Have you ever met an uneducated fishkeeper?
- Thread starter flipstylex
- Start date
I work in a small business pet shop, and so me, the owner and the other employee compare "idiot customer" stories at the end of the day. I've had someone try to buy an Oscar to keep in a betta bowl.
We had to explain to a man on the phone once that if he had tap water he had to condition it. He kept getting more and more frustrated, and finally said that he was just going to use toilet water, since that wasn't tap water.
......
The latest story was a lady who came in an complained of having "green stuff" growing in her tank. I said, "Oh, it's just algae."
The lady's eyes widened, and she says, "ALLERGIES? Well how do I get it out?"
We had to explain to a man on the phone once that if he had tap water he had to condition it. He kept getting more and more frustrated, and finally said that he was just going to use toilet water, since that wasn't tap water.
......
The latest story was a lady who came in an complained of having "green stuff" growing in her tank. I said, "Oh, it's just algae."
The lady's eyes widened, and she says, "ALLERGIES? Well how do I get it out?"
I have never met an intelligent fish keeper. I've only known one person with pets to ever take care of them properly.
I've seen my fair share of oscars in small tanks with cloudy, gross water.
Also I've seen a pleco in a tank nearly the same length as the 10 gallon tank it was in. I tried so hard to convince them to just hand it over to me, but they refused. The tank was just barely full enough for the filter to be able to work whenever I saw it, and once I saw them fill the tank with water straight from the tap. They always wondered why whenever they added a new fish, it died. I always wondered how the pleco survived. They've added all sorts of tetras, mollies, goldfish, and many other small fish... they all died within days of being put in. I'm no longer in contact with those people. :c
I've seen my fair share of oscars in small tanks with cloudy, gross water.
Also I've seen a pleco in a tank nearly the same length as the 10 gallon tank it was in. I tried so hard to convince them to just hand it over to me, but they refused. The tank was just barely full enough for the filter to be able to work whenever I saw it, and once I saw them fill the tank with water straight from the tap. They always wondered why whenever they added a new fish, it died. I always wondered how the pleco survived. They've added all sorts of tetras, mollies, goldfish, and many other small fish... they all died within days of being put in. I'm no longer in contact with those people. :c
OK, I'll admit that I used to pull fake plants out and scrub the algae off with hot water, but at least I'm not like my roommate's mom who once a year would empty the whole tank, scrub with hot water and SOAP, and then plop all the fish back in.
Yes i have met one! ( Which is me!! )
I used to do this every month. I would empty a whole 100 gal and scrub it with a sponge with soap, then when im done. I fill my 100 gal with the water holes (tap water) and wouldnt treat it or even cycle it! Then when im done filling it up i throw my LMB back in. I didnt even have a filter!! Thats how uneducated i was! or you can says dumb.
I used to do this every month. I would empty a whole 100 gal and scrub it with a sponge with soap, then when im done. I fill my 100 gal with the water holes (tap water) and wouldnt treat it or even cycle it! Then when im done filling it up i throw my LMB back in. I didnt even have a filter!! Thats how uneducated i was! or you can says dumb.
BRUTIKUS;4222553; said:My neighbor has a 30 gal tank with no filter and like 15 assorted cichlids, 2 frys of babies, shrimp and crayfish. he swears the crayfish and shrimp are somehow filtering the water and just dumps some stress zyme in every couple weeks..
wow. how long has he had em in there?
I never really did the "total" water change thing...I just never actually did water changes, I thought my magic filter was taking care of it. I had a blue gourami and a pleco live a year or so in a 10g with no water changes...they didn't grow any though. Then I figured out the cycling thing and I've been fine ever since 
. But yeah I meet people everyday that don't have a clue either. I cringe at all the people that buy replacement filter cartridges...
. But yeah I meet people everyday that don't have a clue either. I cringe at all the people that buy replacement filter cartridges...
i know someone who bought a 30 gallon and stuffed it with 43 misc african cichlids, 3 leoporinus, 2 sailfin plecos, 1 silver dollar, and countless tetras. he said because they are all babies ( under 3 inches) they will only grow to the size of the tank. a month later he came to me and wanted to know if i new of someone who wanted some african cichlids or who had a big tank for sale...
