People really don't care about their fish...

[Rue]

...because if they did, they wouldn't place ads like this one:

[Only Registered Users Can See Links.]

Going back to the discussion about pet stores, and pet store owners not caring about their stock, or about having knowledgable employees - in part, it's this attitude that's reflected.

If owners don't care about their pets, why should the pet store? They're in the business of making money first...

[Dave66]

That, in a rub, Rue, is something that has bothered me since I started keeping fish in 1972. That ad made me sick in so many levels.

Dave

[rich311k]

That is just wrong on so many levels.

[Pele]

Whats so bad about it?

[Rue]

Not every fish fits in every tank. These people have no idea, have done no research, are asking for free fish...

It's wrong on every level!

[annageckos]

There are alot of people who don't know or just don't care about the animals' wellfare. Some are willing to learn, some, sadly, are not. We I was working for a pet store a guy came in to buy some cories. He said that he just got them to eat the crud at the bottom and didn't feed them. I said just put in extra food or get shrimp pellets for them. He said he just kept getting new ones when they died. He knew he was killing these fish and didn't care. Even had a smirk at my reaction. I HAD to bag them up for him, I had no choise. One other that stands out in my mind is a family bought a guinea pig then picked out a tiny little hamster cage for him. The cage wasn't more than 6x6 inches, maybe 8x8. My friend, who had helped them, was in tears because they insisted on the tiny cage and the manager let them get the guinea pig.

[Lukenasia]

Not to mention huge to them is probably only something like a 29g! Which is possibly unfiltered, most likely unheated, and will be mass overstocked when the tank hasn't even begun its cycle. But hey I'm jumping to alot of conclusions here :sconfused:

[Kazenouta]

This points to a really big problem in this hobby I think. I'm a really new Aquarist but, I know how badly I wanted to get into the hobby. I made sure to educate myself about it though, which if you're not properly motivated you won't do. Unfortunately, it isn't just fish who suffer from ignorant, lazy keepers but, cats, birds, dogs, anything that can be kept as a pet. Fish are just, it seems, more delicate and require more care than a cat or a dog. It'd be great if at fish stores the owners would hand prospective new Aquarists a pamphlet that explains the hobby that they have to really read over before they're allowed to buy.


Sigh.

[lobsternoob]

What the heck, why would you even want to keep fish and have no knowledge about what they are or whether they belong in the tank or with their tankmates, conditions, etc... I think one of the most fun parts of fishkeeping is learning about the specific needs habits and traits of the different animals I keep. I really think having fishtanks is in some ways more a great learning experience than even the entertainment value!

In a way, I can kind of understand people thinking, oh well its just a fish, if it dies it's easily replaceable. Only because fish are mainly just a food source for a lot of people, and really aren't cute and cuddly like some other animals. I can understand it a bit, but certainly cannot agree with it! There are plenty of animals I am not a fan of, but I still think they (no animal or person) never deserve being abused or mistreated in any way, and if a person decides to keep a pet they definitely need to take the responsibility to find out its needs and care for it properly.

As Annageckos mentioned I see people doing and mentioning things similar at big box stores almost every single time I go. A small part of the reason I really hate the decline of good small shops. I'm not an emotional guy, I have no problem killing something if the situation warrants it, but it frustrates me almost to the point of crying or screaming when I see or hear people talking to the employees at a store about fish dying and they have to get new ones for their kids, or wife or whatever. And the employee just says ya, or ok what do you want. Rather than advising them on proper stocking and care. Maybe they just don't know, care, or can't risk their jobs, and even if they do, some people just won't listen.

On a happier note, I can say for sure the store I do some work for has been advised, and has listened to me so that before they sell fish to anyone they ask about their tank(s) and also call me if advice is needed, they are bird specialists, I am their fish guy:).

I do care about my fish, and just by posting this Rue you've shown I'm not alone, well I knew that anyway, otherwise this forum would not exist. We have some really great caring keepers here, be it fish or other pets.:22:

[i_am_511]

Yea this is all assuming. How huge is the tank? could be a 55 gallon since most ppl who are new fish keeper see 55 gallons as the biggest tanks you can get "over the counter" lol... a 4 foot tank looks huge to new comers.


But hey it could be like a 125 or something and whatever she get would fit more then likely seeing that most people giving stuff away it wouldnt be nothing that would get too large other then a "sucker fish"

[Cliff]

I had a few bad fish store experiences. It makes it really hard for me to learn with those “yes men” not helping understand what I don’t know. I must have been keeping really hardy fish over the past 10 years!!! Now that I’ve spent the past two months of reading posts on this forum, I’ve learned a lot. I had an experience in one of the new local stores that shocked me. I was in there looking for a pleco when another customer asked the fish department employee for help. This customer wanted to buy 6 angle fish. After the employee ask a few more questions, I heard the customer explain it was for a 33 gal tank which already had a lot of fish in it (didn’t hear exactly what type). The employee tried to make some suggestions to the customer but the customer didn’t want to listen. The employee actually refused to sell the fish to the customer. The customer got mad, asked for a manager, and the manager supported the employee. The angle fish remained safe at the store

I’ve never seen this happened at a large chain store before. I got a lot of respect for that employee and manager. That takes guts to do in one of those corporate stores. In the off chance this customer would complain the to corporate head office, I sent them a E-mail letting them know those two were doing a great job

[xximanoobxx]

ignorant people... tsk tsk.

[HeatherB]

I don't understand why people keep fish and don't want to learn everything they can about the hobby to have a successful aquarium. This is why you can find so many cheap tanks on Craigslist,yards sales etc. People think " Oh I'd like to keep fish" and go drop $100 (easily on a small tank, decor etc at Petsmart) and throw fish in it on a Saturday, only to find by Monday, some fish died, so they go get more. Then they get discouraged and give up.

I must say, at least people start with fish. While I love them, at least they are probably the best pet for these ignorant people to have. At least I hope these people don't get like, puppies and treat them like some fish are treated.

[Aeonflame]

There are alot of people who don't know or just don't care about the animals' wellfare. Some are willing to learn, some, sadly, are not. We I was working for a pet store a guy came in to buy some cories. He said that he just got them to eat the crud at the bottom and didn't feed them. I said just put in extra food or get shrimp pellets for them. He said he just kept getting new ones when they died. He knew he was killing these fish and didn't care. Even had a smirk at my reaction. I HAD to bag them up for him, I had no choise. One other that stands out in my mind is a family bought a guinea pig then picked out a tiny little hamster cage for him. The cage wasn't more than 6x6 inches, maybe 8x8. My friend, who had helped them, was in tears because they insisted on the tiny cage and the manager let them get the guinea pig.

That makes me sick to my stomach. How big does an animal have to be to deserve to be kept humanely?

[Pele]

That makes me sick to my stomach. How big does an animal have to be to deserve to be kept humanely?
Unfortunatly, size doesnt matter in this equation. Dogs, cats, horses, and humans are also kept inhumanly many times, It not the fish, its stupid people

[Lady Hobbs]

That's just nuts. Wonder what they would do if someone donated 10 Oscars and 13 piranha's.

And a whole bunch of neons. LOL

[Cristoff]

Unfortunatly, size doesnt matter in this equation. Dogs, cats, horses, and humans are also kept inhumanly many times, It not the fish, its stupid people

Pele, that is the wisest thing I have seen you post here! thumbs2: I agree 100%