Fluval Bug Bites

[Toby_H]

I've purchased Medium to Large Bug Bits Cichlid Pellets - 3.7 lbs / 1.7 kg from Amazon 3 times and they keep sending me Small to Medium. Each time I report the issue and am prompted to return the item. They cannot accept returned food items so they tell me to keep it and refund my money. This is pretty nice that I now have a near lifetime supply of Small to Medium pellets for free... But my preferred fish only eat these smaller pellets for half a year or so in the early stage of their life. And I need the darn big pellets!

Has anyone else had this problem or is this a Charlotte Amazon issue?

I did order several bags of the 15.8 oz / 450 g a while ago but this just isn't cost effective. I have a lot of fish. And my local stores do not carry the 3.7 lb / 1.7 kg buckets.

I tend to default to amazon for most of my purchases these days so I don't have a preferred fish stuff retailer. I don't want this to become a "whose your favorite retailer thread (though I am wondering...). I'm mostly just frustrated and wanted to vent, and my wife isn't too interested to hearing me vent about fish stuff.

 

[tlindsey]

They cannot accept returned food items so they tell me to keep it and refund my money

That is definitely true and I can relate to what you have been going through with Amazon.

 

[danotaylor]

If your retailer can order the same food in smaller pellets it stands to reason that they can order in the bigger pellets for you. Have you tried asking them?
It’s typically a little more expensive through a shopfront retail store, but that could mitigate the issue you’re facing.

 

[Toby_H]

If your retailer can order the same food in smaller pellets it stands to reason that they can order in the bigger pellets for you. Have you tried asking them?
It’s typically a little more expensive through a shopfront retail store, but that could mitigate the issue you’re facing.

I asked the owner at the LFS. They said "that's all we carry."
They target a wealthier clientele who are prone to paying extra for buying local and not having to store the bucket. Or just don't look into it enough to know better. I don't really respect their business model, but the old school Mom & Pop fish stores here have died at the hands of corporate stores and online retailers. And as someone who took most of my business to the online retailers, who am I to criticize.

I found an online retailer that I used many moons ago and was happy to send him some business. Hopefully he'll do a better job at reading the label and matching it to the order than Amazon.

 

[danotaylor]

Wow, ok mate. Seems a bit lazy & poor customer service by the store. Guess they're not hurting or tryna secure business. Their loss.

I have a fishy acquaintance here in Cinci that has over $1000 in store credit with one of the LFS's. He's been a regular there for over 20 years, and they won't special order stuff for him to spend his credit on even though it's from the same manufacturer of other stuff they order. Kinda ridiculous really.

 

[Fallen_Leaves16]

I asked the owner at the LFS. They said "that's all we carry."
They target a wealthier clientele who are prone to paying extra for buying local and not having to store the bucket. Or just don't look into it enough to know better. I don't really respect their business model, but the old school Mom & Pop fish stores here have died at the hands of corporate stores and online retailers. And as someone who took most of my business to the online retailers, who am I to criticize.

I found an online retailer that I used many moons ago and was happy to send him some business. Hopefully he'll do a better job at reading the label and matching it to the order than Amazon.

Which LFS? Upscale Aquatics might be able to special-order, they do special orders for some fish-tanks (the standard Aqueons to 210G) and livestock, as well as some dry goods... Matt's good about helping customers, I often do special-orders (mostly livestock) through them.
I bought smaller quantities of M/L Bug Bites off of Amazon and haven't had an issue- I don't think I've heard of other folks in the area running into sizing issues, either, though I don't know anyone that buys the buckets.

 

[Toby_H]

Which LFS? Upscale Aquatics might be able to special-order, they do special orders for some fish-tanks (the standard Aqueons to 210G) and livestock, as well as some dry goods... Matt's good about helping customers, I often do special-orders (mostly livestock) through them.
I bought smaller quantities of M/L Bug Bites off of Amazon and haven't had an issue- I don't think I've heard of other folks in the area running into sizing issues, either, though I don't know anyone that buys the buckets.

