Questionable Critter

[jslomo420]

I like the selection at the aquatic critter and its very close to my house but they have once again disappointed me. I was in there today and on the back row of saltwater tanks they had "anemone rocks" for sale for $10.99 a lb. It was a rock covered in aptasia!! They jacked up the price to sell rock with a pest on it! I mean, bad advice is one thing but charging more to sell someone a pest is insane. especially when you see the price they charge for all they aptasia control they sell that doesn't work. I know, "It's just business" but some ethics would be nice. All they need to do is put those rocks in the tank with the peppermint shrimp for a while and they still have a good clean tank friendly piece of rock to sell.

 

[ct_vol]

That is pretty bad...

 

[eyebedam]

Ive seen that before there also. Its been a couple months ago but I saw three good sized rocks labeled the same way. There was someone asking about 1 of the rocks wondering if they had enough light to keep the anemone rocks. I waited till the person that was helping them left & quietly told them they didnt want that in there tank. They are there to make a profit though so I guess buisness is buisness. If you lok at it from there point it will be a repeat customer for some Joes Juice.

 

[KeepOnReefin]

Re: Questionable Critter

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8956952#post8956952 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jslomo420
I like the selection at the aquatic critter and its very close to my house but they have once again disappointed me.

Business is business.. bull shi is bull shi.. and saying that karma is karma...I sure hope the person who was selling the "anemone rock" pre cautioned.... Time after time I get disapointed at that place... It has come to, each visit I walk out somewhat disappointed. Either seeing some kid walk out with 4-4.5 gallons of water after paying for 5. Or telling some beginner any information to make a sale. Watching a guy walk out with a box full of tangs to put in a small tank. The first couple times I went in there with them not knowing anything about me. I gave them the impression that I did not know anything. And man.. did I catch them in some crap. The other day they were going to let someone walk out with seahorses and put them in the tank that they were going to set up when they got home.. I had to put a stop to that....
Also, I have been wanting to breed seahorses. I asked them what species they were selling. They told me kuda's.. They really did not look like kudas to me. I called them the next 2 days and each time they told me something different. Even after they said they checked their invoice.. and you know they wouldnt tell me their supplier.

 

[ocd_mariner]

Well. Tell them you want an angel to put in your sps reef. The lights flash. Alarms sound. A swat team comes pouring out of a secret door in the food freezer. I think I was actually tazed 3 times.

Dunno about the other stuff, but I know they don't like to hear the angel in a reef bit , so not all the info they give out is totally bogus.

 

[SRT80]

I've never had any bad experiences at AC. I always seem to get good advise and help. I was interested in the sea horses awhile back and I won't go into the full detail, the worker explained to me the care and feeding process. He didn't try to push them on me saying yea, they are easy to care for or anything like. But, I did see the anemone rock for $10.99 a lbs. Speaking of aiptasia. I have 3 peppermint shrimp in my tank. Acclimated them for 2 hours, and they are still alive! In the past they never made it over night (but I didn't acclimate them long). One has already molted too since being in the tank. All 3 stay together in one cave. But, they have been in the tank for 3 days now and none of them have touched the aips...:mad2:

Steve

 

[fishdoc11]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8958150#post8958150 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by SRT80
I've never had any bad experiences at AC. I always seem to get good advise and help. I was interested in the sea horses awhile back and I won't go into the full detail, the worker explained to me the care and feeding process. He didn't try to push them on me saying yea, they are easy to care for or anything like. But, I did see the anemone rock for $10.99 a lbs. Speaking of aiptasia. I have 3 peppermint shrimp in my tank. Acclimated them for 2 hours, and they are still alive! In the past they never made it over night (but I didn't acclimate them long). One has already molted too since being in the tank. All 3 stay together in one cave. But, they have been in the tank for 3 days now and none of them have touched the aips...:mad2:

Steve

Be patient Steve...they probably have just barely figured out where they are are

FWIW unfortunately the "anemone rock" thing has been going on for years and years at lots of LFS's. The Critter was probably shipped the rock labeled as that. I do agree that cutting their losses would be the better thing to do for their customers....just another example of buyer beware. Not a good idea to put ANYTHING in a reef tank if you haven't researched it first. Luckily we have forums like RC to make that easier now

Chris

 

[KeepOnReefin]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8958374#post8958374 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by fishdoc11
) ....just another example of buyer beware. Not a good idea to put ANYTHING in a reef tank if you haven't researched it first. Luckily we have forums like RC to make that easier now

Chris

Well said Chris..

 

[doodoobrown]

i guess if you have a picky butterfly that eats aptasia it would be a good rock. (looking for a positive here).

 

[DMBillies]

doodoobrown... it may be thin, but it seems possible that you are along the right lines for why they might sell something like that.

We might also allow for a little personal taste here... I mean, some people must like Busch or the grocery store wouldn't carry it (no offense to Busch drinkers, but I can't stomach the stuff...)

