Argh! Salesgal blows in the fish bag!

[Lady Hobbs]

Got 7 more neons to add to my tribe tonight.....all they had......and their shipment come yesterday. Hummmm First she nets me out a neon that was on his last lap and told me he was fine when I told her he was ill and I didn't want that one. Then she tells me he is just fine and leaves him in the bag and writes "7" on the bag as if she thought I should pay for him. I asked how old she thought I was.

That kind of got my shackles up because I had already told her I didn't want a sick fish and sure wasn't going to pay for it.

She begrudgingly changed the number to "6". And then she sent me into shock by blowing in the fish bag to fill it full of her carbon dioxide. Where do they find these people! Fish like oxygen not waste from someones lungs.
She probably smoked a cigar on her lunch break.

:hmm3grin2orange:

[Sasquatch]

Don't get me started Hobbs ... we've got one from another store in the same chain I work for that makes me break out it hives!

I had one customer tell me about a friends of hers who bought a black loach for her guppy tank. A black loach with a white stripe on its forhead and white rings on its tail and that swims backwards ... aka a black knife fish!

[rich311k]

That is unbeleivable. Where do they find these people?

[mermaidwannabe]

Isn't it exasperating how they think they know it all and you can't tell them anything? Blowing in the fish bag ... someone should blow in her face, maybe she'd get the idea how gross that is for the poor fish.

I'm sure grateful for our great LFS in Lewiston! They take extra special care when they bag their fish. We live a good distance away, and a lot of travel time between their store and home. I have never lost a single fish in transport that they've bagged for me. They not only oxygenate the bag, they put a little blue pill in the water that helps relax the fish and keeps them from getting stressed during the trip. Not sure what the substance is, but it does wonders for keeping the fish alive and healthy from their tanks to mine.

Wish they all were like that ....

-- mermaidwannabe

:goldfish: :fish: :fish2:

[korith]

You did good, never take a fish you know is gonna die. When I was getting otos at this one store, the guy just gave up and let me net them out myself. I kept telling him not to put any that had sunken bullies into the bag.

When you breathe out you do expel oxygen too, though granted not that much.

[Lady Hobbs]

Sasquatch........that had me spitting coffee on my keyboard. I was NOT expecting that answer. Oh my.......Hope he keeps those guppies happy!
:hmm3grin2orange: :hmm3grin2orange:

Korith......that is not air she blow in that bag but waste carbon dioxide. That's not like giving them oxygen from a tank.

mermaidwannabe.......those blue things are Tank Buddies. I think it's the same thing used in Betta cups.

[sheamurai]

sorry you had a bad experience Hobbs, but I do want to note that it ain't such a bad thing blowing in the bag. Of course pure oxygen is better, especially if you have a ways to go before your fish get tanked.

Our lungs aren't quite that efficient - I forget the numbers (22% comes to mind) - but just on the logic side I don't think CPR would be taught to paramedics if all we were doing was blowing out CO2...

Can't beleive she left the fish in the bag tho - I don't care what my reasons are, if I say I don't want a fish then they shouldn't put the darn thing in the bag. And if the fish is sick, then she could be infecting your tank with something! No excuse for that kind of attitude.

When I've rehomed some fish, I've blown in the bag myself.

[Lady Hobbs]

The sickie died, of course. I knew it would not see the light of day. The other 6 are OK so far.

Several sites stress about blowing into the fish bag and all say it's dangerous to the fish. I've also read the same applies to never blow into the tank thru a straw thinking you are doing the fish some good (incase of power outage.) I've just never seen anyone do it and bought fish 100 times so was surprised to see it, more than anything.

Just type in: Do not blow in fish bags in Google and you'll see it all over the place.

[sheamurai]

I see a lot of things on google...doesn't mean they are right...but I will check it out...CPR is based on the fact that you are blowing oxygen into the lungs, and forcing it somewhat to circulate...but fish are a lot smaller, so perhaps the slightly higher percentage of CO2 is harmful to them...

[Rue]

At least you're never bored at the LFS! :14:

[Lady Hobbs]

There was a woman working there that did a great job and was always on top of things. She has been out ill for a couple months and if she doesn't return, I just won't shop there anymore. Between dead fish in the tanks, algae all over, tanks with ick......and a bunch of kids working there that don't care.....time for me to move on. Problem is it's the only place around here to buy fish but it's hardly worth the aggravation anymore. One person really does make a difference! I know she did.

