Funny I managed to disappoint a teenage boy and upset an adult at work today

I wasn't sure where to put this as it's not a question just sharing a story really. Anyway:

Some of you may know I work at a chain petstore.

Today at work 3 young preteen boys came in and one of them wanted to buy a goldfish and put it in a bowl. I told him No you can't do that. (It is against policy to tell a customer they "can't" do something or to refuse to sell things that shouldn't go together, but whatever). They get 12 inches long. I explained how the fish would be miserable and have stunted growth and die slowly and painfully. I told him it would be a jerk move. His friend said that's what I told him! LOL He asked what he could keep in a bowl. I told him technically you can keep a betta in a big bowl but I have young sons and I know you won't do the required work it would take to keep a betta healthy even in a big bowl. I showed him he could get a 3.5 gal tank that comes with a filter for pretty cheep and he'd be much better off; easier for him, happier fish. After adding all the costs he decided not to get any fish right now. I was glad as he really wasn't ready for this level of responsibility. Even his two friends with him were happy he didn't get any fish. Maybe he'll come around again when he's had time to think on it and read up on fish care.

Later on, same day, A man and his family wanted to get some fish for their "big bowl". I was off work at this point but still had my work shirt on. I told him I don't think anything should be in a bowl. But if you have to use the bowl then a betta is the only option. I said if he were willing to spend a little bit more he could get a tank that would open his options way up. He said they had rosy red minnows in that bowl for a year until they started dieing one by one. They were not willing to upgrade and they didn't want a betta. I told him well that's just my opinion. And he said ok thanks and they went back to the fish wall. I'm not sure if/what they ended up buying.

Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose. I've had plenty of encounters where the customer actually heard what I was saying and went for what was best for the fish(bigger tank or more appropriate tank mates, etc.) and that always makes me happy. Something I found interesting about these two encounters was that the immature boy was more open to the idea of what's best for the fish than the father of the family was.

Okay, rant over, carry on

 

I just want to say, please don't recommend bettas for bowls. Even if your not really recommending it, bettas are VERY miserable in bowls. I saw a betta in a bowl, and it was so sad, missing scales, un active, just plain sad.

I think its cool that you try to help fish like that, though.

 

! This is why some of the best places to work at are the LFS. Some LFS are really good and care about there fish! WIth some LFS they care more about the fish than the customer(of course not much of a difference but Fish first!) and they tell employees that they are able to educate the customer and deny them if they want a fish but they don't have an appropriate home(ex goldfish in a 5 gallon tank). With big chain pet stores like Petco or Petsmart your suppose to put customers first and if they complain about you to your manager your manager might give you a warning.

 

I just want to say, please don't recommend bettas for bowls. Even if your not really recommending it, bettas are VERY miserable in bowls. I saw a betta in a bowl, and it was so sad, missing scales, un active, just plain sad.

I think its cool that you try to help fish like that, though.

Thanks. Yea it was hard because we sell those dumb bowls and I told both customers "technically you can but I don't recommend it." The boy heard me but the father was convinced I just wanted to sell him a new tank.

 

I agree fish shouldn't be in bowls, but it is hypocritical that the same store telling you not to put fish in bowls, has a whole row of shelves dedicated to just bowls, lol.

 

! This is why some of the best places to work at are the LFS. Some LFS are really good and care about there fish! WIth some LFS they care more about the fish than the customer(of course not much of a difference but Fish first!) and they tell employees that they are able to educate the customer and deny them if they want a fish but they don't have an appropriate home(ex goldfish in a 5 gallon tank). With big chain pet stores like Petco or Petsmart your suppose to put customers first and if they complain about you to your manager your manager might give you a warning.

Yes, it sucks. but I pretty much work there to pay for all my pets LOL I just hate it when I'm totally crossing that line to try to help them and they don't care.

I agree fish shouldn't be in bowls, but it is hypocritical that the same store telling you not to put fish in bowls, has a whole row of shelves dedicated to just bowls, lol.

Totally haha and we sell rawhide for dogs, I cross that line too. Actually I'm a habitual line crosser LOL I have a lot of customers that come to talk to me because they know I won't hold back my personal opinion.
Maybe I need to just find a local pet store instead of a chain. But then who would help those people who don't know...

