Bad advice from LPS employees..

Jbrofish8

When you're at your LPS do you ever get the urge to intervene into other peoples conversations with the average LPS employee?

For instance,

Today I was at my LPS getting some cichlid food for my new arrival this week, I overheard a girl who knows NOTHING about fish (I've dealt with her before, shes really clueless), telling a man he could put tiger barbs with platys.

I wanted to jump in so bad and tell him that wasn't a good idea. I kept overhearing them talk about his newly setup tank. By newly setup, I mean less than a week old and I'm assuming no plants as this guy was clearly new to aquariums. He ended up with 2 platys, 2 mollys, and 2 tiger barbs. I don't know if I felt worse for the customer or the fish.


Does anyone else have to bite their tongues when in their LPS?

Sabledog

I have and Do tend to butt into conversations like that at stores... some people thank me, others give me an odd look...last time i was in a petco, a lady was looking at the fish, not a single employee around, so i ended up giving her advice on what to get.

When an employee finally did show up, he was clueless, i told him i was looking for otto cats and he looked at me like i had 3 eyes, and stupid me, got so frustrated i did not double check what he had put in the bag and ended up with a CAE... have not been back to that store since!

AbbeysDad

I tend to frequent a local Petsmart now and again.
All of the young ladies in/around the fish area have brains and I've never heard any bad advice
However, if I did, I wouldn't be afraid to say something in a very polite way, especially in a case of mixing semi-aggressive fish with community types.

Jbrofish8

Another thing that drives me crazy when I go to my local petsmart/pet supermarket is the way they catch the fish. I swear they probably end up killing like 4 other fish in the process of catching mine.

I've never tried it, but I always REALLY wanna ask if they will let me do it. :D

Limeylemon

Over here in the UK we have pets at home, the biggest major pet shop. Some of the staff are brilliant and know everything, except a few.
I overheard a woman in the shop serving some customers the other day, they had got a 3 day old 35 litre tank... 3 DAYS! and she sold them 4 medium sized orandas.... and said they wouldn't grow much anymore.
I didn't butt in. But i wish i had now.

woaussie

Ive been in the same situation and have overheard wrong info being given out . Several times I politly joined in and successfuly corrected the subject. For the employee its a learning curve and for the customer also. Ive had both of them say thank you for your input. We all learn something almost everyday. We learn by our mistakes. Sometimes it can be painful and expensive. I will always try to help someone learn even a store employee if the situation permits an outsider to help with respect to them and the customer.

Byron

It takes a bit of courage sometimes, but I would not hesitate to intervene if really bad advice is being given. The particular store governs how I do this. Fortunately, I mostly deal with very reputable stores and I know the owners personally. I have been asked to enter the conversation at times because they know me.

I care for the fish and want to see them in good environments so they can enjoy a normal healthy life. And I want aquarists to succeed so they enjoy the hobby and stay in it. Spending piles of money and having dead fish after dead fish is not going to achieve either goal. At the worst, they can ignore you; fine. But they may not, and the fish and the customer will be the better for it. Not much different than this forum really; most listen, a few don't. But one does one's best to be helpful.

Byron.

ladayen

I do butt in, if I know bad advice is being given. Worst case the customer ignores it. Best case, the employee and the customer learn something and the fish get a better environment.

Hmongol

One employee got mad at me for suggesting a customer to buy a bigger tank because the half a gallon tank she was encouraged to get was cheaper.