I Don't Understand LFS

I could tell that trying to help and wasn't all about selling. So here's what happened. I went into the lfs and asked them if they had a mated pair of black and white clownfish. He showed me two of them, one with full middle stripe, and one with half middle stripe. He said he had them separated as the two of them were fighting. He then said that black and white clownfish are the most aggressive out of all clownfish, and that I should look into Tomato Clowns, which he said is second to least aggressive. He had plenty of those. He was like you can't have two different breeds together, which I knew but I just let him keep talking. He then showed me the false clownfish.

He then asked me how long has my tank been up cycling I said 9 weeks *I didn't tell him my tank was completely done yet* so he said ok, why don't you try two chromis as testers along with some corals like green star polyps, shrooms, and zoas, because they were cheap and good testers. I was like I don't know about the chromis. He then said common fish that people like to get for smaller tanks are six line, true or false clownfish, and lawnmower blennies. So I was like oh ok, I’ll think about it. Which I really do not care for any of those fish.

So then he brought me over to their frag section and said I should pick out the cheap corals mentioned above to try as testers. He then gave this speech about water quality. I know he means well and all. But he was saying do 10% water changes once a week, and only feed the fish twice a week. And don't go on the internet to research information, and to take his word for it from his past experiences. And that companies say to feed twice a day or whatever to just make money off the product.

So this entire time took like half an hour, I was basically just nodding and smiling the entire time. I already have done my research and still am researching. I don’t want to get fish in my tank just because he says their common fish and a lot of people liked them.

I know he meant good and was just really trying to help, all of his fish, frags, and tanks looked amazingly healthy because of the care that he gives to all of them. And I will continue to go to him for my water.

But all I wanted to do was to look at the clowns, watch them be fed, if they were healthy purchase them and food, and leave. But this didn’t happen and I walked out empty handed. I’m going to another lfs Sunday, I didn’t have that great experience with them, but they have a larger fish selection, larger store, and will more than likely just let me get the fish and leave. If not, I’ll just buy livestock form liveaquaria.

 

twice a week, that seems way off to me, i mean i guess it depends on the fish but really i would never feed less then once a day or every other day.

And i would not say B n W clowns are the most agressive i would give that to maroons hands down.

 

and that's EXACTLY what i was thinking, i didn't say anything, basically played stupid

 

Any LFS that recommends a lawnmower blenny for a small tank needs to have their facts checked
But overall he didn't steer you too far off. Black and white clownfish are by far not the most aggressive clowns. That goes to the maroons. All black and white clownfish are ocellaris clowns, just a color morph.
And yes, you can keep some different species of clowns together. Misbar and saddleback clowns are created by breeding a false and true perc
But other than those things, he was OK. There is a heck of a lot worse out there

 

he was also saying twice a week because all of the poop and food and stuff that gets left behind, but isin't that what your clean up crew is for? he didn't mention anything about them

 

yea, i felt like he really meant good things and your right, could have been a lot worse, just kind of annoying. lol all i wanted was my fish, and he didn't have what i wanted in the first place, but he did say he could order them.

 

I will say good luck finding a mated pair of B&W percs. You're lucky to find them on the web. And expect to pay a heavy price I would just look to by two of them and attempt to pair them yourself.

 

Everyone has their own opinion on what works best... It will vary from person to person and lfs to lfs.... I say do what works best for you.... If you want a specific fish, do the research and if it works for you, then get that specific fish... I have two black and white perculas and their great..... The female can be a little B@#$% sometimes, lol but hey I'm putting my hand in "her space" to add corals and clean etc,lol..... I also have two picasso clowns in another tank of course and they are also great, just a lil expensive.... I have chromis and they truly liven up a tank, they school and are very hearty fish, they are not aggressive and I haven't had any incidents with my clowns, chromis, mandarin, citron goby, dogface puffer, corals, cleaner shrimp, etc.... What I'm basically saying is you should do you and not buy what someone is trying to get rid of, if you know what i'm saying.

 

well, this lfs was selling the tomatos for $120 a pair. The other lfs sells them for $80 a pair or $40 or something single. So what i'll probably do is call them tomorrow, and see if their in stock, and drive out there on sunday to take a look. And if they don't have them either, i'll order from liveaquria

 

and that's exactly why i told him i'll "think about it" even though i have made up my mind on my fish and have done the research