complete lion fish diasaster

[tcamos]

Its only part of the research but just saying...

It is part of research, and even if it weren't we still expect the people in the shops to either give good advice or say "I really don't know the answer".

In this case it was bad advice, and harmful advice that directly resulted in the death of a few fish needlessly.

I think consumers have a right to expect correct information from retailers. Be it in the fish trade or getting your car fixed.

 

[OwenInAZ]

In terms of a buying a car, do I trust a car salesman to give me objective advice? Or do I go in there understanding that he's trying to sell me a car first and foremost?

In terms of research before buying (which I think is critical, and entirely encumbent on the hobbyist), there are any number of experts or at least advanced aquarists on these very boards. One could go one step further and ask very qualifies individuals over at www.wetwebmedia.com. This is where bob fenner hangs out. I don't think anyone should rely on a lfs to provide objective information. Their job is to sell me a fish. They may be helpful and have good information, but at the end of the day if they don't sell fish their doors close. It's critical to go in there with your homework done.

 

[kbarnett63]

Its only part of the research but just saying...


So back to the thong. Can we get pics? Lol

Sorry for the fuzzy picture, I haven't learned to use my IPhone to it's full potential.

 

[Reef-o-Roni]

now I know never to listen to your advise and never to buy anything from you....

now that sounds mean doesn't it....

we come to this site for advise right?

we go to are local fish stores to right?

we expect people tell us what we ask of...

you say do research!!!

that was the research if you can't ask someone that is in the profession then who can you ask???????

Nice hyperbole,
If your too lazy to read a book you have no business in this hobby.
If you buy a fish without researching it you have no one to blame but yourself.

Start with this one.
http://www.amazon.com/Conscientious-Marine-Aquarist-Commonsense-Successful/dp/1890087025

 

[tcamos]

Nice hyperbole,
If your too lazy to read a book you have no business in this hobby.
If you buy a fish without researching it you have no one to blame but yourself.

What if you can't read? You have to get the information somehow...we should be able to trust the advice we get. I would trust them at Reef Culture.

In terms of a buying a car, do I trust a car salesman to give me objective advice? Or do I go in there understanding that he's trying to sell me a car first and foremost?

One correction, I didn't saying buying a car, I said getting your car fixed. The analogy is quite different than buying a car.

 

[OwenInAZ]

See, I don't think the analogy is any different. Shops take people for a ride all the time with unnecessary repairs. If you own a car you really ought to have a passing knowledge of how it works and be equipped to figure out what a potential problem might be. That doesn't work 100% of the time, but for a lot of stuff it does.

A better analogy might be getting a dog. Say someone has a studio apartment, but the guy at the pet store says a German shepherd or a mastiff will fit just fine. The buyer has a responsibility IMO to say, "hang on, this doesn't sound right." similarly, someone buying a predaceous fish really ought to have thought, "hang on, this predator may just try and eat my fish" and passed or at least done some independent research.

In this case, the store made good because someone at the store gave terrible advice. But, in the end, this is the buyers' fault. Does the store have the obligation to not sell me clownfish to feed my lionfish because they look like nemo? No, the store has an obligation to sell product in order to stay open. The fact that we're talking about fancy fish is no different than if we were talking about feeder crickets or goldfish. They're all alive.

 

[Reef-o-Roni]

What if you can't read? You have to get the information somehow...we should be able to trust the advice we get. I would trust them at Reef Culture.


If you're blind it wouldn't be much fun to have a reef to look at....
If you don't know how you should really go back to school.

Maybe if there was enough blind reef keepers Ora would start breeding the elusive braillfin gobie

 

[tcamos]

I feel like there simply must be responsibility on the part of those who sell things and tell us about those things.

In the case that started this post, they could have easily said "this fish will eat any fish that fits in its mouth". That is, in fact, exactly what they told me at Reef Culture when I asked about the Dwarf Lion they had. He asked me, "what do you have in your tank", and when I told him he said "nope" and explained that it could still eat this or that fish, and then he said, "over here, we have something that might work better".

Even if you feel they weren't at fault, I still think it shows they have poorer customer service than a store like Reef Culture, or even Aquarium Arts, who will at least grab a book and look it up for you. If they don't know, they say they don't.

That's what I feel we deserve when we buy something. Not to get all excited about our new fish only to find them dead in a few hours. No one needs that sort of disappointment and in this case the fish store could have prevented it.

 

[sltyncopa]

Too many quotes and misreads. This is pointless the store in this case made good on it and along with the fish or fishes that were eaten were the ones who paid in the long run! Furthermore as far as Customer Service they finished better than they started. With the reasoning Ive seen displayed here Every LFS should sell Anything to anybody with ANY size Tank all in the name of making a buck? Well then maybe the LFS you want to support IS more like car sales and repair? I feel a good thing actually came out of this the original Poster Will Do his OWN research NOW and hopefully will avoid this type of incident again. Good Luck in the future!

 

[Robb_In_AZ]

Just curious if anyone has ever had a Fish Shoppe REFUSE to sell them fish or inverts ?

 

[tcamos]

I'm not sure it's pointless, this is a discussion board after all, and we are discussing. I value the opinions and experiences people here have with different stores and it has shaped my shopping habits.

I live in far east Mesa, far, far, east Mesa, and I never would have thought to drive all the way up to AquaTouch if not for a comment I read on a message board. I also would not have known about Reef Culture's opening up if not for reading it here first.

Good or bad, I like to hear stories from stores and have posted a few here myself, both good, like at Reef Culture, and not so good like at another store.

In the end, I totally agree the aquarist should do research and that they did fix the problem. That doesn't take away the fact it was a problem they caused, or at least could have prevented.

I feel that retailers have an obligation to give correct information or at least say they don't know.

 

[tcamos]

Just curious if anyone has ever had a Fish Shoppe REFUSE to sell them fish or inverts ?

I have. A PetSmart refused to sell me a freshwater fish. Once I explained my system to them they changed their mind and sold it to me (my system could clearly handle it), but I was actually pleased that they were looking out for the animal.

 

[briankmarsh1980]

I'm always warned when buying choco stars