Meh. I tried to help.

[Anoop]

Well today I was at petsmart looking for a 40 breeder on sale, and I just go look at their fish stock. Seemed to be nice looking, they had some great looking cichlids.

This family comes in and they are holding a 20G starter kit. They ask an employee for help and he suggests some fish and this but no decisions yet. The father wanted to get a shoal of 5 pacus. The son loved them and they were about to purchase them. I decided to be a good person and give them some nice advice. I told them first that they needed to cycle their tank before adding any fish to start the bacteria growing. I also told them that pacus will become massive monsters, that can bash tanks, and not even one can fit in a 20G. Guess what I get from this customer? He gives me the dirtiest look, tells me that Im a rotten teenager that doesn't no-what he is talking about and that the employees here have a higher understanding of fish than me. His son intentfully listening, does understand. His father just purchases the pacus and leaves. They're sure in for a surprise along the line here. I'm sorry to say, they deserve it for not listening.

 

[armaggedonx]

I always see that here, ive tried to help on a few occassions but now i don't bother. Seen some holding all the basic starter things aswell to purchase not even 1 but 2 L.no plecs and they were beauties!

Also over-herd him talking to store staff and it WAS his first tank.

 

[Anoop]

A couple years ago I was trying to persuade a mother and a daughter not to buy an oscar and a common pleco for a 10g. She insisted that the fish would only grow to the size of the tank. I told her that was called stunting and she said that was rubbish and bought them anyway.

Man, my dream is to open up an lfs, so I could actually educate people about what fish can go where. Not what fish looks good where.

 

[Ullopincrate]

Most people will always listen to the employee. Usually because it lines up better with what they want to do anyway.

 

[abiddle]

That is why I support my privately owned LFS. The owner will not sell fish that will not work out together or don't have enough space.

 

[krichardson]

I've been in similar situations,some people appreciate the advice and some dont but I dont mind helping out if I can.One guy was telling the woman he was with that Jardini arowanas are the same as silvers and they have a fancy name to justify the price.

 

[roofing]

i know what u mean i been in pet stores before and seen the same thing . I think most pet stores just try to make a buck.

 

[cichlid2006]

at least you tried to be a good person. take a little joy in the fact that eventually the guy will have to admit that the stranger in the pet shop was right after all, poor fish will probably die though. he may even take away a little wisdom in a few months that not all teenagers know nothing.

 

[Natural_Born_Killer]

What I don't get about this all is that as someone new to fish keeping I quite appreciate the advice given to me by people.

I simply do not grasp how people can hear something like this and not even think twice about what they are doing.

 

[dudey]

the petco here at least one of the employees always ask me what size tank the fish are going into and if it has been running and what its stocked with already.

she also wouldn't let someone buy fish for the ten gallon they were purchasing that day.

I was setting up some guppys to breed in a 10g and after getting a dozen she told me I probably shouldnt add much more after that.