Lucky they didn't...

[Nuttygal! :0)]

I went to a not-so-local pet store last night, and they have loads of really beatiful fish, as well as normal pets. I was looking at them all, and trying to decide whether to get some sailfin mollies, silver-tipped tetras, or something else, but I can't remember what. Anyway, there was this family who were looking at cockatiels. Then a girl went "Look, get fish, the bowls are only cheap and we can get these fish." They were looking at tiger barbs, gold barbs, and bettas, and lots of other fish. They picked up a goldfish bowl that must have been about 5gals. I didn't say anything to them, because I didn't have the courage. I know that it would have been for the good of the fish, but I just couldn't. ) I don't think they would have sold them the fish if they knew they were going to keep them in a bowl anyway, but you never know. I've heard them saying loads of things to people that sound like they just made them up. I asked for 5 silver-tipped tetras and they netted zebra danios, before I pointed out that they were not the fish I asked for! Anyway, they added 5 tetras to the bag of danios, but only charged me for the tetras, so I got the danios free! Luckily, the family left without anything, bacuase the dad said he didn't want any pets. Phew!

 

[SPLiSH]

Score, free danios!

Mmm, I often really want to say something to someone, like when someone says about those betta/vase/peace lily contraptions: 'They're a complete ecosysytem..' Yeah right.
Or when I see a LFS employee netting a massive ryukin goldfish for some toddler to put in a 1 gallon bowl...

And it irritates me when I do get the guts to speak up, they just pat me on the head and say, 'Sweetie, you're only 13.. you wouldn't know. A common plec will be FINE in a 3 gallon.'

Lucky those people didn't make a purchase, who knows what they would've bought... not that they sound like evil people, just not aqua-educated.

 

[Nuttygal! :0)]

And it irritates me when I do get the guts to speak up, they just pat me on the head and say, 'Sweetie, you're only 13.. you wouldn't know. A common plec will be FINE in a 3 gallon.'

I reckon that's what they'd say to me too...

 

[OohFeeshy]

And me... sigh... I hate only being 13. I was slightly annoyed with the ont so lfs I went to today, they did a 'Get a goldfish bowl, gravel, plant and two goldfish for £whatever it was'. Grrr.... Although they did have some of the cutest catfish ever... They had banjos in one of the tanks (although they weren't labelled), false giraffe cats... Its a shame all the nice ones grow so big They also had elephantnoses labelled as 'grow large but adapt to smaller tanks'. So I had my 9 year old sister who's knowledge about fish can fit on the back of a folded postage stamp saying 'Oh look! The fish grow to the size of the tank!' as if I know nothing.... And dad thinks everyone on here is an idiot too. Just because his mum used to have a fish tank...

 

[MegTheFish]

I'm only 13 too (turning 14 next month! ) and I know excatly what you mean. Who are the people buying the 1-gallon fish bowl with the oscar going to listen to, a teenage kid or somebody that actually works at the pet store. Hmmm...its frusterating. Just because they work at the petstore, doesn't mean they know a whole lot about fish, but I guess people just assume they do.
This summer I'm going to work at a lfs, I'm really good friends with the owner and the employees (even thought they are all adults, LoL) but the employees sometimes arent' too smart in the head. They also sell dyed fish, and when I work there I want to confront Rhonda (the owner) about that. Hopefully people looking for advice will trust me with what I'm telling them (I think I might be working at the till though).

 

[SPLiSH]

Exactly! I turn 14 in November. I went to my LFS this afternoon to buy some guppy food, and started talking to the girl who was serving me. She was really nice, looked about 15-ish and knew what she was talking about, she gave me really good advice. She told me that she breeds guppies, and said that she feeds hers Wardleys' guppy flakes ($5.95) and that it was great. Well, as soon as the owner heard that, he said, 'Nah, Jade means these:' and he held up Hikari Tropical Pellets, which were $8.80 for the same sized package. And then, since I was at the counter, he actually started scanning the Hikari! I just told him no thanks, I'd like the Wardley's. He just gave me a really sour look, scanned the food, and put it down on the counter in front of me and walked off.

It's sad how easily some people think young customers can be fooled.

