Dang it!!! Stupid LFS

**Kuli_Loach** · 09-16-2007, 12:37 AM

Ok, I went to my LFS and asked before hand if I would be able to bring my fish in for strore credit. I have around 150$ worth of fish and plants I was going to bring in but I was only expecting 70-80$ for it. They told me 35$. I said screw ya'll and left. Now I am stuck with these fish so I guess I will be stuck with dealing with taking care of them for a while. I did give my aunt 3 corys and my glowlights so that is a little lighter load.

**YaYgoldFish** · 09-16-2007, 02:53 AM

I know how you feel...I bought 2 hujeta gars from there (10$ ea) and 2 tinfoil barbs(6$ each) when i had to get rid of them they offered me 10 bucks..The day later i go back and the fish are all dead.

**A340** · 09-16-2007, 06:46 AM

The problem is this, a LFS is a business. The number one rule for businesses is to make money.

Pet stores buy fish from suppliers and wholesalers, why? Because they are cheap and can be held liable for fish health or any loss for a certain period of time (just like the LFS guarantees their fish for so many days after you buy it).

As an example, you said you had $150 worth of fish and were expecting about half of that. So, after they sold the fish again for the suggested value of $150, the store only doubled their money, which sounds like a lot. But when you put in the extra cost factors such as overhead, required space and up keep for the fish, they'll only be making a couple of dollars of them. Not to mention they could get the same fish for a fraction of the $35 they paid you.

As far as fish health goes, if I were a pet store owner, I wouldn't take any fish off of peoples hands and give them money or credit for them. There is really no way I can tell that the fish will last long enough for me to sell, and if I do sell it, what if it dies on the customer? Too much risk.

**Drumachine09** · 09-16-2007, 06:59 AM

Hmmm, ive never thought about it that way. Good point. Basically, if you can get that much for it, youd be lucky. Is what you're selling fish you have bred? Or bought?

**A340** · 09-16-2007, 07:07 AM

Best thing to do is find yourself a good LFS (not a chain, but a small private business). Find one that you are comfortable with and you feel are competent and know what they are doing. Do most of your purchases there, spend time just browsing around and get to know the owners. After awhile, seeing that you are a good customer and they know that you know what you are doing when it comes to aquariums. You may be able squeeze a bit more out of them.

**Kuli_Loach** · 09-16-2007, 11:58 AM

This isn't a chain store, it is a private one. I have sold fish here before, 2 angels for 20$ before and I was selling 2 more angels a bunch of other fish to them. They know my fish are good, none have ever died that I sold them. Man even 50$ would have been ok but I ain't taken 35$ for nearly that many fish. They told me once they purchase them at the price it costs to get them from a breeder. I have saw what they cost and if that is the case I should have gotten what I wanted at 70-80 dollars.

**Lady Hobbs** · 09-16-2007, 12:18 PM

Originally Posted by alizee340

The problem is this, a LFS is a business. The number one rule for businesses is to make money.

Pet stores buy fish from suppliers and wholesalers, why? Because they are cheap and can be held liable for fish health or any loss for a certain period of time (just like the LFS guarantees their fish for so many days after you buy it).

As an example, you said you had $150 worth of fish and were expecting about half of that. So, after they sold the fish again for the suggested value of $150, the store only doubled their money, which sounds like a lot. But when you put in the extra cost factors such as overhead, required space and up keep for the fish, they'll only be making a couple of dollars of them. Not to mention they could get the same fish for a fraction of the $35 they paid you.

As far as fish health goes, if I were a pet store owner, I wouldn't take any fish off of peoples hands and give them money or credit for them. There is really no way I can tell that the fish will last long enough for me to sell, and if I do sell it, what if it dies on the customer? Too much risk.

Finally!!! Some that understands. Excellent post Alizee.

Pay $35,000 for a car, drive it around the block and take it back to the dealer and see what they offer you.

When they take fish back, they don't know if it's just gone thru a cycle, is ill, has parasites or how it's been treated. All could be dead in a day and then they'd be out whatever they had just paid you for them.

I don't know as I even like the practice of returning fish. Who wants to buy new fish (you think) only to find out it has just been in an uncycled tank and most likely will end up dead. It's good they do it when people buy the wrong fish so I have mixed feelings on it. One guy here must have returned his fish 5 or 6 times as he kept getting fish not compatible with what he had. That's a bit over-the-top, I thought.

But you really have to take into consideration what they sell these fish for. A cory might sell for $5.95. If they give you 3.95 for it, then they will only make 2 bucks on it.