Dumb Things I've Heard At My LFS

[barry769]

Well, this doesn't necessarily have to be something you've heard at an LFS, it can be info overheard anywhere. I thought it would be a good idea to make a thread where people could post all of the bad advice they've heard given. I see a lot of people asking what they shouldn't do when starting up and I think this would be a good place for them to start, while at the same time being entertaining for us to hear what some people think is actually a good idea.
Don't go bashing a particular LFS or employee, just keep it good informative fun with only the bad info and maybe some info on the surrounding situation.

 

[barry769]

Overheard this today from customer with a 1 week into cycle 35 gallon tank.
"Wow thats a beautiful fish, what kind is it?"
"That one's a yellow tang, it would really look great in your tank and would a lot of color while you're finishing off your cycle"

 

[scottyok]

me: "I have blah blah blah fish and a Flame Angel, I'm thinking about purchasing this here Coral Beauty. Any thoughts?"
LFS dude: "Nope, sounds good... cash or credit?"
Jump forward a few days after I've removed the carcass of the Coral Beauty and start reading SWF.com and find "Never put any dwarf angels together" hmmmmm.

 

[moby da goby]

Here's a good one...
"That's not ich, they are supposed to look like that"
or...
"It's just the air bubbles sticking to the scales, he'll be alright in a day"
Needless to say, both of these fish (two different stores) were so bloody ich covered that they probably died before selling.
Oh yes...there's this one...
"We have this thing called a skimmer in the back but every time I turn it on it overflows with gross stuff"

 

[stacyt]

Here's one of me talking to another customer at my LFS. This guy didn't have a clue about SW tanks.
Me: " What size tank do you have? "
Customer: " A 55 gallon thats been running for a couple of months. "
Me: " What kind of fish do you have, and how many? "
Customer: " Oh I don't know what kind, but around 8 or so. "
Me" " WHAT! You don't need anymore fish as a matter of fact you should probably take some out. "
Customer: " Why is that. "
Me: " Because your tank is overcrowded. Your going to have major problems, and probably end up losing some of your fish. "
Customer " O.K. "
Me: " You should buy a book, or do some more research before going any further. "
Customer: " Whatever. "
So anyways along comes one of the employees, and you know what this guy does. Buys about 10 more fish. So I tell the employee that he already has 8 fish in the tank, and the employee even tells him he has to many fish. Does the guy listen. No. The employee tells him that all of the fish would probably be dead within a week, and that he should spend his money on a book and do some reading/research. Of course he comes back 2 days later to complain that all of his fish are dying, and it must have been caused by 1 of the last fish he bought being sick, and causing a disease outbreak in the tank. He wants his money back for the all of the fish he bought. Some people just don't listen.

 

[ophiura]

Originally posted by ScottyOK
me: "I have blah blah blah fish and a Flame Angel, I'm thinking about purchasing this here Coral Beauty. Any thoughts?"
LFS dude: "Nope, sounds good... cash or credit?"
Jump forward a few days after I've removed the carcass of the Coral Beauty and start reading SWF.com and find "Never put any dwarf angels together" hmmmmm.
IMO, this is not entirely true. "LFS dude" should not have said "Nope, sounds good" without enquiring further (eg tank size/LR is a major factor), but you can successfully keep these two fish or other dwarf angels together in some situations. There is always the risk of territorial issues, especially in smaller tanks, but the big no no is putting two of the same species or two with very similar coloration in the tank together. Some people get away with a flame and coral beauty in tanks around 55g (many don't- depends very much on the personality of the fish) but the odds of success get higher with increase in tank size (above 100g).
If this is the worst advice you have been given, then you've made out pretty well.

 

[dfishh]

i walked into a store and asked the guy if he had krabs, and he told me to get out of the store. he didnt seem to umderstand?

 

[barry769]

"I always suggest crushed coral, some people try to convince you that sand is the way to go, but I always find it much easier to clean crushed coral than sand."

 

[dfishh]

JK
now really, i went to this small pet store, and they had about a 55 gallon, with about 10 false percs, 10 clarkiis, 10 flame clowns, and 10 tomatos. hmm a little crowded, especially wiht 4 different kinds of clowns.
DAVE

 

[barryi]

a customer at an LFS said:"uh, can i put a snowflake moray, a dragon wrasse, and a purple tang in a 37 gallon with crushed coral?" so the manager says: yea that would make the tank snug.
i mean a tang in a 37 gallon tank with a dragon wrasse?

