A COLOSSAL IDIOT walks into a pet store....(an illustrated tail - intentional misspelling- of woe)

[Flumpweesel]

Those white scales look a bit like my lady bettas colouring I the tank lights have just gone out so we on archive photos.

When she is happy they are almost blue but when she is in a sulk (see photo with the krib) they are pale.

Hope if it looks similar to your eye these photos help reduce your worry. And before you worry about mine with that krib she is currently in the community tank still a little sulky but doing fine 

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

Ok update time!

We'll start with our sad case first, Mr. Red Crowntail- he's eating Metroplex medicated bloodworms in the morning- and had a few Ocean Nutrition Betta Pellets for dinner. He got a small water change today (25% water change yesterday after the 1st Expel P dose @Odd Duck recommended). I'm changing water every other day in all the patient's tank but the 25% change happened to come on the "no water change day". Anyhow, he still eats fine and wants so badly to swim but after some effort swimming straight he goes back sideways. The meds don't seem to effect him negatively and so far after 3 days of feeding medicated food he's not wanted to reject it so I think we're good there. I just cut a small piece off the frozen block I made mixing just barely thawed with Focus and Metro and put back in a mold to refreeze- let the small piece thaw and feed him the bigger chunks. Here is the little guy today- you can see he still uses the sides and corners of the tank to stay up (mostly the corners): 

Purple Dumbo girl- still doing good! She got her bloodworms this morning, betta pellets this evening with a water change and is ALWAYS, ALWAYS at the front of the tank for attention- she's a very sweet little fish: 

Miss GloBetta is improving daily. She's much more casual about her movements compared to her Purple neighbor. She's very graceful for such a loooonnnng fish. Her tail is getting more red on it as the days go by. She likes to hang out near the floaters I put in her tank. Even as slow as she moves she's just as hard to get a pic of as Purple: 

Then we have White Twintail Halfmoon- he just keeps getting prettier and better at getting around his tank- when he used to do what his neighbor Crowntail does- he's now all over his tank near constantly. He eats really well, got his water change and swims a lot better with the heavy water change current (though it's still probably hard with those long fins). Ignore the black stripe across his body in the bottom right pic- that's just a mark on the outside of the tank. I'm still wondering what his final coloring is! 

Edited October 17, 2022 by xXInkedPhoenixX
Typos are lame

[StockEwe49]

My betta has the same blue shimmer spots @Flumpweesel. They are more blue than white especially when the light hits him just right.

[Odd Duck]

Glad to see steady improvement, even if some are baby steps.  Keep up the good work!

[nabokovfan87]

awesome progress.  Keep at it!

[Minanora]

Rooting for the red boy to keep improving. He'll catch up!

Why do Bettas have to have such interesting personalities.... I didn't want a Betta because of the heartbreak when they get old but it's so worth it. Such great fish. Can be picky eaters.... 🤣

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

On 10/16/2022 at 9:24 PM, Minanora said:

Can be picky eaters.... 🤣

Yes, which is why I'm happy Crowntail is eating the medicated food I fully expected him to reject it because of my experience with picky Betta. All 4 of the patients eat the food I give them easily so I guess I've got a good food rotation going or they are just not picky eaters which IME is unusual so I'm going to put it down to I have good food. 

On 10/16/2022 at 9:24 PM, Minanora said:

I didn't want a Betta because of the heartbreak when they get old

This is exactly why I quit them the first time- mine never really got "old" either- they just got sick and died despite my best efforts. I've never had one with me for more than a couple of years- usually less. This is why I call myself a crap Betta keeper- while I'm tempted to keep some of the patients- they might be better off elsewhere when this is over! 🙂 

So since they were already sick I figured I couldn't hurt them more than they were already and if they made it great! I do the same thing with plants at the nursery- I'll buy the dying ones and try and bring them back because I feel bad for them- but chalk it up to they were dying anyway if they don't make it- or happy when they do!

Edited October 17, 2022 by xXInkedPhoenixX

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

I'm falling in love with Purple Dumbo.

I'm glad Red Crowntail is eating the food.  I think he will keep getting stronger as time goes by, and you are taking immaculate care of everybody as far as water quality as well.

