banned from petland

ok so i got banned from petland i saw a guy buying buying a really cool triggerfish and then he bought a a couple other things and some fake seaweed decorations i asked him how many tanks he had and he said a small thirty gallon i told him about etak.com and then i told him that trigger fish can get huge and that those fake plants arent the best for salt water tanks anyways the manager banned me from coming back in the store any suggestions? the guy did return the plants and fake rocks but i didnt tell him too his tank was also only two days old and that trigger fish was exspensive so who can i complain to about that i mean they told the guy that the fish would be cool and that the coral would make his two day old tank look beautiful

WOW! They get on my nerves sometimes!!!

i mean it cant be legal right all i did was tell the guy that he should buy some live rock instead and a stick the plastic stuff in a freshwater tank and i DID not tell him to return anything at all but he did and im banned whats up with that

actually it is 100% legal. A store can refuse service to anyone, as you just found out. Sucks for you, but your actions did cost them a sale. No matter if its right or wrong , if thats how they choose to handle the situation you will have to deal with it.

but how cant that store stay in business by doing that to people ive seen it happen everytime ive been in there but oh well i found i fish store in jacksonville today but i did hear that the owner used to run exoticfish so has anyone been in fish central ? im goin to be checkin it out and loading some pics but the guy i went to get some tattoo work from said that this fish central place is massive

I have been to fish central all corals are $35 each and they sale everyting wolesale! But I dont care to much for Jim so i only been there once and their opening and closing our are weird!! Wade the one that use to work at Exotic fish sells just about everything his email is info@keepingparadise.com and his facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/Aquascapes-of-East-Texas/139034522810931?sk=info he can get you ANYTHING!

im gonna ride out tomorrow and see if there open i cant find a business listing for them

I went into Petland 1 time. They were the ones walking around a family with the dad holding the fish tank and the wife and kids picking out the fish that were going to die in it.. i mean go in it.

These types of fish stores make their money by 1 time customers. They're also how you and I buy tanks and equipment so cheap from frustrated people who bought everything needed but couldn't keep a fish alive.

There aren't many stores in the area that are designed to keep customers coming back for repeat business. That's sad. :-(

Their # is 903-586-9481 call before you go!

thanks ill post pics if i see anything cool or unique

southernlost wrote:but how cant that store stay in business by doing that to people ive seen it happen everytime ive been in there but oh well i found i fish store in jacksonville today but i did hear that the owner used to run exoticfish so has anyone been in fish central ? im goin to be checkin it out and loading some pics but the guy i went to get some tattoo work from said that this fish central place is massive

Yes Jim from exotic fish is out there now. Complete scam artist and crook. Steer clear of the place in Jacksonville!!! I have seen Jim sell a lady a 55 gallon tank with a HOB filter single T8 fixture and a heater and tell her she was reef ready. He straight up said as long as her fish stay alive for a few days she will think its her fault they died and she will come back and buy more. Thats repeat business. Jim has burned alot of people. He sold Exotic Fish to a guy named Micah and moved up toward Dallas and tried his hand at wholesale and went bankrupt in a few months. Micah is a good guy that I still talk to he just didnt make it. Couldn't repair Exotic Fishes name that Jim had destroyed Now Jim is in Jacksonville. The company was previously owned (I think still is) by a couple that are still involved. I dont know how Jim wormed his way in with them but I feel bad that he will ruin their name and business just like every other one he has had anything to do with. Unfortunately is appears that Wade has learned a fair bit from Jim. Wade worked for Jim at Exotic Fish and then again for Micah. Wade has a fair amount of knowledge but performs poor business practice and can not maintain a relationship with anyone. He will talk great to your face but burn you behind your back. He took the service contracts from Exotic Fish when they closed and was working with Billy. Another previous exotic Fish employee. He had plans of opening a fish store but that never happened. I have been small time in the fish business for some time and pride myself on honesty and fair business practice. I have never had an unhappy customer. I dont claim to know it all but I do have a fair amount of experience and have been involved in the fish community for some time. Jim and Wade both are two people that personally I will always sear clear of and would suggest that unless you like getting burned, you do the same. Knowing that Wade was at the meeting today and some of you met him, I know this may "stir the pot" But I wish someone had given me fair warning before I did business with either of them.

