Trying to support LFS, but it's hard sometimes...

[DH-Reef]

Since returning to the hobby, I've made it an effort to try and support my LFS. It's nice to have a place that I can go and bounce ideas around or get information about specific fish or corals. I still purchase most things online, but when I find something that I've wanted, even if it cost a little more (sometimes a lot more), I will purchase from the LFS.

So today, when I see a small green mushroom rock, I decide that it's another opportunity to support them. As a bonus, I notice that there is a VERY small BTA (maybe the size of a half dollar, opened) on the side of the rock...cool. Then it comes time for the guy to get it out of the tank, he tells me that he'll have to take the anemone off the rock. I said, "isn't that harmful to the anemone?" He says, no and tells me that he'll just "massage the foot, but it may take awhile". I go and start looking at other things and after a few minutes, I return to check his progress with the "massaging". He still doing what appears to be more like scraping than massaging, so I ask, "Okay, seriously...what is the big deal with a small anemone, that is clearly not being sold, being left on the rock?" He tells me that they are really sticklers about that, but if I wanted the half scraped off anemone, he could do it for an additional $15. I told him that the whole thing had kind of rubbed me the wrong way and that now I was no longer interested in the mushroom rock?

I have recieved some pretty cool "hitch hikers" on some of the things that I have ordered online, that is the first time that I have ever seen someone go to such lengths to make sure that a customer doesn't get anything "extra". Hopefully, that's just a one-off and I'm trying really hard not to judge on this one incident, but it's hard.

Thoughts?

 

[Maddlesrain]

That does seem a tiny bit odd as all the creatures on a particular rock you're buying usually just come with the piece. My lfs sometimes has 'combo rocks,' but they'll also have rocks with one particular species (such as the mushrooms you were after) that has an extra coral attached to the side. From all the times I've purchased from them I cannot remember an experience where they actively tried to take one of these little extra 'friends' off the rock. I always assume it's just a little lucky freebie and that they too aren't worried about the extra creature. If they are, as I mentioned before, they label the rock as having multiple animals and bump up the price.

I think one of the worst experiences I've had with them is when a rookie employee tried tearing a clam I asked for off a rock and completely damaged its foot. They didn't try to sell it to me after that as the owner came by and stated that it was clearly damaged, but I felt a little peeved that the guy trying to get the animal hadn't been gentler, just as I'm sure you felt about the poor anemone. Luckily for the anemone, they can be pretty brutalized and come back.

 

[DH-Reef]

Those are my thoughts, exactly. The rock, is the rock, but you are buying it for the Mushroom or whatever. If I didn't want the anemone, I wouldn't purchase the rock, but there's no circumstance that I can imagine asking them to remove it, before I purchase it. I have two BTAs; a Rose and a Speckled Green. I know that they move where they want to and the best that I can hope for, is that I can move the rock where I want them and they'll still be happy with it.

This wasn't exactly a rookie employee, but definitely a "younger" employee. I see the owner in there from time to time, maybe I'll ask if that is actually SOP.

 

[JaimeAdams]

Was the rock labeled? If so was it labeled as a mixed rock or a mushroom rock? Was there a section of bubble tips somewhere else that this one "escaped from"? The employee dislodging the BTA by scraping under the foot is pretty standard practice for removal. Obviously BTA's are more expensive than green mushrooms. If there was a couple green plays or something attached the rock I can see no biggie, but realistically $15 for a bubble tip is a killer deal and I probably would have just jumped on that.

 

[DH-Reef]

Was the rock labeled? If so was it labeled as a mixed rock or a mushroom rock? Was there a section of bubble tips somewhere else that this one "escaped from"? The employee dislodging the BTA by scraping under the foot is pretty standard practice for removal. Obviously BTA's are more expensive than green mushrooms. If there was a couple green plays or something attached the rock I can see no biggie, but realistically $15 for a bubble tip is a killer deal and I probably would have just jumped on that.

I have two BTAs, the Rose was $49 and is about 3 1/2 inches, the Spectled Green was $79 advertised as 5", but is closer to 6 1/2. I understand the idea of a $40 - 50 BTA being attached as a problem, but that wasn't the case. This wasn't a situation where BTAs were being sold in the same tank and one attached to this rock. BTAs are sold in a separate tank altogether and are 3-4" (small) and 5"+ (large). He wasn't scraping under the foot, he was using his finger to it "peel back" and separate it from the rock. I get it, no one gets something for nothing, but a 1/2" anemone? No, sir...if that's how they do business, I want no part of it.

 

[BlueCursor]

Kind of like any business. Some people are greedy and won't give a tiny BTA away and some people hand out freebies sometimes just to be nice.

I have an LFS that thinks retail price is 2 x the manufacturer's suggested retail price. A pump on sale in that store is higher than Petco's normal price. So I don't shop there.

