nabokovfan87 Posted January 18, 2023 Share Posted January 18, 2023 I think there's a few stories like this I've heard and I really couldn't have imagined something like this happening to me.Those familiar with my ramblings will know that I literally don't have a local store, local being down the mountain pass and then still a 30-40 mile drive. So I have found "the good one" in terms of the big box store, but I'm much happier these days to hand pick what I want and only go to the store for emergency or specific items I don't want to buy from ACO or other online breeders (or Aquahuna). Getting a chance to go was nice, it's the 50% off sale, but that wasn't happening today.... I was trying to see what food was in stock and then go ahead and just be one my way. I walked back to the fish section and they had a cart of junk in the way for the "please help us get rid of this stuff" clearance sale. Most of that was filter cartridges and stuff you can't really use at all. I went past the cart, beyond the stack of tanks and there were a few customers there trying to decide which tank to get. I went across the aisle to the food and there was 3-4 people staring at filters. I saw a guy standing where the food is and he had a filter in his hand trying to read the fine print on the box. I just sort of smiled and thought to myself, "yeah, I've had that one, it broke the first time I tried to get the sponge out to clean it". I took a second to read the body language of the guy and he seemed like he was just really, really confused about what to get. Back and forth between a few boxes and he kept going back to that one. "If you get that one just be really careful with it. I had one and I broke the little tab trying to get it apart" "Oh, ok thanks" he said. "How big is your tank?" I asked. The man took his arms as wide as he could. "oh a 4 foot tank?" "Yeah, I just got a few fish in there so I don't need a big crazy filter." "Oh they should have them here, have you heard of Aquarium Co-Op?" I inquired. He asked me where that store was, and I explained about how they have a youtube channel and all of that. We scoured the store trying to find a sponge filter, I couldn't even find the air pumps. Eventually we found the pumps and then I showed him a picture of the Co-Op filter on the phone. I explained to him about a gang valve and using one pumps to hook up multiple items on the airline. No big deal, just trying to be helpful to someone who just wasn't sure how to make heads or tails of things. Hopefully he checks out some videos. I get to the car and my family tells me "There was those girls that saw you helping and they were asking if you worked there." 😂 They were the ones looking at tanks and trying to decide which one when I had walked in to the fish area. Totally would've helped pretty much anyone just because it was packed and people had questions! It's amazing to me how much it would help to slap a "Have questions? Check out Aquarium Co-Op!" sign or sticker in some of the big box stores just to get people on the path towards some semblance of help. Have it on a TV in the store and just show some fish videos talking about things. One day.... 11 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mynameisnobody Posted January 18, 2023 Share Posted January 18, 2023 @nabokovfan87 Paying it forward is a humble thing to do, however the coop makes it a bit easier because if you know then you know. I have similar things happen, but never in a fish store. I would of loved to have walked around explaining why the coop is light years ahead. Good on you for helping out, it feels great to wholeheartedly have the utmost faith in what you are recommending. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheSwissAquarist Posted January 18, 2023 Share Posted January 18, 2023 Sharing knowledge is quite useful in this hobby, and I wouldn’t be surprised if that guy turns up on this forum in a couple of months time ! 😂 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schuyler Posted January 19, 2023 Share Posted January 19, 2023 Yeah it's crazy to me that they don't carry any sponge filters at all. Probably not as much money in them... Can't sell the refill cartridges for a sponge Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nabokovfan87 Posted January 19, 2023 Author Share Posted January 19, 2023 On 1/18/2023 at 9:22 PM, Schuyler said: Yeah it's crazy to me that they don't carry any sponge filters at all. One does. I thought they both do, but couldn't find it. 😞 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnebuns Posted January 19, 2023 Share Posted January 19, 2023 I've done similar only in my LFS even. My LFS is amazing and the employees have lots of knowledge but I went in once when it was packed with only 1 person worked. A family was asking about getting a tank and a betta the same day. The employee did what he could to explain to them why they can't, but being how busy they were, he couldn't explain much. He ran to help someone else and I stepped in and explained the rest to them. Ended up giving them my number if they had any more questions. