What is your favorite memory/story/saying from your Local Fish Store?

[Kunersbettas]

Back again with another one of these threads. If you have seen my earlier post about a crazy story from my LFS, you will probably know what I'm talking about. If anyone else has crazy stories, please share them here! Here's another one:

My dad has a friend that used to work at our LFS. When people would ask about the compatibility of, perhaps, a guppy and a clown knife, his answer would be "Keep an eye on it". That was his answer to a lot of questions. Since then, he has become a police officer...and owns snakeheads...in CA. 

Let me know your favorite memory, story, saying, quote, etc. from your LFS! 

[GoofyGarra]

This is my favorite story, not because it is a particularly interesting story but it shows the LFS staff knew what they were doing and they were prepared to stop me before I did something wrong. Both of which are very good signs in a LFS, and make me feel good about the stores I am supporting.

Three years ago now (time has flew) I was utterly green to this hobby, I had watched like 2 videos and read a book about fishkeeping, that was it. I walked into the LFS having no idea what to get, I had a set up (not cycled but thats unrelated) tank back at home. I began to talk with one of the employees about what fish I could get for my 20gallon tank. Suddenly a group of particular fish caught my eye, I went over and saw a huge group of 1in Red Tail Sharks swimming around in one of the tanks. I quickly asked the employee how many I could get for my tank, his next question was how big was my tank. Upon informing him it was a 20 high he told me that I should not get any Red Tail Sharks because they get too big for the tank and maybe I should try some tetras instead.

[Kunersbettas]

On 6/2/2024 at 4:12 PM, GoofyGarra said:

This is my favorite story, not because it is a particularly interesting story but it shows the LFS staff knew what they were doing and they were prepared to stop me before I did something wrong. Both of which are very good signs in a LFS, and make me feel good about the stores I am supporting.

Three years ago now (time has flew) I was utterly green to this hobby, I had watched like 2 videos and read a book about fishkeeping, that was it. I walked into the LFS having no idea what to get, I had a set up (not cycled but thats unrelated) tank back at home. I began to talk with one of the employees about what fish I could get for my 20gallon tank. Suddenly a group of particular fish caught my eye, I went over and saw a huge group of 1in Red Tail Sharks swimming around in one of the tanks. I quickly asked the employee how many I could get for my tank, his next question was how big was my tank. Upon informing him it was a 20 high he told me that I should not get any Red Tail Sharks because they get too big for the tank and maybe I should try some tetras instead.

Good traits of an LFS. Mine won't stop you from making a purchase unless it will be a costly one that will be returned if dead.

[CoryWithAKatana]

my LFS had a huge moray eel named Gus. Literally huge. they kept him in a 150 gallon but it seemed kinda small for him. He was a green moray eel and died about 2 years ago from old age. Bud was really big and the marvel of the whole fish store apart from their huge indoor koi pond.

[EricksonAquatics]

My LFS is an RPP with the Co-Op. A couple months back I really needed some root tabs, so I kept calling them like once a week asking if they’ve gotten their shipment of easy root tabs in yet. Legit I went in so many times - I really wanted to buy from them (and also not pay for shipping lol). Anyways they did finally get them in and I stocked up needless to say! Haha and now every time I go in the store owner calls me “Root Tabs Girl” and every time I walk in he goes “you back for more root tabs? How many freaking crypts do you have?”😂😂

[AAE]

I got my 1st fish tank, a 10 gallon with silver metal frame, when I was ten.  I was constantly getting new fish and trading old fish for credit.  I asked the fish store staff millions of questions.  I loved it!  The tank ran an under gravel filter - the while plastic plate with one tube for the air hose and a thin uplift tube.  For whatever reason, the tank was bullet proof.  I am sure I over stocked it.

[gardenman]

Fish stores in my youth pretty much always had a large predator of some sort. One had a snakehead, several had arowanas, several had caiman. Those were the dead or dying, fish disposal units. They'd go through and remove any dead or dying fish and use them to feed the large predators. It gave them something to do with dead or dying fish other than toss them in the trash, while also feeding a "pet."

One of my favorite stories was a Mom and Pop store that had a pair of retired breeder sailfin mollies for sale. The fish were huge and gorgeous. Also, insanely expensive. (At that time, the 70's/80s they were priced around $79.99). The owner had gone to NYC , as many local shops did back then, to a wholesaler and saw the pair there. The wholesaler gave them to him as they'd just been included with an order from the breeder who didn't know what else to do with them and had just filled out the box with them. The store owner wanted to keep them, but his wife had put a limit on how many "pets" the store could keep, so he put them up for sale but at such a high price that no one would buy them. He never told his wife they'd been given to him for free. They were "for sale" but at a price where he desperately hoped no one would buy them so he could keep them.

 

[JettsPapa]

I regularly take extra plants, fish, and shrimp to an LFS in Houston.  Of course I put the stuff into boxes, and often used one of the boxes that 24-packs of bottled beer come in.  One time I walked in carrying a different kind of box and the owner said "What's wrong?  Did you quit drinking?"