Do goldfish come from guppies?

[dan2x38]

Matt not often does an opinion of mine get changed but when it does I must admit it. I would not want someone to talk to or of my son Latios like that. He is only 9 but has asked me somethings that I've explained and later he related it back and it was way off base. I am talking of more than just fish. I would like to know that if on his own he stumbled onto this site for help or wisdom that he would not find a thread bashing (flaming) him. So Matt you make a good point humbilly I admit my view was narrow minded. 

[babblefish1960]

A most excellent rant mseguin, I do so love when you get into that frame of mind, it is usually so much an alternative point of view that the rest of us seem to have elided in favour of our hard assumptions.  It is always good to assume that it could be a simple lack of understanding or as suggested, confusing the situation of too much information to keep it all straight.

It is better to take the higher road sometimes for sure, it is always easier to tear down than to build up.

[NetCop]

Or maybe she just made a mistake? ...

Actually she has been known to think she knows everything about them. Heck, if you were to let her go at it, she would think (or try to come across as if) she knows more about the aquatic world then a marine biologist, let alone any of you guys.

[KLKelly]

Identifying info should be saved for PMs - I do agree there. 

With the defense made for the employee already, I on the other hand think a store manager would appreciate the ability to correct misinformation from being repeated to customers. I doubt a store or department manager would defend the information or relay an excuse.  Especially if it was potentially embarrassing information - regardless if it comes from a store patron overhearing or the purchaser.  Emailing them maybe saved the staff and the manager from future embarrassment.   

I don't mind where she got her info or if she's a hamster expert filling in - it was funny.

[sas]

I don't normally take the time to post in these types of threads, they make me sick. Enoughs  enough people! My coffee has been soured too many times in the morning , thank-you.
How many times do you have to be told to take your complaints to the person that matters. The large majority of the people on this site are well aware of some of the slipups made in retail, and I for one am tired of seeing them posted and then beat to death. Does it build you self assteem to sit around and bash businesses or people?

Or maybe she just made a mistake? I know its a foreign thought to most people, but it sometimes happens. Maybe fish isn't her real department and she's more used to hamsters and was covering the fish area for a sick coworker. Maybe she's been making an effort to learn more about fish and misread something amongst the glut of information available. And perhaps in this research she'll stumble across a local fish club that she thinks might be helpful, only to find that she's got her own thread to be targeted for public ridicule, and decides why bother trying to learn, and that she might as well quit since she's already had a complaint put in about her performance, by someone who wasn't even a customer of hers. But I know, none of us have ever made a really stupid mistake in our daily lives or jobs, so its ok for us to ridicule them.
Rant mode over

Nicely put Matt.

[Zoe]

I don't normally take the time to post in these types of threads, they make me sick. Enoughs  enough people! My coffee has been soured too many times in the morning , thank-you.
How many times do you have to be told to take your complaints to the person that matters. The large majority of the people on this site are well aware of some of the slipups made in retail, and I for one am tired of seeing them posted and then beat to death. Does it build you self assteem to sit around and bash businesses or people?            Nicely put Matt.

I didn't post this because I thought: "Hey, maybe now everyone will boycott Petcetera!" or "Maybe Mr. Petcetera will see this post and teach his employees about fish!"
I posted it because it was funny, and I'm not the only one that thinks so.
And if you'll read the whole post, you'll notice that I DID take my complaint to the one that matters.
No, it doesn't build my self esteem. It feeds my sense of humor. 

Could she have made a mistake? Yes, she obviously did.  Did she have any business saying something that dumb if she didn't know what she was talking about? No. I am quite confident that I've never said anything that ridiculous to a customer.  And if I did, I would expect to be laughed at.  People need to take responsibility for what they say, and someone who, like this girl, goes around saying stupid things in an effort to sound smart (which actually is the case here - she's just full of BS, all the time, and she will not change her opinion of anything even if Einstein himself told her), does not need to be babied or coddled, although I do agree that she shouldn't be personally identified.  And if she had been in her teens, or retarded (literally), or was brand new to the job, I probably wouldn't have said anything.

So let's all sit back, take a deeeep breath, and not take life so seriously, eh?  This is funny stuff. If you don't get a kick out of it. And if people telling funny stories about crazy/weird experiences at stores makes your coffee go sour, perhaps it's time to switch to tea?
Anyway, don't ruin my good larf by having a fit.  Because I thought it was pure hillarity!

[Dr. Ashtray]

sas.  There is always the option of not reading posts that make coffee sour.  I agree with Zoe, this is a funny post and too bad for the employee really but maybe they should invest some time with their store's fish expert.  They have to have one in there.