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Theplatymaster Posted January 19, 2023 Share Posted January 19, 2023 LOL. Ive learned to stop wearing my platy shirt to my LFS, because i talk to people about fish in there, and than they think the fish shirt+me talking about fish, and trying to help them=employee. 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lennie Posted January 19, 2023 Share Posted January 19, 2023 People always think I work there at my lfs too!😄 But whenever they ask a question, I say I don't work there but try my best to help people as much as I can do. But I feel like it kinda depends on the person you are talking to. A while ago, once, a guy who is keeping "100L KOI FISH TANK AT HOME" who decided buy more fish for the tank..... He was looking at CLOWN LOACHES. I couldn't stand, just made a move, and informed about their needs and how big these fish get. They were planning to rehome the kois and did not get clown loaches. But a couple days ago, when I was there looking for some driftwood and stuff, A guy walked in holding around a 1L sized bowl, to buy a fish super confidently. He gave a vibe that even if I attempt to talk, He would say none of your business. I didn't say anything. I thought about this a lot. Maybe I should've tried to talk to him no matter what. Idk. I kinda regret not doing so. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rube_Goldfish Posted January 19, 2023 Share Posted January 19, 2023 My LFS also has a small section with scorpions and tarantulas. Scorpions, or at least the ones they have, glow under black lights, so they have black light flashlights to show off the effect. I was in there once when a family was looking at the arachnids. Trying to be helpful and show off the cool effect, I told the mom about it. She tried to get her 8-ish year old son to try, but he was having none of it. He set the flashlight down on the ground, shouted out "no thank you!" through tears, and ran to hide near the platies. So that's the story of the time I made a child cry at the fish store I don't work at. 1 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwcarlson Posted January 19, 2023 Share Posted January 19, 2023 (edited) You green-pilled that guy, @nabokovfan87 Well done! "Have you heard of Aquarium Co-Op?" Edited January 19, 2023 by jwcarlson 1 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redfish Posted January 20, 2023 Share Posted January 20, 2023 I've helped folks when they looked like they needed it too. It's good to give back to the community. I took the time to complement a worker at a LFS on how he guided a customer on which fish to buy. He did a great job explaining the fish behaviors and asking the customer about their current tank setup, occupants, etc. He is a younger guy and it was good to see. He seemed to really appreciate being complemented by a stranger walking around the fish store. 😊 I usually try to not get in the way at a store but don't be afraid to complement someone! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick_G Posted January 20, 2023 Share Posted January 20, 2023 In the Seattle area there’s definitely a contingent of folks who seem to think Aquarium Co-op IS the big box store. The Cory effect is strong here and in my mind it’s 100% positive. It’s entirely possible to grow a business and still remain focused on core customers. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rube_Goldfish Posted January 21, 2023 Share Posted January 21, 2023 Once I happened to overhear a mom and her young son looking for the octopus in a tank at my LFS. I had to disappoint them (but spare their time!) by telling them that Pogostemon stellatus "octopus" referred to the plants they were trying to look through. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ccc24 Posted January 21, 2023 Share Posted January 21, 2023 On 1/19/2023 at 12:41 PM, jwcarlson said: You green-pilled that guy, @nabokovfan87 Well done! "Have you heard of Aquarium Co-Op?" Forget the red vs blue pill. We’ve taken the green one. I admit to extolling the virtues of this brand to others perusing fish at the LFS. And I’d do it again 😜 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The endler guy Posted January 21, 2023 Share Posted January 21, 2023 (edited) On 1/19/2023 at 1:41 PM, jwcarlson said: You green-pilled that guy, @nabokovfan87 Well done! "Have you heard of Aquarium Co-Op?" Blue pilled? no red pilled? no im green pilled Edited January 21, 2023 by Aiden Carter Auto correct strikes again! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ccc24 Posted January 21, 2023 Share Posted January 21, 2023 On 1/21/2023 at 9:01 AM, Aiden Carter said: Blue pilled? no red pilled? no im green pilled Some version of this would be a great brand shirt. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rube_Goldfish Posted January 21, 2023 Share Posted January 21, 2023 On 1/21/2023 at 10:00 AM, ccc24 said: I admit to extolling the virtues of this brand to others perusing fish at the LFS. And I’d do it again 😜 More this forum specifically than ACO as a brand, but I've definitely ranted things like "...No, that's the beautiful part, it's just ordinary seltzer water!" 