How bout making this a thread to blow off

[amazingbioloboydp]

Lets jsut make this a thread to blow off STEAM about petstores in general.Painting fish injecting fish,inbreeding EVERYTHING!

 

[Devs]

I don't know if I want to get myself that aggravated this early in the morning!!!LOL No seriously,out of everything, I think one of the things that bother me most are the people that actually work there.Most times,they know absolutely nothing about fish at all-Not even the basics. Somehow I think these petstores need to do some kind of crash-course with these guys-even if it's only a couple hours.Anything to just give them an idea! Last time my daughter and I were there we caught an employee putting a new shipment of fish in a tank over crowded allready,with fish that had the worse case if Ich that I've ever seen!!!! Common sense-sick fish? Don't add healthy fish!! I don't know,you walk into these places and they have those pet sheets everywhere,I think each person that they hire should at least get some kind of orientation pack to start them out on the right track. I myself don't claim to know everything,but cmon guys you know what I'm talking about.

 

[Fish Buddy]

And the stupid thing is is that they WORK at a PET STORE! You would think that they would have some interest in the creatures that they work with.
The think I dislike the most is selectave breeding to create more coloures- yea they are pretty but what happened to the bauty of the real thing? E.g. Dwarf Gourami

 

[Landlocked]

ghostknifedp, why are you so upset at pet stores? Did you have a bad experience with them or something?

I understand that I'm going against the grain of this topic, but most pet stores have almost nothing wrong with them. Sure, you can always find a flaw or two, but most of the time it is only a tiny thing, not something that really matters.

Most fish stores have done absolutely nothing wrong. They have conscientious employees, good stock, and are excellent stores in general. It is only the few bad apples in the bunch that stand out in your memory. People tend to stereotype fish stores as "bad", even if they've only had one bad encounter.

I once had three fish in a row die after I got them from a fish store. At first I was inclined to blame the store, but I later realized that my water was to blame, not the store.

Stop ripping on fish stores. If you do have to let off steam, at least specify the store, so those people who like the store(s) don't get upset at you. Don't be a perfectionist over this.

If nothing else, at least consider this: If you were put in charge of your local fish store, what would you do to improve it? Could you really do a better job than they're doing right now?

 

[heresmike]

Landlocked.... I've found the exact opposite to be true. Where are all these good stores that you're talking about?

 

[Pointy_kitty]

Landlocked.... I've found the exact opposite to be true. Where are all these good stores that you're talking about?

i'd have to agree with heresmike
i only WISH i lived in a place with pet stores with only a "few flaws"
the ones here are disasterous
i have to go 2 townsover if i want anything quality
i buy half my pet food/supplies in walmart (ours has no fish and is really good) OR two towns over
i find that our businesses here are being run into the ground due to these shameful stores!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
its funny cause we only have 2 (we're such a hick town)

 

[Pointy_kitty]

wow i just worded that pretty weird
i'm still sleeping i think

 

[Shizat]

Well there isnt very much incentive for a lot of these employees at these fish stores to know everything. They get paid about 6.50 an hour and are expected to know the insides and out of every fish, every bird, every reptile, and every amphibian not including 1000's of products that are on the shelves that you need to know what they do. Its kind of hard to find people that already know all of this and it takes time that books will just not teach you. I've worked for a pet store for 3 years now and I am still learning every day that I work there.

 

[vantgE]

question-- what is the say the worst thing that's happened at a real lfs so excluding wallmart, just for a newbie to watch out for

not to go off topic for to long

 

[Pointy_kitty]

Well there isnt very much incentive for a lot of these employees at these fish stores to know everything. They get paid about 6.50 an hour and are expected to know the insides and out of every fish, every bird, every reptile, and every amphibian not including 1000's of products that are on the shelves that you need to know what they do. Its kind of hard to find people that already know all of this and it takes time that books will just not teach you. I've worked for a pet store for 3 years now and I am still learning every day that I work there.

i've said it several times in different threads but I use to manage and assistant-manage several pet stores including the dreaded petcetera
it sounds like an overwelming amount of work, which it is, but knowledge wise,
noone is "expected" to know EVERY product inside and out or the entire anatomy of every fish and all the livestock
what is expected is a basic knowlege and understanding of the livestock
including care and temperment and a basic knowlege of the products and some cash register experience
the amount of tasks asked of the employees is the overwlming part NOT the knowlege
i'm no brain but when i was working in a small business pet shop EVERYONE there knew what they were talking about and those who came with no knowlege usually had a pretty good knowlege after only a few weeks, in a couple months time they were all confident and helping people on their own without having to ask someone above them for help
these people do exist! and they aren't rocket scientists
if you work at as a chef should you not know how to cook? if you are a casheir at a store should you not know how to count and have a basic knowlege of fruits and veggi's that don't have barcodes (etc)??
if you apply for a job you should at least somewhat qualify for the position
i know people are desperate for jobs but around here you'll find a job easier at a fast food joint or a supermarket.
and yes i know these people shouldn't be hired in the first place but wouldn't you have more common sense than to try out for football if you were an 80 pound chess champion??
if they can't apply themselves enough to say "i do not know let me get you someone who does" then they should be working somewhere else or perhaps not working at all
i am not labeling EVERY person who doesn't know their way around their stores but no matter where you go there is always at least one store full of people who don't even come close to applying themselves!
this applys for any job
no matter where you work you should have some knowlege of what you are doing
but this is a fish forum so of course we complain about the fish stores
if this were a shoe forum we'd be complaining about the lazy crabby shoe sales person who wouldn't give us service

