The Puffer Forum

Pets make terrible gifts!

RTR wrote:Expecting the staff of any LFS to actually know the requirements the fish they carry and sell is unrealistic. They are not trained or paid anywhere nearly for that, nor realistically can they take the time to explain to the customers - those few who care.

Anyone getting any pet has the responsibility to learn the needs of the animal they want to keep before they buy it. The Web makes that far easier than it used to be.

I think ultimately the problem is with the customer. If most customers don't know anything, then it is not cost effective for store owner to train.

If I were Judge Judy for a day I would make it a law that anyone who want to keep fish must take a class, pass a test and become re-certified every couple of years.

That would make impulse buys and "gifts" nonexistent.

Left with only knowledgeable customers, LFSs would be forced to train their employees to match customer knowledge.

If only customers like RTR shopped at fish stores, those stores would be immaculate, with accurate information about each fish and would only sell products that are not junk. If they didn't he wouldn't shop there.


If we don't like that restaurant, we don't go their anymore. When enough people don't like that restaurant it shuts down.

The problem is that not enough people dislike their fish store, because they are not educated to do so.

My LFS said they'd never hire me, because I'd tell everyone they're too stupid to keep fish.

Pufferpunk wrote:My LFS said they'd never hire me, because I'd tell everyone they're too stupid to keep fish.

Don't you just wish sometimes after reading someone's "help me" post, and everything they say is just sooo wrong...that you could say, "Ok, here's what you do. Get your fish net. Fill a bucket with tank water. Use the net to get the fish out of the tank. Put on your jacket and shoes. Take the bucket to your car. Get in your car and drive the bucket to your fish store. Give them the fish. Drive back home. Clean your tank. Then sell your tank and filters on Craigslist.

Yep!

Here is a picture of said puffer, not sure if it is a burrfish or porc. The lfs owner is telling me he hasn't had one in months

The lfs owner is also glad to hear his employees recommend a 200g for an mbu. Like I told the owner ultimately in the end it is up to the customer to do their own research.

PP AND PC, if you 2 owned a let's say a petshop together then you 2 be bankrupt....LOL!! No one would ever beable to buy pets from you all because, yes most people that buy from a LFS or a chain of petshops don't know much about what they are buying.

Common name is the bigeye puffer. I forget the scientific name--something to do with the eyes.

Any info on the bigeye puffer PP? I can't find it in the pedia

FADE2BLACK_1973 wrote:PP AND PC, if you 2 owned a let's say a petshop together then you 2 be bankrupt....LOL!! No one would ever beable to buy pets from you all because, yes most people that buy from a LFS or a chain of petshops don't know much about what they are buying.

Oh please, with pufferpunk's knowledge and commitment and my evil tendencies we would rule the world by 2012 just as the Mayans predicted!

purplecandle wrote:

FADE2BLACK_1973 wrote:PP AND PC, if you 2 owned a let's say a petshop together then you 2 be bankrupt....LOL!! No one would ever beable to buy pets from you all because, yes most people that buy from a LFS or a chain of petshops don't know much about what they are buying.

Oh please, with pufferpunk's knowledge and commitment and my evil tendencies we would rule the world by 2012 just as the Mayans predicted!

Hahaha! Yeah I know, an evil duo. Full of knowledge, sensitivity, and attitude......lol. I have not been here that long but already have you 2 figured out...lol. Btw, so who is Pinky and who is the Brain?

I found a great LFS near me. They actually take care of the fish and give out accurate info! They had GSPs and F8s in a brackish tank! Only one was stressed out, too - it was fabulous. I applied for a job.

I hope you get it!

LOL! I would not consider owning/running a pet store - I would go bankrupt quickly, for the same reasons as PP. But I do consult with and for my LFS. Only very special customers however.

That store BTW is unbelievably overcrowded (dry goods, not fish), and far from neat and clean, but it is not a bad store.

Best of luck, LilGreenPuffer!! =)