[Rue]

Too bad she's not there anymore...I hate it when people I like disappear from their jobs (or whereever it is that I see them).

I also wish there was more incentive for kids to learn and to care...but I suppose that's in part up to management.

[WhiteDevil]

LH, if they did that to me id turn around and walk straight out the door. LFS' even big box with ill trained personel dont deserve our hobby money.

[sheamurai]

Yes, service really comes down to the individual - in everything.

I never moved my bank account when I got a new job, and now I am a few hundred miles away from that branch, but I will never move my account because of one lady. She's the only reason that bank has kept my mortgage. Lord knows the system itself has almost caused me to close up shop with them, but she always makes it right.

I wish businesses realised that - how much business they can lose even in just a day because of one shoddy employee...

[Lab_Rat]

Our lungs definitely are not 100% efficient at oxygen removal. Really, we only extract about 25% of the atmospheric oxygen when comparing inhaled gasses to exhaled gasses. So instead of the fish being bagged in about 21% oxygen (atmospheric concentration), they're bagged in 15% oxygen, and CO2 is increased.

Now it looks gross, and may be gross to think about her having filled the bag with her breath, but unless you're way out in the country all by yourself, you're sharing the air with everyone. I doubt she did any harm to the fish though, by breathing into the bag.

[Trillianne]

I did some searching online and the not breathing in bags was related to shipping in all cases where I found it. Shipping multiple days of time in which they spoke to pumping in pure oxygen.

So it sounds like the the longer the journey a fish has to make the higher concentration of O2 is desired simply to combat the amount of CO2 that the fish is going to put into the bag on the trip.

The actual air we breath in is roughly only 21% O2 (CO2 is less than a single percent). Air we breath out is about 5% less O2 as that portion is converted to CO2. So on the trip home instead of getting 21% O2, the fish got 15% O2. (Most fish stores fill with atmosphere instead of pure O2)

For a relatively short trip this would have little affect on the fish. (Its also why fish stores tend to send people home with more fish per bag then would be recommended for shipping) For a longer trip this would be much more significant.

[SunSchein89]

I actually am guilty of blowing in the bag when I bag fish :ssuprised: . What I normally do is "catch" the bag with as much atmospheric air as I can and blow in the bag just to top it off and make it full and tight. We don't have any oxygen supply at my store, so I figured adding more air, even if it is slightly less oxygenated would be better than not having that air there at all. Just my $.02.

That was really poor customer service, though. Is it that big of a deal to take out the fish and re-bag 6 healthy ones? Some people are just miserable sacks of you-know-what and bring down the mood of everyone around them; I kind of pity people like that, actually. It's not like you told her to rewrite an entire novel she's been writing for years, just bag some new healthy fish, do your job.

You should've asked her if she would still pay for a burger that was loaded with pickles (if she doesn't like them, that is) simply because she wasn't being charged for them. Same idea to me.

[kurly]

Isn't it exasperating how they think they know it all and you can't tell them anything? Blowing in the fish bag ... someone should blow in her face, maybe she'd get the idea how gross that is for the poor fish.

-- mermaidwannabe

:goldfish: :fish: :fish2:

LOL! :lol: I just had a mental image of the look on the clerks face if Lady Hobbs would have blown in HER face after she did that!

On a serious note, these stores should hire more knowledgeable employees. I can't believe what they say and do.

[SwordTaleLair]

At least you're never bored at the LFS! :14:


Nor on AC!! :14: :hmm3grin2orange:

[Little Embers]

Whether it is acceptable to do it or not, it stills "blows" bigtime ...yuk!! (no pun intended or pun intended if you prefer :hmm3grin2orange: )

[KatzeSlaugen]

even when stores do inject "pure o2" it really isnt 100% oxygen. IIRC pure oxygen is volatile and actually toxic. chances are it is just o2 enhanced atmosphere.

really doesnt bug me either way though as i live less than 5 min from both my LFs's

[Lady Hobbs]

Really wasn't a huge deal and I was probably more mad at her leaving the sick fish in the bag and thinking she was going to sell it to me. The breathing in the bag just topped off my crappy mood at the time time. I knew the fish would be home within 15 minutes so it wasn't that big of a deal but also have read 100 times to not do that nor blow into the tank with a straw. But then, I'm not too crazy about it when they drop a fish on the floor at 5 ft and then want me to buy that one, either.

