bag) ok here they are. what size of tank do you have?
man: oh ya, I guess we need a tank to.

I couldn't believe how dumb those people were.

[Fishyfins]

another fantastic one for me was about 8 months ago. it was late on a thursday night, around 5pm, when a couple came to me and asked for some pen and paper. i lent it to them, and they proceeded to go around every tank in the place, and occasionally jot down some notes. after 30 minutes, they came to me, and presented me with a huge list of fish, and asked me to catch them all for them. i counted, and there were 58 fish on the list. i was quite shocked, and asked if they were all for the same tank. the guy siad they were, and the tank was well established at 2 months, has 20 fish in already, and was only 4' long. when i wouldnt serve him, he kicked up a fuss, and complained about me to the managemnet, who just laughed at him. these fish were all freshwater.

[vessxpress1]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8919432#post8919432 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by fishyz
I was at the LFS and I overhead the conversation that was happening between teh salesman, a man, and his girlfriend.

man: we would like to purchase some fish.
salesman: ok, which ones?
girlfriend: oh! oh! the pretty one with the blue stripe.
man: ok we'll take 6.
girlfriend: and the one with the cute little face.
man: ok 3 of those.
salesman: ok, any others?
man: ok I like the 4 with the yellow fins.
salesman: (as he hands the man the bag) ok here they are. what size of tank do you have?
man: oh ya, I guess we need a tank to.

I couldn't believe how dumb those people were.

:eek2: OMG! I don't know how some people survive normal day to day life. :rolleyes:

[Alaska_Phil]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8919679#post8919679 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by vessxpress1
:eek2: OMG! I don't know how some people survive normal day to day life. :rolleyes:

Even though I've only been back in the aquarium hobby for 2 years now, and only doing saltwater for a year, since I maintain the tanks in my office (3 fresh, 1 marine) people frequently ask me about setting up an aquarium. Most people seem to believe that a new tank only needs either 1 hour, or 24 hours before adding fish. Fortunately most people also seem to believe that saltwater requires super human knowlege and it too complex for the average mortal too. :p

Phil

[JagerEinheit]

ahh yes the saving grace of SW, even when we explain that its not that much more time intensive, and we are willing to setup maintenace programs for them, we even do free water testing etc, people run at SW


course only after they ask me tons of questions....



I think probably the most rediculous thing i ever heard while working where i do is the lady and i guess husband who vehemently argued that we were killing our fish by puttign bettas in tanks with other community fish. they spent 45 minutes demanding we put the bettas in cups to save the poor helpless neons and tetras.


i gotta say, for all the crazy LFs's its nice to be at my store, between the other 2 guys and me theres almost 45 years of SW/BW/FW experiance, so 99% of the time ppl cannot get away with buying fish then complaining later if they die. in our health warrenty is also what we call the stupidity cluase. meaning that if your tank isnt right, you didnt acclimate, or you lied about tank sizes, we dont do refunds.


we got flak at first, but the owners know to trust us,

[merseyman]

... when i lived in chicago there was a pet store on belmont near clark that had a few reptiles. once i came in and saw a 12" sulcatta tortoise in a 10 gallon bucket - it's "cage," not a temporary situation, and i was looking at a small python in an aquarium when my eyes, starting at it's head, followed the rest of it's body back into the tank. it was at this point that i realized, about 2/3 into it's length, the snake was actually rotting. it was full on dead. by the time you got to the tail this animal was more liquid than solid! can you inagine how long that snake was lying in there, dead, for that kind of decay to happen? and this was not a large store ...

[DrBDC]

I'm glad none of the LFS workers from when I first started out are on here telling on me for the stupid questions I had when I started! :lol: