DREWspective

I’ve left it a little late, but I wanted to write about an irritating event while I was out and about.

I visited a branch of Pets at Home to make sure that the water in my tank was safe to introduce fish to. Just last week I bought a 21-litre beginners’ goldfish tank from a different branch, and only set it up a few days later (forgot to get some other things, namely extra gravel and an ornament).

If you’re a beginner in keeping goldfish, be aware that there is a lot of conflicting advice.

Years ago when I first had fish, they were introduced to an unfiltered tank with no [visible] problems. There was no advice back then on the "correct" way to prepare for goldfish.

Unfortunately as I wandered around the store, I still had no idea about the technical stuff. That is, until I turned up to the counter with a new tank, having been completely ignored by staff as I stood and walked around in anxiety over which fish and which tank to choose. (I had wanted to go for something other than goldfish, but unfortunately my choice of tank meant I was limited to freshwater/coldwater fish.) It was only then that I was told that the tank had to be prepared before buying and introducing fish.

The conflicting advice starts from the moment you take the tank out of the packaging. Many sources say that gravel and ornaments go into the tank first, then it is filled with water.
One source (the tank’s instruction leaflet) said to put gravel in first, fill the tank halfway, then put ornaments in. This way proved to be the most awkward, given that the tank has to be placed before any of this happens, and the most stupid.

The big thing, however, is how long to leave the tank (with filter running) before putting fish in.
Some people, including Pets at Home, say a minimum of a week.
A few sources have suggested up to two weeks.
However, there’s a series of professional-looking videos on VideoJug that states two to three days. That’s what got me into "trouble".

But anyway…

Just to make sure that I didn’t have to wait any longer than I had to, I decided to use due diligence and take a water sample (after 3 days’ filtration) for testing at a different branch of Pets at Home. After all, with their "tanks need filters" campaign, they were the self-proclaimed champions of fish.

I was looking at the limited collection of fish and things for a while, before being approached by a staff member. There was something new! Well after explaining that none of the "fancy fish" I was interested in were for sale (they were all being treated for something), she took the water for testing.

Two things happened that guaranteed I would never go back to that particular store ever.

The first was how I was told that the water wasn’t yet safe for fish. I can’t remember what was said, but I remember hearing "very high levels" of ammonia/chemicals/whatever. Or at least I remember the words "high", "levels" and "ammonia".
I also got the obligatory condescending comment about having to leave the tank for a week, because going into a store and asking to have my tank water tested is a criminal offence if the water isn’t safe.
Really, it was the exaggeration and tone of voice that gave the impression I had a nerve to try and keep fish. It makes sense, I guess, because nothing makes me happier than spending money on fish I plan to take home and kill.

Maybe I’m overreacting in relation to the first thing. But the second thing? If there’s an explanation for why it was a proper thing to do, then I haven’t got a f***ing clue; please tell me.
Our friend the staff member, on returning with the news, had brought with her another staff member as some kind of bodyguard. They created a mini-wall between me and the exit.

I’m dead f***ing serious.

I’ve thought about it, and I guess that they must have thought that—being rather miffed with the staff member—I’d stick my hand in the tank of plants, pull out a bunch of plants, scream expletives and run off without paying.

In all seriousness though, I had in my hands a fish net and a bottle of aquarium bacteria. Regardless of whether I was going home with fish, those items were on my shopping list.
And I put them right back. There was no way I’d buy from that store with that performance.