What was your initial process for acclimating these bettas to your water?  Do you drip acclimate or float or use another process?

[TheSwissAquarist]

On 10/17/2022 at 3:45 PM, Chick-In-Of-TheSea said:

I'm falling in love with Purple Dumbo.

I’m with you on that one!

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

On 10/17/2022 at 6:45 AM, Chick-In-Of-TheSea said:

I'm falling in love with Purple Dumbo.

and @TheSwissAquarist...

She's totally easy to fall for she's adorable and not a whole lot bigger than an an inch and a half- she's tiny which just makes her cuter- she's got a great personality too- she acts just like a little dog does- "I'm a big dog! I'm a big dog!".

 

On 10/17/2022 at 6:45 AM, Chick-In-Of-TheSea said:

I'm glad Red Crowntail is eating the food.  I think he will keep getting stronger as time goes by, and you are taking immaculate care of everybody as far as water quality as well

Yes I'm glad Crowntail eats- as long as he's doiing that I know he's still with me. It's important for me to do frequent water changes in my QT tanks as they're not really big so water quality can take a dump quickly if I'm not careful. 

 

On 10/17/2022 at 6:45 AM, Chick-In-Of-TheSea said:

What was your initial process for acclimating these bettas to your water?  Do you drip acclimate or float or use another process?

There wasn't one- when a fish is in crappy water and already distressed this is when I use plop and drop. So they came out of their nasty cups with a net and straight into my water. This is one of those times you don't want to mess around- kind of like when you get a shipment of live fish and they struggle with the ammonia immediately rising as soon as the air hits the water. I've never had an issue with this. 

Now when I bring home fish from LFS or when I got Punk from another fish keeper, I actually ask the LFS for more of their water than what you get in the bag (Punk's owner gave me plenty) and over the course of a couple of hours I just add a cup or so to the container they are in until there's enough water for a QT. Then clearly over the QT time with water changes they are used to my water. Again never had an issue- never have done drip acclimation to this point in my hobby experience. 

Edited October 17, 2022 by xXInkedPhoenixX

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

Purple Dumbo also looks like she's smiling.

On 10/17/2022 at 10:14 AM, xXInkedPhoenixX said:

There wasn't one- when a fish is in crappy water and already distressed this is when I use plop and drop. So they came out of their nasty cups with a net and straight into my water. This is one of those times you don't want to mess around- kind of like when you get a shipment of live fish and they struggle with the ammonia immediately rising as soon as the air hits the water. I've never had an issue with this. 

Yeah I was wondering because I knew the water in the little cups must have been horrible.

Also do bettas need heaters?  

[TheSwissAquarist]

On 10/17/2022 at 4:14 PM, xXInkedPhoenixX said:

and @TheSwissAquarist...

I don’t know if I’ve already mentioned this on the forum, but following your example I bought 4 MALE guppies who were being kept with TIGER BARBS!! 2 of the poor guys were on deaths doorstep (aka they had practically no tail). I asked the employee why he put them in with tiger barbs and he said because they looked nice together and seemed to be playing  😡.

I then proceeded to ask how long he had been working there (2 or so months) and if there was a spare job up for grabs. Landed 4 hours on Saturday and Sunday.

Thanks for this thread @xXInkedPhoenixX for reminding members to take care of fish and to try and save as many as they can!!!

P.S. It’s my second ever job😏

On 10/17/2022 at 4:20 PM, Chick-In-Of-TheSea said:

Purple Dumbo also looks like she's smiling.

Yeah I was wondering because I knew the water in the little cups must have been horrible.

Also do bettas need heaters?  

Is the pope a catholic????

(Yes)

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

On 10/17/2022 at 7:20 AM, Chick-In-Of-TheSea said:

Also do bettas need heaters?  

Yeah unless you have the ability to keep water at 80-82 degrees all the time they do seem to do a lot better with a heater. I say this because my Flex9 is often 80 in the summer with no help but not so much in the winter. So it is possible without a heater if you live in a tropical area and keep the area they're in warm. Otherwise I'd recommend heaters for them- which might have played a part in me not having much luck with them in the past- I did not know (this was some years ago). They breathe air so humidity is a must- the warmer water helps this. 

