LFS story...you have to hear this!!!

[deyoe757]

I realize that a lot of LFS worker know what is going on but this one takes the cake. This was absolutly insane. I was in for a brief stop to see if there were any new additions or possible pick ups. Well I overheard this conversation going on in the next aisle. A guy and his wife were going to set up a 75 gallon saltwater tank. Well this "great salesman" had already sold them on a tank setup which was well overpriced as is. I just laughed to myself and kept on looking. He explained everything briefly to them about the difference between salt and fresh water. I had to move closer because it was just getting too interesting. He sold them every possible thing you could think of from coral to live rock and more. As I was about to leave I realized that they were over at the fish tanks pointing out fishes to the salesman. This is where it gets good. I moved of to the tanks to see if they were actually going to buy some!!! You will not believe what this guy was saying. He told them that the fish would be ok if they set the tank up and left the fish in the store bags overnight. Then released the fish in the tank in the morning. He explained how to mix the salt and gave them every type of buffer possible. He said all would be well with the fish and that they would have no problems. I had to step in!!! I walked over to the couple and started to ask them some questions. They answered with a lot of confusion. They had not even picked up a book about saltwater fish. They were just there to get a tank to put in their living room for the kids. This had gone too far!!! I explained to them what they were jumping into and all the things they were going to have to do. They looked shocked. Just them wonderful salesman came over and was about to get their fish. (1 Niger Trigger, 1 Coral beauty, 2 Choco Stars and Some snails). "You have to be kidding" I said. He looked at me and asked why??? I told he what he was doing and the people just looked at me. About 2 minutes later I was asked to leave the store or the cops would be called...Can you believe this!!!
I left on my own free will but waited outside for the patrons. A half an hour passed and they emerged. They ended up buying the tank and all the accessories. What a jip!!! Oh well live and learn right...Great start to my weekend.
If you have a good LFS story please post it. There are some good ones... <img src="graemlins//uhuh.gif" border="0" alt="[U-Huh]" />

 

[farieslayer]

well, that life, those fish stores, have to sell many to make profits, u can't really blame them, that also depend on the people, people have to do the research first, and do the buying and think of all the possible things that could happen, and then decide. i think asking you to leave is a very bad thing.
Why didn't u let him get the polices? If what u saying is right, they will have a bad reputation, and people won't buy from them anymore. May be u could sue them , for giving false information.

 

[sinner's girl]

Poor dead fishes. What are the odds the Niger Trigger,Coral beauty, and Coco Stars will survie the the cycle.

 

[farieslayer]

[hr]
trigger will, not sure about the coral beauty and star.

 

[topfish2]

That is crazy, I know the only fish that'll cycle the tank would be the niger trigger. The inverts would get eaten by the trigger, and the coral beauty would die of high nitrites.

 

[majesticangelfish]

Deyeu757,
Let lfs call the cops and you can have 'em to arrest that money-dork-guy for an attempt to murder that cute Coral Beauty! <img src="graemlins//mischievous.gif" border="0" alt="[Mischievous]" /> <img src="graemlins//evilwhorn.gif" border="0" alt="[Evil Horn]" /> <img src="graemlins//yell.gif" border="0" alt="[yell]" />

 

[majesticangelfish]

Put the humor aside.
Let's be serious... This is the kind of example which do concern me about our future with this hobby. I hope that ruin cause by such lfs as mentioned on Deyeu757's thread WILL NOT lead to such as legisturates to establish the laws in order to protect spiecment when it become on endanger list which would enforce to limit our ability to obtain as our pet.
Those couple will regret after they discover how cloudy tank is and Coral Beauty's death. Invert would be eaten by Triggerfish would prompt them to cuss the $chitz of that lfs and report to BBB against that lfs! Of course they will "wish" that they have listened to a guy who tried to warn them.

 

[tigerseyes01]

thats insane ... i luckily have had great luck with my lfs ... i went in to buy some live rock not to long ago ..my tank was set up for about a month . i was interested in buying some fish but the store clerk didnt sell me any he said i was better to wait atleast 2 more weeks to make sure my tank had fully cycled .. then he offered to test my water to make sure all was ok .. some people are just in it to make the money without trying to educate people first ...

 

[thewolfman777]

good for you!!! i am very proud of you, lol, j/k. it is unbelievable what a lfs will do to make a buck. you did a great thing!

 

[starfishjackedme]

That is an example of a selfish store owner who is only interested in short term profits. If they had just sold the couple the LR and let it cycle first, they would have a long term customer. They were not really interested in their customer or the specimens they are selling. Short run tactics never win for long!
The couple are equally at fault for thinking all you do is throw some saltmix, water, gravel and LR, and PRESTO!!! you have an instant salt aquarium that takes care of itself.

 

[deyoe757]

thanks...I hope i did the right thing...Hate to see people in it for the quick buck but it happens...I hope the people understand what they are getting into!!! <img src="graemlins//uhuh.gif" border="0" alt="[U-Huh]" />

 

[fshhub]

i am affraid that i would have reacted the same, you hsould have given them this address,and said get the salt and tank, set up tonight,and come here for help, there are alot of others who went through what you are about to,and woudl like to help you do things the right way
then if asked to leave, my response to the owner/mgr, would have been, "while calling the cops, you ought ot call the consumer protection agency or the state attn generals office, you are misleading these people, telling them to put a dwarf angel into a tank thatis not set up, COMMON knowledge is that they cannnot survive in tanks under 4 or 5 months old" kinda like selling a car and saying you never need ot change the oil
and then let them call, bet they only call the cops, and i bet the couple would at least hear those words(if not, unfortunately it would be their fault for anything that happens, poor fishes)
hmmmmmmmmmmm, time for a letter to the editor, or your local tv station(if htey have a consumer hot line or something like that), man do i HATE most lfs's
things like that are why most lfs's have no guarentees on sw, but the better ones, if they know you know your business and take care, will help in cases where there may be a prob(often take care of you somehow)

 

[tiggerbengal]

Some stores are ridiculous.
For example: I go to one that I got most of my saltwater fish from. I go in about 3 weeks ago, to look at the LR. I told the kid that I wanted a 5-10 lb. piece of liverock, that was fairly big. He starts to go over & then asks me if I had a reef tank! I said no ..... not yet, just a FO system. He said get the lacrock because LR can carry parasites & wipeout a tank! Anyways, I did buy some Lacerock ....... but I can assure you that I wont buy LR from them ever. It's like they discourage you saying oh how you need the "expensive" lighting, etc. <img src="graemlins//yeahright.gif" border="0" alt="[yeahright]" /> I tried to buy a type of critter to eat the leftover flakes a while back, and the guy said I should cut back on the feeding! <img src="graemlins//bah.gif" border="0" alt="[bah]" /> Then I asked about buying a starfish, and he said no, i needed liverock for it first. Ok, I know some are doing it to help the buyer, but come on ..... sometimes it's like they don't want to sell the fish even if you have a good, stable tank.
deyoe757 ,
I think that's cool of you that you stepped in. Sometimes, I wish I knew people from the boards who could go with me just for support. I mean sometimes the salespeople look at you like you are a moron or don't know what you are doing!

 

[naturelover]

I live in Ohio. The LFS I goto is pretty cool place. they have a 1000gal tank and 600gal tank. They specialize is saltwater only. If you are a new starter they would help you to startup a great setup without trouble. Best of all they won't push you to buy things. They will rather explain what you can put or not to put depending on your experience. If you want to buy a fish then they wouldn't just grab it and put it in bag. Rather they would tell you if the fish was doing good in their tank(i.e eating, sickness and so on). Ofcourse you can ask them to keep the fish for you. I did let one on their tank over a month before i got it. Prices are cheep. Imagine I bought scopas tang, sixline wrasse, maroon clown , yellow tang, mandarine, bicolour corel beauty and hawkfish and haven't paid over $10 and every one of them is living fine. Btw I've had them almost a year now.

 

[gibbus]

I was asked to leave a pet store once. They had a baby burmese python(this snake can get 20') for sale and some mother was interested in buying it for her kid. The guy told her it grow 5', I told her that it could grow 20' had has killed people before. The mother didnt believe and the sale person told me i didnt know what i was talking about. I found a mag of reptiles and showed her a 14' one. After about like 20mins of me talking to her she didnt buy it. The manager was watching and come up to me. Told me i was destroying their business. I am was happy with what I did.

 

[krusk]

One of the saleman in my lfs show his customers, I'm just happen to be around that area
he pointing to the PC light and said "This is a metal Halide lighting system you don't want to look into the bulb."
I just have a little smile on my face at the time.
and I follow him and his customers to the lighting bulb section.
He took out the Marine-Glo 4' 40W bulb and said
"this buld is as good as the sun light"
I have the same smile once again

 

[tigerseyes01]

i went out to the lfs tonight to get me a scarlet scooter blenny and whe i was looking in the tank to see which ones looked more lively i over heard a conversation ... a customer came in and wanted to buy everything there is to buy for a salt water tank ... the clerk told him that he would have to bring in his tank so he can build him a filter ..then he told the guy he needed like 150lbs of live sand ..<not sure how big this guys tank was .>
he then told him that the sand would make the tank ok for fish ..no cycling needed
now my g/f and i have only been involved with saltwater fish for about 2 or so months and are by far no experts but we had to step in.. we explained to the guy about putting in the live sand and live rock to cycle .. get a master test kit and test a few times a week until it is fully cycled and that it could take anywhere from 2 to 6 weeks or even ore to cycle .. and we also told him to go online and read as much as possible .he left the store with a appointment to bring in his tank for filter fittings ... i just hope he takes the time to do it right ... some people are only out for the money and not caring about the people or the animals

 

[chrismilano]

Wow! I felt like a jerk just for pointing out to a LFS owner that a purple tang had chewed the fins off a powder blue in the same 20 gallon sale tank and that he should move one of them. He seemed aggrivated, but none of us are wrong. Lots of egos...
<img src="graemlins//confused.gif" border="0" alt="[confused]" />

 

[von_rahvin]

it is a shame. I was at a LFS and the sales guy there was selling a 5" voltian lion to this lady. She asked him if it would be ok with every thing else in the tank. As it turns out she has/had some wrasses and a clown or two. The guys says "Lionfish are Harmless, they are very docile and never bother any of their tank mates" So i sidle on over and i am like "Ma'am, I have a lion fish, i feed the guy live fish about the same size as the ones you just mentioned. He Loves the little guys. YOu may want to reconsider on adding that fish, I have one and they are great but not for their tank mates" As i left they were bagging up the fish.
it distresses me that some people have no care for what they are doing. Yes i know i am setting up an artificial enviroment for my fishies and critters but i still try to make them happy. . . <img src="graemlins//yell.gif" border="0" alt="[yell]" />

 

[triggerfool]

this is all the more reason i need to open an LFS. Who wants to be a business partner?