FishProfiles.com Message Forums

I recently got a job at my lfs. The main guy there is teaching me eveything I need to know about all of the animals. He is pretty knowlegable. Anyways, he was gone tonight and I got a phone call from someone who didn't know what they were doing. I wanted to know how some people would have answered this question.

I had a lady tonight say that she had 6 goldfish and they had started to lay on their sides and started to swim in awkward ways. I asked her how big of tank they were in. Then she proceeded to tell me 10 gallons. Yes 10 gallons. And the worst part of this was is that these weren't baby goldfish, because she said she has had them for a long time. Anyways I didn't even want to know how big they were. She has a 55 gallon tank that they were nice and healthy in yesterday. Well she took them out because the water was cloudy so her and her husband wanted to clean the whole thing! She said she had the new tank set back up early this morning and had the water filtering. So I thought ok no big deal, we can get some fish back into that tank (but that was the part where she briefly commented on how she used soap to clean the tank). So I didn't know what to do! They were obviously not going to survive much longer in the 10 gallon.

What would you people say to someone like this?

increase airation and get some zeolote in that tank for a temporary measure, rinse rinse rinse the main tank, then dose to the max with cycle and add goldfish.

For animals, the entire universe has been neatly divided into things to (a) mate with, (b) eat, (c) run away from, and (d) rocks. - Terry Pratchett

She shouldn't have such a big tank if she doesn't know what she's doing to begin with. SOAP IN TANK!! I thought that was just common sense? I would tell her to rinse,rinse and rinse again and good luck! Keep testing the water!

i would of hung up


Honostly, she was dumb for cleaning the tank with soap.

yeah, i just started working at a lfs and i hate answering those kind of phone calls.

luckaly i always have a manager in the store to help me.

I agree with rinsing the heck out of the 55 gallon.

And remember, take a deep breath and even if you think the person you're talking to is a complete idiot, they still need help.

--------------------------------------------
The aquarist is one who must learn the ways of the biologist, the chemist, and the veterinarian.

I agree with SHINIGAMI.
People just might be just starting out or jsut dont have anyone elst to ask so they call their LFS. Someone has to help them. The poor fish! I wonder how many they've killed out of ignorance? They should learn everything about it before setting up a tank that size.

I dread answering the phone at the LFS i work at. I usually let it ring about 6 or 7 times before deciding that if i dont pick it up no one else will. I have many horror-stories of phone conversations, they are memories i try to imagine never happened.

victimization...Think about whatyou said. If you hung up, it wouldnt be the person you would be hurting... it would be the fish you where KILLING for not helping. If us experienced fish keepers dont help out the newbs then there will be many fish deaths aroud the world!

-jim

I'de tell her to bring the goldfish in to the store and then find them a new home. After the 55 is taken care of, turn it into something with uh.... smaller fish? Maybe less ugly fish? Tell her never to use soap again unless she feels like rinsing and soaking the tank for a few days. By the way, for cleaning a tank how would amonia work, assuming that you planned on starting it up from the cycle again? I mean theoreticaly wouldn't it be great for cleansing the tank and kicking off a fishless cycle?

despite their ignorance you'd have to give them some credit for ringing and asking for help! Never hang up....I was once like that but have taken the time to learn and my LFS helped by not hanging up on me!

I owuld be like umm first off DONT YOU DARE PUT YOUR FISH IN THAT TANK U NEED TO RINSE IT FOR ATLEAST 35 minutes and go out and buy a 10 gall for each of your goldfish becasue they are going to die if you leave them all in there becasue it sounds like the 10 is way to small for them and if it doesnt improve then they may have a swim bladder disorder

not answering would be not only dumb, because answering is very easy when the recipient is innocent of all knowledge, it will also be very bad business, because such a client will trust someone that make his fish survive.
hanging up will be outright rude, and if you're doing that you don't deserve to work anywhere that involves other people, not to mention customers.

you should say to the caller to come over to the store, because it will take time, and you can't talk so long on the phone. when she's there, tell her everything about the delicate balance of the mini-ecosystem, what happens when you stress it too much, how important is filtration, how do stressed fish behave, why not using soap and over dissolved matterials in the tank water, etc.
you'll have a much better customer, that will be a treat to work with, and a greatful one too. not to mention you could sell her everything for the tanks which is quite a lot of cash.

when the customers will start asking for you to serve them, you'll have a big raise.