Now, right at this moment they don't have heaters unfortunately. I'm keeping the room at 75 degrees (and during the afternoon it gets warmer). My tanks generally run 75-79 degrees on their own. My resident Betta, Koianu has a small flat heater it keeps his tank at 80. 

 

On 10/17/2022 at 7:22 AM, TheSwissAquarist said:

I don’t know if I’ve already mentioned this on the forum, but following your example I bought 4 MALE guppies who were being kept with TIGER BARBS!! 2 of the poor guys were on deaths doorstep (aka they had practically no tail). I asked the employee why he put them in with tiger barbs and he said because they looked nice together and seemed to be playing  😡.

Aww poor guppies, that's very sad. I hope you have luck with them and they grow their tails back. Having worked in rescue before there are many people who choose pets by their looks without knowing their behavior, needs and potential issues- people often don't educate themselves and then blame the animal for whatever disaster happens later. I'm constantly surprised that stores don't try to educate their employees more- I know good help is hard to find but when I tried to get a job in a pet store many years ago the owner passed on me because I failed some care questions they asked (it was turtle care in this case) and someone else knew all the right answers. I commend them for that though at the time I was bummed about it.  On that note- congrats on the new job!!

On 10/17/2022 at 7:22 AM, TheSwissAquarist said:

Thanks for this thread @xXInkedPhoenixX for reminding members to take care of fish and to try and save as many as they can!!!

Rescue is not for everyone but those of us who can do it should do it. Really my hope here is that others benefit from my experience- in your case it inspired you to save some guppies AND get a new job- that's fantastic! At the very least I hope it helps a Betta owner that is looking for a treatment plan or basic care ideas. 

Edited October 17, 2022 by xXInkedPhoenixX

[Chris]

Props to you, @xXInkedPhoenixX! Looks like you've put in a lot of work with these guys, and it really shows. I hope they all work out for you!

The cups they were in were terrible - I used to be a department manager at a big box store, and I tried my best to keep the cups clean. Me and the other employees changed the water in the cups at least twice a week, fed them every other day (to keep waste down), and I randomly tested cups for ammonia every couple of days to make sure things weren't getting out of hand. For as much time as we spent keeping those cups cleaned, they probably could have spent the same amount of money on a betta barracks drip system and saved on labor!

Just food for thought - when I went into that manger position, one of the department awards that was passed on to me was a trophy from 2015 given to us because the store had "only" lost 15% of received fish in a year. So out of every 100 fish, 15 died. By the time I left that position two years later, we had managed to get it down to 6%, which I think is still too high. The way those stores are designed from the foundation up makes it hard to do a good job with animal care, unfortunately. All the extra steps I implemented with the bettas and other animals caused me to get in hot water several times, and it wasn't until we'd get our annual loss reports on animals that they'd actually allow me to implement new policy.

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

On 10/17/2022 at 10:22 AM, TheSwissAquarist said:

and if there was a spare job up for grabs. Landed 4 hours on Saturday and Sunday.

That's awesome!  Show 'em how it's done!

On 10/17/2022 at 10:22 AM, TheSwissAquarist said:

Is the pope a catholic????

(Yes)

Hey man. I don't have a bettas, so I don't know.  And all the stores, even LFS, don't have heaters in whatever tank or cup they are in.

On 10/17/2022 at 10:22 AM, TheSwissAquarist said:

I bought 4 MALE guppies who were being kept with TIGER BARBS

While we are on the topic of rescues.  I saw a little blue snail in with swordtails, and every time the snail went to come out of his shell he would get viciously attacked and nipped by the fish. He couldn't travel and he couldn't eat because of this.  Of course it was at big box store.  So I saved him and he is in a planted tank paradise with other snail friends and some mild-mannered tetras.  I also have a Bolivian ram who likes vegetables, but when there is a snail on the vegetables, the ram leaves them alone and does without.  I affectionately named the little snail Dodger.

Dodger adoption day

Dodger takes a girl on a dinner date💋

Dodger’s impressive (and beautiful) new shell growth.