I always wonderd why wade and billy split the buisness. They both semed like good people to me

jaystew15 wrote:I always wonderd why wade and billy split the buisness. They both semed like good people to me

Many things seem one way and arnt even close to the way they seem.

well james i told you back when i bought my lil cobalt from you to deff sell some corals and marine fish and yeah you have a killer set up in your garage deff do one whole rack of fish and one rack corals hell you got enough tanks and space or atleast set up a huge tank and sell live rock at a couple bucks a pound and to be honest i enjoyed seeing your tanks and i enjoyed buying fish from you in my opinion your a A+++++ seller

it was also a great learning experiance even told me what to feed em and what they would do mixed with other fish

southernlost wrote:well james i told you back when i bought my lil cobalt from you to deff sell some corals and marine fish and yeah you have a killer set up in your garage deff do one whole rack of fish and one rack corals hell you got enough tanks and space or atleast set up a huge tank and sell live rock at a couple bucks a pound and to be honest i enjoyed seeing your tanks and i enjoyed buying fish from you in my opinion your a A+++++ seller

I just set up my first saltwater rack !!! I will have vats of Live Rock soon. I havent told everyone yet but I was offered an executive aquatics marketing position with a pet store chain. I think I am going to take it. One Idea for partial reimbursement is a turn key franchise in Tyler. Let me get through this first 90 day contract then I will know more about that and its potential.

OK... I am not the greatest most experienced tank keeper as I will readily admit, but I followed the link to ...https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=153649938016056&set=a.144811712233212.23175.139034522810931&theater tell me please that I am wrong, that isn't a tank he set up, with cichlids and neons. So many of the pictures look like they are "just set up" pics, I assure you, I can set up a stunning tank, will look amazing..... until tomorrow.... when you get out the net and start flushing down the great white porcelain god of the fish after-life.

Yeti wrote:OK... I am not the greatest most experienced tank keeper as I will readily admit, but I followed the link to ...https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=153649938016056&set=a.144811712233212.23175.139034522810931&theater tell me please that I am wrong, that isn't a tank he set up, with cichlids and neons. So many of the pictures look like they are "just set up" pics, I assure you, I can set up a stunning tank, will look amazing..... until tomorrow.... when you get out the net and start flushing down the great white porcelain god of the fish after-life.

One of Exotic Fishes greatest down falls even after Jim was gone and Micah was trying to gain a honest reputation and name in the fish industry was the fact that they had very minimal Fresh Water knowledge or interest. Wade and Micah both had a shared love for salt water set up so naturally that's where most their knowledge was and is today. The fresh water stock went to crap quickly due off water parameters and stocking issues. Cant tell you how many times I went in the store to find two male Africans in a 10 gallon tank. I would have to explain to Wade that two male peacocks are going to fight over territory and thats why one always dies every time you order two. Also for Gods sake!! Stop putting the Africans in a south american set up full of drift wood that is set up for Discus with a low PH! I just had this discussion on another board I was asking what they would like to see in a new store that they couldnt find anywere else.....heres what someone said. "seems like a lot of stores that do salt have pathetic freshwater selections...either sickly and unkept or small selection etc. Not all stores but a lot of them. I too would like to see a lot of parts and dry goods at a fair price..." I think this is because if someones interest is in salt water they do not have the desire or interest to gain the knowledge about freshwater. Thats fine for a hobbyist at home just stick with what you know and what you like. But for a business you must gain knowledge of every aspect. If you dont then stick to what you know. For obvious reasons like in the pics described. Thats why I didnt jump into setting up a saltwater rack just because I knew I could turn a buck on a request. I wanted to do my research gain experience and do it rite. Now that I have entered the salt water world I wish I had done it years ago. Im addicted.

So this is how local fish stores end up hating each other!!! Lol. One of the great things about this board is that if something goes sour with a seller it won't go unnoticed by the whole group. Time will certainly tell if wade, or anyone selling to this group, has poor business practices. So far, so good.

sounds like they could use a flaming bag of dog poop.