 

[scottyok]

OK Susan, I don't know what happened for sure other than the Angel picked at the Coral beauty to death, and it was in a 95gallon tank. Maybe the flame angel is super territorial on account it's had the place to himself and existing tank mates for several years. In fact, I sat in panic as a juvenile emporer angel was introduced last week and it looked like it was starting all over again with this flame angel. Things calmed down relatively soon and all is happy now.

 

[entice59]

"why would you want so much sand, your just going to suck it all up with your vacum. You dont even need sand, here's a bag of crushed coral 50 dollars, good deal" - maybe not stupid, just ignorant
"With my liverocks you can just add fish right away, you sure you dont want to buy fish now?"- during the day i just bought live rocks and the equipment all in one day... even when i told him i didnt even add water to the tank yet... Maybe his live rocks were the "SPECIAL" kind that you can do everything in one day

 

[fshhub]

Originally posted by jamesurq
Iv'e heard a lot of dumb things on this board, some of which came out of my mouth.....

 

[fshhub]

Originally posted by barry769
"I always suggest crushed coral, some people try to convince you that sand is the way to go, but I always find it much easier to clean crushed coral than sand."
I hope that is a quote, and not advice, You do not clean sand
now, mine
"I have been in the business over 30 ***** yrs, and there is NO such thing as a false percula clownfish!"
I can go on, esp quoting this guy, but, hey if he wants to brag his experience and his ignorance in the same breath, I am convinced of his lack of knowledge here.

 

[acez28]

My worst experience was with my first tank. I finished my cycle and was getting things to try to "make my tank look like a saltwater tank", ya know just being a newbie i wanted it to look different. My cycle had just finished about a week before and my 2 dominoes lived thru it. So i had them and bought a couple aneomnes. I went back and wanted to get a starfish....so they suggested this Chocolate Chip Starfish. So i get it into the tank and about 3 days one anemone just dissappears...i had no idea what happened to it. Then one night i walk in and turn on the light and look in and this muderous starfish is on top my last anemone. i try to pull him off but it was too late....
The bad part is that they told me he was a filter feeder and that they never seen one behave that way b4. Needless to say i sold him back. And within a week he ate 3 of thier anemones and some sickly fish he caught.

 

[newreefers]

This happened to me yesterday.... I was calling all the lfs's in my area and asking if they had any fighting conch snails in stock. One lfs said and I quote "fighting cocks for sale......lady that is illeagal and this is a fish store. I had to hang up the phone because I was laughing so hard.

 

[clownfish_and_bettas]

Baby: "mommy can I get a fishie for the tank?"
Mother to store clerk:"Can this fish be turned into saltwater?"
Clerk:"Of course I've done it a million times, these kissing gouramies actually do better in saltwater."
Three year old: "mommy I want more fishies!"
Mother:"no susie, you already killed all the other 25 I bought."
Feeling sympathetic I asked her." What happened to them and what kind of fish were they?"
Mother:"they were discus and she didn't clean their bowls."
I was sooo horrified and disgusted that I ran into the nearest bathroom and barfed 2 times!
It makes me sick just to think about it!

 

[clownfish_and_bettas]

I called my LFS and.....
Me: "Do you sell discus?"
Clerk:" This is a petstore ma'am! Why would we sell sporting equipment!"
Me: "OMG!" and I hung up.
A visit to Wal-mart.
Me:"Can I put a purple firemouth n with my guppies?"
Clerk:"Well.... it might burn your other fish....."
I just sat there and laughed my a$$off!

 

[jillian ayers]

clownfish_and_bettas, I hope youspoke to that mother.... DId you, and whatdid she say? Here's my story:
Me: I waslooking at getting a tank big enough to hold a tang- a 75 or bigger, do you have any cheap?
Lfs owner: Oh, all you need is a 12 gallon!
Me: I thought tangs were too big for even 55 gallon tanks, yet alone a 12 gallon.
Owner: Oh no! I've seen it done before! I saw one survive for 5 years in a 12 gallon! And it always looked great!
Me: Well, I've been doing some reading on this website called swf.com and they say that tangs are too big to put in a tank that small.
Owner: They don't know what they're talking about, I would never go to a website like that again!
To say the least, I left without buying ANYTHING. And I never will. For anyone who wants to know the name of the store, it's Neptune's Garden in Houston.

 

[entice59]

over heard awhile back
guy1: Do you guys have electric flame scallops?
lfs:no, they can shock everything in the tank and should not be in a fish tank
guy1: i didnt know they were that dangerous!
Kid:can i get this (squints eye and reads sign) sea-apple? it looks cool
Father: sure, its only 20 dollars
Me: You do know they are very toxic and have been known to wipe everything out
Father: Do you work here?
Me: no....
Father:"gives me a look , takes his kid and walks away"
Me:*Imaginary Middle Finger pops up*