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

@Chick-In-Of-TheSea aww, sweet little snail, glad they got to go home with you.

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

On 10/17/2022 at 8:13 AM, Chris said:

Props to you, @xXInkedPhoenixX! Looks like you've put in a lot of work with these guys, and it really shows. I hope they all work out for you!

Thanks @Chris 🙂 I'm working on it! 

On 10/17/2022 at 8:13 AM, Chris said:

The cups they were in were terrible - I used to be a department manager at a big box store, and I tried my best to keep the cups clean. Me and the other employees changed the water in the cups at least twice a week, fed them every other day (to keep waste down), and I randomly tested cups for ammonia every couple of days to make sure things weren't getting out of hand. For as much time as we spent keeping those cups cleaned, they probably could have spent the same amount of money on a betta barracks drip system and saved on labor!

YES! They are terrible and I wish more stores would put Betta in better living conditions. I know it's an expensive initial investment but A) it would actually encourage people/customers to keep them the "right" way- which in the end actually makes the store money (bigger tanks, better food, better water etc) and B) the fish would be healthier and live longer therefore keeping and encouranging more to stay in the hobby (again making the store MORE money!). I believe they shouldn't carry as many as they have been too- the big box store that I got these four from just expanded the Betta section and it couldn't be any less than 100+ Betta in cups. That's just too many- and it just brings to light the labor it takes to PROPERLY care for them when the employees are TRYING to make the effort. 

I don't blame pet store employees- I can't imagine anyone who gets a job in a pet store ISN'T an animal lover- but as potential pet owners going into one WE have to take it upon ourselves to do the research BEFORE getting a pet- sadly most people don't do it this way- and blindly take one person's advice. However, stores can do a MUCH better job educating their staff- which again would make them MORE MONEY! When I worked in high-end retail we used to have Saturday morning meetings- reps from the companies we sold for: Waterford Crystal, Wedgwood china, Wustof knives, All Clad Cookware and hundreds of others, would come to our meetings and educate us on the products- where they were made, how they were made, WHY quality costs more- how to use and care for the products properly. THIS made us excellent sales people who could answer any potential question a customer had with the RIGHT information not guesses or rumors or even personal experience that may not be correct. This store had excellent sales and felt supportive of their staff. Again, a 30 minute meeting 1x or more a week costs the company some money but in investing in educating people you.....MAKE MORE MONEY!! 

On 10/17/2022 at 8:13 AM, Chris said:

Just food for thought - when I went into that manger position, one of the department awards that was passed on to me was a trophy from 2015 given to us because the store had "only" lost 15% of received fish in a year. So out of every 100 fish, 15 died. By the time I left that position two years later, we had managed to get it down to 6%, which I think is still too high. The way those stores are designed from the foundation up makes it hard to do a good job with animal care, unfortunately. All the extra steps I implemented with the bettas and other animals caused me to get in hot water several times, and it wasn't until we'd get our annual loss reports on animals that they'd actually allow me to implement new policy.

I can't imagine the uphill battle you had with corporate for trying to do your job better- isn't that ironic?? I've had that same issue before in other positions- trying to do things the right way or changing "policy" no matter how illogical, cumbersome, unbeneficial or even financially burdensome (I mean c'mon they're losing money). I did it anyway, glad to see there are more rebels like me. I hope they continued the process after you left and even got better. Kudos to you. 

Edited October 17, 2022 by xXInkedPhoenixX
to clarify

[TheSwissAquarist]

On 10/17/2022 at 5:13 PM, Chris said:

given to us because the store had "only" lost 15% of received fish in a year. So out of every 100 fish, 15 died. By the time I left that position two years later, we had managed to get it down to 6%,

Hats off to you for that!! Think of the amount of value you managed to create just by doing that. 
 

On another note congratulations to @Chick-In-Of-TheSeas “Dodger” for getting a date 😏

[Chris]

On 10/17/2022 at 12:05 PM, xXInkedPhoenixX said:

I believe they shouldn't carry as many as they have been too- the big box store that I got these four from just expanded the Betta section and it couldn't be any less than 100+ Betta in cups. That's just too many- and it just brings to light the labor it takes to PROPERLY care for them when the employees are TRYING to make the effort.

