rant rant rant!

[maxweljames]

I am really against selling cleaner wrasses, since they die right away
I was just reading about the cleaner wrasses, since I have never really dealt with such a fish. What a cool little fish. It cleans, it can spin a weblike shell to protect itself, it can play dead to fool fish, and it looks nice too, what's so hard about keeping them in a tank that everybody kills them, cause I'm probably going to get one, unless there is a good reason they are dying. It's about 50/50 on people that say they only eat parasites and others that say theirs eats anything it can find floating.

 

[michaeltx]

the food they eat is what we try to keep out of the tank ICH and such.. so when we eleminate the food and there isnt anything for them to eat they die. and the dont eat anything else so its a loosing situation for the fish and it will die when the food runs out for it.
HTH
Mike

 

[maxweljames]

according to other sites and people from other BBS they will eat brine and other meats. One guy has had these fish for several years, another guy said he has had one for 4 years. Granted there are others that say they are picky eaters. Like I said before the opinions are spit 50/50. I think I will believe the ones that say they eat everything. I truely believe you can train a fish to eat anything, even if you didn't train it on purpose. My jawfish eat algae flakes and my algae blenny eats brine so I don't think there is going to be any one rule on these cleaner wrasses

 

[ajroc31]

It is not only the food problem. They seem to be very sensitive to water changes and shipping. I have a heavy fish load, and the longest I was able to keep one was for 10 days. I have not lost a fish in almost a year, so I guess everything is ok, but these guys just die. I am responsible for losing 7 of them. I am a slow learner.

 

[michaeltx]

there are a few that do start to eat that but 90% of them dont live to be trained to eat it. most of them time they are in bad shape when they get to a place to sell them. me personally I dont want ot take that chance of a fish or coral with that specific of a diet and not be able to offer it its main meal in the wild and have the chance it wont live to be weened.
Mike

 

[cincyreefer]

I would compare cleaner wrasses to mandarin gobies. Some mandarins will eat prepared foods, but most won't. Many will be lost to find the few that will, which to me is not worth it. Also, cleaner wrasses are a critical element in the reefs and should be left there, especially considering that properly quarantined fish won't have parasites.

 

[joker]

ok
my 2 cents worth
at my ***** here, the aquaria manager is a highly knowledgable person. He has yet to give me any advice that (after researching here) isnt up to snuff. He has guided me to other lfs's in town for certain items, and hell, he even gave me his home phone # in case I run into any trouble. I have been to this ***** and had an employee give me info that I knew was incorrect, and I let "Rick" know about it. The next time I went into the store, that employee came to me and apologized and told me the correct info ( to show he had learned ). They are not ever overstocked, and I have only seen 1 sick fish in the last 4 months. Now his selection hasnt been up to par, and he will not put any fish in viewable sale tanks until he quarentines watches them for a few days. There are Other lfs's here that are more reputable, but from what I have seen, I will not buy from them on impulse.
So the moral is: You have to look at the individual store for their hiring practices and employee 's knowledge. And if you hear or are told something that is incorrect, you must speak up so a newbie (like myself) wont get steered into killing his fish and losing a ton of money.
OK I am off my podium now Let the Flaming begin hehehehe

 

[dreeves]

Actually..if you buy everything you need from SWF..then you do not need to go to *****...and what these people dont have you can get elsewhere online...

 

[krishj39]

Originally posted by dreeves
Regardless if you are buying aquatic merchandise...dog food or whatever...you are still supporting *****...
You either support them or you do not.
I skipped a bunch of the last posts so sorry if someone stated this already. I see no problem with supporting *****, as long as you aren't supporting the marine part of it. If you are just buying dog food, there is no reason not to go to *****, and they do a good job at selling dog food, no complaints. However, the SW section does need to be boycotted. If they stop making sales in the saltwater section, they'll stop selling saltwater. No reason to say ***** needs to go under just because they have some sections of the store that are mis-managed. My Walmart has a terrible freshwater fish section, with totally clueless people (guaranteed worse than at *****). However, I don't boycott Walmart, I just don't buy fish from them. Likewise, go ahead and buy dog food (or whatever) from *****, just don't buy fish.

 

[jpawson]

It is funny to me how everyone is bashing this store. It has its purpose. You can buy bulk food for your animals at discount prices. I have a bunch of animals and I save a lot of money on food at these pet warehouses. These stores sell everything in bulk- including their fish. As far as the employees, you can find an idiot in every local fish store who will give you bad info. The store has its purpose. Maybe their SW section is not the best, but I wont quit buying supplies when I know I can save money!
My 2 cents.

