I can't be responsable for the women at the counter or their attitudes. Speak to the owner. If you question someone in the fish rooms info, ask someone else. Maybe clarify exactly what you are looking to accomplish. We are a very busy bunch.
As for the salt section, the entire rear end of the store is the fish section for those who are not familiar with the set-up.
I have successfully kept a pair of Orange seahorses( Latin name escapes me at the moment) in a 10 gallon tank for over 3 years in the past. As for "cramming them in a shallow tank", it's a 30 gallon breeder and the fish they are kept with are non-aggressive eaters such as PJ cardinals, scooter blennies and mandarins. In my experience seahorse feed off the bottom so a tall tank is not essential for their well being. Folks have no problem sticking a pair of clown fish in a 3 gallon Nano though!! I wish people would stop playing games when they come in to the store!! I've been working there nearly 6 months now and I have my share of satisfied repeat customers. I am more than happy to share my 35 plus years experience with SUCCESSFUL marine aquarium keeping with anyone who asks. I also have my share of complete idiots!! (One couple out & out lied about having a marine tank just so they could buy a pair of "Nemos" !! So, if someone insists they "must have" that clown trigger to put in with their fire shrimp and that red hairy hermit in with their corals or "...it would be so cute to have a seahorse and mandarin in my 180 fish only tank" what am I supposed to do other than inform them of their follie and cruelty and bag the fish??? I have a family to support.
I was taken back with some of the comments on how it was frustarting to have to wait for help. We aren't mind readers!! Yet some commented on another vendors thread that were ".....happy to wait while the owner spent over an hour talking to a couple on setting up a marine tank", but can't wait 15 minutes while we are waiting on 3 customers at the same time. It is very frustrating for me!!!
I tell everyone I speak with the best way ( in my mind and through personal experience) on how to keep a successful marine tank ( Tank 50 gallons or larger and filtration, filtration, filtration!!!). People will do what they want and have a tendancy to hear what they want.
Example: Couple came in and said they had an "established" 90 gallon reef tank ( 100 lbs plus of live rock and about a dozen mixed corals. They started picking out fish. I made my recommendations and began to question them when fish 4 was bagged and they wanted 3 more. Asked them how long the tank was established and what type of filtration they had. Turns out the tank was only 3 weeks old and their fiI can't be responsable for the women at the counter or their attitudes. Speak to the owner. If you question someone in the fish rooms info, ask someone else. Maybe clarify exactly what you are looking to accomplish. We are a very busy bunch. ltration was a Back-Pak skimmer and the live rock. I gave them my best "You folks are really underfiltered and don't have enough circulation in the tank and I would suggest spending money on filtration rather than fish at this point" speach when I was told to bag the fish they wanted and that I didn't know what I was talking about. The store where they bought the set-up from (who shall remain nameless) told them their set-up was just fine. So I bagged the fish and told them I would not guarantee the fish due to their insistance on overstocking such a new and underfiltered tank. Lo and behold 4 days later they called to inform me that their tank had wiped out completely. They asked what I suggest they should do. I informed them AGAIN about they're lack of filtration/circulation and not to overstock, but maybe they should call the guy who set them up (after all I don't know what I'm talking about!!)
Next time anyone is in Tropic Isle and has a quaetion about their tank or fish see me!! If I can't answer the question I will find someone who will. Just don't play games please !! I'm the older guy with the mustache, earings, and braid. I'll be as honest as possible with you if you are the same with me.
Dan
As for the salt section, the entire rear end of the store is the fish section for those who are not familiar with the set-up.
I have successfully kept a pair of Orange seahorses( Latin name escapes me at the moment) in a 10 gallon tank for over 3 years in the past. As for "cramming them in a shallow tank", it's a 30 gallon breeder and the fish they are kept with are non-aggressive eaters such as PJ cardinals, scooter blennies and mandarins. In my experience seahorse feed off the bottom so a tall tank is not essential for their well being. Folks have no problem sticking a pair of clown fish in a 3 gallon Nano though!! I wish people would stop playing games when they come in to the store!! I've been working there nearly 6 months now and I have my share of satisfied repeat customers. I am more than happy to share my 35 plus years experience with SUCCESSFUL marine aquarium keeping with anyone who asks. I also have my share of complete idiots!! (One couple out & out lied about having a marine tank just so they could buy a pair of "Nemos" !! So, if someone insists they "must have" that clown trigger to put in with their fire shrimp and that red hairy hermit in with their corals or "...it would be so cute to have a seahorse and mandarin in my 180 fish only tank" what am I supposed to do other than inform them of their follie and cruelty and bag the fish??? I have a family to support.
I was taken back with some of the comments on how it was frustarting to have to wait for help. We aren't mind readers!! Yet some commented on another vendors thread that were ".....happy to wait while the owner spent over an hour talking to a couple on setting up a marine tank", but can't wait 15 minutes while we are waiting on 3 customers at the same time. It is very frustrating for me!!!
I tell everyone I speak with the best way ( in my mind and through personal experience) on how to keep a successful marine tank ( Tank 50 gallons or larger and filtration, filtration, filtration!!!). People will do what they want and have a tendancy to hear what they want.
Example: Couple came in and said they had an "established" 90 gallon reef tank ( 100 lbs plus of live rock and about a dozen mixed corals. They started picking out fish. I made my recommendations and began to question them when fish 4 was bagged and they wanted 3 more. Asked them how long the tank was established and what type of filtration they had. Turns out the tank was only 3 weeks old and their fiI can't be responsable for the women at the counter or their attitudes. Speak to the owner. If you question someone in the fish rooms info, ask someone else. Maybe clarify exactly what you are looking to accomplish. We are a very busy bunch. ltration was a Back-Pak skimmer and the live rock. I gave them my best "You folks are really underfiltered and don't have enough circulation in the tank and I would suggest spending money on filtration rather than fish at this point" speach when I was told to bag the fish they wanted and that I didn't know what I was talking about. The store where they bought the set-up from (who shall remain nameless) told them their set-up was just fine. So I bagged the fish and told them I would not guarantee the fish due to their insistance on overstocking such a new and underfiltered tank. Lo and behold 4 days later they called to inform me that their tank had wiped out completely. They asked what I suggest they should do. I informed them AGAIN about they're lack of filtration/circulation and not to overstock, but maybe they should call the guy who set them up (after all I don't know what I'm talking about!!)
Next time anyone is in Tropic Isle and has a quaetion about their tank or fish see me!! If I can't answer the question I will find someone who will. Just don't play games please !! I'm the older guy with the mustache, earings, and braid. I'll be as honest as possible with you if you are the same with me.
Dan
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