Totally agree here - I actually think the cups could theoretically be viable if they were double the size and the stores were kept much warmer, as long as there was a reasonable number of cups to maintain. My store only had around 50 slots for cups, but we were consistently in the top 5 highest selling stores in the South in live animals, so we'd have another 50-100 cups in the back waiting to be stocked on a shelf. On water change day, it would literally take the entire department working on it all day from 6 AM till we closed and left at 10 PM to get it done if we were busy with customers and well stocked. Some days we simply didn't finish.

 

On 10/17/2022 at 12:05 PM, xXInkedPhoenixX said:

don't blame pet store employees- I can't imagine anyone who gets a job in a pet store ISN'T an animal lover- but as potential pet owners going into one WE have to take it upon ourselves to do the research BEFORE getting a pet- sadly most people don't do it this way- and blindly take one person's advice. However, stores can do a MUCH better job educating their staff- which again would make them MORE MONEY!

This! I have this thought every time I visit a pet store, whether it's a big box store or LFS. I almost always feel that the employee is well-intentioned but misinformed, and while waiting in line for fish I've seen all kinds of wacky recommendations happen that'll almost definitely result in an upset customer coming back to the store and wanting a refund/using up more time.

On 10/17/2022 at 12:05 PM, xXInkedPhoenixX said:

When I worked in high-end retail we used to have Saturday morning meetings- reps from the companies we sold for: Waterford Crystal, Wedgwood china, Wustof knives, All Clad Cookware and hundreds of others, would come to our meetings and educate us on the products- where they were made, how they were made, WHY quality costs more- how to use and care for the products properly.

I think this is great. I currently work in electronics repair (cell phones, tablets, gaming systems, computers, etc.) and the job does have some retail elements, and is extremely heavy in customer service. A lot of the products we sell are simply more expensive than competing products - a 3 foot charging cable from us is $20, compared to the $5 cord that UPS sells next door. The difference? Our cord is braided, double the thickness, has a chip that causes the phone to stop charging at 100% battery, and comes with a 6 month store warranty and a 1-year manufacturer warranty. Until I worked here, I would have simply thought these products were overpriced - now I understand the pricing model and actually prefer to spend more money on these products. All it takes is a willing employee and the right education.

On 10/17/2022 at 12:05 PM, xXInkedPhoenixX said:

I can't imagine the uphill battle you had with corporate for trying to do your job better- isn't that ironic?? I've had that same issue before in other positions- trying to do things the right way or changing "policy" no matter how illogical, cumbersome, unbeneficial or even financially burdensome (I mean c'mon they're losing money).

Very! I think most corporations see store-level issues (like animal care) very one-dimensionally. They see that they're losing 15% of their livestock annually, yes, but they know those fish were pennies a piece. They're making their money elsewhere, and estimate that the gains they'd get by improving their care processes would cost more than they'd recover from that investment. I think they're wrong - I think if they started really examining it one store at a time, they'd see an uptick not only in survival rates, but in sales. If someone who has no interest in fish and is there buying dog food sees an absolutely beautiful betta in a planted tank or an 8" fancy goldfish in a nice tank they might be drawn in by that. Maybe I'm off-base - but I think that one dimensional view on store issues is what separates a good LFS from a big box store.

 

On 10/17/2022 at 12:05 PM, xXInkedPhoenixX said:

I did it anyway, glad to see there are more rebels like me. I hope they continued the process after you left and even got better. Kudos to you. 

Nothing is more dangerous than a bunch of rebels with a cause! Nerms unite! 😂

On 10/17/2022 at 12:23 PM, TheSwissAquarist said:

Hats off to you for that!! Think of the amount of value you managed to create just by doing that.

ORD! Thanks!

[TheSwissAquarist]

On 10/17/2022 at 6:35 PM, Chris said:

Nerms unite! 

Against the big box stores! Glory to Aquarium Co-Op! Glory to Murphy 😂😂😂

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

This betta system is impressive. Every tank has filtration and is plumbed for simple & regular water changes and the tanks are a lot bigger than the plastic cups!