 

[Pointy_kitty]

question-- what is the say the worst thing that's happened at a real lfs so excluding wallmart, just for a newbie to watch out for

not to go off topic for to long

the worst thing for a newbie to watch out for is probably
#1 hundreds of disease/parasite related deaths in the tanks from lack of maintenance
#2 a whole lot of whooey for information (some people spill out tons of false information)

always do the research for yourself OR ask your fish forum buddies for advice before you make decisions

 

[modernhamlet]

Most fish stores have done absolutely nothing wrong. They have conscientious employees, good stock, and are excellent stores in general. It is only the few bad apples in the bunch that stand out in your memory. People tend to stereotype fish stores as "bad", even if they've only had one bad encounter.

Sorry, but I've been to 11 stores in my area that sell fish. I would never buy fish from any but 2 of them.

Most fish stores, particularly the large chains, don't care about the quality of the stock that they get. They get a shipment once a week that was purchased by a buyer who got the most fish for the least amount of money. Most of the fish from these stores are stressed, diseased, and/or deformed. Moreover, most of their employees don't bother to ask just one or two questions to make sure that the fish will have even the slightest chance at survival. Just give them the fish and get them out of the way seems to be the common attitude.

I was in a Petco just 30 minutes ago on my lunchbreak and saw a woman and her son purchasing fish. They asked for a single clown loach and a bala shark. The employee ran off to get a bag to put them in. They asked another employee about a 6" Gar in another tank. The 2nd employee had no idea, but at least she didn't lie. I let them know that most Gar are either predetory or brackish or both and asked how big their tank was. They said 10 gallons. At this point the 1st employee returned and began chasing down a 4" clown loach for them, stressing the hell out of it.

I just shook my head and left.

I didn't think that I could possibly explain all of the problems with this situation to these people without being asked to leave the store. And frankly, I have enough stress in my life. You can't help people that don't want help.

Anyway... that's my $0.02 worth of rant. Have a nice day. B)

 

[Idolz]

The worst thing I saw at a pet store was that in every fish tank there were heaters fully submerged in the water, like laying on the bottom. I know there are kinds that can be safely submerged but these ones weren't. Plus a whole bag of dead fish laying on a shelf, that was kinda grose.

 

[drobbins27]

ghostknifedp, why are you so upset at pet stores? Did you have a bad experience with them or something?

I understand that I'm going against the grain of this topic, but most pet stores have almost nothing wrong with them. Sure, you can always find a flaw or two, but most of the time it is only a tiny thing, not something that really matters.

Most fish stores have done absolutely nothing wrong. They have conscientious employees, good stock, and are excellent stores in general. It is only the few bad apples in the bunch that stand out in your memory. People tend to stereotype fish stores as "bad", even if they've only had one bad encounter.

I once had three fish in a row die after I got them from a fish store. At first I was inclined to blame the store, but I later realized that my water was to blame, not the store.

Stop ripping on fish stores. If you do have to let off steam, at least specify the store, so those people who like the store(s) don't get upset at you. Don't be a perfectionist over this.

If nothing else, at least consider this: If you were put in charge of your local fish store, what would you do to improve it? Could you really do a better job than they're doing right now?

Whoa, very very liberal thing to say. Well said though. Glad to see someones got the guts to go against the flow.

 

[TheWaterBoy]

I have 5 places to buy fish where I live. 2 Wal-Marts, a Petland, Pets n Things (localy owned), and Complete Pet Mart. Believe it or not Wall-Marts were not the worst. Here is how I rate them:

1. Petland: almost always one person that is helpfull and usually the ones that know nothing refer me to someone who does. Fish are healthy. Even the ones that have a basic knowledge give bad advice some times.

2. Wal-Mart A: decent, but not great by any means. Employees have no clue.

3. Pets n Things: Very unclean, feeds smaller fish that are dead or dying to larger fish. Very unprofessional.

4. Wal-Mart B: Dead fish in every tank, dirty tanks. Employees have no clue.

5. Complete Pet Mart: Dirty tanks, bettas in tiny cups cant even move, dead fish, dyed fish, ignorent people.