Fish Nazi at LFS

aquarob

aquarob

I give up!
Jan 1, 2006
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So I went to my LFS this past tuesday as I nearly always do (its the day they get new arrivals) and my usual guy isnt there. Some new guy is there. So, oh well, I still have a look around. Then I decided to pickup some more Neon Tetras to replace the 2 I lost a few weeks ago, and 3 Glowlights just because they were on sale and I have room. Also some more plants. Anyway. This is what happened:

New Guy: Hey folks, something I can help you with?
Me: Yes, I need 6 Neon Tetras, and 3 Glowlight Tetras please. I am also going to be getting some plants over there.
NG: What kind of tank do you have?
Me: 55g community tank, medium planted at the moment.
NG: What fish do you have in there?
Me: Community fish. Dont worry, I have schools of both these fish, just adding to them.
NG: Right, but what kind of fish do you have in there besides the tetras?
Me: 4 corydoras, 4 Oto's, and 4 Celebes Rainbows.
NG: Pick something else.
Me: What?...
NG: Tetras dont go with Rainbows, they are semi-agressive.
Me: Umm, no, its cool man. I have had neons in there with them a long time, and I havent seen any aggression. Its cool.
NG: Pick something else, please.
Me: Look man, just bag my fish up, please. I dont want to stand here and debate my fishkeeping with you. Where's Brian? (my usual guy)
NG: Brian is on vacation.
Me: Oh, thats great. Well, just bag my fish up, and I will be on my way.
NG: Fine, but I am not going to warranty them.
Me: Ok chief, your call. Just so you know, John (the owner) is getting a call about this.
NG: About what? Why?
Me: Well, how do I put this without offending you. Ok, how old are you?
NG: 19, why?
Me: Ok, how long have you been keeping fish?
NG: About 3 years. Whats that got to do with how old I am?
Me: Ok. Did you ask me how long I had been keeping fish?
NG: No, i just asked about your tank and what kind of fish you had in it.
Me: Right. So when you did that, did it occur to you that maybe I had been at this awhile? That maybe I did my homework, and knew perfectly well what could and couldnt be kept together?
NG: Whats your point? Tetras cant go with rainbows.
Me: (sigh, deep breath) Yes, they can. And my point is, you dont own this store, you dont even manage this store. You are here to help me, not tell me what fish I should or should not buy. You are not as well informed as you believe yourself to be, nor trained as well as you should be. I have been shopping at this store since it opened in 1999, and ive spent close to $2000 here in the past 4 years. You have no right or reason to tell me what to buy or what not to buy. You also dont have the authority to void the warranty on my fish. (he didnt, as only the owner makes that call, and sadly he wasnt there) In addition to all that, I know **** well what fish are good tankmates and if I am unsure, I do my research before I come in to buy. Now, my advice to you is this: If someone asks for your opinion, offer it. Or, if you just feel compelled to offer your opinion, then ask something along the lines of, "Sir, would you like my opinion on this species?" and if the customer says, "Yes, Mr. LFS helper, please share your wisdom." Then by all means. Otherwise, keep your head down, your mouth shut and do your job. Now bag up my fish, please I need to get going. If you have a problem with my buying these Tetras, by all means, take it up with John next time you see him and be sure and tell him my name. It's Rob by the way.
NG: Ok sir, no need to get upset. Just a second while I grab a container and net, ok?
Me: No problem. Thanks, and I am sorry if that came out harsh, man.

Well that was fun. I was in a bad mood anyway, and I kinda felt bad once I left. I called John the next day and they had talked and he appoligized to me. He offered me a store credit on the amount of my purchase that day and I thought that was nice of him. Never did catch that kid's name though. Just thought I would vent and share that with you guys. Think I was too harsh on him? Think I was spot on? Let me know. Thanks.
 
If you use the term "Nazi" to describe someone then you have no grasp of History.
 
