Questions for LFS

Hey everyone I was just curious as I dug around a bit and couldn't really find anything concrete on this, though I may have missed it. I think it's a funny transformation going from asking the LFS to test my water every week to tell me if it is "Good"; now I want to ask them to test their own water and show me the parameters, haha.

Now, on this topic, I'm in the discovery phase with a lot of LFS and I've been traveling to different ones pretty much twice a week and I'm wondering if anyone here has some useful test questions to ask them. Things that aren't obviously a test, but things that they would have to be knowledgeable to know the answer to.

Too often I've seen fish stores lying to customers and pushing too many fish, or non-compatible fish on them at the same time.

So what questions do you guys ask a new LFS to test their mettle?

 

I don't ask them anything because I'm not interested in their advice most of the time. If I want to know something, I'll look it up myself. No need to "test" them.

If you really want to ask them questions, then you can ask them basics about the nitrogen cycle ("so I can add my fish right away to a brand new tank?") and stocking ("so what can I put in a 10 or 20 gallon tank?").

 

Just ask them if bowls are suitable for any kind of fish .

JK, but you could ask them a few questions about a fish you know well, and see if they get them right.

Or say something like "I read about something called cycling my fish tank, how do you do that and is it necessary?" and see what they say

Also just eavesdrop on their conversations with other costumers.

And ask for a good clean up crew and see if they give you a common pleco .

Or say something like, "I have a 5 gallon tank, what can I put in it?"

Any way, these are just random suggestions, I'm sure other people have better ways

Got ninja'd

 

I don't ask them anything because I'm not interested in their advice most of the time. If I want to know something, I'll look it up myself. No need to "test" them.

My main thought process behind it is I want to make sure that they are knowledgeable when it comes to keeping fish, not so much that I want them to help me. But I wouldn't by a car from a used car salesman who claims to be a mechanic but doesn't know the stroke of a motor either.

It's more about the care and general maintenance of the fish and their tanks, not so much that I need them to help me or answer any of my questions.

 

Oh, and ask them what "Ideal" parameters are ;D

 

You can often tell how the fish are being cared for by looking at their tanks - are they clean, how many dead fish are in there, are the tanks overcrowded, etc.

 

I judge my LFS by lurking and evesdropping on conversations and watching maintenance and care.

 

If you're looking for non-obvious 'test' questions...

Ask them to sell you a cheap zebra danio for your 10gal tank. If they don't ask if you have a school of them at home, or tell you they are too active for a 10 gal, red flag.

Ask to get a clown loach for your 20 or 30 gal. If they don't tell you it will outgrow the tank and you need something bigger, or that they also prefer larger groups, red flag.

Or, as mentioned above, tell them you have an algae problem in your 20 gal. If they mention a common pleco, red flag.

I assume you are wanting to test them on questions you know the answers to so that in the future you can trust their answers on questions you don't know the answer to if you haven't researched yourself yet. Correct?

 

I always assume they don't know and if they do know theyre more interested in profits then making sure my tank is good that way I can't get into any trouble with their advice.

 

Kind of a rant I guess.

I don't understand why anyone would want to test them. They are in the business of selling fish. If they don't sell fish, they go out of business. If they all go out of business we are left with either giving up our hobby or ordering and having our fish shipped to us.

In my opinion it is our job to do our own research before we visit the LFS. If we do that before going to the store then it doesn't matter whether or not they know beans about fish keeping. They are not going to stay in business long if they don't know the basics of keeping their stock in clean water but they aren't required to know anymore than just the basics.

When I got my first aquarium many many years ago we didn't have the great tool we have now. Today you can type any question into google and you have instant answers. (it usually leads you right back here to this forum) Sure makes research easy for everyone.

If we've not done our research we are going to have problems. We can't expect them to do our research for us since their job depends on selling fish not keeping our aquarium healthy. They don't care if you choose un-compatible fish because you will come back and buy more when that doesn't work out well. They don't get attached to the fish like we do. To most of them it is just a business and the more fish we lose, the more they sell.

the only question I would ask them is "Do you have the fish I want in stock and if not when will you have them available"

 

You could also just ask them about their personal tanks at home. What they have, what their favorite set up is, etc. Don't trust someone that doesn't keep tanks themselves to know more than you do.

But with the internet, there's no excuse not to do your own research and plan in advance.

 

Kind of a rant I guess.

I don't understand why anyone would want to test them. They are in the business of selling fish. If they don't sell fish, they go out of business. If they all go out of business we are left with either giving up our hobby or ordering and having our fish shipped to us.

In my opinion it is our job to do our own research before we visit the LFS. If we do that before going to the store then it doesn't matter whether or not they know beans about fish keeping. They are not going to stay in business long if they don't know the basics of keeping their stock in clean water but they aren't required to know anymore than just the basics.

When I got my first aquarium many many years ago we didn't have the great tool we have now. Today you can type any question into google and you have instant answers. (it usually leads you right back here to this forum) Sure makes research easy for everyone.

If we've not done our research we are going to have problems. We can't expect them to do our research for us since their job depends on selling fish not keeping our aquarium healthy. They don't care if you choose un-compatible fish because you will come back and buy more when that doesn't work out well. They don't get attached to the fish like we do. To most of them it is just a business and the more fish we lose, the more they sell.

the only question I would ask them is "Do you have the fish I want in stock and if not when will you have them available"

Very well said! I feel the same way, and much more eloquent than I could have said it.

 

You would expect the lfs guys to be knowledgeable but sadly it's not always the case. Agree with duck, I would expect guys working in the store to have tanks if, not their jut in it for a paycheck. On the flip side there's no guarantee info on the net is correct. Guess i'm lucky the local store is very good, the guys install ponds and do maintenance on tanks on the side.

 

At my Petsmart I was asking a worker about what plants would work for a low tech set up w/ minimum lighting. She was very informative. She even busted out her cell phone to show me all of her tanks, fresh and salt water. I did some research on my own, and everything she told me was correct. I'm sure knowledge is hit or miss, but to assume an employee of a gigantic corporation cares about the stores profit is a pretty big leap. Did any of us care that we were putting too many diced onions on the burgers at McDonald's and eating into the store's profit? Probably not, and this is most likely the same way. I know the question was about a local store, but I saw the convo drifting towards larger chains.

But back to the OP, I think "testing" them is pretty insulting. Do your own research, and ask them to see if they can confirm your findings. Keep in mind a LFS makes its money on return business. Selling you a $5 fish when they know your tank can't handle it isn't going to net them any real profit in the long run.