***** Sucks! Here Is Why!

[jdragunas]

i'm totally with ophiura on this too. If you went to buy a red scooter blenny, and got another fish instead, it shows that you didn't research the red scooter blenny, and i believe it is your fault that you got another fish. Not trying to bash, but i do believe it's not *****'s fault. I do agree, however, that ***** is the mother of all evil...

 

[jdragunas]

Originally Posted by ImUrNamine
Wow, really well put.
You have a way with words, haha.
isn't she dreamy?

 

[soto]

she is dreamy. i totally agree. that's why these message boards rule. i've learned WAYY better lessons because of these boards. anyone who falls back on any LFS for the entire well being of their tank's gonna be in for some trouble.

 

[tx reef]

Originally Posted by ophiura
If you do not like *****, then please do not shop there for anything
I'd like to take a different approach to this thread. ***** threads get nowhere. They just don't. But one thing I would like to do here, and this is not to bash - this is to be productive, really - is look at the responsibilities of both parties.
This may be harsh. I'm really sorry, and I am NOT flaming...definitely not my intent...just want people to think about their own actions in ANY store.
This thread in some ways bothers me pretty much to the core. Perhaps bothers me more than any other single ***** thread out there. And there have been A LOT of ***** threads out there.
My request here is to please consider PERSONAL responsibility....because if you don't, you will find issues not just at *****, but at any LFS you go to. The issues you fault them for happen every day even at specialty LFS, so there is a lesson to learn here for everyone.
There is a reason that we talk about research, education, etc, etc,etc and it will save you money and frustration if taken to heart.
Issue 1) I'll give you the ick for sure...but walk with me into any fish store in this town, and show you ick as well, and few would credit you, and few would QT anything. So that, IMO, "bing bing" for *****.
Issue 2) A clown goby is kinda hard to mistake it for something else. They are unique looking fish (quite adorable actually :happyfish ). It is *****'s fault for identifying it wrong. Yes. To the extent they marked it wrong on the tank. But did you research the fish to know what it needed and looked like?
Issue 3) I worked in an LFS. Fish jumped, but I would never sell it. And I certainly would never buy it if I saw it happen. So that is not entirely *****'s fault either. You still purchased the fish. FWIW, I have a Master's degree in Marine Biology and was 29 years old when those fish would jump, so please, don't cast stones at the "dumb highschool girl" until you've walked in those shoes.

It is the nature of the business, and has little to do with much else.
Issue 4) The red scooter blenny has very special needs (think mandarin goby) and is also an identifiable fish. They labeled it wrong...definitely their responsibility. But did you research into what it needed or looked like?
So while it is SUPER easy to blame *****, we must also look to our own actions. Are we shopping there when there are concerns about their animal care, staff, etc? Don't buy anything! Are we doing our own research into animal needs, or assuming that we will be told the right information? If assuming, well, you know what they say about "assume"...and it will get you into trouble at ***** and many other LFS as well. The responsibility is a two way street, IMO.
***** is often no better, and no worse, than many other LFS that get away with it every day, because they are some "mom and pop" store and don't have the big name.

Fish may be treated equally poorly...the staff may be equally uneducated (BTW, as an aside...I love/hate this argument, because in the same breath people can say they have minimum wage stupid staff, but at a store that has experienced staff, people complain the prices are so high! LOL

)
Anyway, just my opinion on this. Again, not meant to bash, just to consider....

I think it is "consumer nature" to blame a store or product without taking into consideration our own actions
Very well said ophiura.

 

[petieaztec]

Originally Posted by TX Reef
If someone wants to post something negative about *****, then I can post something negative about ***** threads.
If you don't like what I post, ignore it.....

let not be ten years old now........... and let everyone post bad and good expiriences.

 

[tx reef]

Originally Posted by petieaztec
let not be ten years old now........... and let everyone post bad and good expiriences.

I can act whatever age I want to.
I can act like a 2 year old, a 10 year old, heck I can even act like an 80 year old if it tickles my fancy.
So, since I am currently acting like a 10 year old, it would be appropriate for me to do this....

:hilarious

 

[petieaztec]

to each there own........ you may do whatever you please... i just wanted to stick up for the new guy........ he doesn't know how often we have heard these stories thats all.

