what should I expect from my LFS?
- Thread starter UES96
- Start date
Although your tank is established, as you mentioned, its not a "one size fits all" when it comes to fish and the water they required. If you put fish into unsuitable water and they perish, its on you. Unless you can prove that the fish died due to disease and/or poor husbandry before you bought it, I would say, you shouldn't expect a refund. Instead of demanding a refund, you should go there with a water sample, ask to have it checked and just mention that the 2 hi-fins died. See what they have to say. If they offer you a refund/credit without you asking, then that's a place you want to keep doing business with. GL
I agree with some of the others, most health issues in fish are triggered by stress (such as chasing, netting, bagging and moving a fish to a new environment), and as boldtogether stated if your water parameters are off from what they were housed in at the LFS, that too could cause a sensitive fish to go belly up. This is why a good vendor won't sell newly shipped/imported fish right away - there will almost always be some mortalities in every shipment, some just take longer to weaken and die than others. So if the shop had them for 1-2 weeks, chances are whatever they were doing, didn't kill the fish. That seems like a reasonable conclusion to me, but short of a necropsy no way to tell with any real certainty. If they give you half back in store credit I think that would be more than fair.
Not saying this was your fault, but I don't see how any business that gains a good portion of their revenue on the sale of live fish can survive if they refunded every fish that died while under a new owners care. Big box stores can do it because their live fish sales play such a small part in their overhead/sales, with cat/dog and fish dry good items being the bulk of their sales.
Also, overpaying is relative to the situation. When one buys locally they actually get to view the item, before purchasing. To me that is always worth paying the extra for, vs buying an item sight unseen.
Good luck
Not saying this was your fault, but I don't see how any business that gains a good portion of their revenue on the sale of live fish can survive if they refunded every fish that died while under a new owners care. Big box stores can do it because their live fish sales play such a small part in their overhead/sales, with cat/dog and fish dry good items being the bulk of their sales.
Also, overpaying is relative to the situation. When one buys locally they actually get to view the item, before purchasing. To me that is always worth paying the extra for, vs buying an item sight unseen.
Good luck
You make good points....unfortunate...but good points.
if it were my shop, I would offer you something just because I don't need the bad word of mouth. But a full refund would be a hard one to swallow...from a business stand point. The problem with trying to compete with the "big boys" is supply. Demand drives the market, supply sets the price. A LFS may not get a break from large breeders without a large purchase...no room in the shops tanks, no big purchase...so oftentimes, a LFS will pay retail and have to mark it up from there. Factor in overhead and now you have overpriced merchandise....
We supporters of local establishments are usually willing to accept this. Do we give up our hard earned cash to a shop that isn't customer friendly? Hell, no.
If the shop says, "pound sand, sorry for your loss...fish and $$...please come again!" Then never return.
Most shops wouldn't do that around here just because of the bad that would follow....but, most shops around here won't work with you and it is CLEARLY posted in all the shops I visit.
if it were my shop, I would offer you something just because I don't need the bad word of mouth. But a full refund would be a hard one to swallow...from a business stand point. The problem with trying to compete with the "big boys" is supply. Demand drives the market, supply sets the price. A LFS may not get a break from large breeders without a large purchase...no room in the shops tanks, no big purchase...so oftentimes, a LFS will pay retail and have to mark it up from there. Factor in overhead and now you have overpriced merchandise....
We supporters of local establishments are usually willing to accept this. Do we give up our hard earned cash to a shop that isn't customer friendly? Hell, no.
If the shop says, "pound sand, sorry for your loss...fish and $$...please come again!" Then never return.
Most shops wouldn't do that around here just because of the bad that would follow....but, most shops around here won't work with you and it is CLEARLY posted in all the shops I visit.
Hello; A catch 22 perhaps? They can go out of business either way.
Over 50+ years of fish keeping many fish have died within a few days of my getting them home. I always considered this a part of the chance we take with a live animal hobby.
I have observed many times customers talking in a shop and knew they had not a clue about transporting and acclimating fish. I know what to do and still have fish die soon when I get them home. It happens.
If they run a decent shop then most of their fish will do well. If they run a shop poorly then in time too many customers will leave and they will go out of business.
Just curious if you put them in a quarantine tank?
Giving your current fish a disease is not the only reason for quarantine.
Sometimes your current fish may have built up tolerance for certain water conditions (dropping pH, high nitrates), or a disease, that a new fish may not be accustomed to, or immune to, and this can cause stress to the new fish.
And another thought, what temp did you put the high fins in?
High fins are not really tropical species, they are more of a temperate water fish, which appreciate conditions (cooler water), thought of best for goldfish, rather than tropical fish.
Giving your current fish a disease is not the only reason for quarantine.
Sometimes your current fish may have built up tolerance for certain water conditions (dropping pH, high nitrates), or a disease, that a new fish may not be accustomed to, or immune to, and this can cause stress to the new fish.
And another thought, what temp did you put the high fins in?
High fins are not really tropical species, they are more of a temperate water fish, which appreciate conditions (cooler water), thought of best for goldfish, rather than tropical fish.
Buying on line, in my experience, has resulted in more stress related fish deaths than any other way I have bought fish.
I don't even bother buying fish online unless the source has an outstanding record and a huge 100% satisfied customer base...but they price accordingly. ...and shipping isn't cheap. A retailers return or DOA policy isn't a reason to buy from them.
We are still dealing with dead or unhealthy fish.
The best way around all this is to either buy from fellow fish keepers or try and buy directly from a breeder. In the long run, for me, it has been the best way I have found to get fish and keep a low mortality....basically you are eliminating the middle man.
