Caudata.org: Newts and Salamanders Portal

Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!
Did you know that registered users see fewer ads? Register today!

LFS Nightmares?

C

charles

Guest
Although I'm new to axies, I've already been round a number of local fish stores. I've found a couple that were clued up, some that were stupid as all hell, and one that I nearly tried to break the axie out of!

What have been the most disturbing ones you've visited?
 

andrew

New member
Joined
Oct 26, 2004
Messages
1,085
Reaction score
16
Location
Birmingham
I was in a petshop today and they had about 15 juvies in a 45cmx30cm tank.

None had arms or legs only nubs!

The axies also shared this tank with a heap of mistery snails which were buizy chowing down on the axies bloodworms.
 
J

jojo

Guest
awww that so terrible! I hate hearing stuff like that, let alone seeing it!
I would've either cried, or said something to one of the employees.
I know they would'nt do anything about it, but just so l had piece of mind that "i tried".

sad.gif
 
J

joan

Guest
At one mega-chain LFS, I saw various asian newts (C. orientalis, what looked like a warty newt of sorts), along with various asian frogs on a gravel with 1 plastic plant and 1 inch of water with a powerhead. One newt was plainly dead, the other terrified of the frogs and trying to escape. I asked if they were aware the one newt was dead. But of course, he "wasn't dead, just resting". Oh well.

Another shop that I find to be fairly reputable was keeping a LOT of P. waltl juveniles together. I explained to them that this species is pretty aggressive, and they nodded and yeah-yeah'ed me. I came back 3 days later, and noted two dead, dismembered waltls being chowed down on by their tankmates.
 
C

charles

Guest
The one that frustrated me yesterday (and prompted this) was another chain store type place (not pets paradise, who I've found to be ok)That had a little Golden Axie on his own in a tank. Well, almost alone except the dozen or more tetras in there that (after watching a few mins) were nibbling on his gills! Plus he was being kept on gravel. Because he looked quite skinny (not too long either) I asked what he was being fed - axolotl pellets (not the IU kind, just a locally made one that I haven't found that easy to get mine to eat, although I'd say he was munching the odd fish, which could have been a struggle given his size) So, he was underweight, on gravel and being attacked.... And the most disturbing thing - Its where my Julio was bought from. When I went in there my girlf said that last time there was about a 8-10 of them in the tank and she chose julio because he was the smallest. (I now feel like she's saved him by doing that!)

Given the advise she got from various pet stores I can see how she ended up with such wrong information, and I ended up with a tank I'm having to change.
"Axolotls should have gravel, they do eat it, but they'll eat more sand, so get him gravel" - say no more. I'm getting sand today!
"This tank will be perfect for one axolotl, and the filter is just right too" The tank is about right, but the filter is way too strong. Its not adjustable so I've jury rigged it to make it manageable. A "taller" tank of the same kind would have been perfect. oh, and they recommended a nice bright built in light too...
"Just use tubifex worm cubes - you just float them on the surface" - wtf?

And my own advice received since - "These fish ($4 each) won't attack your axie and they'llbe quick enough to keep away from him." Bought 2. within 30 secs of putting them in with him, there were 1. The other went the following day.

That said, yesterday I went to pets paradise in the Centrepoint mall (sydney aust) and the girl in there knew loads. Was really helpful, and had kept some axies herself in the past. Gave me some great advice and had a couple of great looking Melanoid (I think) axies in the tank (on their own,) not the best substrate, but it was a gentle filter and they looked like happy axies, well fed etc. At $40 a bit pricey but a world different to the sorry looking specimen described before.
I'm going back there today for some products.

The tiny local pet store is pretty good too. He's just an old fashioned eccentric hippy animal lover. And his prices beat any of the big stores (fish, tank ornaments etc)
 
A

apryl

Guest
Those are the stores I like,someones small business,not a franchise,because the people put more heart into the business.The franchise stores have habits of employing people who seem to just want the money from a pretty easy job,not people who are genuinely into animals.And they treat their animals as stock,a number or dollar sign,and the profit margin gives them an "oh well.." attitude to a few deaths.Plus the prices are ridiculous!!There has been more than one thread on this very topic Charles,you are not alone!Some of us have even considered getting jobs in these petshops just to try alleviate the suffering under careless or uneducated hands.And it's not only axies
yawn.gif
 
C

charles

Guest
woohoo! a small victory. Returned to the store that had the single small axie, and overnight they'd (for some unknown reason) taken out the fish! He was on own but still in bad condition. He was skinny and frail, but at least now there won't be anything eating him! Fingers crossed someone that cares buys him so he's rescued. If I had a bigger tank I'd now have 2 axies but my girlf would kill me. I'm obsessed enough already apparently. lol.
 
H

hayley-jane

Guest
The worst I've seen is a 30x15x15 tank, with 20 juvies, no legs/arms, gravel, 2 floating dead with bloat (you could see the black gravel in their bellies), high powered pump, 27C water and 2 lights above.

I wouldn't mind so much if they genuinely didn't know what they were doing wrong, but everytime single time I have said something they just fob me off.

"Oh well, so and so who works here has had them for years and says its ok."

Stupid sentances like that....gr!
 
General chit-chat
Help Users
  • No one is chatting at the moment.
    There are no messages in the chat. Be the first one to say Hi!
    Top