Also, I think a lot of the fish stores understand that giving bad advice often gets people frustrated with the hobby and causes them to drop out... in which case they're out a customer. The reason the Critter and other LFS's support reef clubs is because they want people interested in and learning about the hobby (otherwise they would just look at us as competition). We get and keep people interested and learning... that brings them business. I'm certain there are cases where people working in the stores are trying to sell things. I'm also sure there are cases where the workers don't know as much as many of us (and may not even realize they're giving bad advice).

SRT80... nice to hear that the pepps have made it a few days. Mine that have died (before acclimating right) always checked out after less than a day. Be patient with them and I'm sure they'll do your dirty work.

 

[Sir Knight]

If you have nudi that eat them and you are trying to spawn/raise them, the rock with aptasia maybe a God Send.

I know pushing it :hammer:

Joe

 

[Angela Short]

My freind had a FOWLR and actually liked the aptasias. GAve her something to look at besides rock she said. I guess to each is own and someone totally new thinks anything like that is cool. She had stock NO lights and they grew like weeds!

 

[jslomo420]

Without the critter I may have never gotten into this hobby and for that I thank them. Also, it's great to have a place so close when I'm in a tight spot (that;s why I was in there yesterday b/c I did an involuntary water change after some plumbing problems) and Like I said beore I realize "business is business" But I wish they would be more responsible, at least I haven't seen any cleaner wrasses for sale in there lately that was another thing that always rubbed me the wrong way about them.

 

[greystreet41]

I was there yesterday for the first time in several weeks and didn't catch that. My "benefit of the doubt" side says that maybe they (the person that put it out and labeled it) does not know what aiptasia is. I know that's a stretch. I know from many experiences with AC that corals and fish are often grossly mislabeled. They label by their stocklist/shipping list from the vendor. This has resulted in some items being underpriced as well as occasionally overpriced. (ie, calling rhodactis a ricordea or in reverse). All in all, fishdoc summed it up. Buyer beware with anything, not just the reef trade. Information is power. We all need that experience of buying a non-reef safe fish into a reef tank because "they told me it would be fine." I wouldn't go buy a new car, ipod, computer, etc. without knowing as much or likely more than the person commissioned to sell it. Perspective is important. I look at a place like AC and can't imagine the knowledge required to know everything about the different live animals they sell. But yes, I am being an AC apologist. Happy reefing!!!
casey

 

[Fanof49ASU]

I can't imagine that they would intentionally try and deceive their customers. They are big MTRC supporters, and wouldn't do anything to damage that relationship.

The Critter helped me into this hobby and has always given me good advice.
(I have certain ones that field my questions.....I won't trust everyone's advice/opinions.)

 

[jslomo420]

I wasn't trying to pile on the critter. My tank is quickly approaching its 4th birthday and the Aquatic critter has been a Huge part of keeping it together. I have received invaluable advice from them at times and may never have gotten this far without them. My main point was one of responsible business. I know they rely on repeat business, but "sabotaging" a tank so someone comes back to spend money to fix the problem that could have been avoided seems abit overboard. My aim is not to see a picket line in front of the critter but to hopefully bring it to the attention of the "powers that be." Bottom line is- They are selling something they know to be a pest as something ornamental-if they didn't know it was a pest they wouldn't also be selling joe's juice and peppermint shrimp as "fixes" for aptasia-and lastly if they don't know what aptasia is they should not be running a fish store. I hope they change there policies so that I can feel better about spending my money there but I'm not against driving to Bellvue or Franklin if that is what it comes to.

 

[c_stowers]

I agree with what Angela said. My parents have a FOWLR and they love aptasia. They ask me to bring them to them when I find them in my reef. I have seen the same thing at other LFS's in Nashville and out of state. IMO they are doing nothing wrong. As Fishdoc11 mentioned, you should research everything that goes into your tank. AC is a good store that offers good advice if you speak to the correct employees. They are also very supportive of our club and hobbyist in general. I doubt that they would sell those rocks to anyone knowing that they were attempting a reef setup.

 

[phudeb]

DMBillies - have you tried Buschlight? Not too bad.

 

[Fanof49ASU]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8963819#post8963819 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by c_stowers
I doubt that they would sell those rocks to anyone knowing that they were attempting a reef setup.

OK, I just talked with a few employees from the Critter about that rock. They informed me that aiptasia is in fact an 'anemone', and some people enjoy having it in their aquarium.
One employee said that someone not long ago was curious about those anemone rocks, and she informed them that some people consider them a pests, and that it grows very quickly.

I truly believe that if you went in there and told them you were looking for an anemone, that they would steer you away from these.

 

[DMBillies]

Phu- I never had Busch Light, but instead of using Busch in my analogy perhaps I should have used Schlitz... I just wasn't sure if everyone would get the reference.

...my personal dirt cheap beer of choice would have to be Schaeffer. At $10 a thirty pack it was really good on a college student budget