 

[Ben]

i turn 14 next month, and its scarey how much i know about fish,more then most people in my area, i recently got a job at mylfs,and the only reason was because i proved the manager wrong about where jewel cichlids originated,
i was scared taking this job because i thought i would be the only person who knew about fish there,but i was wrong and i realized the other employees know waaaay more then i do,
but then again, i was serving these people(around 35)and they actually asked for someone else and told me i was too young to know anything about fish, so i said"sorry to sound rude,but i got a job here for knowing more about fish then the manager"so then i carried on serving them
you just gotta have guts

DD

 

[SPLiSH]

I thought you were heaps older than that, DD... sometimes I see you post and I'm like, 'Gee, he knows his stuff.'

I know, I'm as bad as the kind of people we're all complaining about, but I just thought you were like 30-something.. ) just goes to show age doesn't reflect knowledge...

 

[Ben]

Thanks

DD

 

[SPLiSH]

You're welcome. Everyone is entitled to my ignorance.

 

[ccg]

Wow, I didn't realize how many younger ones we had on the forums! That’s awesome, although I feel old now, and I'm only 20...good job guys, way to make me feel old! lol...

Great news about he free danios. I think half the reason people wont listen to you guys is because they just don’t care, the customers wont care for there fish in the same way we do - if at all. And the employees either: don't care, don't know any better, don't want to be working there, or are just told to make a sale whenever possible.

Although not all LFS are like this, I know a few guys that work at Big Al's and they know what they are talking about (also a handful of morons though). I remember about 7 years ago when I bought my first fish there, they were very helpful and made sure my tank was big enough for the fish I was buying, and even strongly recommended they I not by certain types of fish (both for compatible reasons and harder for beginners like myself).

But I agree, a lot of the employees are LFS are lost.

 

[Raechal]

I am 17 and people still treat me like I don't know anything about fish. One time I went to a LFS and the man kept "correcting" me although he wasn't correcting me, he was just making up stuff to make me look "wrong" infront of the customers.

"You NEED a ph buffer of 7.0 to add live plants instantly."

Me-"Ugh..No you don't. Most of our local tap water runs about 7-7.5 PH and that is just fine for most plants you sell here. You don't need a PH buffer at all. I have loads of live plants in my tanks and they are all growing beautifully."

"Well that's because you must have hardy plants."

Me-"Nah, not really."

Then I just shut up and walked away hehe.

 

[GTP2002]

I am 17, and I turn 18 tommorow!

B)

Anyways, I know a lot more younger people who have aquariums than older people. Just having fish and watching them is a pretty serine thing to do in the oh so stressful life of a student.

 

[BettaMomma]

Well... I am 30 years old.
I constantly give people information in stores about fish. Hang in there yunguns. they'll be listening to you soon.

I particularly like to stand in the fish aisle in WalMart - especially when there are people working in that department. Then when I overhear someone talking about something or asking a question among themselves, I just politely tell them I overheard them and ask if they would like my help. 100% of the time they've taken my advice and help.

Like the time in WM when the couple had 3 good sized goldfish in a bag and were going to get one of the teeny weeny betta divided kits to put them all in.


At least I got them to get a 10G starter tank.
EEk!

Also - just so you know...
if I were in a store and I heard some 13 year old kid talking about fish on the level that you guys talk about fish, you'd probably not get away from me cuz i'd be asking you everything on the planet to learn more.

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Well im 19 and i know how you feel about other people buying fish in stupid situations...i never have the courage to go up to strangers and lecture them about fish although i wish i did- i made a mental pact so next time i walk upon a similar situation to what you're talking about i shall go talk to them.
Lets see now, the last time i came across a similar situation was when i was in my local fish store; they have a girl there in particular who despite working there for some months now, knows barely anything about fish. I am tempted to grass her in to the store manager for what i saw but havn't made up my mind yet.

Basically about a month ago i was in the shop looking at the plants for sale when a mother and 4 hyperactive children came in(they looked about 5-8yrs old). I overheard the woman saying to the girl "those 8platys i bought off you last week all died, i want some more", the girl without asking any questions went to the platy tank and started scooping out some platys while the children ran around tapping on the fish tanks.
The lady then changed her mind and asked to get some goldfish instead so the girl put the platys back in the tank and started to scoop out the fish.
One of the kids then started asking if he could have a goldfish tank too, so the girl advised the woman get a tank(looked like it was about 3 or 4 gals) which was far too small for the goldfish who were about 5inchs long.

After much scooping out fish and putting them back, the family left with about 3platys and 3 goldfish and 1 cory...What amazed me the most was how the girl never asked the family any questions before giving them the fish like how big is your tank, or what are the water stats or even asked did the fish show any odd symptoms/behavior before they died....
They may have all had whitespot for all she cared...