Your typical LFS

[blue fin]

Went to my local Pt Smrt, next town over actually, looking for a new upside down fish and hatchet, the first is MIA, the second committed fishy suiside by jumping out of the tank when I wasn't looking. I went in and found quickly that there were two tanks with dead fish and one with a diseased fish. I pulled an employee aside and told him about it so he could address the issue...... 20 minutes later and nothing had been done. Being as I was not planning on any return visits to this shop I explained to the manager that my business was going elsewhere due to the ineptitude of his employees. He seemed to care enought to remove the fish but somehow I doubt the employee will be looking for work anytime soon.

I just can't stand shops that hire kids that dont have the least interest in the animals they care for. Minimum wage or not it can't be that hard to find someone willing to work for minimum wage that cares at least a little for them.

[cocoa_pleco]

most industries are going to $hit because skilled people are a thing of the past.

One time in a lfs kids that worked there were fighting with buckets RIGHT by the tanks

[f1oored]

LFS don't pay enough to have informed people. The only people who are going to work for 6 bucks an hour are kids and the kids aren't going to care. It's hard enough finding a person that will show up and do what they are told. 6 dollars an hour isn't going to bring in marine biologists.

[*Sarah*]

So true F1oored, and employers just don't seem to realize that if they paid a decent wage, they could keep decent people, and the customers would be happier, and they'd get more customers...it's all a big circle, and it starts with PAYING a decent wage, and wages is where the companies think they can skimp.

[blue fin]

LFS don't pay enough to have informed people. The only people who are going to work for 6 bucks an hour are kids and the kids aren't going to care. It's hard enough finding a person that will show up and do what they are told. 6 dollars an hour isn't going to bring in marine biologists.
No offense but when I was making minimum wage I still cared about doing a good job. I realize the tendancy these days is to have young kids that don't take any responsibility in performing well, I just think its a shame there's no pride in having a job and performing it to the best of your ability anymore.

[cocoa_pleco]

one of my lfs has GREAT people. though. Theyre mainly sw, and have a 500g live rock tank, a 300g anenome tank, and TONS of sw tanks, and a few tropical and cichlid tanks

its a small shop, but EVERYONE is knowlegable, and the fish have TOP of the line conditions. The live rock is PERFECTLY maintained, and the 300g anenome tank has a 10,000$ light on it, that is as bright as 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 candles probably

They also sell mini anenomes, and hand out free homemade pamphlets of cichlids, algae, tanks, nano reefs, cichlids etc.

that's where im getting my live rock, shrimp, and anenome but my fish ill get from petceterea since its buy 1 get one free

[blue fin]

I have one of those as well but their prices can be painful, fish usually are twice the price, I still use them but today they would have been well out of the way, the fish were only one of many errands needed today.

[cocoa_pleco]

i bought a anenome and oscellaris clown at the shop, and the oscellaris was only 10 bucks and anenome 7

[blue fin]

Not bad... my problem is the good store is in the " upscale " neigborhood.

[Chrona]

Not bad... my problem is the good store is in the " upscale " neigborhood.

Heh, gotta love that.

I think the best shops are the small family operated ones. By the time they expand and commercialize and bring in outside help, they lose that touch.

[cocoa_pleco]

This lfs is kinda downtown.

[blue fin]

Heh, gotta love that.

I think the best shops are the small family operated ones. By the time they expand and commercialize and bring in outside help, they lose that touch.
I would have to agree with you on that one!

[*Sarah*]

Even the family operated ones though can be iffy. My lfs has one guy working there that's a real PITA, really cocky. The rest I found are good, but I'm gonna try not to go in Tuesdays since that seems to be when he's there.

[cocoa_pleco]

the small place im talking about hasnt changed at all for 10 years, they still take excellent care of everything

[Severus]

What PetSmart was it bluefin? Moorestown, Mt. Laurel, Berlin...?

[holbritter]

I love my lfs. Well, don't know it you would call it local if it takes 45 mins to get there, but the Petsmart near me happens to be disappointing with it's fish.
I went there and they had dwarf puffers listed as "tropical community" I said something to the person there, but even a week later, they never changed it. And their tanks never look all that clean, with a lot of floaters.
My Walmart tanks look better than these.

