$45 and nothing to buy!

[KatiB]

When I got my tank, I earned $45 in "bonus bucks". They run a per $ spent deal thru the year and April 5th pay out in bonus bucks at this store. (Not my local LFS) Sooooo my tank being the expense it was, and the fact I bought it 2 weeks before the "end of the bonus year", I earned my bonus. I went to the store today. Nothing. Absolutely nothing there.

I looked at the corals. They were all scrawny. I don't mean small, I mean scraggly scrawny. And looked unhealthy to boot. The ones that did look "ok" were covered in weeds and bubble algae. PASS!!

Ok...lets look at fish. Found a really cute yellow watchman goby. But again, scrawny and breathing hard. :( Pass again. I don't have enough experiance to "hope" I can nurse something back to health in quarantine, or risk killing what little I do have in my tank.

Ok...move over and looked at clowns. They were in a separate tank, actually looked pretty healthy. I asked if they were still all juveniles because I wanted a pair and wanted to make sure I had two that hadn't changed sexes yet. ( They looked small, but being new I asked anyway.) The guy said "Oh, it makes no difference. Clowns change back and forth all the time." Ummmm...no, I said, I know one will turn female and be dominant....The other will stay male and smaller. He told me I was wrong and that clowns are sexually "plastic" and switch back and forth.

:grumble: I walked out empty handed.

I love my LFS even more now. Tanks are clean, bright, happy. The guys there have almost all had SW tanks for 10+ years and they don't LIE to me. Tomorrow I will go pay REAL money and get something nice and healthy for my tank. Bonus bucks hit the trash can.

 

[ggNoRe]

I not 100% on this but I think I have also read somewhere that clowns can actually change sexes even after they matured.

However, I understand your frustrations. I live in Houston one of the biggest cities in America and very close to the Atlantic ocean yet all the local shops I've been to have been expensive and had very unimpressive livestock. I'm considering just sticking to online shopping which I have been extremely pleased with thus far.

 

[KatiB]

I not 100% on this but I think I have also read somewhere that clowns can actually change sexes even after they matured.

However, I understand your frustrations. I live in Houston one of the biggest cities in America and very close to the Atlantic ocean yet all the local shops I've been to have been expensive and had very unimpressive livestock. I'm considering just sticking to online shopping which I have been extremely pleased with thus far.

I know the clowns do change sexes. They are born male. The dominant becomes female and is usually larger. If she dies or is removed, the male that is left can become female if a smaller, less dominant clown is added etc... But all the research I have done has never told me they just flit back and forth male to female to male when ever they feel like it. Which is what the guy was telling me. If I am wrong....Well I don't know everything. LOL But I can't find THAT anywhere.

 

[VAreef]

Na your right KatiB. The largest clown is the dominant female. If she dies another clown will turn into a female and take her place. They do not just flip back and forth though. In the wild there is usually a dominant female with her male that tends to the eggs. If that male isn't up to par she will kick it out and bring in a new male to do the job.

 

[KatiB]

Na your right KatiB. The largest clown is the dominant female. If she dies another clown will turn into a female and take her place. They do not just flip back and forth though. In the wild there is usually a dominant female with her male that tends to the eggs. If that male isn't up to par she will kick it out and bring in a new male to do the job.

Ok that's good to know. My research has paid off. LOL The guy was a total dweeb about it too. Told me I didn't know what I was talking about. Well....I know enough not to go to their store again. :grumble: :mrgreen:

 

[VAreef]

Ok that's good to know. My research has paid off. LOL The guy was a total dweeb about it too. Told me I didn't know what I was talking about. Well....I know enough not to go to their store again. :grumble: :mrgreen:

Ya gotta figure he was probably payed minimum wage and given a small bonus if he sold ya something. Every LFS is like that to a point. Ya gotta get the in. Get to know em stand around forever talking. You will find the ones that know their stuff. Also the more you get to know em then the less likely they are to screw ya.

 

[KatiB]

True....which is why I get along great with my local LFS. :) They recognize me the min I walk in now. LOL This other store is about an hour away. And honestly, the condition of their tanks, I don't want the stuff in my tank. The main reason I got the tank there was it was one place within driving distance we could physically see the tank before we bought it. Which for over $700 ....well BF thought that was best. I agreed. LOL

 

[BL1]

I know you don't want to give them your business but, if you need food, supplements, buffers, or salt I would use your bonus there just to use it. It's not like you are giving them your money and supporting them, your basically taking something from them for free. Just my :twocents:

 

[bjohanson1234]

was just about to say that. A bucket of salt is something everyone needs and is just around 45-50 bucks depends on brand

 

[VAreef]

I'm just lucky on LFS even though I have only been to it once. I walked in. Saw Yote he was unmistakable. Then proceeded to buy stuff. I gotta get back down there too. I been wanting a foxface. Like I said ya gotta develope an in.

 

[KatiB]

True...I can probably find consumables there. :P If I HAVE to. :) But nothing living. Or 1/2 living.

The local store is really great though. So I am very lucky there.

 

[trb]

However, I understand your frustrations. I live in Houston one of the biggest cities in America and very close to the Atlantic ocean yet all the local shops I've been to have been expensive and had very unimpressive livestock. I'm considering just sticking to online shopping which I have been extremely pleased with thus far.

I agree! The nice stores in Houston charge WAY too much. If it was not for a couple of the guys from the local marsh reef club that have started fish & coral shops out of their homes or in the back of the one guy's liquor store, I would not have near as many fish and corals as I do now. They have placed special orders for me and everything I've gotten has been A+ and at a great price. Just like ordering online but with no shipping costs and no waiting around for the package to arrive.

 

[ggNoRe]

Nice to know! I plan on joining the marsh reef club as well as soon as I finally get my tank from Marinedepot which I found out today probably won't be for a while. :(