Time and time again we hear of inaccurate, misleading and sometimes downright cruel advice being given by those who work in fish shops. This misinformation is usually given to people relatively new to the hobby, who then appear in here, trying desperately to resolve an emergency that should never have happened in the first place.
That said, it would be wrong to tar all fish shop staff with the same brush, suggesting that they're all evil, with only profit and the exploitation of customers in their minds.
Some staff can be really knowledgeable and helpful, not only answering questions asked of them, but also being able to ask the right questions of the potential customer.
So how can we tell them apart?
I believe I know enough about the hobby to distinguish between genuine new info and total bull. I'm also blessed with an ability to ask pertinent questions, especially when face to face. When talking to staff, I know what to ask in order to suss out their credibility and am well capable of recognising when someone is being evasive, or defensive. (Running for the Manager is always a good clue
).
So what questions could someone new to the hobby ask, in order to know whether or not the shop will be good to buy fish from, or not?
My favourite opening is "Do you keep fish yourself?"
If the answer's a yes, then I find that they'll be quite happy to talk about their tanks, (just as we do in here). Keeping their own fish does not necessarily ean that they know what they're doing, but if they can tell me about their sensible stocking levels, fish types, water pH and hardness, I'm encouraged. I'm even happier if they show enthusiasm for the hobby, right there and then.
Another basic question is to ask them to describe to me this Nitrogen Cycle thing I keep on hearing about.
Some haven't got a clue. Some obviously know off by heart, having learned it in a Training Module, but then struggle when presented with questions about possible issues. Those who really know their stuff aren't phased by any of these questions and can even give reasoned arguments for different cycling methods.
My third question revolves around stocking levels, fish sizes and compatability, including minimum numbers of particular fish to group together, for them to thrive. Some appear to have learned the 1"per Gallon Rule, without understanding it, or being able to grasp it's inadequacies/limitations. Others have said that I could have four tetras in my tank and that that would be fine, without telling me that the tetra in question needs to be in a group of at least six.
A final indicator of a knowledgeable fishkeeper would be their readiness to talk fish until the cows came home.
So what questions could/should you ask?
Obviously, you'd need to know the answers yourselves, to see whether or not the staff do know what they're talking about, but if you know what you're going to ask, you could easily have done your homework beforehand.
It might even be useful to compile a crib sheet, so new fishkeepers can properly check out the knowledge and awareness of their local fish sellers.
I learned a lot and worked hard, but I never became an expert. It was a summer job.
