I went to my local Pets At home today to get some fishfood and some new plants. While I was waiting my turn for the guy to bag up the plants for me I stood and listened to what he was telling a customer who had just bought a new tank. As I listened I thought to myself 'shall I say something or not? ' Well I decided id heard enough crap and to get stuck in - couldnt help myself! 
I asked the guy who was serving them why didnt he give them the correct information on setting up a fish tank?
HIM: "What do you mean? "
ME: "Well you told them to fill the tank, add decholor, add some so called bottled bacteria and come back in 3 days for the fish as the tank will be safe. Why didnt you give them the option of a fish less cycle or give them the correct information on cycling a tank? You didnt tell them you need to cycle the tank for 6-8 weeks before its safe for the fish - do you know it takes that long for the bacteria to grow?.
HIM: "yes, but thats what the bottled bacteria is for"
ME: " Do you really think bacteria can survive in a sealed no oxygen no food container for months on end? Even if they could do you think in 3 days they would have grown enough for the tank to be 'safe'?"
HIM: Its special bacteria - it starts to grow straight away....I think ?....."
ME: " Why didnt you tell them they would need to do daily water changes every day?
HIM: "I told them to do a water change once a week"
ME: " Thats rubbish advice! How are they going to test their water stats to see if their ammonia and nitrite levels are dangerously high? - the first thing you should have sold them is a water testing kit!"
HIM: "I told them to come back next week and we will test it free!"
ME: "WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?? - you need to test it daily - do you really think peple are going to bring a sample in every day for 6-8 weeks?"
HIM: "Er.......yeah....I suppose thats true"
ME: "Do you get any training for this job?"
HIM: " Oh yes we have to read a lot of books"
ME: " Well you are reading the wrong ones then! Im sick and tired of fish shops giving lousy advise and no one giving a toss about the poor fish that suffer and die in their millions!
HIM: "Well we do our best"
ME: "Its not good enough is it? Its not hard to find the right information!"
The poor guy was upset and probably thought I was a right old bag, but I dont care - I care about those poor fish that woman is going to buy next week that will all suffer and probably end up dead!
I asked the guy who was serving them why didnt he give them the correct information on setting up a fish tank?
HIM: "What do you mean? "
ME: "Well you told them to fill the tank, add decholor, add some so called bottled bacteria and come back in 3 days for the fish as the tank will be safe. Why didnt you give them the option of a fish less cycle or give them the correct information on cycling a tank? You didnt tell them you need to cycle the tank for 6-8 weeks before its safe for the fish - do you know it takes that long for the bacteria to grow?.
HIM: "yes, but thats what the bottled bacteria is for"
ME: " Do you really think bacteria can survive in a sealed no oxygen no food container for months on end? Even if they could do you think in 3 days they would have grown enough for the tank to be 'safe'?"
HIM: Its special bacteria - it starts to grow straight away....I think ?....."
ME: " Why didnt you tell them they would need to do daily water changes every day?
HIM: "I told them to do a water change once a week"
ME: " Thats rubbish advice! How are they going to test their water stats to see if their ammonia and nitrite levels are dangerously high? - the first thing you should have sold them is a water testing kit!"
HIM: "I told them to come back next week and we will test it free!"
ME: "WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?? - you need to test it daily - do you really think peple are going to bring a sample in every day for 6-8 weeks?"
HIM: "Er.......yeah....I suppose thats true"
ME: "Do you get any training for this job?"
HIM: " Oh yes we have to read a lot of books"
ME: " Well you are reading the wrong ones then! Im sick and tired of fish shops giving lousy advise and no one giving a toss about the poor fish that suffer and die in their millions!
HIM: "Well we do our best"
ME: "Its not good enough is it? Its not hard to find the right information!"
The poor guy was upset and probably thought I was a right old bag, but I dont care - I care about those poor fish that woman is going to buy next week that will all suffer and probably end up dead!
