I dont like it when people have been ripped off by shops/hobbyiests.... just to get the sale
I overheard a customer in a LFS this week just gone, so asked her to repeat herself as I couldn't believe it.
They have been sold these fish all together at the same time
Ill let you know the tank size at the end
6 guppy
3 Tiger Barbs
3 Sailfin Molly
10 Neon Tetra
3 Gold Fish
& 3 C moori or Blue Dolphins
All fish were small between 3 and 5cm
All these fish for an 18" tank, as in all this was one sale.
The owner of the lfs{where I over heard the conversation} to his credit, advised her there were way to many fish for that tank. To which she was very surprised.
Also she was advised that the C moori will grow to about 25 to 30cm.
Lets just say she wasnt happy with the store that sold her these in the first place.
We got stores name out of her & she was strongly advised to go back & ask why she was sold these fish for this size tank & to ask if any of these fish were compatable compatable with each other:?:
Once again I am pleased to say the shop is not a sponsor. This sort of crap is what gives the industry a bad wrap. Pity there aren't standards like in some other industries so at least the good shops can get the credit they deserve & the others can either pick up there standards or hopefully go broke.
Frenchy :D
And I thought you were going to say she paid $19.95 each for the guppies.
Kinda reminds me when I first got into this hobby. I liked the look of scats. I was NOT informed that they grew so big and they were best in brackish. I think the worst thing was he didn't tell me they were not suited to a community tank and they were NOT aggressive.
What do you reacon. Within 2 nights almost all my fish were gone! I visited the shop to alert them of the problem and he told me "I must have got some bad ones".
I returned them as was not given any store credit !
I occassionally return to this shop and witness people getting done. Like: "Will 10 neons go well in that 3L bowl". Yeah they'll do just fine. Make sure you let the tank settle for a couple of days first. No mention of filtration heating etc. These guys should be reported to the RSPCA.
Once a gain, I'm happy to say this isn't a sponsor.
Mitch
When I first got into the hobby, I was sold 1 x male and 1 x female lombardoi. I had a 2' x 1' tank. I was told that that tank was plenty big enough, that they were not aggressive fish and that they were good parents......
Needless to say, I've not set foot back in that shop again. Some stores will do anything for a sale, I swear. This store in question was also not a sponsor. Thankfully, I found a lfs that was a lot more resonsible, and it was them that directed me to this forum. But how many other beginners are getting done by some of these stores. You've got to wonder.
Would it be too much of a generalisation to say that a big part of a LFS' business comes from the "repeat customers" who buy a gold fish and kill it a few weeks later, only to return for another?
Paul, this is my believe,
Alot of people think fish just die. As they have had experiences like the one mentioned, they don't know any better so just quit.
It is because of wankers who are to short minded, to look down the track. They see an easy sale & do what they did to that poor lady I mentioned above. She isn't going to buy off them again now is she. At least Brad spent some time with her & because of this has picked up a customer for as long as she keeps fish. She will pass on good news to those that now see her clean nice tank......
My parents can't believe i can keep fish alive for as long as I do :lol: They were good at killing goldies, so gave up.
What happens when a fish dies :?: People may go back & ask questions, buy another... but they won't keep doing it The majority of people are not idiots.
Alot quit the hobby, they say what my parents think. All fish just die. That is the problem. Think about it. My parents will never keep another fish, yet they have seen a tank with White Calvus grow up in their garage for nearly 2 years, breeding away happily since Chrissy too. Yet all fish die :lol:
Others have friends who keep their fish alive & think I will try somewhere else, as in where their friend goes.
Or others stumble across another lfs whether it be by luck or referral. & by chance do what the lady said & ask questions, as in my fish are fighting, or do I need a heater.....
Remember also alot of the general public think that tropical means marine.
& when they look for nemo, umm he is marine, what fish are these, pointing to little neon tetras; tropicals.
Now most LFS employees can relate to the last part I said, so when they sell rubbish to the lady like I said not ethical at all is it? or looking after the hobby either.
I know a couple of shops who do very well out of other shops that have the mentioned mentallity,
So to answer your question, I believe it to be yes & no. The repeat customer is the one who keeps fish alive, thinks it to be fun, & then buys another tank, then more fish...MTS{Multiple tank syndrome} can be a great thing for a lfs that looks after its customers. Who then have friends that go that looks cool....thats how I got into fish, I saw my mates set up. He sent me to Bill, Trintion Aquariums.
