Was I lied to by my LFS

[JosephM]

Get a Randall and don't look back. The Tiger makes too big of a mess for my liking. You can get a Yasha Goby to match ;-)

Well I want to get something to go with my Dracula goby that I currently have. I’m fine with catching my current pistol shrimp but the goby was too expensive and I like him a lot and don’t want to risk anything.

 

[JosephM]

if you think they're lying and are as petty as I am, you ought to be super passive aggressive and ask them about a fish, then pull out your phone in their face and confirm on Google LOLLLL but that's just me.

Yeah. I think tomorrow I’m going to call and ask to speak to the owner (he’s the only one that can approve of returns and such) and talk to him nicely about the situation and if he doesn’t want to at least give me store credit for the full amount they might just lose my business.

 

[stacksoner]

My advice to you is to try and keep negative emotions, experiences, and feelings away from the hobby wherever possible. Chalk up money lost as the price you paid for learning.

Nothing is worse than introducing negative vibes to a hobby that brings us all so much happiness.

 

[hds4216]

I haven’t seen them carry those. How would a Randall’s do? They’re similar color patterns

A Randall's pistol shrimp is Alpheus randalli (note the scientific name). Candy cane is a different name for the same species.

 

[zalick]

My rule is never trust anyone at the LFS. Ever. Even if they have 50 years experience and wrote the book on fish XYZ. They "might" know the answer but I want certainty. You WILL get the answer by searching online and especially here.

Support your LFS if you like the selection but trust the collective knowledge here where nobody is trying to sell you something to make a living.

 

[JosephM]

A Randall's pistol shrimp is Alpheus randalli (note the scientific name). Candy cane is a different name for the same species.

Ohhhh okay. Awesome lol

 

[JosephM]

My rule is never trust anyone at the LFS. Ever. Even if they have 50 years experience and wrote the book on fish XYZ. They "might" know the answer but I want certainty. You WILL get the answer by searching online and especially here.

Support your LFS if you like the selection but trust the collective knowledge here where nobody is trying to sell you something to make a living.

Yeah. Sometimes I have to step back and understand that these guys jobs are kind of salesman. The workers need to sell to keep their job and the owner needs to sell to make money and keep things going. Still sucks sometimes when they’re completely wrong. At least this isn’t a deadly mistake, just misinformed.

 

[JosephM]

On that note. Anybody have advice for catching a pistol shrimp

 

[zalick]

Yeah. Sometimes I have to step back and understand that these guys jobs are kind of salesman. The workers need to sell to keep their job and the owner needs to sell to make money and keep things going. Still sucks sometimes when they’re completely wrong. At least this isn’t a deadly mistake, just misinformed.

We've all been there!

I've seen a LFS sell a dad and his young son a 10g tank,bag of salt and full grown sailfin tang. I don't think the employee knew any better.... I almost stepped in... And probably should have.

 

[Acros]

Most fish stores have some people who are helpful and some who are there to sell. After all they have to sell.

A six line in any size tank is a great addition in my opinion. Mine is a model citizen. I know they have a tendency to get mean. I will just have to remove it, if it gets mean.

 

[JosephM]

Do I have to worry about the bulleye pistol shrimp killing my beloved Dracula goby until he gets removed?

 

[Acros]

Do I have to worry about the bulleye pistol shrimp killing my beloved Dracula goby until he gets removed?

I have no idea. I have never kept gobies. Someone more knowledgeable should be able to help you.

 

[JosephM]

I have no ideas. I have never kept gobies. Someone more knowledgeable should be able to help you.

Might buy an acclimation box and just leave him in there until I can send him back to LFS. A day in a box won’t hurt a shrimp

 

[gookumon]

I mean my LFS has been around forever but still can't ID fish right sometimes and such.

A lot of times LFS are not sitting on forums researching and just spewing out what they knew 20 years ago. Some of which is out-dated.

IDK I just never ask any questions about livestock at a fish store.

hahhaha. it is same with my experience. that LFS guys always said what they know 20 years ago, hahahha its absolutely tipical LFS guys, if i do discussion with my LFS guys, he always said from his experience and i lose everytime, its make me laugh.

 

[ReefBeta]

Even the best LFS seems struggle at keeping their information straight. Advise on corals are usually better. On fish are more often than not some wild guesses. I keep hearing amazing nonsense in LFS, sometimes I have to wonder why they get those ideas. Remember that they don't need to pass some exam on fish care knowledge to get a job there. At best they're the same hobbyists like you. At worse they don't give a dang on the fish once it's sold. Asking them is not necessarily better than randomly pick a single person on this forum. Maybe if they also do tank service, their experience will be more useful. In store experience doesn't mean much where the care requirements and setup is so different than an actual setup at home.

 

[Nano sapiens]

Good rule of thumb is 'always double check' from a reliable source. Ultimately, it's the reef keeper's responsibility to make a best effort to obtain correct information, not just for himself/herself, but also for the sake of the animal involved.

A quick browser search (LiveAqauria, for example, is a good resource) will typically yield enough useful information to make an informed decision of whether to purchase or not. At the same time I can educate (or correct) LFS employee(s) so that they can better help other customers in the future.

 

[Reef.]

I doubt they were lying, either just not bothered or didn’t know.

I wouldn’t burn any bridges, just ask for a credit, say your research found the shrimp wasn’t suited to your tank, and you understand the sales guy just made a mistake.

I can understand the money you have spend as even on a small tank it soon adds up, but they will have customers with 400g systems buying from there too, their salt purchase alone will probably cover your total outlay, so I probably wouldn’t mention losing your business as that will probably rub the owner up the wrong way, just put it down to learning, you now know the LFS advice is worth as much as someone else’s, no more or no less, until you know it’s worth listening to just use the store and leave the advice alone.

And to be fair, you should have researched what you intend to buy long before going to the LFS, there is a lot to learn on most animals, different options on suitability, turning up at the LFS and expecting the LFS to give you all the facts there and then on a purchase is a mistake. They will give you one opinion, that’s not enough for you to make an informed choice, many times to need to hear many opinions before you can make the choice for yourself.

 

[greetl01]

Well I did buy it I can go back Friday should I call and ask to speak to the owner to get a refund or store credit? Any advice on catching them?

 

[ca1ore]

A few things:

1. Experience does not necessarily correlate with expertise - I have a friend in the hobby for 15 years and he still makes 'rookie' mistakes - maddening; as a result .....
2. You need to do your own research before you buy , because ......
3. There is no better source of misinformation than the LFS. There are a few LFS folks I have met over the years that really know their stuff, the majority are just perpetrators of silly rumors and myths.

 

[aquaman05]

I went to a lfs that I heard lots of great things about, I was there 5 minutes and heard a guy ask one of the workers what fish should I buy for my new tank, he said how long has it been running, a week he said.. well get yourself one of these gobys and clown fish then wait a another week and you're ready to add corals..I've never been in a lfs that gave accurate information, it's always best to do you're own research and not impulse buy at the lfs because Larry wanted to sell that 100 fish.