I know everyone bashes the employees for not knowing their stuff, but I'm here to complain about most of their fish customers. Today I went in to buy some mysis shrimp, and decided to look around. While I was looking at the fake plants, a couple of men had a 15 gallon and were looking for decorations. I asked them "if you don't mind me asking, what do you want to put in there?" They told me they had 3 oscars in a 50ish gallon tank, and one was smaller and couldn't get any food, so they were going to put the smaller one in the 15 gallon as a grow out tank. I told them that one Oscar requires at least 55 gallons, let alone 3, they just told me they were still small. I just smiled and walked away before I tried to educate them. So my question is, how do you tell someone they are doing something wrong in such a situation without looking like the crazy fish person? It's a different story when your an employee and your the one getting the fish to advise against something. My boyfriend works at Walmart and he keeps so many people from buying an Oscar and a goldfish for a 15-20 gallon tank... I honestly don't know what to do if I'm in a customer position.
People at petsmart.
- Thread starter Manafel
- Start date
Try finding one of those pictures of a huge oscar, maybe with a hand for a size reference, and keep it on your phone. That way you can always say "Oh wow, oscars! They get HUGE! Take a look....I wouldn't recommend putting one in less than 55 gallons."
sometimes you just can't win. Some people are stupid because they willfully ignore good advice, if they've already got three and are looking at the failure of their established system in that mindset then I'd say the battle is already lost. I just tell those people that there is a great forum out there with tons of advice and friendly people and write down www.aquariacentral.com on a piece of paper and walk away.
From my very brief experience working as an employee of a "mom and pop" fish shop, there are times where it isn't worth getting up in arms because, as mentioned, you wont win. Offer your advice but don't shove info down their throat because sometimes it wont change a thing and you might unintentionally **** them off, which makes it less likely they will believe you. At first I worked with the mindset that I would try to educate everyone, but after a while I got better at reading people and recognizing that, no matter what I said, the customer would still insist on purchasing the absolute wrong fish.
It sucks, but oftentimes these are the same people who will walk through the door a week later saying that their tank is a disaster zone. You just have to hope that this is the time they learn from their experience and take your advice. As another customer, you probably face a bigger battle as you aren't exactly in a position where people would take you seriously, as compared to an actual employee. I think suggesting the forum is a great idea.
It sucks, but oftentimes these are the same people who will walk through the door a week later saying that their tank is a disaster zone. You just have to hope that this is the time they learn from their experience and take your advice. As another customer, you probably face a bigger battle as you aren't exactly in a position where people would take you seriously, as compared to an actual employee. I think suggesting the forum is a great idea.
The harsh reality for me is many people wont listen to a 16 year old kid (happy b day me!). But ocasionally I really open the eyes of someone looking at the hobby. But I have learned to walk away. Such as yesterday I was at meijer and there was someone who said, "hey honey, we should get a goldfish to put in that bowl" and I just walked away to go find brownie mix. But since I am planning to get a job at petco I do need to learn how to talk to people like that. I plan on finding a good combo of items to get someone started with some fish that they like but are pretty basic and easy to care for. Petco has a nice care sheet system, so I plan on using that to my advantage and possibly seeing if I can get a general how to care for fish one (probably using the items I recommend) approved. Otherwise, I will try to sell them a 2.5g tank or "pet carrier" with a small internal filter to care for a betta.
Happy Belated, nerdy. Don't you need to be 18 to work at a pet store? (thats what I heard least year when I tried to get in at 17)
It's very annoying when you get a family with kids. The kids want 5 goldfish, 3 of those "pretty blue fish" (aka, blue cichlids), and a school of glowfish. Even worse when the employee just gets the fish and bags them. If I get fired or quit my job at the grocery store, petco is next in line on the slim chance I can get a few people to buy the proper fish for their tanks...
It's very annoying when you get a family with kids. The kids want 5 goldfish, 3 of those "pretty blue fish" (aka, blue cichlids), and a school of glowfish. Even worse when the employee just gets the fish and bags them. If I get fired or quit my job at the grocery store, petco is next in line on the slim chance I can get a few people to buy the proper fish for their tanks...
if anything is going to change, whatever the large pet chain, the change has to start at the top, regular employees won't make that much of a difference.
I would be more inclined to listen to an employee than a random stranger in a store that was offering unwanted advice, I'm not sure that anyone is able to comment on how I keep my fish, unless they know each and every relevant detail. I might keep a number of oscars in a 20g tank, for example, but depending on their size it might not necessarily be a bad thing. I don't think it's realistic for people to be told that they should keep juvenile fish in a tank that would be necessary for them in their adult years. You might want to, but that doesn't make it wrong for someone to not do as you would do.