Jeffrey...

[zapisto]

This has been a thoroughly enjoyable thread.  Zapisto, I was just making a proverbial comment on the IQ thing.  I just thought fitting! 

Jeffrey...

no trouble,
i just raise a little problem witout pointing anybody.
and i think more our eyes is open better the hobby will be

[dan2x38]

Man debate & controversy can get rolling easily around here. It is nice that we can all have our own opposing opinions and still get along because of our common bond - aquaria!

Happy Holidays Guys!

[mseguin]

Yes it was slightly humorous until it turned into ridicule and questioning whether the person should eve have a job, how many of you would even know her name without reading her nametag?

[Zoe]

Yes it was slightly humorous until it turned into ridicule and questioning whether the person should eve have a job, how many of you would even know her name without reading her nametag?

Ridicule is the natural progression of things, when a situation is ridiculous... lol And, well, she probably shouldn't have a job in a petstore that carries live animals   She'd probably get paid just as well flipping burgers - she can tell people that potato fries come from carrots. haha - sorry - can't resist. It's funny! 
She wasn't wearing a nametag btw, and I don't go around asking people's names if I'm not buying crickets from the store at which they work.  I'm such a lousy humanitarian

[Sue]

I also wanted to post agreement with Mat the ridicule was way overblown. The initial post was funny, but its really not such a big deal in the great scheme of things. It would have been kinder to just point out to the girl (after her customer was gone) that the two species are only distantly related and maybe explain what the black spots on the goldfish really mean.

[sas]

This is the last I will say in this thread.
Having a "larf" as you call it at someone's expense is just not on in my books.
I realize you contacted the management and my reply was not necessarily directed at only you. My irritation was with how the thread in general had evolved with more and more accusations and innuendos about the incompetence of the employee.
I was under the impression that this site is to be informative,supportive and enjoyable as far as our hobby goes not degrading or demeaning to others?
In closing, ask yourself this question," Do you think this person would ask questions on this site once they read or came across this thread?" Cheers and I'm going to get some tea and go sit in the corner. That was a joke.

[dan2x38]

I see threads with topics about how to save a fish that only get 3 maybe 4 posts in it. Put up a controversial thread and it ends up pages deep. Guppy or Goldfish they are animals and should receive same compassion as all other animals hence the concerns and strong emotions by the animal lovers here... obviously many of us also enjoy a good debate...    Who is right? Who is wrong? No one! It is their opinion and meant to support animal care & customer awareness! We can take care of ourselves; animals can't ... 

[Zoe]

I see threads with topics about how to save a fish that only get 3 maybe 4 posts in it. Put up a controversial thread and it ends up pages deep. Guppy or Goldfish they are animals and should receive same compassion as all other animals hence the concerns and strong emotions by the animal lovers here... obviously many of us also enjoy a good debate...    Who is right? Who is wrong? No one! It is their opinion and meant to support animal care & customer awareness! We can take care of ourselves; animals can't ... 

Ahh, everybody loves human conflict  And I do enjoy a good debate, too.  My only sadness is that sometimes the things I (and everyone) says are taken far too seriously.
What I mean:

Having a "larf" as you call it at someone's expense is just not on in my books.

I'd say it's safe to bet that sas thinks I'm sitting back in my fiery lair, contemplating human misery and suffering, laughing at kids with skinned knees... but that's not the case.  I just think that saying that goldfish from guppies is a bizarre, ridiculous, and yes, hillarious thing to say.  As a person, the girl I'm sure is normal and fine.  I still think she's not fit to take care of animals - and I personally know what this girl is like (an unsufferable, eye-rolling know-it-all) so perhaps my view of her skewed.
IMO laughing at someone for something they can't change is wrong. But laughing at the ridiculous things that people do and say is perfectly fine.  It's roughage for the sense of humor, you see Yum.

[Nerine]

Goldfish are made in China...

[bitterman]

Goldfish are made in China...

[Nerine] 2:51 pm: I wanted to write it's stamped on their belly
[Nerine] 2:51 pm: but I RESISTED

[Chinaman]

Goldfish are made in China...

Didn't you know they are one of the recall items?

[dan2x38]

Ahh, everybody loves human conflict  And I do enjoy a good debate, too.  My only sadness is that sometimes the things I (and everyone) says are taken far too seriously.

Zoe you and debate... who'd a thought... 

[bettabreeder]

bettabreeder good luck! I bet you know where guppies come from?

Thanks Dan and of course I know where goldfish come from they were "first developed in 11th- century china from the occasional colourful or unusual specimen found among carp kept for food."(aquarium fish 213) I have the book and it has a lot of insightful information.