i so agree with you Liz and LouLou!
the thing about fishkeeping that angers me sometimes is that you do have ppl who are impulsive buyers and know absolutely nothing about the species of fish, or its needs--to be able to give it a long, happy life. some ppl still assume fish cant feel pain or any forms of emotions, so who cares what you get, or throw it in with? they want something because its cool, or it "one ups" whatever their friends have and cram it in a small tank only to realize that it outgrows it and they start having problems with the tank. whenever more experienced fishkeepers try to give them sound advice they only get mad because their motto is "its only a damn fish, who cares?". i love my fish, and treat them with the same love as my cats and dog get (i dont have human kids lol).
we only have one fish store in my town-a while back i went in to look at the africans, and some young kid working the fish department was showing a family the africans and talking about how aggressive they are-and how much cooler than pirannhas they are. he went over to the nasty goldfish feeders and hand grabbed a few and threw them in the african tank and everyone laughed as they tore apart the goldfish-i was so mad i wanted to rip him off the ladder he was on! lol.. not just for the goldfishs' sake, but i never feed my africans feeders.
i know that there are some really knowledgeable ppl working the fish departments, and give sound advice but for them there are a dozen that dont care what they sell you. i wish lfs would make it part of their criteria to study the species of fish, and learn the basics of fishcare, that way they can help ppl better. i try to give good advice, but when someone who you are giving advice to turns spiteful and angry and doesnt want to listen, and keeps making the same mistakes over and over and not taking the time to read and learn thats when i get a little heartbroken.
this is a great site, and everyone here seems to be here for the sake of bettering themselves and caring for their fish--im glad to see that here!
