I'm very upset

[DeZ]

I found a very small Gold Nugget Pleco (which is my favorite fish of all) at my lf's yesturday and got him for $49 cnd, great deal as the only ones I've seen are around $79 if you can even find them.

When I got him home I had him in the bag floating on top of my tank and noticed a small white spot (I think it was ick) so we placed him in a solid breeder and back on the tank. I watched him a little and when it was time to add some water he showed me his belly, it was very caved in. Now I was worried. The pet store was already closed so I came onto the internet and read anything I could find on plecos, and decided to just quarinteen him. So I set up my water refill bucket with rocks, heater, filter etc, just like an aquarium and slowly aclimented him into it.
I gave it a high grade algie wafer hoping it would eat and watched him till about 12:30am and finally went to sleep.

When I woke up at 7:30 in the morning it was dead. So I went back to the lfs, and he said that there is nothing he can do. By the time I got there the concaved belly was green and bloated, so hes trying to say it was my water, which I test very often and was fine before I got it. So I brought in some water as he requested and he says that I have a slite amount of ammonia, and my ph is high and basically my water is bad. I have not had any other problems with any other fish since I started this tank, and my ph tester says it is fine as well as nitrite, which the pet store guy says is wrong.

I dont know what to do. Either all my tests are inacurate and it was my fult for killing the already sick pleco or it was just the fact that it WAS sick. OH and the white dot that I saw yesturday was not just a dot it kinda looked like cotton but just a little spot of it, which also by the time I got to the store looked a little different, the pet store guy swore it was a wound and we must have handled it bad.
Am very upset and also mad, cause I've wanted this fish sooo bad for awhile, and now this happened.

The guy asked what he should do, he said "I cant just give you another one, I might as well just stand on the street corner and hand out $50 bills, what would you do if you were me?" he told me to think about it and get back to him...

What do I say, I dont know....
And should I go out and buy new tests? What are the chances of mine all being wrong?

 

[fisman01]

one that guys an ******* since i'm sure it was already sick since plecos seem to be rather hardy fish. That white dot it most likly a wound of some sort i've seen my plecos with it and it didnt come off for over a month. I think u should test your water someone else. I assume the guy didnt tell u what your ph was or your ammonia. doesn't seem like he'll give you your money back so your call on where u want to go

 

[DeZ]

he told me my ph is at 7.4, my test says 7.1, and the ammonia is just slitly tinted, he didnt say what its at though. I was there for almost an hour and he just kept going on about haw my water is bad. I have 3 other plecos and redtail sharke and a few others that are all fine, sharks all have bright red tails etc.
And when I first started a few months ago, i had major problems with all the levels in my 10gallon, and my one pleco at the time was fine, he lost a little bit of his markings but no big deal, never got sick and was very active, so it dosent make sence that even if I do have slightly high levels, would it really kill the pleco that fast?


And another thing that upsets me is that was all my fish money for the next couple months..

 

[ecotank]

Any fish store that gives you this load of bs the very next day is just not a good fish store in my opinion. Your water would have to be REALLY bad to kill a pleco in less than 24 hours, not to mention I've seen plecs live in some really bad conditions. They sold you a sick fish and are not willing to make good on it, plain and simple! I'd find a new LFS if I were you.

Chain stores may suck for the most part, and certainly don't listen to most advice from them, but at least they offer 14 day guarentees on the fish. Sorry to hear you got shafted

 

[J'sRamAir]

I've never heard of a store that didn't have a 5-7 day guarantee on their fish. Like eco said, you'd have to have 'really' bad water to kill a pleco that quickly. And a pH of 7.4 surely isn't going to hurt him at all. I'd raise a big raucous and demand another fish...or at least $49 in store credit. But that wouldn't be worth much, as you need to find another store. Maybe you can get another store to test your water, like fishman said, and ask them to write down their findings. Then take their findings to him. Maybe that will at least pull a little weight.

 

[Cichlid-Man]

I'd try and get AT LEAST some of my money out of it. Even if its half or store credit. If that doesn't happen, then you might have to swallow you're pride and move on. Spread the word. Thats one of the best things to do. Tell all of your friends and people you know who go there, then they might get a decline in business.

I'd find a new LFS. IF they can't tell you straight up, and be honest with you.....move to another store. My LFS tells me not to buy fish from certain tanks because of ich, they give the best solutions to do a SW setup at the cheapest price, and they offer the best advice on buying cheaper, yet good fish food. Thats why i keep going back.

Sorry to hear that, what a loss, many Discus keepers run into this A LOT.

 

[DeZ]

well thanks alot everyone, I really thought this store was good. "Fishword Pets" in surrey is the name. I dont usually deal with these guys but my normal store isent planning on getting any gold nuggets, for under 79$

I think I'm just going to swollow my loss and hope for another deal as I REALLY WANT a gold nugget. if anyone does come by a good deal and can get it to BC Canada PLEASE let me know.

 

[ecotank]

Is this the place?

1-6450 120 St, Surrey, BC V3W3M5
(604)599-1559
http://www.fishworldpets.ca

Man they have a crappy website, no email address listed on the site to send protest emails to them.

