shortcut mary

All I can say is Thank Goodness for Susitna's intervention w/me. When we set up the Aquarium, owners of a reputable shop in Southern California, schooled us{ok, I love puns...}in changing the filter. Take out, rinse throughly and place back. When these recent problems arose, Susitna took the time to explain that was so wrong to do...beneficial bacteria etc. We are so lucky we didn't have more problems, much less more serious ones. We have a planted, community tank with rocks. I'm so embarrassed that I didn't know more prior to stocking.
IMO pet stores should hand the Fishlore beginner list. I decided I'd better review the beginner guidelines which is what sparked this diatribe. My husband better watch out...the way I'm going, by this weekend I'll know more about Fish that he does. Much Thanks You Fish Guru's.

Lucy

No need to be embarrassed, Mary. We've all gotten bad advise from fish stores.
A few years ago, we bought my daughter a 10g set up for her birthday. They told us to wait a week to add fish. She picked out some beautiful guppys. They never told us about testing the water or the cycle and all her guppys died. Naturally, she was really sad and never wanted to have fish again.
I wish we had found FishLore then.

Your husband is going to be impressed with you.

COBettaCouple

We started out rinsing our filter media too - on the advice of the "fish expert" at petco.. I wish every store had "Don't listen to us about fish - go to fishlore.com" on front door.

frogster221

not all of the petstores are bad one that i went to told me exactly the same thing as very one here has said they even offered to test my water every week until i could get my own test kit. they also gave me a large amount of biospra free because my tankwasnt cycling quickly.

COBettaCouple

There are some good local stores.. unfortunately, for each one of them there seems to be 99 bad stores.

zeebo

There was a store that told me my tropical fishes don't require a heater. Fortunately, I understood what TROPICAL means.

Butterfly

Good for you!!!
Carol

COBettaCouple

At least they didn't tell you that the fish don't require water.

Barbrella

Sad, but true. In all my years I met only one employee who seemed to know something. She even questioned me when I went to buy some harlequins - wanted to know how big my tank was, how many fish I already had and didn't want to sell me only 2 fish since she said they need a school. ( I already had 5 others) I wanted to hug her!!

COBettaCouple

What a great employee! I'd be glad to give business to a store with someone like that working there.

primerowan

I guess I've been lucky - the LFS I go to has been great. The employees there have flat out refused to sell me fish based on my tank parameters and experience with aquariums - which I appreciate! They are also huge proponents of ensuring that schooling/shoaling fish are sold in large enough groups and that kind of thing. This place is a bit of a hike from where I live - but so far its been totally worth it.

COBettaCouple

True. Those places deserve to be supported and I'd like to find a LFS that I'm happy with here in Denver that's as good as your store.

zeebo

Thanks Butterfly.

hehehe

Narcicius

I like the store around here to. I go to two in particular. one has way to many employees,(each with a specialty) and the other always has a different stock available.

Annabelle

I have a great store near my place. One of the owners (she also works in the store most days) is one of those great animal lovers who asks you as many questions as she needs to feel comfortable with selling you the creature (providing your answers are the right ones). She keeps (or has kept) most of what she sells so she has some great experience behind her. The shop also recently put out a booklet about setting up, and cycling a new fish tank and about how to stagger the stocking process and how to introduce the fish after you buy them. They sell it for $2 and include it in all thier aquarium "just add fish" deals. I give all the buisness I can to them as opposed the the larger store which has more variety. I think people who run pet stores should have strict guidelines put on them to make sure they care and can (and will) give the right advice.
I cant even go into the larger store anymore cause it makes me upset and I just want to buy every animal in the store to protect them.

COBettaCouple

Sounds like a great store! Definitely worth giving business to.

goggles

yeah i know what you mean about them giving wrong advice. one shop(i used to go to) told me that it would be fine to put the male betta i bought in the community tank. since reading here i have found that they will do much better alone ,so i have moved him to his own 28 liter tank and he is much happier.