soo... I was picking up some pizza for my hungry wife, when I decided to pop-in the nearby LSF (Petcetera) and see if they had any good food options for my skippers...
I usually try and avoid the tanks there, they never really look healthy, but I couldn't help but browse and fantasize about rescuing one or two...
I noticed that a lot of the tanks were empty, and I figured they must be expecting a big new order and are making room or renovating or something, then I looked closer and I noticed about a dozen dead fish, something I've learned to tolerate in my favorite under-staffed local-owned store (not in that number, but occasional casualties), but in an LSF with a fleet of minimum wage teenagers, you think they'd at least try and hide the casualties.
I noticed a cute little plecostamus with no price-tag, so I asked for "someone from fish" to help me, and this red-eyed, nervous-looking guy comes up and says "They're $5.99, but I won't sell you any fish right now."
"No fish?" I ask surprised. "Why not?"
he replied "Because they're all going to die. Every last one of them."
"WHAT?!"
"One of the 'new guys' ran out of water declorinator/treatment and instead of telling anybody, just filled all the tanks up with tap water. We didn't catch on for over 8 hours."
"Does he still work here?" I ask (not knowing what else to say, a little shocked),
"He doesn't know it yet, but not anymore."
===
So, I was really sad for the hundreds of fish casualties of ignorance and stupidity, but then I started thinking that maybe this is just a symptom of the corporate big-box pet store. This kind of thing likely happens all the time, and it wouldn't affect their bottom-line very much.
In their defense, many of the staff looked visibly very upset, and one girl was crying a little, but still, this is what happens when you hire any joe-blow who'll work for next-to-nothing and put the lives of animals in their hands.
I almost bought the plecostamus anyways, even though the guy said 'no warranty' (a policy I don't see in pet stores I respect anyways), I was still considering an attempt to save at least one, but the damage must've been too great. As I was deliberating, I saw dozens of fish begin to half-float/stop-swimming and I just had to get out of there.
===
Am I still in shock? Or is this something people need to realize when they support LSF? I do know one LSF (accross the street from another I don't like) where the fish staff are very knowledgeable, helpful, and caring, but my experience with the corpratization of any industry tends to be way more negative then positive.
I usually try and avoid the tanks there, they never really look healthy, but I couldn't help but browse and fantasize about rescuing one or two...
I noticed that a lot of the tanks were empty, and I figured they must be expecting a big new order and are making room or renovating or something, then I looked closer and I noticed about a dozen dead fish, something I've learned to tolerate in my favorite under-staffed local-owned store (not in that number, but occasional casualties), but in an LSF with a fleet of minimum wage teenagers, you think they'd at least try and hide the casualties.
I noticed a cute little plecostamus with no price-tag, so I asked for "someone from fish" to help me, and this red-eyed, nervous-looking guy comes up and says "They're $5.99, but I won't sell you any fish right now."
"No fish?" I ask surprised. "Why not?"
he replied "Because they're all going to die. Every last one of them."
"WHAT?!"
"One of the 'new guys' ran out of water declorinator/treatment and instead of telling anybody, just filled all the tanks up with tap water. We didn't catch on for over 8 hours."
"Does he still work here?" I ask (not knowing what else to say, a little shocked),
"He doesn't know it yet, but not anymore."
===
So, I was really sad for the hundreds of fish casualties of ignorance and stupidity, but then I started thinking that maybe this is just a symptom of the corporate big-box pet store. This kind of thing likely happens all the time, and it wouldn't affect their bottom-line very much.
In their defense, many of the staff looked visibly very upset, and one girl was crying a little, but still, this is what happens when you hire any joe-blow who'll work for next-to-nothing and put the lives of animals in their hands.
I almost bought the plecostamus anyways, even though the guy said 'no warranty' (a policy I don't see in pet stores I respect anyways), I was still considering an attempt to save at least one, but the damage must've been too great. As I was deliberating, I saw dozens of fish begin to half-float/stop-swimming and I just had to get out of there.
===
Am I still in shock? Or is this something people need to realize when they support LSF? I do know one LSF (accross the street from another I don't like) where the fish staff are very knowledgeable, helpful, and caring, but my experience with the corpratization of any industry tends to be way more negative then positive.
opcorn:
