LFS Etiqutte ques

S

sunfun

I noticed a particular tank at a LFS that had several tangs in it that appeared to have ich. I didn't mention it to the store personnel because there were other patrons around. What is the proper etiqutte for handling this situation?

Should I have:

1) Don't say anything. Let them worry about it, after all it is their store.

2) Pull aside an employee and mention it to them.

3) Mention it in front of the other patrons buying fish?

I am pretty sure that #3 is not the correct answer. How would you have handled the situation?
 
I would just keep to myself. The buyer should make research and make good decisions before buying the fish.
 
For me, it all depends on how well I know the personnel... If I know them well, I'll make sure to point it out to them, but they usually have a pretty good idea of the condition of their livestock if they're worth their salt... (Pun intended)

I try to not point such things out in front of other patrons, as much as I'd want to, as the store is trying to make a living, and doing so, in their eyes at least, can be seen as taking food from their kids mouths, and put you on their bad side...

The sign of a GOOD store is when you see a tank full of sick fish, with a big "NOT FOR SALE" sign on the tank, while the sick fish are being treated!!!
 
I'm with Brian. However, if the store always seems to have a tank with ick, I've once been "sneaky" and tried to purchase one of the infected fish. That store passed and did not sell it to me but let me know that it was infected.

Had the store tried to proceed with the sale, I MAY have asked to speak with the manager - privately, of course.
 
I would go with #2, it could have just developed and hasn't been noticed yet. The employee's sometimes get quite busy and probably haven't noticed yet.

Cheers!
 
I'd go with #2 myself.

I recently went into a local pet store that also sells marine livestock and saw that they had green gorilla crabs (hairly legs, pointed black claw tips, no 'flat' pads on the claws) that they were selling as emeralds. Mentioned it to one of the fish guys, explained how to tell the difference- before I lef the store, I saw the guy on a stepstool digging them out of the tank.
 
#1 would be my choice

I experienced the same thing at one of everyone's favorite mega petstores. They had a sale on all the fish with their "discount" card. I walked into the store to get some chromis.. They had them for $1.99 each. I was going to buy the whole lot of them until I saw the tank that had the two tangs. ICH all over.
The employee asked if she could help me. I asked if they were treating their fish for the ich. she tells me "our fish get a healthy workout every day. Would you like to buy some?" I said I'll pass and kindly walked out the store.... I wouldn't have said anything at all but she "pressured" me to..
 
We, my wife & I, go with #2. Sick fish, dead fish, skinny fish, etc. always catch out attention. We look at it as trying to help the LFS and the fish at the same time. If they were to give us any gruff about it, out the door we go with our money stilll in our pockets.
 
I'd agree with going with #2 as well, though I feign the knowledgable person at the superstores and start asking them what those "little white bumps" are. I usually get "they sometimes come in sick or stressed, but that clears up in about a day or two. I know it's a sneaky way of handling it, but it delivers the message in the most innocuous way.
 
I pretty much have a good relationship with the LFS's I frequent so my choice is definitely #2.

I'd call them aside and point it out to them. I'm just not the type to turn my head... as if nothing's wrong.

donna
 
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