SeaCucumberFan
New member
This was not LFS, this was a random teen boy that showed up along with his parents.
*Points to feather duster*
Let's buy those flowers!
*Points to feather duster*
Let's buy those flowers!
Horrible LFS "Recommendations" and "Facts"!
- Thread starter SeaCucumberFan
- Start date
SeaCucumberFan
New member
So did they mean like, putting it on the roof or...?
"every single tank in the store has it's own system, none of them are connected. we did it this way to cut down on parasites, all of our fish are parasite-free". this was said as i watched an employee use the same magnet to clean the glass, tank after tank after tank.
BigEZ77
Member
Wouldn't be easier for me, but I'm pretty sure I got lucky with my LFS. We have 4 where I'm from, one is two middle aged+ guys with many years of experience, which is the one I luckily tried first and have stuck with ever since...they've not steered me wrong once and have actually advised me against certain things even though it came at the expense of them not making the sale...but...because of that they have my loyal business from here on out. Two are a large chain that I've always stayed away from with the exception of dry goods...lots of youngsters with little experience, so never bothered asking advice. The fourth is a one man show that I've given a try 3 times and had bad experiences each time...Yellow wrasse that died shortly after, infected corals, advertised sales that aren't really sales, etc....so let's use the last one as an example...
Tells me I should always dip my corals (not necessarily bad advice), but then proceeds to try to sell me expired dip at a discounted rate, lol.
TheFishGuy31
New member
They were telling the customer to replace the regular T8 bulb that came with their aquarium kit to a Coral Sun T8. Because it had "coral" in the name.
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heathlindner25
New member
To be honest, I haven't heard much of any of this in my local fish stores, but I have a lot of great stores around me.
SeaCucumberFan
New member
My LFS is actually a bit quirky, some guys (like the owner) you can trust and some other (like one of the employees) you should not trust
ayrkpatrickla
New member
There is no such thing and they don't. My then-eight-year-old called him out on that.
Usually, its the other way around in my experiences.
"Moorish Idols are easy to keep, and completely reef safe"
translation: "It hasn't eaten at all since we got it in, so please buy it before it dies on me."
ScienceRulez
New member
my wife fell for the "that baby horseshoe crab will do just fine in a 10 gallon tank"
nmotz
Active member
I've been pretty fortunate with my LFS experiences too. Most of the owners are older and seem to actually care about fish/coral/inverts.
I have seen some pretty bad stigmas against mantis shrimp though. I'm not saying mantis shrimp won't wreak havoc if you just throw one into your reef tank, but in the right application they are really, really cool and beginner friendly too (certain species). Many LFS owners don't know much about mantis shrimp and sell them labeled as the wrong species or whatever and that obviously doesn't enhance the reputation of mantis shrimp when they are sold like that.
I have seen some pretty bad stigmas against mantis shrimp though. I'm not saying mantis shrimp won't wreak havoc if you just throw one into your reef tank, but in the right application they are really, really cool and beginner friendly too (certain species). Many LFS owners don't know much about mantis shrimp and sell them labeled as the wrong species or whatever and that obviously doesn't enhance the reputation of mantis shrimp when they are sold like that.
When I very first started, I was looking into a 10 gallon reef. The LFS sold me:
Tank with basic hood canopy
cheap HOB filter
Blue gravel (not sand, blue aquarium gravel)- he said it'd make the colors pop
the stuff to "instantly cycle" and tap water dechlorinator.
Plastic decor and plants (no rocks)
salt
and a yellow tang with a pair of clowns. all the same day.
he also told me tap water was OK to use. Mix with salt and instant cycle, check salinity then throw the fish in.
Tang died in a few days.
Clowns I had for almost 3 years before I sold the tank to a friend since I was moving out of my parents house.
I remember being excited to show off on the forums.. man the back-lash I got by well meaning people! They were quick to educate me and helped me make the correct adjustments.. and since then I've decided not to listen to LFS and do my own research!
EDIT: This LFS is no longer in business. I wonder why.
Tank with basic hood canopy
cheap HOB filter
Blue gravel (not sand, blue aquarium gravel)- he said it'd make the colors pop
the stuff to "instantly cycle" and tap water dechlorinator.
Plastic decor and plants (no rocks)
salt
and a yellow tang with a pair of clowns. all the same day.
he also told me tap water was OK to use. Mix with salt and instant cycle, check salinity then throw the fish in.
Tang died in a few days.
Clowns I had for almost 3 years before I sold the tank to a friend since I was moving out of my parents house.
I remember being excited to show off on the forums.. man the back-lash I got by well meaning people! They were quick to educate me and helped me make the correct adjustments.. and since then I've decided not to listen to LFS and do my own research!
EDIT: This LFS is no longer in business. I wonder why.
SeaCucumberFan
New member
(a)The weird plastic stuff?
(b)"Bottle of patience" Lol
(c)A kindergartener should know about "natural habitats"
(d) This has happened to me too, foxface, naso, and sailfin in a 25 gallon.
(e)I use tapwater for "refilling"
(f)The people liked it too much
[Good reasons for us all to go light and go nice when somebody comes in straight from the lfs that's advised him--- One is permitted a discreet OMG, but then take a deep breath and talk to the newcomer as gently as you can saying that 5 out of 10 items he has are just not going to work. Not everybody comes here first. And if the first stop has been one of THOSE lfs's, the newcomer needs kind words---I mean, good straight advice can come with it, but kindly. Cushioned. With tea and sympathy.]
Now back to the diet of 'Worst Advice Ever Given a Newbie...' and the lols that go with it---from the perspective of years past.
Now back to the diet of 'Worst Advice Ever Given a Newbie...' and the lols that go with it---from the perspective of years past.
SeaCucumberFan
New member
No cherry on top?
Tanthaitrung
New member
"Don't worry, this salt is the best, just mix with tap water"