 

Yep one reason why I don't want to work at Petco/Petsmart since I know I will have to break my principles and have to know that some of the fish I will have to sell to customers won't live! I was deciding of whether I should do lifeguarding or work at a pet-store once I'm 18 during the summer. I'm 16 and doing lifeguarding and make $17.26. Kind of wanted to work at the Pet store to educate people and was willing to sacrifice $7-8 an hour but after learning of other people working at the store and how they sometimes have "bad" customers I kind of change my mind and will stick with lifeguarding.

 

You tried, and that's the main thing Maybe the child(ren) of the father who didn't want to hear what you were saying did hear it and will grow up to be more responsible fishkeepers

 

I work at a Corporate store and an Aquarium right now. It's so crazy how things are different place to place! In the Corporate store I am the Saltwater Specialist bc the Freshwater guy can be a bit silly >.>
I really don't understand why so many things are on the market. Goldfish make a pretty bad first fish, and everyone always ends up wanting to put tropical fish with them later on >.>
Plecos, Red tail Catfish, etc those guys get huge, and no one has the right set up for them and usually want them in tanks under 20 gallons. That's crazy, plecos max out between 12-24inches plus lol
Luckily in my store I can only sell feeders if they go in a bowl. All other Goldfish have to go min 10 gal with filter. But its still >.> the poor fishiess.
Also the glofish, so many try to put them in bowls >.> oh boy T.T

haha but I know your pain T.T

 

Yea it's hard. I have seen a lot of bad choices in pet parenting. But I see good ones too. It's the times when I get to help people who are ready and willing to listen and learn that make it all worth it. Most of the time I love going to work.

 

Agree! I don't understand why they sell fish that get over 12 inches. Any fish that gets over 12" besides eels can't fit in a 55 gallon. For most people 55 gallon is the max tank they can have. Its even funny how the tags even say how big the fish gets yet no one seems to ever pay attention to it. But again its all about $$$.

 

Yea it's hard. I have seen a lot of bad choices in pet parenting. But I see good ones too. It's the times when I get to help people who are ready and willing to listen and learn that make it all worth it. Most of the time I love going to work.

Me too I love teaching people and I find most are willing to accept help! I love talking to the kids too, if they try to stock something too big I use analogies they'll understand and the parents understand too, so it makes it easier!

Fish are great! I love getting people into the hobby and watching them grow^^

 

It's nice to hear children being responsible by deciding when NOT to take on a task, like keeping fish.

 

To me as a teenager, I thing that telling costumers what they cant/can put in a tank has its pros and cons. Me, Myself was in this exact situation, I had a 10 gallon with 10 guppies and 1 black moor. Sadly some of the guppies died (Because they got caught in things/Natural causes. After having about 3 of the guppies die.I finally had saved about 85$ and went to buy a 20g. (Background story: My dad & mom had secretly decided to buy me the tank) now my 7 guppies and 1 black moor are happy.

Pros:

You Know what can go into the tank
You will save money(Fishes won't die)
Its for the better good

Cons:
The Fish lives a horrible life
Loads of maintenance
You could get fired

I could name more...

 

To me as a teenager, I thing that telling costumers what they cant/can put in a tank has its pros and cons. Me, Myself was in this exact situation, I had a 10 gallon with 10 guppies and 1 black moor. Sadly some of the guppies died (Because they got caught in things/Natural causes. After having about 3 of the guppies die.I finally had saved about 85$ and went to buy a 20g. (Background story: My dad & mom had secretly decided to buy me the tank) now my 7 guppies and 1 black moor are happy.

Pros:

You Know what can go into the tank
You will save money(Fishes won't die)
Its for the better good

Cons:
The Fish lives a horrible life
Loads of maintenance
You could get fired

I could name more...

its risky yes^^ luckilythe store has policies that allow me to do so! But I have to be careful^^ but yeah working where we work has its pros and cons^^

 

Good for you you to do the right thing. I was so upset yesterday when I was at a local petstore. I played dumb looking at some clown knives and couldn't believe it when the assistant told me I could keep 2 or 3 in my 3 ft tank. I shrugged it of as actually looking for schooling fish. While browsing more I heard him talk to some dude that wanted to buy fish to go in his new cycled tank with so e guppies. He was looking at 50mm Tiger oscars. I couldn't believe it when this assistant told the guy they fin nippers but won't eat your fish. At that point I just had to walk out or I would have caused a massive scene. And having my 2 boys with me I decided it better to just leave.

