Lfs Standards Dropping Lately?

[ellena]

There are a few good shops near me. Hardly ever a dead or ill fish to be seen. The past couple of weeks though, I've been browsing and been very glad I wasn't there to buy fish.
MH @ trowell and dukeries had quite a few dead and ill, still very low numbers considering the tanks they have, but a lot worse than normal.
Wharf have set up a section for small fish which doesn't look too good. I pointed out a number of dead ottos in one tank and a regular member of staff wan't interested at all.
And old mill aquatics in mansfield was appalling when I went in today. I went for background but had a wander round the tanks first and couldn't bring myself to buy anything from there. It was like a horror film. Fish skeletons, dead fish, 6 big elephant fish in a tiny tank, loaches sucking on bits of spotted skin, a betta languishing on the bottom with a hole in his side And then the worst thing, a betta with advanced face rot, just like my betta Tango who died. A really horrific thing to see. I fetched someone to him and told them he needed putting out of his misery. I hope the shop guy did something, fast.
This isn't a name and shame (apart from perhaps old mill) but has anyone else noticed standards dropping?

 

[Twinklecaz]

OMG they should be shut down!

 

[Azeron]

Try managing 50-100 tanks and serving at the same time...

 

[spectrum]

I am surprised about the Wharf staff being not very bothered, I have found that only one staff member there has ever advised me badly, and I have only seen her there once. Not good

 

[hamfist]

Don't live near you, but I have noticed one of my favourite shops just recently have a noticably increased incidence of dead and unhappy fish.
On sat I went in to see two (yes two !!) male Bettas in among a tank of male dwarf gourami. Not only were the Bettas fighting each other (one had very little finnage left). The dwarves were, of course, also getting in on the act and being aggressive to both Bettas. I mentioned this very loudly to my wife in the full hearing of one of the staff members. I just hope something was done, although sadly I doubt it.

And in response to Azeron, it's often quiet in all the LFS I know. Staff are frequently standing at the counter doing nothing.
I don't get the mentality of it, not only is it in the best interests of the fish for staff to cruise the tanks keeping an eye out for how the fish are getting on, but "fish are money" are they not. The two Bettas I mentioned earlier are worth at least a tenner in sales to the shop, and they seem happy to let them rip themselves to pieces.

Madness.

Rant over !

 

[GuppyGoddess]

Try managing 50-100 tanks and serving at the same time...

If a shop cannot manage and serve all fish/customers at one time, they should either reduce the number of tanks (OR hire more staff. There is no excuse for letting fish die when the problem can be solved.

 

[ellena]

I was very surprised too spectrum. I felt really wronged as I left, he was really quite rude.
I agree to a point azeron, that's why I was saying it wasn't a N&S. Dukeries were flat out today, the odd dead fish expected I suppose. Ill looking ones not off sale isn't really on though. And like GG says, they should have the staff to cover it.
In old mill though, the guy I fetched to see the betta was just sitting down, doing nothing. When you're being paid, you can always check the tanks, no excuse for doing nothing.
Just remembered, they also had dyed parrot fish in

 

[Paradise3]

I'd say there is 1 fish fhop that is the highest in my list of top 5 worst shops. It's called middletons and it's at the bottom of the moor in town. The fish are either 1)dead 2)nearly dead 3)ill there is not 1 single healthy fish in that shop. There is about 60 guppies in a 5 gallon tank along with (next to it) 60 mollies in the same size. They keep oscars and other large growing fish in 5 gallons TOGETHER. They have goldfish that have popeye, fugus, white spot, fin/body rot, OPEN SORES. I think that has to be in 1st place for worst that i know of. They even sold me and my friend a white cloud mountain minnow and we were only 11 and 12! My friends hamster is from there because her dad didn't know they had a bad reputation and the food she got with it was rotten and fluffy and it had biscuit beetles in it!

Rant over.

Xxx~misscosmo~xxX

 

[ellena]

Wow, that sounds the worst shop ever!
And has reminded me, old mill also had a tank of black moors absolutely covered in ich

 

[Truck]

Pfft, Recession is ringing bells.

 

[Always Learning]

My LFS has been moaning about their suppliers and the quality of the stock lately. They're coming in half dead or just in terrible condition. She says she has spoken to others and that they were having similar trouble with different suppliers too.. so maybe it's more a problem with what's being imported and what have you?

 

[Paradise3]

Middletons even sold me non-aquatic plants! I don't get anything live from there anymore (plants etc)
I get ornaments and other non-living things from there only and i scrub them till my fingers hurt (which doesn't happen easily).
I agree with old mill i have been. They seem to take care of their precious carp in the big pond but not the fish that get sold. Have you ever been when they are having a delivery? It's awful the fish have about 1" of water in the bag and most of them are dead.

Xxx~misscosmo~xxX

 

[ellena]

Hmm, good point always learning. I wonder of the consequences of the freeze in florida are making their way down the chain of supply?

 

[Paradise3]

Hmm, good point always learning. I wonder of the consequences of the freeze in florida are making their way down the chain of supply?

Could be but 1" of water for around about 40-50 (at least) fish?!?!

Xxx~misscosmo~xxX

 

[Gilli]

Try managing 50-100 tanks and serving at the same time...

No excuse - there should be enough staff to cope especailly with the welfare of the fish. The trouble is most fish shops just look at it as a business and dont really bother too much about the welfare of the fish - they are cheap enough from the wholesalers. If shops did care they would give out more information on the care of fish and not just a quick sale!