I shop at the other LFS that throws in a Duncan dirt cheap after I buy a couple other corals. He knows I'm getting a heck of a deal but he figures the Duncan wasn't marked, he didn't really know the price, and I had just spent $300 on other stuff in his store. So he sells me a 9-head Duncan for $45 after asking me if that price was ok.

 

[DH-Reef]

Kind of like any business. Some people are greedy and won't give a tiny BTA away and some people hand out freebies sometimes just to be nice.

I have an LFS that thinks retail price is 2 x the manufacturer's suggested retail price. A pump on sale in that store is higher than Petco's normal price. So I don't shop there.

I shop at the other LFS that throws in a Duncan dirt cheap after I buy a couple other corals. He knows I'm getting a heck of a deal but he figures the Duncan wasn't marked, he didn't really know the price, and I had just spent $300 on other stuff in his store. So he sells me a 9-head Duncan for $45 after asking me if that price was ok.

I think that's probably what bugged me the most. I was there to pick up a 110 gallon tank (replacing my 55g FOWLR...) that I had purchased earlier in the week and he helped me load it. He knows how much money I spend in there, it just surprised me that they'd go through that much effort to make sure I didn't get a "little extra". It's not like I had to have it. Other than being an obvious BTA, it had no color really, kind of a light brown. I wish there were other LFS option in this area, but they are the only real option, unless I want to drive an hour.

 

[ciscomania]

I had a employee from my lfs remove 2 snails that were on a mushroom rock I was buying. Really rubbed me the wrong way but this is the only lfs around me. Talk about being greedy.

 

[leahfiish]

I am a little bit surprised by this thread...

If I'm buying a $50 coral I expect to get the $50 coral, not $50 coral plus rbta and 2 snails that just happen to be on it. If I do it's a bonus, but in no way is it expected. Especially if the other animals are labeled and priced. Like if they sell snails from their frag tank.... The snails are clearly for sale, just because they're on a coral doesn't necessarily mean that they are free with a coral purchase.

 

[DH-Reef]

I am a little bit surprised by this thread...

If I'm buying a $50 coral I expect to get the $50 coral, not $50 coral plus rbta and 2 snails that just happen to be on it. If I do it's a bonus, but in no way is it expected. Especially if the other animals are labeled and priced. Like if they sell snails from their frag tank.... The snails are clearly for sale, just because they're on a coral doesn't necessarily mean that they are free with a coral purchase.

First of all, it wasn't an RBTA. Second of all, it wasn't labeled and priced. I believe that I indicated that I didn't become irritated, until I saw that he was literally "scraping" (yes, read that as killing) the BTA to get it off the rock. I have two BTAs, as I mentioned above, I wasn't looking for a freeby, but became frustrated when I realized the lengths the LFS would go to to make sure that I didn't get one.

 

[leahfiish]

First of all, it wasn't an RBTA.

So is that where you draw the line then? Green bta might as well be free but rose gotta pay for it?

I have two BTAs, as I mentioned above, I wasn't looking for a freeby

But what you said to the guy kind of makes it sound like you were, "what's the big deal, can't give me a free nem that's stuck since I don't want to pay $15 for it?" especially since you didn't even want the mushroom rock after the anemone was removed, so to the lfs it just looked like you were looking for free stuff.

the lengths the LFS would go to to make sure that I didn't get one

I seriously doubt that they mangled it on purpose, if they kill it they can't sell it at all? So I'm not sure why you'd think that, it was more likely to be accidental/inexperience but not malice.

 

[DH-Reef]

So is that where you draw the line then? Green bta might as well be free but rose gotta pay for it?



But what you said to the guy kind of makes it sound like you were, "what's the big deal, can't give me a free nem that's stuck since I don't want to pay $15 for it?" especially since you didn't even want the mushroom rock after the anemone was removed, so to the lfs it just looked like you were looking for free stuff.



I seriously doubt that they mangled it on purpose, if they kill it they can't sell it at all? So I'm not sure why you'd think that, it was more likely to be accidental/inexperience but not malice.

It wasn't green either, it was brown, as stated in the thread. Apparently, to you, it looks like I was looking for free stuff...The $15 comment from him didn't come, until the anemone was in no condition to be sold...As I'm sure it was already on it's way to death's door. My comment, "seriously, what is the big deal", was in response to the mangling of the anemone. Here's why I would think that...I was there, I watched it happen. It's great that you give them the benefit of the doubt, from where you are, but it bothered me enough to create a thread about it.

You've come up with your opinion and that's fine, but the bottom line is that I've spent $1,200-1,500 on coral and fish in the last six weeks, I'm not chasing a $5 BBTA, but if an LFS is going to slaughter one, because they think I'm trying to get it for free...Well, that kind of proves my point regarding buying online instead.

 

[Bronx19]

Nothing is free. You don't get any coral hitch hikers that the owner knows of. I bought a piece that happen to have two zoa polyps on the back, off they came.

 

[DH-Reef]

This is my Green Speckled BTA, the hitch hiker on the rock was about the size of two of the tenticles of this one. The idea that I was angling for a freeby and that is why I was upset, is absurd. An anemone, not much bigger than a thumb nail, was scraped off a rock I was buying...That irked me.

