How PetSmart are they really?

SJExotics · Post by **SJExotics** » 28 Sep 2004, 21:12

Went to the nearest Petsmart (Milipitas) lastnight looking for a couple Otocinclus to put into my 20g L-46 tank. As I approach the fish aisle, an over eager employee greets me and asks if I need any help. I didn't feel like looking at each tank for these fish so I answered "Yah, do you guys have any Otocinclus?".

He then repeatedly muttered to himself "Oto Cichlid, Oto Cichlid, Oto Cichlid, hmmmm... Ahhh Tooeee Sik Lid" as he guided me to the cichlid area and read every cichlid label!

big LOL.

In the end, we couldn't find any Oto Cichlids. I returned a few minutes later to look for Otocinclus myself, to no avail. Maybe I shoulda asked for a couple Midget Suckermouth Catfishes, errrr... maybe not.

metallhd · Post by **metallhd** » 29 Sep 2004, 01:08

Methinks it might be more to the point if you called the manager and advised them of their ignorant staff, they might then be able to realize the opporunity to train their people better so they could be more helpful. Everyone knows someone who knows less than them about something

Pointing out peoples' shortcomings may be amusing, but how does it help your soul to laugh at him, especially considering he is eager to help? My two cents . . . btw if SJExotics is a business count on me to avoid it, you're doing some poor advertising

SJExotics · Post by **SJExotics** » 29 Sep 2004, 03:41

Although i said big LOL, i meant I was laughing in inside. Oops.

I guess my culture is different from yours. I went to Petsmart for leisure, not to educate staff or report staff shortcomings to their managers. I was also in a bit of a hurry also to make it back home in time for the 2nd half of Monday Night Football! Which I did

for a pretty good 2nd half.

So I found it funny. If you didn't, then fine. But please don't chastise me nor come at me with that last line.

To add to my story, I did find a couple of Otocinclus today at a local fish store. Dolphin Pet Village in Campbell, CA. Great place w/ very knowledgable staff. Again in a rush as I went there on my lunch break, asked an employee there for an Otocinclus was quickly out the door with two in hand for $3 woohoo

Fish Demon · Post by **Fish Demon** » 29 Sep 2004, 05:36

I got a kick out of it, maybe because I've had those kinds of things happen to me many times before.

I went to a *generic large pet store* one time, and asked if they carried white clouds (as I didn't see any there). The guy working there went and pointed me towards the dwarf gouramis.

To help I tried to explain what white clouds were and what they looked like, but he was just giving me the impresssion that my expanation was beyond his mental capacity.