Years ago I had a waitresses that would get her drinks mixed up and would pick them up and sniff them. That was so gross to stick your nose in someones glass and I'd rant at her for that and the next day I'd catch her again. I worked with the public over 40 years and customer service is everything. Even if the food wasn't that great, if the service was good then I was happy but poor customer service just leaves a sore spot in my craw.

[Pleco380]

How do you get enough air in the fish bag without blowing in it? I can't figure out how people do that.

[Lady Hobbs]

In the plastic bags, as long as you leave enough head space, there is enough oxygen for a few hours. Some stores will add oxygen from a tank, too. That's why they give you a small amount of water and lots of air in the bag.

[Lab_Rat]

Yeah, I'd have been mad about the sick/dying fish in the bag too. That is just stupid on her part.

[Little Embers]

My LFS always used to fill the bags with oxygen from an air/oxygen tank.

[Brhino]

even when stores do inject "pure o2" it really isnt 100% oxygen. IIRC pure oxygen is volatile and actually toxic.

It is explosive for sure. It's not exactly toxic, but if you breathe nothing but oxygen for an extended period of time it leads to brain damage.

[Trillianne]

Completely offtopic but.... Little Embers your cat bums aren't a mirror image of their fronts..... for some reason this disturbs me @.@

[Little Embers]

I sent you a PM, but no more cat bums...sorry Trillianne! :11:

[Rue]

So now I'm wondering...

Do young people expect good customer service? Maybe it's only us old fogeys that want it?

[WhiteDevil]

LOL! :lol: I just had a mental image of the look on the clerks face if Lady Hobbs would have blown in HER face after she did that!

On a serious note, these stores should hire more knowledgeable employees. I can't believe what they say and do.
its not about hiring ones that already know but training those that dont. training investment can go a long way for a smart company, if they are smart.

[Trillianne]

I sent you a PM, but no more cat bums...sorry Trillianne! :11:

Oh noes! cat bums aren't offensive... my comment was more of those... is that RIGHT? that doesn't look right! (My eyes not wanting to match front ends with backends of cats because of what's expected vs what's show!)

And Rue.... define young people. I for one can only say that I absolutely want good customer service. (But perhaps I am too old for you... ¬.¬) Some places are certainly more adept at teaching their employees what good customer service is. To name a few... generally McDonalds or Starbucks. I know not everyone cares for what they serve or some store policies but stories of CS nightmares... those tend to be rarer.

[korith]

So now I'm wondering...

Do young people expect good customer service? Maybe it's only us old fogeys that want it?

I think everyone expects good service. Not just for fish stores, but any store/restaurant. One or two bad experiences at any store is enough to drive me away for good. Really if places expect repeat business they have to provide good service.

[Rue]

I was just wondering. I know I'm a big fan of customer service. LOL...nothing worth than paying for something and being made to feel like you're an idiot while doing it...:fish2:

But my kids think I'm getting old when I complain about poor service...they seem to shrug it off more under that ever helpful comment: "Whatever"...

[Trillianne]

But my kids think I'm getting old when I complain about poor service...they seem to shrug it off more under that ever helpful comment: "Whatever"...

Are they old enough for a job yet?

I've found this tends to be the epiphany moment for some young people... when they actually have a customer service job.

[Rue]

Yup...they're all old enough.

The 20 year old is at University and has mostly had research jobs...but he did work at Safeway while in high-school. He bagged groceries and worked in the meat department.

The 18 year old is also at University...and she's mostly done research too (summer-student stuff) - but her p/t job is teaching piano lessons...

...and the 15 year old is currently working at the arena - in the Concession Stand. He's been promoted to short-order cook from working the till...

But still...all 3 of them are rather nonchalant.:sconfused:

[Michael Milligan]

That is unbeleivable. Where do they find these people?

Craigslist


I see a lot of things on google...doesn't mean they are right...but I will check it out...CPR is based on the fact that you are blowing oxygen into the lungs, and forcing it somewhat to circulate...but fish are a lot smaller, so perhaps the slightly higher percentage of CO2 is harmful to them...

Side with Sheamurai here. Human lungs are not very efficient at all because they evolved being able to constantly breath in new air.

Atmosphere is about 21% O2. Our exhale is about 16% O2. 16 parts/100. The maximum dissolved O2 in 77 deg fresh water is 6.3 parts/1000. 16/100 v 6.3/1000 would suggest a differential that would still allow the saturation of the water by O2.

As we know, added CO2 is a normal addition to planted tanks and shouldn't be seen as harmful to the fish.

That is not to suggest for the moment that there weren't many things wrong with this person having contact with the public. lol