The useless junk they try to sell you

[Dwarf Puffers]

This thread is for all of that useless junk they try to sell newbs and uninformed fishkeepers that will, at best, do nothing at all. I'll start with a good one.

Cycle:
Marketed as something that will instantly cycle your tank. The truth is, this is isn't a bottle of helpful bacteria; It's a bottle of useless, dead bacteria. If you want a nearly instant cycle, Biospira, if refrigerated, will do the job (just remember to follow the directions). The best, most likely to succeed route would be to just get some established substrate or media from your LFS or a friend with a cycled tank.

 

[Adroit]

A lady at Petsmart tried to sell me that in order to decrease my pH.

 

[SchizotypalVamp]

Chemicals to change your PH
Test strips

 

[KarlTh]

Aquarium salt. Sold on the basis of mystique (has "aquarium" in the name, must be special) and myth ("iodine/anti caking agents/whatever in table salt will kill your fish").

 

[Sarge_857]

heh, i agree totally Dwarf puffers! those products are worthless, i just do the old fashion food trick for cycling my tanks! or use gravel/media from another tank.

 

[Dwarf Puffers]

KarlTH, although aquarium salt is indeed useless when it comes to all the "super magical mericale product" junk, it can be used for things like ridding fish of parasites (ich, etc).

 

[KarlTh]

KarlTH, although aquarium salt is indeed useless when it comes to all the "super magical mericale product" junk, it can be used for things like ridding fish of parasites (ich, etc).

It can, but table salt does just as well, hence the myth element - that table salt contains toxins which will harm the fish.

 

[DAVIDFBT]

Weekend Vacation Feeder Blocks: These white blocks are marketed to feed your fish on a 3 day vacation even thoughthey cloud up your water and throw off your ph. A healthy adult fish can easily survive a weekend without food. I've even heard stories of fish not getting food for 2 weeks, yet they end up healthy when they get a full stomch again.

 

[Dwarf Puffers]

Good one, David Think I'll add...

Automatic feeders. They do work, but have a lot of cons to them. They are also prone to malfunctions, or so I've read.

 

[cam191919]

not about fish but has anyone seen the hermit crab section at petsmart. toys, treats, swimming pools? im sure theyd just like a water dish, some sand, a cocohut and a fish to eat.