 

[cindyski]

since i am on a roll with my 2 cents tonight, i just would like to add that, a warehouse is just that, bulk and inexpensive. i have a super walmart (they dont carry any fish btw) but my point being i prefer another store for meats. that dosnt mean i dont shop walmart for can goods, dog food and other things. you just have to find your best price/quality at ANY store you shop at for fish, food, clothes, appliances etc... i think it is a sellers market with all the competition going on. new stores open up AND shut down everyday! for fish, a trusted online store or trusted lfs might be the best way to go rather than a "chain"

 

[maxweljames]

Something else I look for is a guarantee. I have found one LFS that will give me a 36 hours guarantee only because I nagged the guy about all the online stores doing it. Hence the reason I have switched to mostly shopping online for my live stock. I agree about shopping around for what you want and don't condemn an entire store or staff because someone there fed the lion fish a cheese puff, (just a crazy example, never seen that actually happen). I did see a guy getting his kid a goldfish at walmart and they had to call a guy from sporting goods to get it cause nobody else knew anything about fish. But I still get cartriges for my power filters there. <hmm, this soap box seems unstable, think I'll get down>

 

[joker]

Originally posted by dreeves
Actually..if you buy everything you need from SWF..then you do not need to go to *****...and what these people dont have you can get elsewhere online...
well to counter that, I dont order $75 worth of fish at one time. It is ALOT more cost effective for me to shop around and find out who has something I want. Granted, SWF does have some bargains on fish, but if I only want to purchase a single fish, then the shipping counters the discount and I can just drive over and pick up my fish ( with same warranty ). When I get my 210 gal tank, then I will purchase my fish online, but not when I buy a single. Just my opinion

 

[dreeves]

Krish39 and others...
My point isn't whether or not to shop at *****...it is simply...if you are going to bash that place or any store...then you will do one of two things...either support the store...or not support the store...
For others...
It is irrelevent if you go to ***** and only buy your dog food or cat food...you are still supporting that company regardless of what department you spend your money in...
Joker...no one asked you to counter this. Everyone is well aware of the individual needs or hobbyist in purchasing their specimens...either one at a time or 75.00...
***** is an ok store...I shop there as well...but I don't blast their aquatics department...nor do I make silly statements similar to "their fish department stinks so I wont support that part of them"...
Have a good day....

 

[jillian ayers]

Originally posted by ThankGod4Fish
I think the thing is that a lot of ***** employees (not all) seem to be ex-McDonalds employees who've traded in their spatulas for fish nets. I don't mean this to be offensive to the more educated ***** employee. What I mean is when you think of working at McDonalds you think of mindless work anybody can do, without a speck of experience. It seems ***** hires people on the same basis. All they have to do is plug and sell their products.
What can you do?
Uhhh, I work at a McDonald's... And, last I checked, it wasn't really mindless work... You have to think and solve prolems for the customers, and know everything in the store ... all those things. Maybe it's not as in-depth as working with fish, but you are required to know how many ounces of sauces go on each burger (when we seem to have a billion), where everything in the back is (that one's tough when you're new ), how each and every burger is made, EXACTLY what toy you have in that day (because they will ask), remember what order goes to what customer (not easy during a rush), and countless other things. Not that I'm mad, we're just not mindless at McDonald's (Well.... not all of us... ).
Now that I'm done ranting, I did know a ***** in Houston that seemed to take good care of their fish, and had a very knowledgeable fish person working there. Now, had he not tried to follow me home and had he not asked me whenever I went there if I would please go with him into a hot tub, things would have been fine.... As it is now, I refuse to go to that store. They treat their fish right, but, unfortunately, some customers don't get all that.

 

[thankgod4fish]

Well I stand corrected! Actually Jill, my point wasn't so much that the work is mindless at McDonalds but more so that it doesn't take a lot of experience to work at one... and unfortunately, sometimes it seems that way with some Petcos.
Either way, glad you're not mad. The last thing I wanted to do was offend a MD employee. God knows I support you guys a few times a week!!

 

[joker]

Originally posted by dreeves
Joker...no one asked you to counter this. Everyone is well aware of the individual needs or hobbyist in purchasing their specimens...either one at a time or 75.00...
well anytime you post, you may be counteered or offered someone elses opinion. I knew i might get flamed, but I wasnt trying to slap you in the face. My apologies