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattyM Posted January 21, 2023 Share Posted January 21, 2023 On 1/19/2023 at 5:04 AM, Theplatymaster said: wearing my platy shirt You have a platy shirt!? Where'd you get it! I gotta see one lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheSwissAquarist Posted January 21, 2023 Share Posted January 21, 2023 On 1/21/2023 at 4:00 PM, ccc24 said: We’ve taken the green one. Reference to Easy Root Tabs! 😜 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwcarlson Posted January 22, 2023 Share Posted January 22, 2023 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nabokovfan87 Posted March 13, 2023 Author Share Posted March 13, 2023 Went to the store again.... Had to get dog food for the pups. I am glad the fish food isn't $90 per bag. Walked through the fish section because I wanted to see if they had finished "cleaning up" and their endcap with the plants was back in place. Didn't have the bags of planted substrate out, probably all due to be under new labels and whatnot. I make my way to the dog food section and I see a dad talking to his daughter about their tank and all I can hear is "well, let's go ask". By the time we get the food, get in line, it's backed up a few spots. The manager comes up to the front and is helping to check us out. Over the radio she's listening in to the conversation and trying to answer questions via the radio and asking clarifying questions. "What size is the tank, 20 or did you say 29 gallons?" She asks. "Tell them to wait 3-5 days and then they can add fish." I get a bit weirded out by the odd question and the odd advice, but I know this manager is nothing more than one who wants to push sales and really doesn't care for the fish side of things. I've seen many people in and out of that store and it doesn't have a great reputation for quality fish. Anyways.... I inquire further. "Someone is trying to cycle a tank?" "yeah" she responds, looking a bit reluctant or annoyed by the question about cycling a tank. "Just tell them to wait 2 weeks and then come back." I replied. "Yeah, but if you tell them to wait they *freak out*!" she explains. "Ah, I get that. Well, I would just tell them to wait and go ahead and check out aquarium co-op for advice on their tank." "Yeah, I get a lot of great information online" she responds. "Right, but genuinely, send to to aquarium co-op, it'll help". I doubt she will ever recommend anyone checks out the videos, but it was a weird conversation. I just felt bad. A little piece of paper in the store, even a sticker somewhere that says, "Need advice on your new tank, head over to Aquarium Co-Op." I wanted to explain to the manager, elaborate, but I just opted not to. She's busy, she doesn't really care enough about it, and the worst part of the interaction was that I wanted to take the load off of the employees having to answer questions and just say hey... this place has good advice and it's easy to point people to. It is what it is.... but that's my afternoon thoughts. Time to go move a tank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mynameisnobody Posted March 13, 2023 Share Posted March 13, 2023 One thing I’ve learned is not many are warm to unsolicited advice. I grew up in The Bronx and “mind your business” is the mantra of the land. I’ve given suggestions before, but 99% of the time, I was asked. The idea of having a shop that welcomes new ideas and knowledgeable advice is a dream or the coop. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nabokovfan87 Posted March 13, 2023 Author Share Posted March 13, 2023 On 3/12/2023 at 7:30 PM, mynameisnobody said: One thing I’ve learned is not many are warm to unsolicited advice. I grew up in The Bronx and “mind your business” is the mantra of the land. I’ve given suggestions before, but 99% of the time, I was asked. The idea of having a shop that welcomes new ideas and knowledgeable advice is a dream or the coop. "So Cal Chill" is definitely in affect for some, but I understand what you're saying. It's not about being stuck in their way, about being told you're not doing something "correctly", or a variety of other reasons people react negatively to certain things. It's just one of those things I always get stuck on, plato's cave, about how some hobbyists just don't know and there's this magical world outside the cave / big box store. I'm not upset by it, I hope the manager wasn't either. I know what it's like to bust your butt working 16 hour days 7 days a week just to get something done. I feel for store employees and some of the things they go through, good or bad, it's not an easy job. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheSwissAquarist Posted March 13, 2023 Share Posted March 13, 2023 Sometimes people can really appreciate suggestions, but you just need to judge your audience. Don’t tell a tattooed leather-clad biker to go vegan! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lennie Posted March 13, 2023 Share Posted March 13, 2023 On 3/13/2023 at 8:19 PM, TheSwissAquarist said: Don’t tell a tattooed leather-clad biker to go vegan! try me 😎 🤣 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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