Fish Store

[Falconwithaboxon]

Okay, I might have to find a different fish store to go to. I go to a store in Toledo, OH called The Fish Guys. He has a good stock and fair prices but he doesn't seem to know a ton about fish. I've bought a few fish from him and they all are already bigger than he said their max size is. None of the fish are old yet, oldest is about 6 weeks in my tank. He sold me a Colombian Spotted Pleco and said it would get around 5 inches, it is already 6 inches and is supposed to get up to 20 inches. He also sold me 2 Opaline Gourami and said they wouldn't grow past 3 inches but they are up to 4 inches and are supposed to get up to 6 inches. I know part of the blame is on me for not researching fully what I was getting but he should've been able to tell me that the fish I was buying were not fit for my tank. I need to rehome that Pleco or buy a new tank soon. I want to go there since he is a good guy but I don't think I can if he can't at least tell me the size of the fish.

Is there anyone in Northwest Ohio/Southeast Michigan that can recommend any other stores?

 

[Wills]

You are right to find a new shop but next time just have a google on your phone in the store the info is all in your pocket

 

[Falconwithaboxon]

You are right to find a new shop but next time just have a google on your phone in the store the info is all in your pocket

Yeah I know that's what I should have done but I think I was just excited to be getting fish at the time lol so I didn't even think about it. But warning would've been nice at least. I'm not mad at the guy at all tho

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

Always, always do your own research! It's so easy to impulse buy, but you have to resist and do your own research. Go off and have a coffee and do some googling if you're not sure.

If a store keeps its fish badly, gives really terrible advice in an attempt to sell fish, like telling a beginner to put fish in a brand new tank, selling meds for an unknown illness, selling something like a common pleco or bala shark while saying it's fine for a ten gallon - stuff like that, then I'd be mad and advise finding a different store.

But I also don't expect everyone in my LFS to be an expert on every species they have in stock. They have different stock in constantly, thousands of different species, many of which they will have never kept themselves. I know that my local store isn't super knowledgable on shrimp and plants for instance, but I'm glad they still stock both, you know? If someone wants info on cichlids, they are extremely knowledgable.

So expecting them to know max size for every species is a lot really. I don't think I'd expect them to know that. If they're otherwise a decent store and they weren't lying in an attempt to be deceptive, but were just mistaken, I'd take that on my own shoulders for buying fish without researching whether my tank was suitable or not. Because if you haven't checked size, I doubt you checked water hardness, preferred conditions like heavily planted tank, high flow, hides etc.

At the end of the day, do you support their business or not? That's a personal decision.

 

[Wills]

I understand we should be able to trust them but there are so many schools of thought on aquariums I’m sure they were genuine. I trust few shops now and always get the phone out rather than ask for help even if I need to go sit in the car

 

[Falconwithaboxon]

Always, always do your own research! It's so easy to impulse buy, but you have to resist and do your own research. Go off and have a coffee and do some googling if you're not sure.

If a store keeps its fish badly, gives really terrible advice in an attempt to sell fish, like telling a beginner to put fish in a brand new tank, selling meds for an unknown illness, selling something like a common pleco or bala shark while saying it's fine for a ten gallon - stuff like that, then I'd be mad and advise finding a different store.

But I also don't expect everyone in my LFS to be an expert on every species they have in stock. They have different stock in constantly, thousands of different species, many of which they will have never kept themselves. I know that my local store isn't super knowledgable on shrimp and plants for instance, but I'm glad they still stock both, you know? If someone wants info on cichlids, they are extremely knowledgable.

So expecting them to know max size for every species is a lot really. I don't think I'd expect them to know that. If they're otherwise a decent store and they weren't lying in an attempt to be deceptive, but were just mistaken, I'd take that on my own shoulders for buying fish without researching whether my tank was suitable or not. Because if you haven't checked size, I doubt you checked water hardness, preferred conditions like heavily planted tank, high flow, hides etc.

At the end of the day, do you support their business or not? That's a personal decision.

My main issue is that he is the only worker and the owner. I think he should be more aware of how large they get. I wouldn't be bothered if an employee he hired didn't know but he is the owner. I'll go there again when I get my next tank. I'll do better research and if what he says is a massive contradiction to what I found elsewhere, I'll find a new place at that point. This time is mostly on me.

 

[Falconwithaboxon]

I understand we should be able to trust them but there are so many schools of thought on aquariums I’m sure they were genuine. I trust few shops now and always get the phone out rather than ask for help even if I need to go sit in the car

Yeah I was probably just trusting him for too much. For my next tank I'll do my research and if what he says is in massive contradiction to my research, I'll probably find a new place at that point.

 

[Wills]

It might not even be the need to find a new place - I'd buy from a store that I would take advice from as long as I was confident the fish were disease free and it looked well maintained.

 

[Falconwithaboxon]

It might not even be the need to find a new place - I'd buy from a store that I would take advice from as long as I was confident the fish were disease free and it looked well maintained.

It is the nicest shop I don't have to drive a long way to get to. My favorite shop is 45 minutes away from where I live but I don't get fish from there in the winter just in case something happens on the drive back.

 

[Uberhoust]

Feedback to your local store is important, and is better than just stopping shopping at the store. When you are buying food or another fish a simple "Hey that fish you said only grows 5" really grows to 20" and he is already over 6" long", that approach gives the store owner a chance to explain their position or offer something to make it right. If they don't make it right or give you some assurance it won't happen again, then at that time you can simply stop using their services. But if they do you can still work with and support the store, which might be to your benefit the next time a heater or filter fails or your fish get some strange disease you never expected an you want some medication.

 

[Falconwithaboxon]

Feedback to your local store is important, and is better than just stopping shopping at the store. When you are buying food or another fish a simple "Hey that fish you said only grows 5" really grows to 20" and he is already over 6" long", that approach gives the store owner a chance to explain their position or offer something to make it right. If they don't make it right or give you some assurance it won't happen again, then at that time you can simply stop using their services. But if they do you can still work with and support the store, which might be to your benefit the next time a heater or filter fails or your fish get some strange disease you never expected an you want some medication.

You make a good point, I'm probably overreacting