orange shark
Fish Herder
im not allowed to touch the phone at the lfs where i work 
On A Lfs Mission
- Thread starter 5teady_2012
- Start date
shelaghfishface
the one and only
im not allowed to touch the phone at the lfs where i work
** i wonder if thats a bad thing
Zawiha
Fish Crazy
I'd like to give my point of view 
I work in an LFS myself, have for 3-4 years.
I'm appauled with the whole wait 2 weeks it'll cycle itself.
the tank just needs to be left
24 hours to makesure all the equipment is working.
Now the main 2 reasons lfs's do fish cycles.
1. money
2. Time, very few customers will wait the time for a fishless cycle,
many want the fish as soon as possible. Which in order to make money
and to keep the business alive is an unfortunate fact why
Fishless cycles are ignored.
I'm shocked these lfs's are so unknowlegable.
I'll always tell people about a fish cycle,
and not the"cock and bull"stories ive been
reading. I think we're the only LFS in the area
Which doesnt wait a week-2weeks with no fish in the tank
for a fish cycle.
but i also offer information on a fishless cycle
if people ask for it.
If people cant competently give you details on
both are hey really qualified to sell fish?
let alone educate others.
I work in an LFS myself, have for 3-4 years.
I'm appauled with the whole wait 2 weeks it'll cycle itself.
the tank just needs to be left
24 hours to makesure all the equipment is working.
Now the main 2 reasons lfs's do fish cycles.
1. money
2. Time, very few customers will wait the time for a fishless cycle,
many want the fish as soon as possible. Which in order to make money
and to keep the business alive is an unfortunate fact why
Fishless cycles are ignored.
I'm shocked these lfs's are so unknowlegable.
I'll always tell people about a fish cycle,
and not the"cock and bull"stories ive been
reading. I think we're the only LFS in the area
Which doesnt wait a week-2weeks with no fish in the tank
for a fish cycle.
but i also offer information on a fishless cycle
if people ask for it.
If people cant competently give you details on
both are hey really qualified to sell fish?
let alone educate others.
Zawiha
Fish Crazy
i dont think the shelf life of that would be a good length of time?
No, I mean have a bunch of various sized filters running in cycled tanks to build up bacterial cultures, then when someone wants one they pick the model and have a pre-cycled filter - fresh from the tank
Zawiha
Fish Crazy
hmmmm not bad idea put in that context.
sounds like it could work.
might have to steal it and make "million"s
Honeythorn
Sugar coating and nicely nicely? I don't think so
Or they could also sell just the matured media on it's own maybe? Set up some large display tanks ,big enough for something messy that produces a lot of waste like goldfish , with several filters and sell them some media from one of the mature filters , the cycle in the tanks wouldn't be harmed as the other filters would be able to take on the load until the emptied one recovered. Then the next lot of media sold could come from a different filter. Rotate them as it were.
If someone has already bought their tank and equipment they aren't going to want a new one even if it is matured. But selling them some media to part fill or completely fill their filter to begin their cycle or create an instant one could work. And also still give them a booklet or info and instruction page on fishless cycling so that at least they have the information there if they need it.
I have never done a fishless cycle myself. My 30 gallon originally had goldfish in it nearly 4 years ago, and when I rehomed them after learning about stunting and fish in cycles, I basically already had a cycled filter ( Eheim 2215 classic ) and was able to add a heater and switch to tropical immediately . The 12 gallon tank's fluval 3 filter I set up in the 30 gallon to mature for a couple of months, and the 5 gallon was instant cycled by filling it up completely with mature media from the 30 gal.
I would personally rather go by those methods . Fishless cycling is only something I would do if I didn't have those options. I have read the fishless cycle sticky many times and I still find it extremely confusing. I can understand why many new fishkeepers may not want to do it. I always tell people to mature their filter in someone elses tank if they know anybody who has one. It's easier.
I can see why you want to change the way fishstores give advice 5teady, but I think that the way you are going about it may not be entirely the best. Some of the people have been doing it the old school way for years and rarely appreciate someone denouncing a method they feel works fine and more importantly to them, make them money ( we know it's harmful, but in their eyes if it works then do it , sad but true ) . They will become defensive when presented with a method that they may find complicated or not worth their time or profit.