A local! lol

I live in Steele Creek. Very close to C-Macs. That's where I asked. They carried the 3.5 oz bag but nothing bigger.

I've been to Upscale a handful of times. But it's almost 45 minutes away without traffic (and let's be real, there's always traffic). I priced 180 gal aquariums through them. The prices weren't terrible, but weren't great. I ended up buying from Glass Cages and had them delivered during the Fish Expo in Fort Mill this past February.

I ordered the bucket of Bug Bites from Ken's Fish. I bought stuff from him 15-20 years ago and was very happy then. I assume he's still a good dude.

Are you involved with the local fish club here (Charlotte Area Aquarist Society)? I was 15-20 years ago but haven't reconnected much. They had a forum back then but seem to have moved to traditional Social Media, which I don't do. I joined their FB page but only log into FB two or three times per year.

 

[Fallen_Leaves16]

A local! lol

I live in Steele Creek. Very close to C-Macs. That's where I asked. They carried the 3.5 oz bag but nothing bigger.

I've been to Upscale a handful of times. But it's almost 45 minutes away without traffic (and let's be real, there's always traffic). I priced 180 gal aquariums through them. The prices weren't terrible, but weren't great. I ended up buying from Glass Cages and had them delivered during the Fish Expo in Fort Mill this past February.

I ordered the bucket of Bug Bites from Ken's Fish. I bought stuff from him 15-20 years ago and was very happy then. I assume he's still a good dude.

Are you involved with the local fish club here (Charlotte Area Aquarist Society)? I was 15-20 years ago but haven't reconnected much. They had a forum back then but seem to have moved to traditional Social Media, which I don't do. I joined their FB page but only log into FB two or three times per year.

Ah, C-Macs. I've heard of it often but never went... about a 50-minute drive (accounting for the traffic) and I never had much a reason to go since Upscale's only about ~15mins away from me. I live a bit north of Charlotte, 'round the Concord area or so.
C-Macs just opened a second location in Gastonia- took over that small warehouse Wet Pets used to be in after they shut down when the owner passed away from cancer earlier this year. Heard it looks pretty good, might check it out if I'm in the area someday.
Upscale's pricing on the tanks is about average; on par with other Aqueon retailers, I think. Same prices as Petco for the smaller (<90G) tanks before Petco switched to Imagitarium.
But they have good livestock suppliers and I think they're one of the better stores in the U.S. in terms of bringing in a variety of fishes.
I did hear A Fishy Business has decent larger tanks, but I've never checked things out in person.

Ken's Fish is still decent, I think; got some NLS and an Alita AL-40 from them a year ago and was quite satisfied with what I received. Shipping was a bit slow, but it was with the cheapest option in all fairness.

I am in the local club; joined a few years back. They changed their name to the Charlotte Aquarium Club; it's still not very large or terribly active but there's reasonably decent monthly meetings, usually with auctions where you can snag some minor supplies and common live-bearers and whatnot for cheap.
Haven't been to any of the meetings in almost a year, though.
The 10% discount at local stores, that comes with an active membership, is pretty nice.
Funnily enough, one of the current active club-members- I think he was the treasurer two? years ago- lives in Steele Creek as well. Think I sold him a pair of gold laser cories a while back.
A few of the old members, like Alex, are still around, but most of the club is made up of new faces. All good people, though.

 

[jake37]

I've not had that issue with amazon as i buy both the large and medium - though for a person in a warehouse they are both 'red' packaging

However more recently i've been buying from kensfish (again without issue) and saving a few dollars. Most of my fishes are small and they actually prefer the blue stuff but i take the red stuff - put it in a coffeee grinder and vala - but for my chocolate they love grabbing the biggest pellet they can find - and truth be told one tried to grab my fingers (they have really large mouths). There is also another 'big' difference in that the large pellets float and the medium pellets sink.