Maidenhead Aquatics

[Patchwork]

Just thought this might be of interest, again, not sure where i should mention this.

Was recently in one of the Maidenhead Aquatic stores, fact it was the one near aylesbury (UK) The Salesman was one of the most patronising guys it was been my misfortune to meet. Essentially he completely blanked out the concept of the fishless cycle, ridiculed my efforts at undertaking such a task and thought it was hilarious i was reading fish forums online like this one...when i mentioned that some of his advice was contrary to what i had discovered from reading etc .. he basically tried to stare me down and humilate my attempts fortunately the missus was there to help me keep my cool and and prevented me from telling him where he could put his fish tank

On the plus side, We went and visited waterlife studio at Booker in Buckinghamshire and they couldnt
have been more nicer or helpful and approved of the fishless cycle

 

[WILDER]

I was lucky when i started out, the lfs couldn't of been more helpful, plus he new about fish, but some are terrible it's just finding a good one, though these days they are in short supply, i find the big stores are the worst.

 

[CFC]

I'm afraid thats typical of most MA stores in my experience, i've yet to find a member of staff in one with any manors or knowledge of fish or fish keeping.

 

[cane76]

my local maidenhead aquatics has 1 very helpful and knowledgable member of staff(but the rest are useless)

 

[Fella]

I've not been to the MA in aylesbury (I've been to their pets@ home though and the old Curtis pet and garden) but I've been to the one in Milton Keynes. Is it the one at the garden centre outside? Begins with an H?

To be honest, I don't really care what advice people could give me in pet shops. I take on the experience of others and would only go with the advice of a trusted LFS worker. Just because someone gives me advice does not mean I have to take it.

Don't let it get to you. I think someone recently wrote a letter to Maidenhead Aquatics with regards to one of their stores and got a positive and constructive reply where the standards changed. Might be worth doing the same?

 

[Pixie25]

i went into the bracknell one and got laughed at for mentioning a fishless cycle. they said that it was not recommended. they also sold me a common houseplant as an aquatic plant.

 

[annka5]

Can see why you're annoyed, however, I think you're complaining to the wrong people. You need to write the area /shop manager a letter of complaint to get anything done.

 

[Bloo]

I used to go to the one in Chichester quite a lot and it / staff have always beef fab !

 

[cane76]

my local MA has 2 teenagers working there(on weekends) who know absolutely nothing about fish at all.surely you should have experience and knowledge if you are selling live stock?apparently not! these kids are left to run the shop as if it were a newsagents selling anything to anyone who asks

 

[juanveldez]

when I was just starting out I had a similar problem with my local walmart. and after I sent off a nasty email to the store headquarters. not only were did the entire face of the staff in the pets department change but I also got a free 25 dollar gift card which came in handy a couple months later around christmas time

 

[@ombomb]

I shop at MA in Morden frequently and have seen them talk themselve out of sales to people who did not have the correct set up to look after the fish. They have some experienced, knowledgable and helpful staff there, but like any shop you'll always get one or two that aren't up to scratch.

 

[neilw_uk]

I went to both MA's in Swindon last week and whilst I found them expansive and a little unenthusiastic to help once I got someone they were fine. I was buying some dwarf puffers and asked them to bag them without taking them out of the water. Which the girl did.

All in all... it’s a chain and you either get someone who knows something or the Saturday job person!

 

[drinklikeafish]

when i first started out with tropicals, the bloke in pets@home just baffled me with info which i didnt understand and was probably a load of bull.
anyway being as i was naieve at the time i bought a tank and setup following the salesmans advice, he didnt tell me about cycles or owt he just sold me the tank and a load of fish for it, obviously the fish died 1 by 1 within 2 weeks and i was gutted, just shows that reading up on new things can save lots of money.

 

[woodie]

while i was in York the other week i nipped into a garden store what had a Maidenhead aquatics bit and was amazed at the prices of some stuff there were selling 1" albino and normal BN's for £10

 

[smithrc]

I'm going to try and stop MA getting tar'ed buy the same brush. I have made a great friend from our local MA - he is now the manager of the woburn sands branch (Milton keynes)
His staff are quite knowledgable and to his credit he dosnt go through staff quickly like most fish shops.

What you have to appritiate is what they are able to pay, wont get qulified people - I got offered a job (before the store opened) but could not afford the cut in wages - hence the staff turnover is high.