Perhaps leave an info pack with them and say something like " I think you should take a look at this, it's really helped me and is kinder to the fish " or if you see someone coming out of a fish store with fish in a bag, a family with a couple of kids and a goldfish in a bag and a hideous little mermaid tank for example , give an info pack to them as well. Keep some on you to give to people. I know you can't get every single person who buys a fish, but they may pass on that info to friends and family who want a tank, and so the info will eventually spread.
If someone has already bought their tank and equipment they aren't going to want a new one even if it is matured. But selling them some media to part fill or completely fill their filter to begin their cycle or create an instant one could work. And also still give them a booklet or info and instruction page on fishless cycling so that at least they have the information there if they need it.
I have never done a fishless cycle myself. My 30 gallon originally had goldfish in it nearly 4 years ago, and when I rehomed them after learning about stunting and fish in cycles, I basically already had a cycled filter ( Eheim 2215 classic ) and was able to add a heater and switch to tropical immediately . The 12 gallon tank's fluval 3 filter I set up in the 30 gallon to mature for a couple of months, and the 5 gallon was instant cycled by filling it up completely with mature media from the 30 gal.
I would personally rather go by those methods . Fishless cycling is only something I would do if I didn't have those options. I have read the fishless cycle sticky many times and I still find it extremely confusing. I can understand why many new fishkeepers may not want to do it. I always tell people to mature their filter in someone elses tank if they know anybody who has one. It's easier.
I can see why you want to change the way fishstores give advice 5teady, but I think that the way you are going about it may not be entirely the best. Some of the people have been doing it the old school way for years and rarely appreciate someone denouncing a method they feel works fine and more importantly to them, make them money ( we know it's harmful, but in their eyes if it works then do it , sad but true ) . They will become defensive when presented with a method that they may find complicated or not worth their time or profit.
Perhaps leave an info pack with them and say something like " I think you should take a look at this, it's really helped me and is kinder to the fish " or if you see someone coming out of a fish store with fish in a bag, a family with a couple of kids and a goldfish in a bag and a hideous little mermaid tank for example , give an info pack to them as well. Keep some on you to give to people. I know you can't get every single person who buys a fish, but they may pass on that info to friends and family who want a tank, and so the info will eventually spread.
connorsbala
Leader Of The Seahorse's!
Thats a very good idea actually with the filter media
I work at a LFS and we get customers coming in saying "we've had their tank running for 2 weeks...is it ok if we bring in a water sample for you to test?". We know for a fact that these customers have received this knowledge from gold old Pets at Home!
Places like that ared ridiculous! You would think that they'd tell their customers that they can get fish the same day...? Wouldnt you? I mean, they are into getting money, why make their customers wait 2 weeks for no reason, where they can instead take advantage over their unknowledgable customers?
Tbh, as people have said on here, it isnt the employees that are giving the bad advice....its the LFS themselves. The owners/managers tell their employees a certain way for cycling tanks that they use for every customer. Ever thought that the employees may be scared to say to a customer to go down the fishless cycle route, as their manager may have right go at them as they will have lost a sale?
But, why should certain LFS's adapt to a new way of cycling when theyve been doing it one way for years with hardly any errors, except from those done by dumb@ss customers. Yes, you can say to customers to go google fishless cycling and get some ammonia, but they cant be bothered to.
Fishkeeping has changed. It was once a hobby and a passion to get fish to breed and get them in the right conditons, but fishkeeping has now become something to have in your living room to go with your furniture. People dont care about the health and wellbeing of their fish, but just to have a bit of movement in their rooms.
I gurantee you that if you come into my shop and work for a day, and find a customer that has got a new tank, if you mention fishless cycle, having to wait for a couple of weeks with no fish in the tank, they will say "Is there any other way?". It is not the LFS but the people! This may be different in your part of the country but people just cant be @rsed any more!
LFS round my area recommend adding a couple of fish such as Danios or Mollies into the tank after 2 days of being setted up. They tell people to keep the feeding down to a tiny bit once every 3 days, tell the customer why they should do this etc. Then they are told to bring a water sample 10 days later...and their water is fine....no ammonia and little nitrite.
