Grilled By My Local Pets At Home

[David J]

I went into my local one and asked for ammonia. The girl asked what it was for. I said I need pure ammonia for my new fish tank. She sounded shocked and promptly told me that this will kill my fish. I explained that I didn't have any fish yet and I was needing it to do the fish less cycle. Again, she said, you can't put ammonia in the tank, it will kill the fish. I xplained myself again. She pointed out some of that stuff called cycle and told me again, not to put ammonia in the tank. A few seconds later, I left.

Just my tuppence worth.

David

 

[ColR1948]

I think that is a good ploy as well, go in to a fish shop and ask a question you know the answer to and see what answer they give, I bet it can be very funny sometimes.

 

[-Craig-]

I hate their questions, apparently they told me when I went to get some Neon Tetras that my "Small" angels are guaranteed to eat them, but even with my other big ones which I "forgot" to mention never ate them, and these angels had so many chances, they never even cared if these neons come into their corner of the tank. So I waited a bit and then when another person was getting the fish I just told him I had guppies and mollies and a few plecs, he even asked me my PH, ammonia levels, and what not.

But I suppose there making fish a priority, in my LFS that isn't a big corporation like Pets at Home they have really high quality fish but he never asked a question when I bought an oscar with guppies haha (Not that they went into the same tank...)

 

[zain611]

Would be great if p@h have parahnas or marine fish. I only know one LFS which is hard to go there all the time because of its location have marine and parahnas which i should be happy about

 

[HelpImmaFish]

at my P@H sometime when I go there early they are cleaning all the tanks and feeding them, I have never once seen a dead fish in their tanks. Although I have never bought any fish from them (but is thinking about it soon) they are very good but what so of you said your local isn't as good, I bought a Rabbit from them earlier this year and got asked many questions on what type hutch, etc. but all in all my local seems quite alot better then some, NOHate

 

[eaglesaquarium]

I went into my local one and asked for ammonia. The girl asked what it was for. I said I need pure ammonia for my new fish tank. She sounded shocked and promptly told me that this will kill my fish. I explained that I didn't have any fish yet and I was needing it to do the fish less cycle. Again, she said, you can't put ammonia in the tank, it will kill the fish. I xplained myself again. She pointed out some of that stuff called cycle and told me again, not to put ammonia in the tank. A few seconds later, I left.

Just my tuppence worth.

David

This is a case where a little knowledge is dangerous. The employee understood that ammonia in a tank is a bad thing (and in general, she is very right!), but doesn't understand the nitrogen cycle. So, in her limited experience, she is giving proper advice... Because in her mind, you are adding a poison to your tank, and she is unaware of how that will ever be dealt with in the tank. She might believe that the water changes required for the tank are actually to deal with the ammonia - which is true during a fish-in cycle, but untrue for standard maintenance.

Its unfortunate that more folks who sell fish aren't properly trained in the BASICS - and the nitrogen cycle is as absolutely basic to keeping/selling fish as salt water versus freshwater.