Frenchy :D
[quote:b4d7354ee7]Would it be too much of a generalisation to say that a big part of a LFS' business comes from the "repeat customers" who buy a gold fish and kill it a few weeks later, only to return for another?[/quote:b4d7354ee7]
Hey Paul I think there a few shops that do well out of these customers and its not good as justin has said there are alot of people that just think well yeah its a fish
This customer will very soon look at the hobby as to expensive and leave and then if a friend or relative thinks i might try fish and they hear the bad luck others have had they might reconsider it
We (the hobby) will lose potential hobbyists because of another persons greed
I try to be different and i actually talk people out of fish for their tanks because i know when it dies they will blame me for it
I know i wont get extremely rich from this practise but i do see results from regular customers who rely on advice from a person that isnt soley driven on the amount they can get from the wallet
The customer that this story is now a customer of my store because of the time and effort i spent with her to try and educate her on how fish should be kept
I know there are many many different ways for people to keep fish but there is no excuse to sell a larger African to live in an 18" tank.
I will not name the store involved in case it was a singular experience
Brad
a friend of my mother bought some fish for her young children.
I'm not saying which store they came from, but the tank was fairly small, maybe 1 foot or something.
They bought just some guppies, mollies, small tropicals you know, easy to look after they were told.
Middle of Ipswich winter mind you, (down to near 0 regularly) they were told they wouldn't need a heater... :roll: and of course they all died.
So when my mother told me, I quickly gave some helpful advice and directed her to a LFS to which I've had many good experiences to hopefully keep them from just giving up.
Yeh, it shits me off quite frankly, when all that matters is the sale, these people need a shaming. :x
Ya well i have a bad habbet of corecting people that r trying to sell people fish they carn't keep and should not go to geather
I was at this shop onec a few years back
I stood behind the guy trying to sell this couple neons to go with this guys angles
I just shook my head and the guy changed his mine lol
But he spring me doing it so he got shitty and told me to fix them up with fish lol
They ended up with twice the fish they wanted and every 1 was happy lol
Some peole just don't have a clue
Dom't blame you roo that is why I don't have much time for many shops but I do recomend the ones I know do the right thing. That way you can't get into trouble when you want to bad mouth a shop. These shop need a good lesson in 101 customer service and aquarium keeping, not to mention it is nothing a piece of 4x2 wouldn't fix(HE HE HE)
you guys all make very valid points. I agree that in the long run it would probably better to have people keep their fish alive rather than have them discouraged by dying fish and just give up.
I agree that there is a general perception that fish just die.
but it's very hard to explain things like the nitrogen cycle to people. I have a friend who is a pharmacist and is in his second year of a medicine degree. When I talk about the nitrogen cycle he just nods his head and later admits that he doesn't really understand. it's hard to teach to a mum with 4 kids that sort of thing. especially in 5 minutes.
also I think people just can't get it through their (thick) heads that a fish that is currently 2cm long could one day be 30cm long. I'm sitting here now looking at my two blue dolphins, the first african cichlids I ever bought. they must be pushing 25cm. two big b*tches, knock over big rocks every time they clumsily go for a feeder prawn. makes me shake my head when I read the original post.
anyway, just some random thoughts.
p.s. I bought my fish a green tiger prawn from woolies today for a treat. I had to peel it for the poor little dears, but they loved it. only the head came out..
Paul - If he's done a pharmacy degree and can't understand the Nitrogen cycle I'm worried.
I can talk to Lisa{friend} about cichlids, try & keep it basic, show her the pretty fishies... :lol: it all goes over her head. I wonder if its the same thing with your mate Paul. Its not the nitrogen cycle, its the fish part of it. In Lisa's case boring. 8O :roll:
But if I mention fish diseases to her & throw in a phrase like having to use one of the "oxy family of drugs", I then get her attention. {3rd year at uni RN}
She turns around & then explains what they are used for on humans. :lol:
Try that Paul & see what response you get. :idea: :lol:
There is a an easy way to explain the nitrogen cycle to people. Have a chart on the wall showing the cycle. Offer the customer free water checks, each week for 4 weeks as an example. Therefore they come in each week for a while, get there water tested for free,{which is great for them} Cycle can be explained in steps{Great for me} they think you are a nice guy.{Great for both} You get them through the first few weeks....TA DA, a customer for life :lol: :idea:
Frenchy :D