We Don’t Sell To Fishy Customers

One of our policies is that if we feel the pet in question will not be placed in a good environment, we can deny them service. A customer walks in wanting some fish.

Customer: “I want to add these two fish to my tank.”

He wants a red tail shark and a common Plecostomus. This is normally not an issue if you have a big enough tank for the fish to live in, as the common pleco gets to two feet long, and the red tail, if it doesn’t have enough space to swim, will stress out and die.

Me: “Sure thing, what size tank do you have for them?”

Customer: “I have a five-gallon. I also have a bumblebee cichlid in that tank.”

This combination of fish is a terrible idea.

Me: “Sorry, sir, unfortunately, putting those fish in the size tank you have won’t work out well. The pleco alone would produce enough ammonia in the tank to kill them all within a week. I can show you smaller species; plecos that would work better for what you have.”

Customer: “No, I want those two.”

Me: “Sorry, sir, unfortunately, I’m not going to get you those fish because the tank you have is too small for all three of them to fit comfortably.”

Customer: “This is ridiculous. It’s my money; you can’t tell me what I can’t spend my money on.”

Me: “I understand, sir, but like I said before, I cannot sell you these fish.”

Customer: “Fine, then I’ll just go to your manager and get you fired.”

Me: “All right, good luck with that, sir, and have a nice day.”

He keeps trying to repeat that he will have me fired and how it’s communism for me not to sell him anything. I get annoyed.

Me: “Sir, I am done with this conversation. Have a nice day.”

He called me an a**hole and stormed out. I still work there, so I don’t think he made much progress.