Of course there is always a lookup... Looks like Nick Christensen owns the domain, prolly the store owner...and looky here an email address custadmin@superpages.ca


Domain Name: fishworldpets.ca (654190)Registered: 2003/05/22
Last Modified: 2003/05/22Expires: 2005/05/22 Registrant: Nick Christensen o/a Fishworld Pets & Supplies (654190)Nick Christensen dns.custadmin@superpages.ca (714438)6042689000 Technical: dns.custtechnical@superpages.ca (714439)
ns1.domainpeople.com 204.174.223.72
ns2.domainpeople.com 204.174.223.73

 

[FroggyFox]

Way to go detective Eco

I would say if you're going to move on...at least make one last appearance at their store and let them know exactly how upset you are that they're selling sick fish and dont have a return policy. You could spend some time standing outside their store with flyers telling customers that they dont have a return policy and have poor quality fish.

welcome to the tank Dez....sorry about the pleco

 

[DeZ]

ya thats the place... and it was Nick that gave me the "awesome deal" please dont start anything though 'cause I'm not done with him yet. If anything, any peeps who know me, know that I would never do anything to hurt any kind of animal, or fish. I do my research and ask the questions. I am a very good fish keeper, and I keep my fish and tank very healthy. I have only made one mistake so far in wasting money on a very expencive, sick fish.

When I am better situated I want to start an animal rescue, but a little different then most. I want to take in sick or abandonand etc. animals of all types, including fish (once I know enough about them to do so) and try to heal or find them new homes. I have taken animal behavorist courses already, and a beginer vet course, and in the last few months have started on fish.

I care so much about animals and want to all I can to help, I would never place a fish in my tank if I thought there was even a chance it could be damaged.

 

[shadypat]

I always get my lfs store to test my water sample before I buy a fish that way they will always give me store credit if the fish doesnt make it.
pat

 

[DeZ]

thats a great idea, never thought of it. Thanks I'll remember that..

 

[ecotank]

Well I'm gonna make sure I never shop there, but as I live in Palm Springs, CA...it's probably not an issue. I won't start anything, but I bet if this guy got allot of emails telling him that his practices were no good he might change his tune.

It doesn't matter how much money you have, a bum deal is a bum deal, and this guy should make good. No pleco should die within 24 hours after being placed in a tank with other fish, they are just too hardy for that. You were sold a sick fish, but you seem to be taking it better than I would, so I'll leave it up to you.

 

[420Loach]

once again, doing what id do would probably get you arrested.

this guy sounds like a complete @ss.

"I cant just give you another one, I might as well just stand on the street corner and hand out $50 bills, what would you do if you were me?"

id try to have some better customer service as to build up REPEAT BUSINESS with my customers, but i guess swindling people is more fun to him. the no return policy on fish is rather strange(over here fish that cost more then 10-15 dollars dont come with a guarantee at most lfs's though.)
sucks to hear you got ripped DeZ. i could recomend taking pictures of the deceased pleco right when you found him with the sunken stomach, and even before he died, but it sounds like you could have all the evidence in the world and this guy still wouldnt give you your money back.

you are taking this very well by the way.

 

[MrsPurple]

I am so glad that fish shop is not over here.... most of them here are very good with refunds or replacements.

I have never had any problems with returns on anything so far... not that I tend to do it a lot but we did lose a bumblebee catfish the week before last and I should have called them... still I will call and see what they have to say (died before I got it home)....its now in a bag in the ice compartment so I can take it back.

Its a lot of money you lost there Dez... good luck with the debate and what you intend to do with the lfs.

 

[Managuense]

if anyone finds out a phone # or email, or etc. we should all send complaints to them......people should not get away with that kind of crap.

it isnt your fault, there is NO WAY IN HELL that your pleco died from something that YOU did......diseases dont manifest and kill a fish overnight, that is ridiculous.

 

[ashleigh]

Do you have a better business bureau?

 

[Lou]

Well not to throw water on everyone's anger, but you did go looking for a deal that was too good to be true. So usually those deals are not true and lead to disappointment. Now I'm curious what is so great about this fish that one would take high stakes chances? Plecos are not my favorite either, so for me this might be a tough sell on what qualities make this so important, but I'm willing to listen.

In the end it sounds like you don't want this guys products anyway. Especially if you want to be an animal rescue person, sounds like he has tanks ready for rescue.

 

[DeZ]

the thing is, I am still somewhat new to fish, have only being reasurching and learning for a few months now. I want to be much more experienced before I take in sick fish.

If you arent a fan a plecos then I'm not going to try to change your mind, but with fancy plecos, they seem to have an awesome personality and their markings are so beautiful. I'm a fan of all odd, and bright colour fishies. I dont really like neons and other usual fish, dont get me wrong, their nice but not for me.

I'm not sure if you have seen a gold nugget but here is a link to a pic http://fish.orbust.net/goldnuggetpleco.html

 

[TaffyFish]

that's a bummer, sorry to hear this kind of story.
Dez, I think you just vote with your feet, buy elsewhere in future and encourage your friends to do the same.

Sick or not, his reaction shows very bad business sense, a complete lack of customer care - you don't need that.

btw, I just checked out the link to My pets in your signature..... are you some kind of closet Nazi? :-S