She also takes extreme care in packaging for shipment as well and works hard on educating the public about betta care.

Edited October 17, 2022 by Chick-In-Of-TheSea

[TheSwissAquarist]

On 10/17/2022 at 6:47 PM, Chick-In-Of-TheSea said:

This betta system is impressive. Every tank has filtration and is plumbed for simple & regular water changes and the tanks are a lot bigger than the plastic cups!

She also takes extreme care in packaging for shipment as well and works hard on educating the public about betta care.

I recall that KeepingFishSimple (YouTube channel) did something like this, but it was for a store.

Probably quite useful if you’re raising fry.

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

On 10/17/2022 at 9:35 AM, Chris said:

actually think the cups could theoretically be viable if they were double the size and the stores were kept much warmer, as long as there was a reasonable number of cups to maintain.

Agreed. Out of curiosity what was turnover like in your experience- I realize you were a better selling store so it would be faster than some but I can't imagine selling 100 fish in a weekend? How long did it take you to sell 100 Betta? 

On 10/17/2022 at 9:35 AM, Chris said:

50-100 cups in the back waiting to be stocked on a shelf

I suspect this is actually why most of these big box stores are expanding that section- I'm sure they are keeping more in back a lot of the time. 

On 10/17/2022 at 9:35 AM, Chris said:

On water change day, it would literally take the entire department working on it all day

Again, I wonder why these corporations don't take this into account. Less, but quality fish, happier employees and more educated employees can ONLY make you more money. Water change day is clearly taking money and time that could better be spent elsewhere. Just see it happening with Aquarium Co-op!

On 10/17/2022 at 9:35 AM, Chris said:

I have this thought every time I visit a pet store, whether it's a big box store or LFS. I almost always feel that the employee is well-intentioned but misinformed, and while waiting in line for fish I've seen all kinds of wacky recommendations happen that'll almost definitely result in an upset customer coming back to the store and wanting a refund/using up more time.

ME TOO! Ugh. I always want to intervene or stop the customer later- I've even done it with cat and dog advice. I just wish some employees would say "I'm sorry I don't know" or "we're not supposed to give advice but we have some recommended information sources I can direct you to". Or have a department EXPERT (I was resident knife expert in one of my jobs). Something better than encouraging improper care. I'd also hate to be that employee that gives bad (unintentional) advice and the customer remembers me and comes back and yells. I always had the opposite experience with my high-end retail job, I was able to give the customer the information for THEM to make informed decisions that work for them, their budget and their needs, if they came back to the store they always thanked me and even sought me out for other purchases. Imagine that going on in more places! People would actually like their jobs!!

On 10/17/2022 at 9:35 AM, Chris said:

understand the pricing model and actually prefer to spend more money on these products. All it takes is a willing employee and the right education.

YES! After having had the job I mentioned I understood the value of research and education. Yes sometimes I ask employees and find they are well educated, but I also look things up and educate myself on bigger purchases (sometimes small like a power cord- that sounds like a fantastic cord!- and would totally make sense to spend more on it!!). I believe in trying to buy things only once in my lifetime whenever I can afford to- I don't like being wasteful. So while some see no reason to spend $400 on a pot or pan I'd rather do that, be happy with it and never have to buy another pan ever again! (I realize not everyone can afford to do things like that so I always recommend buy the best you can afford) You should never do anything based on one person's opinion- always check multiple sources and do what makes the most sense for YOU. 

On 10/17/2022 at 9:35 AM, Chris said:

pennies a piece.

This is where petstores fail. Animals are not "PENNIES" they are lives that should be treated as priceless. Any pet owner would tell you their pet is priceless. No living thing should be treated that way- and that kind of thing makes me lose respect for companies that may view living "product" as value-less. 

On 10/17/2022 at 9:35 AM, Chris said:

Nothing is more dangerous than a bunch of rebels with a cause! Nerms unite! 😂

To use your words: THIS! 🙂 

Edited October 17, 2022 by xXInkedPhoenixX
Typos are lame

[Chris]

On 10/17/2022 at 1:03 PM, xXInkedPhoenixX said:

Agreed. Out of curiosity what was turnover like in your experience- I realize you were a better selling store so it would be faster than some but I can't imagine selling 100 fish in a weekend? How long did it take you to sell 100 Betta?

