It is not the new aquarist that is to blame a lot of the time. It is the stores who only care about the money rather than the stock and the employees, who we all moan about, are expected to know everything about the stores stock while on minimum wage.
Unfortunately the little stores with staff and owners who do actually care about the livestock and repeat custom are slowly being priced out of business by the huge chains with the poorly trained staff.
The main culprits for people buying oscars for their 10 gallon and that cute 4" RTC for their 55 are the chain stores who train their employees badly and spew misinformation upon every customer.
It isn't the customers fault for trusting the store, they are supposed to be the professionals after all and when you are starting out you generally have no where else to turn to for guidance and very few get the great start like myself by a family friend who bred fish and built tanks.
i used to bash the new aquarist for not researching properly, especially with the internet being almost freely availible. When I think back, I bought fish on impulse and so have many aquarists. Recently i have had a bit of reflection on my life and I have come to realise that I need to chill and try not to let it bother me, especially since it will always be there and I was in that position too when we moved away and I didn't have my fish mentor on the doorstep and as a result I have bought fish that I shouldn't have.
i do my part by generally avoiding the huge chains when I can. It won't do squat to the companies but it makes me feel better because I am not hearing the rubbish coming from the staff to new aquarists who are making no more of a mistake than listening to the "experts".
Unfortunately the little stores with staff and owners who do actually care about the livestock and repeat custom are slowly being priced out of business by the huge chains with the poorly trained staff.
The main culprits for people buying oscars for their 10 gallon and that cute 4" RTC for their 55 are the chain stores who train their employees badly and spew misinformation upon every customer.
It isn't the customers fault for trusting the store, they are supposed to be the professionals after all and when you are starting out you generally have no where else to turn to for guidance and very few get the great start like myself by a family friend who bred fish and built tanks.
i used to bash the new aquarist for not researching properly, especially with the internet being almost freely availible. When I think back, I bought fish on impulse and so have many aquarists. Recently i have had a bit of reflection on my life and I have come to realise that I need to chill and try not to let it bother me, especially since it will always be there and I was in that position too when we moved away and I didn't have my fish mentor on the doorstep and as a result I have bought fish that I shouldn't have.
i do my part by generally avoiding the huge chains when I can. It won't do squat to the companies but it makes me feel better because I am not hearing the rubbish coming from the staff to new aquarists who are making no more of a mistake than listening to the "experts".