 

[sharkbait9]

Ok, now I have to chime in with a quick statement. I have been involved in saltwater and freshwater hobby for a long time, any one who has read my threads knows I hate *****.
Now for a bomb, I just took a part time job at a new ***** that just opened up and I work in the aquatics department. Kind of a “let me see if I can bring the store I work in up to par with quality, clean fish“. Almost a dare or challenge for my self and some extra money for my wedding and honeymoon.
None of the ***** stores around me are worth the time of day or certainly worth the risk of contaminating your DT.
Since I have been working I have seen a lot of ***** standards of keeping the fish and setting up that I don’t agree with and in reality don’t make much sense, but this is corporation and we use plan-o-grams. Even with my knowledge and back ground my hands are tied by corporate BS.
The manager of this particular store stated he loves fish and has had them for over twenty years, well his skills and lack of knowledge don't show mych love let alone care. He still tells customers that damsels and clowns are the way to cycle a tank and pc lights are great for coral. He has no idea what a T.D.S meter is or a reefractometer is.
MH lights are not needed to hold coral until a customer buys them, mean while four beautiful clams withered away and only two are left suffering. The fish are feed brine shrimp and the brine water is put back in the system. Also saying that brine is very healthy and good for the system, never heard of cyclopees, or pyto.
RO/DI water is none sense and it’s a waste of time and money, tap is fine as long as water conditioner is added. Crush coral is just as good as sand.
So in reality, even my self I blame ***** for having inept management not the staff completely. They will hire anyone to work with the fish. I was looked at like I was crazy when I said “ you need at least 4.5-7 watts per gallon to keep high intensity lighting coral.”
So many things that I have found out just by working at ***** for two weeks.
I can see I have a lot of educating to do with this manager.
I can go on and on about this, and I will. For right now I still have to agree ***** needs to update the PLAN-O-GRAM and get with it.
I will chime in more later but I have to go off to work at ***** and clean the diatoms off the glass, we are now getting the diatom bloom. And the system is loaded with fish. Knock on wood I have not seen any ick.
That will come soon I’m sure.

 

[jdragunas]

TRAITOR!!! lol

 

[petieaztec]

easy jen.... remember positive reinforcment..... breathe in and out.

 

[petieaztec]

ps love the little sherk.... it is sooooooo cute.

 

[jdragunas]

thanks! haha! it was in an email titled "this is what happens when your dad is a graphic design artist" lol

 

[ophiura]

Originally Posted by sharkbait9
Now for a bomb, I just took a part time job at a new ***** that just opened up and I work in the aquatics department. .

Yes!!! We have infiltrated!!!

 

[djm]

Obviously great points, ophiura. BUT, let's be realistic.
Many people that post anti-lfs posts were newbies when they blindly trusted the lfs to lead them and most likely only turned to the internet (including this board) AFTER things didn't work out as promised.
There is not a single person here that will dispute that researching for yourself is the only way to go. At the same time, when was the last any of us purchased a vehicle because the salesman said that it would get 45mpg only to figure out, after driving it for a month, that the actual milage was closer to 22mpg? How about the jeweler that sold you those diamond earrings at an 80% discount only for you to find out during an insurance appraisal that you still payed 25% too much?
It is easy to preach to the choir and I completely understand why you take the defensive position. You get many kudos for sticking to your guns. BUT- ALL of us *looks directly at anyone that ever reads this thread* have purchased at least one thing on the advice of a salesperson that didn't meet our expectations in the end.
I think that anyone that has found their way to this MB is well on the path to success. If someone ends up here after being burned by a lfs, let them vent all they want. There is no going back in time to fix anything that they didn't know when they were misled.

 

[sharkbait9]

Originally Posted by jdragunas
TRAITOR!!! lol
Funny, in the back of my mind I was thinking, “my god man you’re a traitor, your tanks are going to hate you.”
Like I said, I’m seeing what’s causing all the problems. One of the problems I see already is the fact that ***** runs their aquatics training with a manual written by Tetra? What does Tetra know about coral? Also the biggest factor is sheer ignorance and how saltwater has evolved.
But trust me I will have a lot to vent about in days, weeks and do I dare say months to come :scared: .
Originally Posted by ophiura
Yes!!! We have infiltrated!!!

Oh yes, the infiltration has begun ***)

.

