Mass Confusion with Tank Sizes

[Becca]

EDIT: I PREVIOUSLY POSTED THIS, BUT IT HAD THE DRAFT UNDERNEATH IT WHICH MADE THE STORY HARD TO READ...

Anyway, this is just a rant. Here's what it was SUPPOSED to read:

Ok, first off - for those of you who are not familiar with Meijer, it's our local "Super Grocery Store" - much like Wal-Mart or K-Mart, just without the "Mart" in the name.

I believe I read something somewhere (probably on this forum) that I tend to keep in mind when buying fish: "If you can buy tires, meat, groceries and your fish there, then you shouldn't be stocking your tank." (Forgive me if I got the original quote off...but it was along those lines). This advice, perhaps, should have been heeded by the customers I ran into at Meijer in the Pet Department Friday night.

So, here I am - at 9:30pm on a Friday evening, buying a breeder from the local Meijer. In walks a family of 4 (Mom, Dad and 2 kids) browsing the fish section. I nudge my husband and whisper that I can't believe someone would actively buy fish for their tank from Meijer. And he nudges me back and reminds me that it wasn't so long ago that I didn't know any better.

I figure he's right and I'll try to help the family out. So I walk over and notice they're all pointing to the Mollies going "ooooh!" And of course, the sales lady doesn't know a fish from a frog, so she doesn't seem to be the best candidate to help them in their selection. I ask how big their tank is (since they already have about 6 Guppies picked out, are going for an Algea Eater - probably a Pleco of sorts, and are now checking the Mollies.) Their selection of fish seems to be quite big - and I generally only add 2-4 fish to my tank at a time, to keep shock and stress down.

The guy replies "Just a small one, 10 gallon." And his wife replies "A 55 gallon." I didn't want to accuse them of being idiots, so I politely threw out a few quick tips for them "You are aware Mollies & Guppies breed quite a bit, right? Those cute Mollies will get to be about 2 inches, and you'll want to make sure that you have at least 2, preferrably 3 females for each male in your tank."

From the time I walk up to them, I got nothing but dirty looks from the wife - not sure why. I was with my husband, so I hadn't planned on hitting on hers. (Thank you very much, I like mine if it's all the same to you!) I figured - for whatever reason - I wasn't that welcome, so after I ofered my advice, I quietly slipped away.

Now, call me crazy - but HOW THE HELL can you mistake a 10-gallon for a 55-Gallon?!? And - if you HAVE a 55-Gallon, wouldn't you know better than to stock it with fish from your local K-Mart/Wal-Mart/Meijer?? Silly people.

 

[R3GG]

Why were you disgusted?

 

[Becca]

R3GG - looks like I should have taken my own advice and proofed my post before posting it. I typed it in another window and THOUGHT I had cleared out the rough draft before posting this and I hadn't. I've revised the post to contain what I wanted the post to read.

The disgusted part was in relation to a part of the story I omitted. The sales lady, moments before the family walked in, asked if I wanted any fish. I politely declined and said that I was just looking for a breeding trap for my fish, and told her (I was excited and telling everyone...) that I had a Molly that looked like she was going to give birth any time now.

The look plastered across the ladies face was priceless. I was waiting for the "FISH CANT HAVE BABIES YOU IDIOT" to come tumbling off the tip of her tongue. But she kept it to herself and I didn't get to argue with her!!!

 

[kittybug]

as far as that woman disgusted look goes ive experienced the same thing. Since i know, as many of us do, sometimes store employees don't know what the hell they are talking about i try to offer advice when i can and some people are down right rude about it. I was in petco one day and this woman came in and had no idea if she had a cold water, tropical, or salt water tank. when i asked what kind of fish she already had in there she said goldfish so i told her she most likely had a cold water tank and showed her the section of tanks that held fish that would be compatible. as soon as i walked off she went up to the sales lady and bought about 12 tropical fish. i couldn't beleive it. Even more unbeleivably when i was getting my fish the same saleswoman told me that she wont sell people fish if she thinks they wont take care of them well. 10 minutes after she sent a dozen fish to their deaths. Some peoples ignorance is shocking.

 

[heresmike]

From the time I walk up to them, I got nothing but dirty looks from the wife - not sure why.

Maybe... just maybe, she was thinking you should be minding your own business.

 

[Becca]

kittybug - yeah. I'm not an expert by any stretch of the imagination. I'm still learning. And quite often, when I see someone else in a store, I figure they usually have more experience than I do so by default I don't act high and mighty - and quite often just keep my mouth shut when they're talking shop - even if something doesn't make sense to me. I figure if I don't understand it, I can look it up online or in a book when I get home and it'll help me learn a bit more too.

Mike - that kind of hurt...but sometimes the truth is painful. She very well could have been thinking that and I didn't mean to offend or piss her off. I was just trying to be helpful. But, after thinking about it - I do remember how frustrated I'd get when I got bad fish and had to make a trip back up to a store to exchange fish because of knowledge that either I didn't have or the salesperson forgot to inform me of.

I did notice that they had a Ziploc baggie in their cart with 2 fish. Chances are they were going through the same pains I'm still going through - learning where you can find reliable fish. I should have taken that as a hint to just leave well enough alone. All I really was trying to do was be helpful - not boastful or showing that I know more than anyone (my post may have come off that way - I've not been doing so well today with my posts...a couple came across kinda of mean and cocky...and I apologize for that.)

Most likely part of the problem was she was frustrated. I did notice that they had a Ziploc bag in their cart containing two fish. Perhaps they're going through the painful process of learning where to buy and not to buy fish that I'm *still* going through. Mind you - I didn't say anything to them that could have been taken as "ARE YOU STUPID FOR BUYING FISH HERE?" In fact, the whispered conversation my husband and I had was half way down the aisle and well without of their ear shot.

I guess I just know for next time to keep my mouth shut and mind my own business. Let people buy their own fish, deal with their own problems. If someone is picking out fish at the store, let them pick it out themselves, just shrug and walk on about my way as if I don't know anything. That's kind of sad too...When I'm shopping for fish, I'm open for as much info as anyone wants to hand out. Guess not everyone feels the same way.

 

[Sorrell]

I don't think you did anything wrong at all. Personally I pick and choose my battles when I'm at an LFS and I try to only go to good ones because you are likely to see less fish going to bad homes, at least at a good LFS. Anyway, there isn't anything wrong with trying to help people, some just don't want help!

Last week I ran into Petco to get a divider, and this very loud, huffy puffy woman came into the fish section and yells at the employee, "I NEED ONE OF THOSE BOWLS WITH THE LITTLE PLANT!" The guy working asked what kind of fish she had and she replied "Four goldfish" this was great, the employee said "Goldfish cannot be kept in bowls, they need a filtered tank" (way to go petco guy! ) Then the lady says, "I'm not getting a filtered tank for goldfish, where are the bowls with the little plant?" She was weird and I don't think anyone would've gotten through to her.

 

[R3GG]

Ah, i understand now.

 

[Becca]

That's sad, Sorrell. I actually learned my lesson about Goldfish and bowls the hard way a while ago. It was amazing how completely filthy the water got after just 2 days.