LOL, use the term "nazi" loosely. I am just referencing that particular person's rigidity and closeminded self-righteousness. I am fully aware of the Holocaust and the Third Reich Nazi Party. My wife is Jewish, btw. :OT:

Any posts that are not :troll: like are welcome! :rolleyes:
 
And I do find it amusing in a sad way how so often I hear gripes about LFS' employees being clueless and selling fish to just anyone, then when an employee actually does "the right thing," they're called a Nazi.
 
With all due respect to history, I don't think that there are plenty of uses of the word "nazi" that don't specifically relate to what *real* nazi's did.

The best example that comes to my mind is the Soup Nazi from Seinfeld.

In this way, we use "nazi" to describe somebody who isn't particularly pleasant, or who tries to force their views/opinions/whatever on you.

I think denoting this individual a "fish nazi" is more or less acceptable.

Although I can say that this kid probably thought he was doing the right thing by standing up for his belief that rainbows will harass neons. He was merely standing up for what he thought was the fishes well-being. Even though he was wrong I think it's commendable.

I can imagine that fish store employees get a lot of people buying fish that they probably shouldn't buy... and the fact that this kid actually stands up for the fish makes him admirable, when many knowledgeable LFS employees will sell fish that they know are going to die in short order. (or that don't ask the customer any questions to find out).

I might have handled the situation differently... I would have asked the kid where he got his info from rather than demanding that I am right and he is wrong. I'm sure you could have come to a more amicable resolution without having to get PO'd.


But yeah he was a fish Nazi. I think there are a lot of fish Nazi's on this board!
 
ahhh..now you see why clerks at stores may not or should not offer advice...(earlier thread referring to how IFS don't offer advice).

LOL
 
I think you did the right thing by standing up for yourself, but I do think you were a little harsh. I am actually impressed with the guy for actually telling you something he thought wouldnt go together, normally they just tell you to buy it..."This angel will go GREAT with your pirahna" lol....Case in point...I saw a guy at walmart tell a lady that tiger barbs will not do well in a little double betta hex...i mean the TINY ones that are like less than a half gallon with the divider in the middle. He even told her that they would DIE in there, but then he tells her, " I will sell them to you anyway if you want" and SHE ACTUALLY BOUGHT THEM!! I got mad and told her she might as well take them home and flush them right down the toilet!! :rant2: So, you put him in his place, but you may have deterred him from telling someone they are wrong in the future.
 
Teelie, I agree. I think its important for an LFS to not just be selling fish willy-nilly to just anyone, but they should be CORRECT when they refuse/discourage it. I didnt mind the tank questions so much as him telling me to pick a different fish because he personally didnt agree with my choices. Wether or not I he felt right or wrong about it shouldnt come into the equation when the fact of the matter is, there was nothing wrong with my choice. I wasnt as though I was buying a common pleco for my 6g corner tank or something equally silly.
 
Well I am a big WW II historian, but I won't get in to all of that. I would have told that kid off too. Except I would have used some "not-to-nice" words. If you are just replacing your fish then the kid should just have bagged up your fish not give you the third degree. I had a similar thing happen to me but it was just another shopper. I was looking at caves and decor (there was this really cool sunken ship that I was going to get since I was in the Navy) and this lady comes up to me and says that I have to be careful with what I buy because my fish can get stuck in it and die, and they can get hurt in it. Well I had my mom with me since the husband was at work and of course my mom and to talk to her. She said she had kissing gouramis and mom said I did too but one die. The lady said "where they of the same color?" I said yes and she chewed me out because she said they where both female and you can't have the same gender in together. Now like you I do research on my fish and I could have swore that there are no external features to tell Pink Kissing Gouramis apart from the males and females. I told my mom never to talk to people like that again. My mom said she thought she was interresting, well I told my mom that I think I know a little bit more then she does about my fish. So I didn't get the ship I got a normal looking cave just because I wanted to get out of there.
 
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