It depends on the week - the first week and last week of the month was always busiest (people getting paid), so on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday on those weeks I think we could go through 40 or 50 bettas, plus a few dozen through the week. I'd say on average we sold 50-75 a week, although there were slower times during the summer and far, FAR busier times during the holidays. The first Black Friday I worked we sold out of bettas and potted plants by noon.

On 10/17/2022 at 1:03 PM, xXInkedPhoenixX said:

Water change day is clearly taking money and time that could better be spent elsewhere.

This was always the angle I tried to take when convincing superiors to let us implement new policies - some were far more receptive than others. My particular store (and region, for that matter) had lots of higher-ups that had been with the company for decades and disliked change of any kind.

On 10/17/2022 at 1:03 PM, xXInkedPhoenixX said:

I'd also hate to be that employee that gives bad (unintentional) advice and the customer remembers me and comes back and yells.

Believe it or not, I actually had more people get upset and yell at me for giving good advice. Trying to talk people out of goldfish bowls, common plecos, oscars in small tanks, Koi in 10 gallons, etc... Admittedly, when I first started the job I was a little headstrong in my advice-giving, but even when I got a little more nimble and selective with it I still had some heated interactions. I eventually took Cory's stance on the issue - provide gentle advice and steer them towards good alternatives, but as soon as the customer stops being receptive, continue with the sale with a promise to help them out down the road. Some people will just be unreasonable no matter what you do, but many will fail after ignoring initial advice and come back ready to listen the next week. I hate that it goes that way, but I think that's simply human nature for some people.

 

On 10/17/2022 at 1:03 PM, xXInkedPhoenixX said:

You should never do anything based on one person's opinion- always check multiple sources and do what makes the most sense for YOU. 

This is a recurring theme in the hobby, but I think we need to keep this in mind in our daily lives, too. As tribal as we can be as a species, sometimes it's extremely helpful to remember that different isn't always bad - the fact that everything can be done more than one way guarantees success and variety for more people.

On 10/17/2022 at 1:03 PM, xXInkedPhoenixX said:

This is where petstores fail. Animals are not "PENNIES" they are lives that should be treated as priceless. Any pet owner would tell you their pet is priceless. No living thing should be treated that way- and that kind of thing makes me lose respect for companies that may view living "product" as value-less.

We can certainly agree, here! 

[TheSwissAquarist]

On 10/17/2022 at 8:05 PM, Chris said:

It depends on the week - the first week and last week of the month was always busiest (people getting paid), so on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday on those weeks I think we could go through 40 or 50 bettas, plus a few dozen through the week. I'd say on average we sold 50-75 a week, although there were slower times during the summer and far, FAR busier times during the holidays. The first Black Friday I worked we sold out of bettas and potted plants by noon.

This was always the angle I tried to take when convincing superiors to let us implement new policies - some were far more receptive than others. My particular store (and region, for that matter) had lots of higher-ups that had been with the company for decades and disliked change of any kind.

Believe it or not, I actually had more people get upset and yell at me for giving good advice. Trying to talk people out of goldfish bowls, common plecos, oscars in small tanks, Koi in 10 gallons, etc... Admittedly, when I first started the job I was a little headstrong in my advice-giving, but even when I got a little more nimble and selective with it I still had some heated interactions. I eventually took Cory's stance on the issue - provide gentle advice and steer them towards good alternatives, but as soon as the customer stops being receptive, continue with the sale with a promise to help them out down the road. Some people will just be unreasonable no matter what you do, but many will fail after ignoring initial advice and come back ready to listen the next week. I hate that it goes that way, but I think that's simply human nature for some people.

 

This is a recurring theme in the hobby, but I think we need to keep this in mind in our daily lives, too. As tribal as we can be as a species, sometimes it's extremely helpful to remember that different isn't always bad - the fact that everything can be done more than one way guarantees success and variety for more people.

We can certainly agree, here! 

It’s very interesting to see the point of view of a big box store worker… Any tips ???