Disposable mandarins :(

[Coelli]

I just left a FS where they had several spotted mandarins. I asked to see them eat and they would only accept live brine shrimp, so I passed. Then the guy told me that there's a girl who comes in every couple of weeks and buys a new mandarin because they keep dying on her. That's really messed up... If it were my store that would have stopped after the first couple. I really hate when people consider animals disposable. If you can't keep it alive - don't buy it!

 

[Stevenliu9]

It's really sad, that's definitely animal cruelty to keep something you cannot keep alive- unfortunately in this society it's not animal abuse unless they are cute and fluffy. In my blog I have included Mandarin as one of my "do not purchase unless you know what you are doing" list. They are just too sophisticated with specific demands, and even the ORA captive bred ones don't always make it either! I was able to successfully keep one and trained the little girl to eat frozen over the course of two months. But most people don't have that kind of patience.

 

[BioCubeGuy]

I just left a FS where they had several spotted mandarins. I asked to see them eat and they would only accept live brine shrimp, so I passed. Then the guy told me that there's a girl who comes in every couple of weeks and buys a new mandarin because they keep dying on her. That's really messed up... If it were my store that would have stopped after the first couple. I really hate when people consider animals disposable. If you can't keep it alive - don't buy it!

That's horrible...

I have a confession, I bought one about a year ago.. The LFS owner specifically ask if I had a good pod population... I at that time was a complete rookie. I was negligent and reckless with the hobby, so I lied. I didn't know what pods were, and I was slightly embarrassed to ask. I was sure the fish would eat normal flakes and frozen food, right? Well, I was wrong and I don't need to tell you the outcome! I still fell bad to this day. Poor little guy.

I have two LFS in my area. One owner is great as he won't sell to you unless you have the ability to care for the animal. I completely respecte that. He's looking out for the animals well being even though it will cost him in profit. The second store owner doesn't care. He doesn't ask about your set up nor does he inquire about your experience. He well sell to anyone.

I hope the girl learns from her mistakes as I did... :reading: is the best thing I have done to educate myself.

 

[Coelli]

Yeah, I understand newbie mistakes and at least you learned from them. I think some people just think of animals as disposable... I foster dogs for a rescue who specializes in pulling dogs at the shelter the day they're scheduled to be euthanized, and they mostly pull the really old ones and hard (sometimes terminal) medical cases, so they can get a second chance or at least a little more time. I fostered one guy for them whose owners signed him over to the shelter because he was "too old" at 14 and they left with a puppy. He was awesome and I was tempted to keep him myself but he was adopted 3 weeks later. Most of the old dogs the rescue pulls are owner surrenders.

Anyway, this is about fish not dogs, but... the mentality is the same. I wish it had occurred to me to ask why they keep selling them to that girl.

 

[Stevenliu9]

One owner is great as he won't sell to you unless you have the ability to care for the animal. I completely respecte that. He's looking out for the animals well being even though it will cost him in profit.

I respect that as well. It's always good to ask your customer about their set up and experience level, not only looking out for the livestock you are selling, but ultimately it pays because then according to what you know of the customer's setup you can make proper recommendations to upsell and earn trust to build loyalty.

 

[snorvich]

I just left a FS where they had several spotted mandarins. I asked to see them eat and they would only accept live brine shrimp, so I passed. Then the guy told me that there's a girl who comes in every couple of weeks and buys a new mandarin because they keep dying on her. That's really messed up... If it were my store that would have stopped after the first couple. I really hate when people consider animals disposable. If you can't keep it alive - don't buy it!

Eating frozen is not sufficient to keep them long term in your 29 gallon biocube.

 

[Nina51]

I foster dogs for a rescue

Anyway, this is about fish not dogs, but... the mentality is the same. I wish it had occurred to me to ask why they keep selling them to that girl.

good for you!!! i work with great dane rescue. amazing how people get a cute dane puppy and a year later decide it's too big and eats too much. ummm, what part of GREAT dane don't they get??? my first dane rescue was a 7 year old girl, considered a senior. she gave me 3 great years.

dogs/fish...it's all the same to me. makes me crazy to go into the local pet store and see them selling an undulated trigger with ich to somebody with a 10g tank. more than once, i've voiced my opinion but it never does any good. :headwalls:

 

[Coelli]

Eating frozen is not sufficient to keep them long term in your 29 gallon biocube.

Yup, I get that.

 

[Stevenliu9]

good for you!!! i work with great dane rescue. amazing how people get a cute dane puppy and a year later decide it's too big and eats too much. ummm, what part of GREAT dane don't they get???

That's so sad

 

[Betta132]

Do us all a favor and give the mandarin girl a good chewing out. It should be quite obvious by now that THE MANDARINS WILL NOT SURVIVE.

 

[Stevenliu9]

Do us all a favor and give the mandarin girl a good chewing out. It should be quite obvious by now that THE MANDARINS WILL NOT SURVIVE.

Just to give her benefit of doubt, maybe she has a huge system and is trying to have a "school" of mandarins?:worried: lol

 

[Coelli]

Do us all a favor and give the mandarin girl a good chewing out. It should be quite obvious by now that THE MANDARINS WILL NOT SURVIVE.

If I had any idea at all of who she is, I totally would!

 

[Halo_003]

That's awful.

I trained my red scooter dragonet onto frozen bloodworms and mysis over the course of about 2 weeks. But I made sure I had a big population of pods for the training period.

Also I must agree with the general sentiments, I don't understand people that can buy an animal without researching it and then get rid of it when they realize it doesn't fit the criteria of their life.