[quote="Win"]sounds like they could use a flaming bag of dog poop. [/quote

HAHAHA

Hey everyone its Wade, I'm glad to hear I know how to make an impression!

<etexer> you honestly do not know the whole story about anyone, and I still have a very good relationship with Micah, Jim and I don't get along because I was giving people to much of a break on product, and was terminated, although 3 hours after being terminated i was offered my job back with a raise. Billy and I split the business because we both had different beliefs on set-ups, financial systems, how much we should mark up among other various things. I did not STEAL the contracts from EXOTIC they were given to Billy, I jumped on board with Billy two weeks after he started his company. There was talk of a fish store, but due to the economy and price of overhead it would be ridiculous, and insane to open a store front. It is the quickest way to go out of business in this area. I know that I was apart of Exotic Fish and I know that some things that were done there were not the best business practice, but I had to do my job the way I was TOLD to do my job. I am now operating my own business, and can do things the way that I want to do things. I am almost certain I know who you are, especially since you seem to be big into cichlids. If you think you know something about me or the practices of my business call some of my clients, Kyle Adams 903.944.9459, Allen Arrick 903.235.1848, Austin Hubbard 9035150059. Nico Hernandez suave_boc@yahoo.com, oh and if you are who I think you are be sure and give Jeff a Hello from me.

<Matt> Thanks!

to the forum- thank you for having me I hope everyone is pleased with their purchases, I hope I can come back again soon!

Just to show how I uphold my business standards two people from the meeting this past sat. had issues with some of the livestock that they purchased, both of these members are receiving new colonies of what they purchased, and are able to keep the colonies that they have now. I am making a special trip to Dallas to pick up 2 corals due to this, now why would i go out of my way and spend 60 dollars in gas and more money on corals just to make sure they get the quality they were expecting?


And about the freshwater issues at exotic, there was nothing done with the cichlid systems because we were moving them into a new system, but the store closed down before we had the opportunity to do so. All of the water parameters could not be met due to the way the systems were set up, there was no heating units and no outlets to apply heaters to the systems, ph was maintained salt levels were maintained and the only way to house all of the fish was to pack them in together because Mr. Birdd set the systems up that way.

I have a passion for what I do, and I like my costumers to have a passion for what is going on in their system. If anyone has issues with the way their product is, or what has happened with their product that they have received from me, just let me know, I will do what I can to fix it. I am not in this business to make millions or even hundreds of thousands of dollars, I have a part time job! I am doing this because I know that people need something in this area to gain knowledge, product, and companionship. I understand that this may make some of you stay away from my business, and it really disappoints me that the person who is saying all of these things, if it is who I believe it is, is saying what they are. The reason, I used to buy product from him, and give him a lot of business, hell we even drank a few beers together, so this is a surprise to me!

As, far as everyone else on the forum, give me a call if you have questions about what has happened in the past with exotic, paradise, Jim, Micah, Billy anyone. I will answer anything you have to ask. Just know that I am trying to get away from the horrid stereotype of Exotic Fish, and make people know me from a different venue, Aquascapes of East Texas.

I bet you didn't think I was on this forum!

Wade McCullin
DBA Aquascapes of East Texas
9036.FISH.10
info@keepingparadise.com

I was never trying to imply that the Exotic Fish service contracts were "stolen" for the record. If that was taken wrong I'm sorry. I still talk to Micah as well as consider him a good friend, and I know that you still talk. I do know a fair amount of what happened. I was there for alot of it, remember. I do not claim to know all and never claimed to know what happened with you and Billy. I knew you were on this forum and its not hard to know who I am. I am not trying to hide behind a screen name or anything else. Also to set the record straight you have never purchased any product from me personally nor have you sent any business my way. Have heard lots of promises of both but neither have materialized. You lost my respect Wade. I once had a respect for you and yes we did drink a few beers. But a mouth that runs will always catch up with you. My piece was said, and my experience shared. Im not going to post a list of references. I appreciate the kind words from those who have done business with me. I am not looking to begin a public debate just share a warning from true experience. Feel free to PM, e-mail, text, or call anytime.
*James Hicks* (903)944-3766

im so prank calling both of you....

Win wrote:im so prank calling both of you....

LOL!