OUTRAGED with Marine/Tropical Fish Store!!!!!!

[AtlFishBoy1980]

I am not sure how to start this thread out, or what to say in here. I guess I will just start from the beginning.

I am a manager at PetSmart, my dept should be pretty obvious, its the fish dept. A customer came into the store today and said to me I heard you were the Salt water guy. I said yes that would be me. She then proceeded to tell me about how she had this tank with two Clownfish and a blue tang. I said ahh you went the Nemo/Dory route huh, joking with her. She said yeah, we did it a couple of months ago. I made a comment about her tank, and started asking if it was a reef, and what not, and that it must be a pretty good sized tank for that tang. I couldn't even possibly imagine the answer that she was about to give me OR the fact that one of the ARC sponsors sold this woman this tank and the fish to go into it.

She informed me that yes it was a good sized tank, it was an ECLIPSE 6!!!!!!!! When she told me this, I could not even speak. I was so horrified. I am STILL horrified, more than horrified I am outraged that an ARC sponsor store would tell a customer that it was alright to shove to Ocellaris Clowns and a Blue Hippo Tang in a 6 gal tank. The tang is already 3 inches long. I said, you know you will need a very large tank here for that tang. She said, ohh really I was told that the fish wouldn't outgrow that tank, and I could keep it in there as long as I wished cause it woudln't grow any bigger. I told her, the fish will most certainly grow, I said at the size you just showed me, he is already unhappy. She responded well hes swimming around and seems alright. I said, well if I were to put you into a closet you would still be alright and living, but you woudln't be happy. That is how your tang feels right now. Your tang really needs a large tank, I would not go any smaller than 75 gals. I said, the store that sold this to you has done you a great injustice by not giving you all the information and telling you exactally what you wanted to hear just so they could make a buck. The amount of bargaining that she began to do astounded me. What if I get this 30 gal tank to put him in, will he be alright then? It was pretty obvious to me that no amount of me telling this woman that she would need a large tank would convince her of that fact.

I run into these sort of situations ALL the time at PetSmart. I thank god that a rule and mantra of the company is that our animals come first. Their safety and wellbeing come first before our customers. If I have a tank overflowing or a fish that is sick, my responsibility is to that fish first and the customer second. Same when a customer wants to put a fish into a tank that is obviously too small. I have the right and have done it on many occasions, almost once a day, to refuse to sell the customer the fish. They may be able to go to another store to buy that fish, but I have done right by the fish and I have done the best thing for the animals under my care. As people who have fish or any other animal, we are all responsible for the care of the creatures under our care. For any one to put making a buck over the best interests of the animals in their care is an outrage. I can tell you one thing, I will never shop at Marine/Tropical Fish store again. I used to frequent them, but after hearing this I can not in good conscious do so when I know the type of business they are running.

I would like to hear from other people who are outraged about this as well as those who think I am over zealous about this. But lets keep it civilized.

Thanks
John

[Mafiaman]

I completely understand your anger. But before the word "sponsor" is used I think the fact that the sponsors has "employese" needs to be pointed out. And the owners of the stores are not "hands on" with every costumer. And it is very possible that the owner knows nothing about the sale.
Maybe a friendly phone call from you to the store is in order to let them in on what you heard.

IMHO
Mafia

[Ray1214]

I am gonna have to echo Mafiaman's comments. Also, as you have stated yourself about the "bargaining techniques". I have had people, no matter what I could do to talk them out of a purchase or the correct way of doing something, they will still attempt to do it their way. I would be willing to bet that some of the comments (A fish only grows as big as its enviroment myth is one of the ones that caught my eyes) normally originate from people not active in the hobby.

Ray

[k9anna]

When did petsmart start selling marine fish? i had a close friend that used to manage a petsmart and they said they dont sell marine fish because its not right to sell them.

[wildemon]

Your situation is always going to be a part of educating the public. Most people buy on impulse, thus the Nemo/Dorie tanks we all knew were coming. That minibow has Disney fish printed all over the packaging.

Selling corals to people who have adequate lighting and water circulation is also a decision the employee should take seriously. Many of the animals are really only suited to people who take the time to research their needs in captivity and their native environment in the wild. Equally as evil as the size issue is selling fish simultaneous with a tank without the weeks required for cycling. We all remember the instant marine tank on TV, just add tap water, conditioner and Nemo.

