Do you interfere?

I was picking up a red velvet wrasse and was told I could not keep them with other wrasses. I told her thanks but I had a large tank and they are quite peaceful. That's when the crazy train came off the rails.
 
I witness something a little different at a Remote Control hobby store, I guy walks in who has saved his money to buy a RTR gas power truck It was a Traxx model I believe very popular at the time, a good Samaritan started talking with him about his purchase and then ask if he wanted to race, the guy said maybe someday, the next thing it went from a 369 dollar truck to over 900 bucks for half a truck. So the guys walks out discouraged and did not buy anything.

So when I give advice I always remember not to over do it and scare people away, saying they have to have the best. Mostly I recommend a freshwater tank first and see if they like it.
 
When this happens.... I usually find the nearest 5gal bucket, stand on it, and say,
"You want the TRUTH?.......You can't HANDLE the truth!"

.....but seriously, IMO you are a guest inside a biz. its really none of your biz to butt-in on a private conversation. but if you can't handle the mis-information, the only polite thing is to ask the salesperson, "do you mind if I give MY opinion?". If they say, "Yeah, sure....." then its their fault for inviting other opinions.

when you tell what you know is true (or false), its best to start every comment with, "in my opinion, blah blah blah" -or- "in my experience, blah blah blah"
 
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I saw this happen at a local Petco a few years back when I was in freshwater. A family with their little girl maybe 6 or 7 years old. They had a cart loaded up with all of the equipment , rocks etc... Then I saw them ( all of this with the help of the staff) picking out fish to purchase that same day. I was hanging around a bit like a fly on the wall. When the dad stepped into another isle I made my move and explained the reality of the situation politely. I also explained the likely outcome if they were to go home fill that tank and dump the fish in. Gave him a couple websites for info on a fishless cycle. He thanked me for the info and I left. What they did from there who knows.
 
I saw this happen at a local Petco a few years back when I was in freshwater. A family with their little girl maybe 6 or 7 years old. They had a cart loaded up with all of the equipment , rocks etc... Then I saw them ( all of this with the help of the staff) picking out fish to purchase that same day. I was hanging around a bit like a fly on the wall. When the dad stepped into another isle I made my move and explained the reality of the situation politely. I also explained the likely outcome if they were to go home fill that tank and dump the fish in. Gave him a couple websites for info on a fishless cycle. He thanked me for the info and I left. What they did from there who knows.

Wow at that point I'd probably just call corporate because whoever is operating that establishment obviously is not qualified. Thats just crazy. By the way, I worked at Petco for a couple of years and we were allowed to refuse a sale if we didn't feel comfortable with the customers setup. Every Petco branch is different in terms of quality, but I think its from the lack on people exposing the bad ones to corporate that allows them to continue to operate in that way.. If bad advice doesn't get called out then you are just enabling the process.
 
Lucky for us here, we don't have that problem, in our area we have 4 saltwater fish shops. Some are better for corals, some better for fish, some better for supplies. I have yet to hear bad advise..... Bragging over, sorry :beer:
 
I am someone to definity give "help", but I try to gage the sitution and the knowledge of the lfs employee and reefer. Most of the time, I will wait till the employee walks away and chat then the reefer up.

I hate to say it, but if the employee is younger, for example a teenager working part time, and clearly a non reefer. I have rudely and not proudly, interupted mid conversation to correct. I know, I know, I am working on it.
I just help feeling the need to have to prevent it from happening to someone else and avoiding that person from getting a bad taste in there mouth regarding this reef addiction.:fish2::fish1:
 
I have a pet store here in town that keeps trying to sell me over priced coral. She knows I have a Planaria worm problem and keeps saying" They don't like soft leathers", that $75 2in toadstool will be fine. O_o

My softies are the ones suffering the most. I'm ahead of her game....Glad I'm doing my homework.
 
When this happens.... I usually find the nearest 5gal bucket, stand on it, and say,
"You want the TRUTH?.......You can't HANDLE the truth!"

I like this approach. [emoji11]

Seriously some of you spend way too much time in petco. [emoji3]

I have offered a couple of forums to a couple of people but the lfs I frequent are top notch. Houston has me spoiled.
 
once at petco, fish covered with ich, overheard saleman say, "it's good to buy fish with ich, because if it doesn't kill them, it makes them stronger"....and if you think about it, maybe he was right?:headwally:
 
once at petco, fish covered with ich, overheard saleman say, "it's good to buy fish with ich, because if it doesn't kill them, it makes them stronger"....and if you think about it, maybe he was right?:headwally:


And now I have kelly clarkson stuck in my head haha
 
once at petco, fish covered with ich, overheard saleman say, "it's good to buy fish with ich, because if it doesn't kill them, it makes them stronger"....and if you think about it, maybe he was right?:headwally:

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger. Except for bleach. That stuff's nasty.
 
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