Clams at the bad LFS

[Kirk_M]

The most pitiful excuse for an LFS just got a small clam shipment in. Two 3" derasas, and they have also had a 1.5" maxima in the tank for 8 months now, with no growth, and it's obviously dying. Anyway, the 2 derasas are open, but the mantles are not extended at all. The clams will close if you mess with them, but, not if you just shade them. No one at that store seems to care about anything, so, of course, I buy nothing from them. I would guess that these clams are dying...they have only been at the store for a week I think. I don't think they are aquacultured, but I could be wrong. Am I correct in assuming they are on their way out, and do you think they could be revived with good light and feeding? The prices they are asking is outrageous for such poor stock: $55 for the derasas, $44 for the maxima...I was tempted to tell the owner I'd give him $15 for all three and put them in my QT under intense light to see if they recover, but I know this guy is pretty unscrupulous and could care less if he lost them totally rather than get a small amount for them. Are they a total loss?

 

[MiNdErAsR]

Save your money. If you buy them, the LFS will restock. If they die, maybe (just maybe) they'll think twice about restocking animals they can't maintain nor sell.

 

[Sloth]

Yeah, if you buy them and the store owner restocks, are you gonna buy the next shipment that comes in?

 

[weefishman]

Actually I believe that if they die while at the store, then they count as a tax write off. Thus, when they die, the LFS is actually making a profit, because the write off is for the price that the LFS was charging for the animal, not what it actually cost them wholesale.

-Jonny

 

[Daimyo]

i agree with MiNdErAsR. If you buy them, the LFS will restock.

weefishman, yes LFS can use death as a tax write-off. however, as anyone who ever owned their own business will tell you, u can pretty much write off almost anything as a business expense. im sure most, if not all LFS who has a good accountant, have maximized live stock death as an expense.

bottom line, dont buy for that excuse. hopefully, that LFS owner will not stock more after he realizes he cant make money off them.