On the boards here, we often see a person trying to justify their purchase decisions by asking the same question multiple times until they get the answer that agrees with their own. The best the community can hope is that you retain your ethics and continue to take responsibility for the animals under your care.

Many of the club's members are comfortable asking the store's owners to stop this from happening again. I am confident the individual got what she wanted by deceiving the store's staff as she tried with you.

[Ray1214]

Thank you William. I have been trying to post something to add to my previous comment. I believe you have summed it up pretty well, and it goes to show how common this is in this hobby.

Ray

[MyReef]

I am outraged, if and only if, the customer was told that the fish were ok for the 6 gallon tank. I would not believe everything the person told you...you have heard one side of the story only. So as your customer was bargaining with you...you really don't know if she bought one clown and then bought the tang another day and didn't tell them what size tank she had, you just don't know.

Before we jump to conclusions, get all the facts...

[ckreef]

In many cases (maybe the case with the woman) people would almost always rather tell a little fib than to take the responsibility for their mistake. So instead of telling you it was her decision she might have put the blame elsewhere. ---- I'm not saying this was the case but we just don't know.

I do know John and Matt are very knowledgable reef experts and I have never know them to make money their driving force when trying to make a sale ---- Of course we just don't know about this either.

I think the best suggestion was to call and talk to either John or Matt. Just let them know what happened. Don't do it in an accusing manor --- just the facts about the lady. I'm sure that alone will start a good conversation and would probably clear up any frustration you have over the situation.

Also in all fairness --- After you speak with them you really need to post how that conversation went so everybody gets a clear picture of the whole situation. Maybe Matt will even come on for a visit and post in this thread --- you might want to suggest that to him.

[wildemon]

http://aquariumcouncil.org/images/card.jpg

I think this national organisation has the right idea in distributing this card to theatre patrons.

[cyberchef]

I also have to agree that before posting this thread you should have given MF a call, explained the suituation to them to find out all of the story.

Just out of curiosity, how would you respond if someone posted thread accusing your store of the same type of infraction without at least giving you a curtousy call first?

[GeoJoe]

I run into these sort of situations ALL the time at PetSmart. I thank god that a rule and mantra of the company is that our animals come first.

I'm glad you can speak for the Petsmart you work at, but I'm not so sure if this is the "mission statement" of all Petsmarts. I think that we have all seen our share of dead fish, employees who are inexperienced and not-so-clean environments. This goes for Petco's too.

It's this inexperience that I'm most afraid of. I think the lack of knowledge is what costs everyone in the long run.... the consumer, the store profit and most of all, the animals.

I have called to complain to the Petco manager in Buford about the above problems, as well as buying corals to sell and not having enough light to even see if they will live!

It's a toss up sometimes at these superstores to buy the animals that may end up dying (a mercy purchase?) - or to try not to support them in the first place.

Unfortunately, I'm sure "Finding Nemo" tank setups are selling in shops big and small

http://www.buzzle.com/editorials/10-9-2003-46304.asp

[Mafiaman]

I hope that this thread does not turn into a John (AtlFishBoy1980) bashing.
After all he was just bringing to our attention what he had a woman tell him.
It was upsetting for me to hear it, And I hope that his post catches some eyes and raises some awareness. And people on the retail end make an effort to point out to people the flaws in some of there fish buying.

[GeoJoe]

sorry about the negative post... I know it was to raise awareness... that's why I included the link.

...it's just he makes it sound as if Petsmart does everything right, which I think we know that there are many places of business (fish or any other) that has motives to sell what they have, no matter what the consequences.

[Mafiaman]

Oh I'm with you GeoJoe, I cant tell you how many times I've over heared a sales rep. in a LFS say and I quote "they normaly dont get along but I've heard of people doing it and it has worked for them" unquote.
And no store is immuned of this sales tacktic.

[traip93]

When did petsmart start selling marine fish? i had a close friend that used to manage a petsmart and they said they dont sell marine fish because its not right to sell them.

agreed, I've never seen a petsmart sell marine fish...I put little merit in the original post.

bahhh..I can't believe I wasted my time reading this entire thread