Buying new fish

Hi
I was wondering what are peoples views on purchasing new fish?
is it up to the shop to tell the customer that say "its not advised to put oscars in a 2ft tank with neons/ discus with tinfoil barbs" etc. or the customer to know????
every wkd we have countless first time customers who feel "stupid" as we ask why do you, to this sort of situation, they then look puzzled and reply we were not told ???
looking forward to responses!!!!

Since the aquarium trade is not legislated in Ireland you will always get some LFSs that are out for a quick buck. However, some blame surely has to be put on the customer as well. After all you are buying live animals and when it comes down to it, in the end you are responsible for them. Anybody who starts in the hobby and does not at least do some research into it should not have a tank in the first place

This opens up the old can of worms. On one side the customer should be researching what they intend to buy to ensure that the fish will fit into their tank in 6 months time, be compatibile in terms of other fish, PH, Temp etc etc.

On the other side we don't always know what we are going to buy. Yes, us fishkeepers can be impulse buyers too. You go into the LFS and see some nice interesting fish and think 'they would be nice in my tank...'. Here you have 2 options - go home and do the research or ask the LFS about the fish, it's compatability to your current setup and such. Now we are at the mercy of the LFS and it's employees. The knowledge varies. You can have everything from excellant and helpful to lies to a question on 'Can I put an Oscar into my 2 foot tank with X,y,z..' I tend to find that the 'lies' are more from people who don't know the answer but are not willing to day 'I don't know'. If people got that answer they would walk away and do the research. The new comers to the hobby are most at risk here as those of us doing this for a while should understand our own setups and have a good idea of what is on or not. We know the questions to ask....

I've has excellant advice over time from - yes lovely fish, but won't take your setup due to a, b, c... which I respect. The LFS is telling me that they are not just out to make money to - yes you can keep an arowna with Discus - specifically asked due to the fact that they were in the same tank in the LFS....

The LFS who provides the bad advice is shooting themselves in the foot anyway. The repeat business will suffer due to customers having dead/sick fish..

Monty

I always ask..
1 what other fish have you got?
2 What size is your tank?
3 What substrate have you got, if any?
4 have you got proper filthration and is the tank heated?
5 what is your ph?

good on you. but a lot of newcomers wouldn't know any of these or you get answers like 'oh the pretty one with the red stripe'. People like that shouldn't have aquariums..

Some are willing to learn and if I have time I will try to explain as much as possible in as little time as possible.
Some just don`t want to learn and some just keep telling you they heard different even though all their fish are dying. :roll:

great topic its a touch and one some lfs don't give a damn what u buy where your going to put it once you have the green stuff in my local lfs in brittas they handle these situations excellent i have often overheard them telling a newbie what there setup temp ph etc should be and to check and come back to purchase the fish or will suggest something that will suit that tank and i'd say 9 times outta 10 the person leaves the shop a happy customer with valuable information that cost nothing and a fish that they can enjoy for more than a week or 2......just my 2 pence worth and i'm sure there is plently of lfs that are just as helpful

Hi Anthony,
I know the type. generally showing a hairy chest with a thick gold chain uns more cheapo rings on both hands...
Back before I had kids and more space to breed fish, I used to sell my surplus fish. Angels, apistos, some tetras, discus. These types walk in and try to tell you how to keep your fish. I had to restrain myself every time but sometimes you just have to let it rip. Some guy started keeping (that should actually read killing) fish 6 month ago. I bred the fish he wanted to buy. Obviously I was doing something right. I got my first tank when I was about 4, I'm 37 now. You do the maths who's got more experience

Holger

I think there is a responsibility on the purchaser to know what they are doing or at least to ask for advice, however their is equally a responibility on the shop to establish that the customer is able to keep the stock they are buying. People who say we have a "nice one with a red stripe" clearly know nothing about their existing fish and probably even less about what they are buying! In those circumstances I think the LFS should recomend a book, but if the customer wants to go ahead anyway, well fair enough the seller has done what they can let buyer beware. To ensure return custom and to avoid people giving up after initial disasters it is a trickly balance for the supplier to ensure the customer is competent to keep the fish they propose buying without making them feel stupid and blinding them with science of PH, Nitrite, Nitrate etc etc., it all depends on how it is handled and what the customer is prepared to listen too. With some customers there is nothing you can do, they have ideas before entering the shop and nothing you say will change their minds about keeping X with Y etc. Only so much can be done for people who have no willingness to learn about their pets. You can only try.


Daragh