 

[leahfiish]

I guess I'm not making my points clear.

From the original post, it seemed like you expected the bta as a freebie with the purchase of the rock. Then, when the guy explained that he was gonna take it off, you seemed okay with that. So why shouldn't he take it off at that point? Assuming it can be safely removed. I think it's a stretch to say he slaughtered it to avoid giving it to you for free, instead I think it's way more likely that it was an accident or inexperience causing him to hurt it. He thought he could get it off the rock, turns out he couldn't. And I understand being upset with that. But that doesn't mean they tried to kill it to avoid you getting it!

 

[DH-Reef]

Nothing is free. You don't get any coral hitch hikers that the owner knows of. I bought a piece that happen to have two zoa polyps on the back, off they came.

Were they still alive? That would be the difference from this story. I'm going to spend money on corals, more than my wife wants me to. That type of behavior will determine whether I spend that money in the LFS or online...Right now, online is winning and it isn't even close.

 

[DH-Reef]

I guess I'm not making my points clear.

From the original post, it seemed like you expected the bta as a freebie with the purchase of the rock. Then, when the guy explained that he was gonna take it off, you seemed okay with that. So why shouldn't he take it off at that point? Assuming it can be safely removed. I think it's a stretch to say he slaughtered it to avoid giving it to you for free, instead I think it's way more likely that it was an accident or inexperience causing him to hurt it. He thought he could get it off the rock, turns out he couldn't. And I understand being upset with that. But that doesn't mean they tried to kill it to avoid you getting it!

Fair enough...But let me also clarify, this was not a BTA that someone would buy, nor was it actively being sold. It was brown and very small. If this was rock, being sold in the same tank as small RBTAs or GBTAs, that were also being sold, I'd completely agree with your thoughts, but that was not the case. Initially, yes, I was like, "Okay, no worries" and then nearly 5 minutes later, he's still working to get the remaining pieces of the anemone off the rock...Yeah, I was really irritated at that pointed and wasn't going to buy the rock. I still wanted it, the green of the mushrooms was pretty brilliant, but I could not believe what he had done to that anemone.

I've beaten this to death, I guess it just left me feeling pretty disappointed. It is what it is, but I don't see this from online stores.

 

[DH-Reef]

The bottom line is this, I learned a valuable lesson. The next time I'm in that situation, I'll make it clear, I'm buying the rock. If you think you have to scrape something off the rock, then no deal.

 

[40B Knasty]

Bottom line if the owner puts the piece to be sold and he doesn't notice it when putting it up for display. Then yes it should be yours. The "item" should have been taken care of prior to display. In my opinion you are morally right.
That's like going to buy a pair of pants on the rack and it has a belt. Then you bring it to the checkout and they pull the belt off the article of clothing and say,"Oh that was never meant to be sold with that, but if you want the belt. I can sell it to you for $10."
Bad business is when you lose a paying customer. You did the right thing regardless of what anyone says here.

 

[Scott.h]

So many times I've went in to my lfs and asked if they could order me things. My lfs is very outdated with the times. I get not wanting to stock high end pumps and such, but being able to order them for someone is another thing. They claim the high price items won't sell. You can't sell them if you can't get them either. At one point I offended them but saying "give me one of those cheap $25 dollar powerheads". Well, I use them to mix saltwater. Compared to my vortchs, sorry, they are disposable.

At some point before using bulk chemicals I'd ask them to get me things they could order but didn't stock, such as magnesium. But I quickly got tired of them having to have a big enough order and call me 3 weeks later to let me know my item is finally in. I finally broke down and told them with this last build I have about 5 grand in equipment that I was forced to buy on line. I did buy the glass box from them, as that wouldn't be cheap or easy to ship. That's about it.

I do believe the lfs plays a specific roll in the hobby. I'd think not many would get involved with reefing because of an online vendor. It's the lfs that gets them hooked with that image of thier display when they ask in the door. At the same time if the lfs doesn't keep up with the times they probably won't last with the ever changing on line market.

The last straw was when I was having lps issues because of zero phosphate. Since they are big in planted freshwater I knew they'd stock this. They were out, but she quickly tried to blame my problems on a ph of 7.9 and tried to sell me buffer. I quickly corrected her by saying my ph is lower because of my low alk. The alk is low because my nutrients are undetectable. The best way to smoke my corals would be to add buffer increasing alkalinity under these conditions. What I need is to do is increase p04. Which I did, and it worked.

I'm fairly certain starting out they created me more problems by selling me something I didn't need to correct the problem from the product that they sold me the week before. Then I have to listen to how everyone buys stuff on line from them and how they are hurting after 35 years in business. I buy fish food from them now, that's it. I don't even bother to look in their pest infested tanks, or ask about ordering something that would be a hassle for them to have to look up. The fact that it would cost more or I'd have 3 times the wait is beside the point. I don't get it.