This sort of thing has been addressed in the past, by numerous folks, as an example from AC, have a look at :-
http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?84241-I-need-help-really-lots-of-it
and
http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?96360-Accuracy-In-Information-PETCO
to see a better way to voice your concerns.
I would be more inclined to listen to an employee than a random stranger in a store that was offering unwanted advice, I'm not sure that anyone is able to comment on how I keep my fish, unless they know each and every relevant detail. I might keep a number of oscars in a 20g tank, for example, but depending on their size it might not necessarily be a bad thing. I don't think it's realistic for people to be told that they should keep juvenile fish in a tank that would be necessary for them in their adult years. You might want to, but that doesn't make it wrong for someone to not do as you would do.
This sort of thing has been addressed in the past, by numerous folks, as an example from AC, have a look at :-
http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?84241-I-need-help-really-lots-of-it
and
http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?96360-Accuracy-In-Information-PETCO
to see a better way to voice your concerns.
Regular employees are really the only ones who can make a difference in the day to day operation of the store - while some fish are completely unsuitable (iridescent sharks and pacus come immediately to mind) most fish that Petsmart sells can be housed by ordinary aquarists, as long as they have the resources and the knowledge of how to do so. The more experienced and knowledgeable the employees, the better advice they'll have to offer - which is one reason people go to mom and pop stores in the first place. Places that have discus and corals (unlike Petsmart) are probably run by people who know what they are doing.
Few people see the handful of choice fish they want and build their aquariums around those fish. They usually have the aquarium already, and now they want to cram the fish they like into it. Chances are they like a lot of fish...which is why so many people end up keeping multiple aquariums. The alternative is the jammed community tank, which many people have.
I can't really think of any situation except for growing out fry, where it would be ok to have multiple oscars in a 20 gallon tank. Well fed oscars with ample water changes grow extremely quickly and will stunt in no time in such a tank. Oscars aren't exactly easy fish to unload either, being as common as convicts. If the plan is to keep them long term, one can only devote so many 4' tanks to oscars.
One issue here is that few people are actually completely oblivious to the fact that their tanks are grossly overstocked. Stocked with incompatible species is another issue, however unless they truly believe in the "fish only grows to the size of its tank" BS (and I know there are people who honestly do) they generally have an inkling that they are overstocked, and don't want anyone mentioning it. "The tank is way overfiltered" or, "it's only temporary" is often times put out there to hopefully shield themselves from criticism.
So when you tell someone what they're doing wrong, I'd say chances are they already sort of know and it's up to them to choose what's right. You can say something, but don't expect it to be well received.
For example, feeding oscars goldfish. Probably reason #2 for oscars being so often sickly after the #1 reason (being kept in too small of a tank). How many of the sorts of people who do this, are going to stop after you tell them all the reason why they should? Thiaminase, parasites, HLLE, poor nutrition...are likely to go in one ear and out the other.
Few people see the handful of choice fish they want and build their aquariums around those fish. They usually have the aquarium already, and now they want to cram the fish they like into it. Chances are they like a lot of fish...which is why so many people end up keeping multiple aquariums. The alternative is the jammed community tank, which many people have.
I can't really think of any situation except for growing out fry, where it would be ok to have multiple oscars in a 20 gallon tank. Well fed oscars with ample water changes grow extremely quickly and will stunt in no time in such a tank. Oscars aren't exactly easy fish to unload either, being as common as convicts. If the plan is to keep them long term, one can only devote so many 4' tanks to oscars.
One issue here is that few people are actually completely oblivious to the fact that their tanks are grossly overstocked. Stocked with incompatible species is another issue, however unless they truly believe in the "fish only grows to the size of its tank" BS (and I know there are people who honestly do) they generally have an inkling that they are overstocked, and don't want anyone mentioning it. "The tank is way overfiltered" or, "it's only temporary" is often times put out there to hopefully shield themselves from criticism.
So when you tell someone what they're doing wrong, I'd say chances are they already sort of know and it's up to them to choose what's right. You can say something, but don't expect it to be well received.
For example, feeding oscars goldfish. Probably reason #2 for oscars being so often sickly after the #1 reason (being kept in too small of a tank). How many of the sorts of people who do this, are going to stop after you tell them all the reason why they should? Thiaminase, parasites, HLLE, poor nutrition...are likely to go in one ear and out the other.
