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| Last year my koi had lots and lots of fry as some of you may remember. I posted here that anyone in or around the Cleveland area could come and get free koi fry. They were there for the taking. Several pond forum buddies did take some off my hands. The remaining fry that I caught with a minnow trap I was able to take to a local pet store. I think I must have given them 100 or more. I was just happy to find homes for them. On occassion the owners (two brothers) would give me something in return (i.e. blood worm larvae, wh, wl). When I drained my settlement pond last fall I had approximately 24 more koi fry (one of them was a beautiful orange long fin I wanted to keep). I called the pet store and they told me they would be happy to take them off my hands. Since it was the end of the ponding season I asked them if I would be able to settle up with them next spring for 3 water hyacinths and 3 water lettuce. They said sure no problem. I also had 10-12 larger koi in my top pond and they told me they would be happy to take them out to their 3 acre farm pond in the spring.
I waited till my water temp was around 70 degrees and called the pet store on Saturday to see if they had wh/wl. The brother who answered the phone said they did and I explained to him I was the one who gave them the koi last summer and asked him if I could get three of each. He told me sure to come on in and they would fix me up and everything would be "on the house." They picked out three wh/wl and took them up to the register then told me it would be $5. I told them they said it would be on the house to settle for the koi I gave them last summer. One of the brothers told me I didn't bring them koi I brought them goldfish. I told him that I thought he was mistaken me for somebody else. He said "You may have thought you were bringing us koi, but they all turned out to be goldfish." I was shocked. He told me he still had two of them in one of the aquariums in the back if I wanted to see them. I told him I didn't because I know every fish I brought to them was a koi. He said it was $5 for the wh/wl I could take it or leave it. I paid the $5 and walked out. When I got home and went to put the wh/wl in my settlement pond I noticed the wl didn't have any roots and were falling apart. I was so hurt. Why would one of the brothers just turn on me like that? I don't know what they sold the koi for, but they really made a profit. I didn't even care. I just wanted the koi to go to good homes. I have about 25 more koi fry that are going to be a year old that I was going to give them this year. I even trained the koi to swim into the net for food so I would be able to catch them. I will never go back to that store again. I feel like they took advantage of me. When I was walking out of the store the one brother told me he would be more than happy to help me catch the rest of the smaller fish in my pond using a wall net. I responded by saying, "why would you want them if they are just goldfish." Jenny |
Follow-Up Postings:
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| Jenny, I guess they just wanted more profit, $5 worth and lost a customer. If they continue that type of business they won't be in business long. And if you want to rub their face in it you can go back to them and tell them they ought to learn about WL and the reason the roots of their plants are falling off. If you put them suddenly into too warm of water the roots will fall off in 24 to 48 hours. But they don't know the difference between goldfish and koi. Mike |
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| Well, you certainly got the measure of those two people. Clearly it's not you. To not settle up for their part of the bargain, make you pay for the plants AND give you damaged plant stock ... oh man, don't they understand how important good word of mouth can be for a business? Steam would be coming out of my ears if I was cheated that way. Yep, take your business elsewhere. |
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| Go to a business and they treat you nicely and fairly, they will have a repeat customer. Go to a business and they treat you rudely and take advantage of you, 10 people will hear about it. So what goes around comes around. Not only do they not know the difference between a koi or goldfish, they don't know what an a$$ is and they look at it each day in the mirror. You did the right thing by walking out. They are not worth the trouble. |
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- Posted by goodkarma_ 5b (My Page) on Tue, May 31, 11 at 10:47
| Jenny I got some WH for you. Report them to the BBB. Even if they are not a member a complaint against them shows up if someone looks the business up through the BBB. I would let them know I was doing it too. Then put their name on this forum and let them know you posted your experience with then on it and will continue to do so on every forum, Craigslist and Angie's list. They will wish they had not treated you like that. BTW- It is not the economy. You just encountered a narcisstic personality type who feels entitled. That type of arrogant person will cut off their nose to spite their face. The world is full of them as you and I both know. If you want your money back let me know and I will send the boys to come with you. DH and DS will enlighten them. Heck I will even send Bob to tag along too. Lisa |
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- Posted by goodkarma_ 5b (My Page) on Tue, May 31, 11 at 10:51
| Oh- Neil and his uncles and cousins would come too. I really hate to see you treated this way. We can send the whole clan. I know it is only $5 but it has got me hopping mad that you are being taken advantage of. Besides...the boys need some more bonding time together. lol |
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- Posted by calamity_j z7bc (My Page) on Tue, May 31, 11 at 11:06
| How Fowl! I have a dear friend who owns a pond store and he gets ripped off all the time, cuz he is so nice, people are always wanting a perfect pond and when he builds it, they get him back constantly for stupid things, or they just don't listen to his advice. He is known to be one of the best fish guys on this island, his reputation is superb with "guys" in the biz who know, yet he gets crapped on by nasty customers. I get so mad hearing about it, as his friend(25yrs). But these guys you are talking about can't even tell the diff between a koi and a goldfish??? JERKS! If you have a pond club in your area that you are a part of, make sure you let them know!! They will be out of biz in no time the rate they are going! I feel sorry for all the victims that will buy stuff and it will die and they will be turned off of ponding, just cuz they are buying stuff from these guys. I just went to the local diner and was served a RAW COLD steak!!! Never has that ever happened to me!!! GROSS!!! No excuse! Word of mouth.... |
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- Posted by cliff_and_joann z7 L.I.NY (My Page) on Tue, May 31, 11 at 15:40
| There are some people that are just plain unscruplous as demonstrated by these clowns...Stupid too. |
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| UGH! Sorry about the way you were treated, Jenny. All 14 of the fish you gave me are koi and most are long-finned koi. I recently put the seven largest ones in the pond to swim with the big guys and they are doing great. Hindsight....maybe you should have gotten something in writing from the store owners. However, I would have done just what you did, trusted their word. |
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| Thanks everyone for your kind comments. Guess it takes all kinds of people to make the world go round. I am chalking it up as a lesson learned and putting it behind me. All I have to do is walk out to the pond and my fish children make me smile. I had two of the little ones swim into the net this morning when I fed them. Hoping I don't have to drain the pond to get them out. I am also hoping that I will be able to send some to lily (please see her tragedy post). I really believe that everything happens for a reason. I just hope we can hook up if she is interested. Jenny |
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