This really steams me.

[reefwars]

Originally Posted by zoaElite

At the end of the day Caveat emptor applies, if your going to purchase something research it first. Your generalizing about all staff members @ all big box stores, I'm just playing devils advocate and saying there are few good ones out there.

I know of one person at this certain location that is highly knowledgeable about our hobby, having worked at a chain store your melodramatic impression of a LFS employee was a little insulting. Have you worked @ a LFS? Have you worked a retail job? I'm certainly not BS'ing when I say customers with predetermined mind frames like yourself make retail miserable.

agreed completely i knew one at edmontons store and he was very knowlegeable it is what it is some are some arent.....its on the consumer


healthiest clam i ever bought came from aqua giant, guy at big als found me a gate valve in a hurry/emergency from his house and gave it to me for free.....ive also had not so good experiences similar to the one the op is talking about....it is what it is....some of our own most respected reefers that work at these stores are on this site and unless you knew them in person you would never have guessed,hell id go as far as to say some of you accepted advise from them not knowing it lol

[martinmcnally]

I was in and LFS in San Francisco one time and watched the clerk as this guy approached with a fish tank and his 5 year old daughter coming walking with a little container of clown fish haha. This place you pick our your own fish. He just looked at the guy and said "ummm yea, your not ready for those, gold fish are over there" haha

[Aquaria]

Ok buying fish is just like buying a dog big box store=pjs pets,pet smart, pet cetra ect. Small LFS=the small reputable non puppy mill breeders NOW that being said. a small reputable breeder would NEVER sell a dog to someone they thought wasn't ready or didn't know enough about the breed but on the other hand the big box stores won't even ask where u live or if u know anything about the dog ur buying. Now why should a lfs be any different? I'm also not saying this is a everyone or all situation I'm just saying what iv noticed