 

Once, at a pet store, I was patiently waiting for my turn to buy some crickets (I also have lizards). The customer ahead of me was buying a newt, and as the employee bagged the newt and sealed the bag, said, "It's gonna suffocate! There's no air in the bag!" ... contents of the bag: newt, water, and air.

Oh, here's another one that I read online a while ago:

Customer: "I want a clownfish."

Employee: "Sure, what size tank do you have?"

Customer: "I'm putting it with my goldfish."

Employee: "You can't put a clownfish in with a goldfish."

Customer: "Yeah, I can, they're both orange."

...customer is NOT always right.

 

I loved owning my own LFS, as I often told my customers (the buck stops here) In all fairness to petsmart they have to present a united front, were all employees say the same thing, and make the same suggestions, rather there right or not! It's all about sales, and gross profit. That's why they're still in business and I'm not.
I refused to sell any fish or reptile that I thought was going into a bad set-up for that animal, and the customer would go down the street and buy it from Petco or Petsmart. When there fish started to die they would come back to me and expect me to fix it !!!
One of my best stories was when Bill Gates brought his son in to buy a turtle. The young boy started run the turtle over the carpet, like it was a wined up toy. I told bill that his son was too young to take care of a turtle, and should get another pet that required less care. Bill Gates got all annoyed because I told him no, and he and his son stormed out of my store never to be seen again ! It was so nice being the boss and being able to look out for the animals.

 

Wow to have my own pet store, the stuff that dreams are made of ️

 

Wow to have my own pet store, the stuff that dreams are made of ️

Have to agree with you 100% MommaLake, that would be the biggest dream come true

 

I'd just get attached to every animal in the store and cry every time one went to a new home

 

Dah, my story about Bill gates was the wrong guy, it was Steve Jobs. I guess all those supper rich computer guys look alike to me.

 

Guess they need to teach their children responsibility too

 

I was at my LFS yesterday grabbing a few more neons when I witnessed an employee of the store sell somebody a pleco for a 5 gallon tank to clear up their algae problem. After he finished helping them I called him out on it. I asked him why he wouldn't at least advise against keeping this fish in the tank. He just shrugged.

 

I was at my LFS yesterday grabbing a few more neons when I witnessed an employee of the store sell somebody a pleco for a 5 gallon tank to clear up their algae problem. After he finished helping them I called him out on it. I asked him why he wouldn't at least advise against keeping this fish in the tank. He just shrugged.

Has that guy ever heard of an otocinclus? Jeez Louise! Even a single nerite will mop up a five gallon.

 

Years ago I got sold a common pleco (young) to clear up the algae in an overlit 1 gallon with a betta. That went over well

 

I'd just get attached to every animal in the store and cry every time one went to a new home

Too bad we can't make money on simply opening an aquarium gallery. Charge an admission fee and sell some peanuts or something, and people can walk around and admire the fish, like a minI Shedd Aquarium. Or should I say... a nano
Shedd Aquarium.

 

My point exactly! He gave the couple three options (all horrible options btw) he told them to either get the pleco, a single albino cory catfish or two corys both of different special (peppered being the other one). *smh*

 

wow that's just sad. it's not so hard to read. even a little correct info could have prevented that.

 

One thing I find funny about Petco and Petsmart is that they offer no literature or resources about how to care for the fish sold there. On the other hand, if I want to buy one of those aquatic froggies, I have to fill out a form stating that I am aware of the potential diseases of the froggie, and sign the sheet that basically says I promise not to touch the frog, then stick my fingers in my mouth.

Once, when buying one of those froggies, I asked the two fish associates if they'd like to see my drivers license and a copy of my birth certificate, too.

Being corporate places, liability is more crucial to their business than educating the novice consumer on their purchase, which is unfortunate. And when I was at the register, the cashier had to scan the little brochure, proving that I was given a form warning me of the hazards of petting the froggie and immediately sticking my fingers in my mouth...

You would think I had learned my lesson after all of these years!

 

LFS are not always better. Mine told me I could keep 2 WCMM in a 2l today!