Lfs- ignorant or trying to make a buck?

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tooth517

tooth517

Gambusia
MFK Member
Sep 21, 2009
703
15
18
Eaton Rapids , Michigan
I have a lfs that carries a decent variety of freshwater and saltwater species. The prices aren't bad either. I noticed while browsing they had some amph. labiatus in a tank with other new world cichlids. I didn't see a price written on the tank as there was for the other sp. I asked the woman who is usually there (owner I presume) how much were the red devils. Her reply threw me for a loop. She says to me "oh those aren't red devils, those are albino firemouth." I didn't want to argue with her and make her mad because she has cut me deals in the past, but inside I was losing my mind. I will definitely get pictures the next time I go there. I am 38 and have been in the hobby since I was 13. I have never encountered an "albino firemouth". The head shape alone proves to me that it couldn't possibly be that.
Anyone else ever had a similar experience?
 
tooth517 said:
I have a lfs that carries a decent variety of freshwater and saltwater species. The prices aren't bad either. I noticed while browsing they had some amph. labiatus in a tank with other new world cichlids. I didn't see a price written on the tank as there was for the other sp. I asked the woman who is usually there (owner I presume) how much were the red devils. Her reply threw me for a loop. She says to me "oh those aren't red devils, those are albino firemouth." I didn't want to argue with her and make her mad because she has cut me deals in the past, but inside I was losing my mind. I will definitely get pictures the next time I go there. I am 38 and have been in the hobby since I was 13. I have never encountered an "albino firemouth". The head shape alone proves to me that it couldn't possibly be that.
Anyone else ever had a similar experience?
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She was asking $39.99 for said fish.
 
Yeah my LFS does stuff like that all the time. Always have polypterus senegalus labeled as polypterus palmas palmas, owner insists tiger shovelnose catfish don't get over a foot, always killing off dragon gobies because he insists they're not brackish, and tons of other stuff like that. I respectfully said something to the owner a couple times but he played the "I've been selling fish for 30 years" card. It's best to just ignore it and keep your relationship with them as good as possible so they help you out more. They're not going to budge anyway, too much pride involved, so what's the point?

Very frustrating though, especially when it results in monster fish being sold into 10 gallon tanks.
 
It's isn't just our hobby, it's society as whole that suffers from over inflated egos. This is indicative of everything America. Keep your mouth shut about the Devils and let them keep their ego intact. For that kind of money you can order some real nice amphs. From wet spot or cichlids of the Americas or my favorite, Jeff rapps.
 
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Sometimes it's a liability thing. I've talked with a few owners/managers of fish store/rooms in stores about this.

They order something from the wholesaler as x, but it's clearly something else. They still sell it as x though because that is what they bought it as. Even if/when they know it's not x. It's about the paper trail. They can prove they ordered x and can show that paper work if they are ever sued (yes it does sometimes happen I guess).

Not saying this is always what you see, the OP example I'd lean more towards making a buck.
 
darth pike said:
Sometimes it's a liability thing. I've talked with a few owners/managers of fish store/rooms in stores about this.

They order something from the wholesaler as x, but it's clearly something else. They still sell it as x though because that is what they bought it as. Even if/when they know it's not x. It's about the paper trail. They can prove they ordered x and can show that paper work if they are ever sued (yes it does sometimes happen I guess).

Not saying this is always what you see, the OP example I'd lean more towards making a buck.
Click to expand...
That makes sense as well.
 
One of our better fish stores told us the same story about the paper work. He said they get marked wrong sometimes intentially. So the fish can be shipped out of the country they came from. Then the wholesalers go by what is wrote on the box. Sometimes you wonder what you are getting.
 
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