 

[sharkbait9]

Originally Posted by djm
It is easy to preach to the choir and I completely understand why you take the defensive position. You get many kudos for sticking to your guns. BUT- ALL of us *looks directly at anyone that ever reads this thread* have purchased at least one thing on the advice of a salesperson that didn't meet our expectations in the end.
I think that anyone that has found their way to this MB is well on the path to success. If someone ends up here after being burned by a lfs, let them vent all they want. There is no going back in time to fix anything that they didn't know when they were misled.
Good point also.

 

[gen1dustin]

My ***** is adequate. Their freshwater fish look way better than PetsMart & the people are halfway knowledgeable on the freshwater. On the other hand I will never buy any saltwater fish from their. I've never tested their smarts or anything like that, simply because I'm not interested in buying saltwater fish from them. Freshwater ok, but saltwater I would rather pay a little bit more & get healthy looking fish from Mark's Marin in Baton Rouge. They also know what they're doing & hire knowledgeable people.
It is kind of dumb to complain about ***** people being dumb & what not. The buyer should know what type of fish they are buying. Shows that, that fish was not researched if you thought that it was in fact thge fish they claimed it was. They can't hire Marine Biologists & it is hard to find someone that is knowledgeable that wants to work their & make that amount of money. Which I'm not saying anything against one who works their, but you get what you pay for. In this case it is unknowledgelable workers. Unless if you find a young person that knows their stuff.

 

[ophiura]

Originally Posted by djm
At the same time, when was the last any of us purchased a vehicle because the salesman said that it would get 45mpg only to figure out, after driving it for a month, that the actual milage was closer to 22mpg?
One thing I know for sure is that salespeople, most of the time, are out to make a sale. I have to always be aware that they are not necessarily acting in my best interest, they are acting in their best interest, and we meet on some middle ground where we both make a good deal.
But to be honest, when I find this information out after the fact, I take responsibility for not doing the work to learn more. I don't place the blame squarely on someone else. It may be their responsibility to some degree, but it is equally my responsibility. Buyer beware, as they say. If I choose not to do that research, or to return to a store that IMO misled me in the past, it does not relieve me of the responsibility I had in the first place. It is a two way street IMO, and I think I am being realistic. I hope I am :thinking:
Someone can vent all they want, sure. And coming here, definitely on the right track, kudos

But I would prefer they learn to not let it happen again...because ***** or not, these issues are the reality of LFS' in general. As I said, this is not to flame anyone, this is just to consider that you have a choice to make as well! Be empowered to make it!
My choice with most *****'s and many LFS? Don't even go in the store to look.

 

[puff_puff_]

first off. cows are food soto. i usually see eye to eye.. but killing somthing for food and killing somthing out of neglect are 2 differnt things.. and to the queen.. i agree.. again at this point i am still a few months new and did do the research on the red scooter and if you look at my other posts to an uneducated human being... it looks damn close.. now that i know the charteristics of a blenny i can see that it probablly couldnt have been a blenny on any planet but the colors and markings are close... and for the clown/zebra... i called my brother who has been in the trade a while and he said a clown is a great fish to start with and is reef friendly so i bought it.. he came down a few days later and said thats no clown its a zebra and its still a great fish... so on so many levels your right... but for newbies not to be able to trust a multi trillion dollar national corp on getting at least 1 out of 2 fish right is a problem in fact not only do they kill them in the stores they are killing the hole hobby for beginers making succesful tanks imposable to have... and if i didnt have a full time job and a family im sure i would have progressed farther in the last 2 months maybe 3 that i ahve been involved in saltwater.. i think ***** should take responsability for there claims and for the reputation they paid in advertising to have.. especially dealing with living creatures that are NOT DYING TO FEED ANYTHIGN or better the world (soto) although i may be at fault in my research and lack of time there of but i feel walking in to a place called ***** and there being one in every city simply getting the fish the advertise should not be an issue especially twice in a row i dont care how stupid i am! and as long as they get away with it, it will never change and for some reason i thought i would find some people that would agree with me on a......... you guessed it fish forum.. but i guess not.. thanks for all your help in the past and im sure in the future but i will no longer be discussing ***** here...

 

[beth]

I've never bought fish at *****, granted, but I do other shopping there.
I wonder if it is just easy to criticize ***** because it is a national chain and everyone can identify with a lost fish from there. Granted, hard to compare a mass production chain with a LFS that has knowledgeable staff.