I personally go with the fishless cycle route, but LFS are adapting to work with their customers now.
Do you see what im getting at here? Maybe it doesnt make sense lol but yeah. I think what your doign 5teady is great! And if YOU can get your local shops to do this, thats great, but their customers WILL NOT want to do it though.
(Maybe the people that go to the LFS round you are different, but my customers are not one bit! Most get 2 neon tetras when you tell them to go for 5 or more, most go for all male swordtails when you advise them to go for one male and two female at least...and one male per tank! You even get some customers that want to put a clownfish with a goldfish!)
Please dont slag me off or anything, im just saying how it maybe
I work at a LFS and we get customers coming in saying "we've had their tank running for 2 weeks...is it ok if we bring in a water sample for you to test?". We know for a fact that these customers have received this knowledge from gold old Pets at Home!
Places like that ared ridiculous! You would think that they'd tell their customers that they can get fish the same day...? Wouldnt you? I mean, they are into getting money, why make their customers wait 2 weeks for no reason, where they can instead take advantage over their unknowledgable customers?Tbh, as people have said on here, it isnt the employees that are giving the bad advice....its the LFS themselves. The owners/managers tell their employees a certain way for cycling tanks that they use for every customer. Ever thought that the employees may be scared to say to a customer to go down the fishless cycle route, as their manager may have right go at them as they will have lost a sale?
But, why should certain LFS's adapt to a new way of cycling when theyve been doing it one way for years with hardly any errors, except from those done by dumb@ss customers. Yes, you can say to customers to go google fishless cycling and get some ammonia, but they cant be bothered to.
Fishkeeping has changed. It was once a hobby and a passion to get fish to breed and get them in the right conditons, but fishkeeping has now become something to have in your living room to go with your furniture. People dont care about the health and wellbeing of their fish, but just to have a bit of movement in their rooms.
I gurantee you that if you come into my shop and work for a day, and find a customer that has got a new tank, if you mention fishless cycle, having to wait for a couple of weeks with no fish in the tank, they will say "Is there any other way?". It is not the LFS but the people! This may be different in your part of the country but people just cant be @rsed any more!
LFS round my area recommend adding a couple of fish such as Danios or Mollies into the tank after 2 days of being setted up. They tell people to keep the feeding down to a tiny bit once every 3 days, tell the customer why they should do this etc. Then they are told to bring a water sample 10 days later...and their water is fine....no ammonia and little nitrite.
I personally go with the fishless cycle route, but LFS are adapting to work with their customers now.
Do you see what im getting at here? Maybe it doesnt make sense lol but yeah. I think what your doign 5teady is great! And if YOU can get your local shops to do this, thats great, but their customers WILL NOT want to do it though.
(Maybe the people that go to the LFS round you are different, but my customers are not one bit! Most get 2 neon tetras when you tell them to go for 5 or more, most go for all male swordtails when you advise them to go for one male and two female at least...and one male per tank! You even get some customers that want to put a clownfish with a goldfish!)
Please dont slag me off or anything, im just saying how it maybe
Piltdownpaul
Fish Herder
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There's more to lfs then just ringing them for advice and slating them-you wouldnt read one page of a book and assume its rubbish- or maybe you would....................
gaz gun man
Fish Addict
selling pre-matured filter media isnt a bad idea, however I dont think its that easy, I bet most LFS sell alot of tanks over a week, thats alot of media to have running in store, and it will take time for the new, replaced media to recover, before it can be sold.
Zawiha
Fish Crazy
i couldnt of wrote it better myself connor
connorsbala
Leader Of The Seahorse's!
Yeah, and theres the cost of running all different filters aswell, unless they just use a sponge that can be used in all most all filters...and would they make much of a profit?
And thank you Zawiha
Zawiha
Fish Crazy
your welcome connor.
Here is an extension of the idea.
how about instead of selling the media or filters.
Squeeze the sponges of these systems and sell that water.
Full of bacteria and not really a hastle
Here is an extension of the idea.
how about instead of selling the media or filters.
Squeeze the sponges of these systems and sell that water.
Full of bacteria and not really a hastle
NonstickRon
Fish Crazy
lol, maybe you should examine your own tactics as well...
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