The one I like to go to, Eddie's Aquarium, it beautiful! They have the most amazing marine fish and every tank is crystal clear. The employees really know their fish too. Can be a little pricey, but worth it.

[bettaboy691]

my lfs, is a family run business.the owners and most employees are great and very helpful, but on some week days it slips a little because they employ students and younger adults that want the money and no nothing about fish.i often go at the weekend and they business is booming, always busy with plenty of fish to choose from.

[cocoa_pleco]

our petsmart has a paper on puffers "only for single species", and they have posters up " goldfish need at lease 10-15 gallons to themselves, not a bowl".
At least theyre trying to put goldfish in 10g's, but it should be 20g each.

But, WHY DO THEY STILL SELL BOWLS THEN??:1:

[Drumachine09]

No offense but when I was making minimum wage I still cared about doing a good job. I realize the tendancy these days is to have young kids that don't take any responsibility in performing well, I just think its a shame there's no pride in having a job and performing it to the best of your ability anymore.

I was the same way, but i was only payed minimum wage for a week, before i started raking in 250-350 a weekend plus tips, that are usually 50-75.

While we are on the subject of bad fish stores, i was in walmart the otherday getting some cichlid food, and i saw a little girl, couldnt have been more than four, looking a the tanks. Every time she saw a dead fish in JUST the bottom row of the tank rack, she would say "oops, theres a dead one!" when one of the oh-so-skilled walmart guys came around she said "hey mister, your not very good at this fishy stuff are you" He blushed and walked away. I thought it was hilarious.

[cocoa_pleco]

im not allowed for tips, but here in the city were REALLY short on work so i start at 13 bucks and if you go to a food store you can easily get 15 bucks start and 100$ bonus for 1000 hours.

And, work at a gas station, you can make close to 14-16 dollars start.

Most fast food places like wendys are closed at like 4 pm on weekdays now because theyre understaffed

And the other day there was a 12 year old kid flippin burgers on the grill at mc. dicks

[Severus]

Are you talking Canadian $..?

[cocoa_pleco]

yep. One lfs has tons of discus tanks, and sell them around 40-70$ each, and they also specializee in different pleco breeds, like yellow spot, long tail, bushynose, clown, etc.

[blue fin]

What PetSmart was it bluefin? Moorestown, Mt. Laurel, Berlin...?
It was the new location in Moorestown near 295 and 38, not the one near the mall, that one seems to have some employees that are at least somewhat knowledgeable and have their own tanks......

[Severus]

I believe you mean Mt. Laurel in Centerton Square. It is right on the edge of Moorestown though. Wegmans is in there and Target. Yea, i have had decent experiences there. I bought my two Severums there.

[blue fin]

I believe you mean Mt. Laurel in Centerton Square. It is right on the edge of Moorestown though. Wegmans is in there and Target. Yea, i have had decent experiences there. I bought my two Severums there.

That's the one... last time I'll be there though... I'll stick with the one near the mall, they seem to care more about their fish....

[Severus]

Yea, i like the one by the mall. I defintely agree they care more about their fish, especially one kid who is kind of short like 17. He appears to know what he is talking about

[Rue]

...I just feel a need to add my .02 cents...

Our Petsmart is quite good for the most part...which is why I shop there...mostly for bird supplies (they have the biggest selection) but also for other pet supplies...

All Petsmarts are supposed to be run the same way...there's no room for any personalization...every store prints off the same stickers...has the same prices...pays the same wages...etc.

And like most businesses, they're understaffed. When you have too few people doing too many things, certain things get left 'behind'...so even if they scoop dead fish in the mornings...fish will die during the day...

So even if you're told about the dead fish...you might have 3 customers waiting for crickets or feeder fish, and they have to be looked after before you can go back and look after the dead fish...

If you're having issues with a Petsmart, it's likely most effective to take them directly to the Head Office...but you can try the store manager first...

Now, franchises are different...they all have to have the same look...and operate in roughly the same fashion...but they're individually run by the franchise holder and are a bit more flexible about little things...

And both have less say in how things are done then an individually owned business...

So, if you want to take advantage of the lower prices chains and franchises have to offer...you have to live with the fact that they're not going to spend more on employee wages then they absolutely have to...