Info Dump

I had a couple of repeat customers come into the store.
In that I'd interacted with them a couple of weeks ago when they were first setting up their tank.
But they'd returned in order to return a molly that was being aggressive to their other fish.

In the process they wanted to get a different molly in hopes that that one would be a better friend to their other fish.

But they were also interested in getting something else that could help with their tank as they were experiencing a bit of cloudy water -which is common for brand new tanks-- and were thinking that they needed to get a catfish or a snail to see if that would help clear things up--I think they were thinking too much food on the bottom of the tank was causing the cloudiness??

I'm not sure.

As as we were talking over the snails...
Another customer standing nearby...jumped into the conversation.

They're one of those 'fish enthusiasts' that are obsessed with their fishtanks and want other people to succeed in their aquarium maintenance.

Though I do wonder if this customer was just feeling the effects of the "stay home" quarantineesque thing going on currently and was just looking for an excuse to have a conversation with someone as they had a bit of a...crazed energy to them.

an "I haven't spoken to anyone in six days!" sort of energy. 

And the customer basically went off on the other customers talking about pros and cons and explaining different processes and such--and like I tried to find a way to let the two customers take their fish and leave without having to twenty minutes of instruction--but unfortunately a different customer needed my help before I could distracted the obsessive customer with their own need to get more snails for their tank.

But yah.
I'm pretty sure the obsessed customer gave the two newbies quite the crash course of information that I could tell left them feeling a bit overwhelmed and wondering just what they'd gotten themselves into.

*exhales*

Honestly.
It's a fine line I have to walk with customers.
As I have a ton of knowledge on fish and how to care for their tanks and proper set ups and such.
But I also recognize that many customers don't want to go crazy and have to 'care' for their tank. They're looking for a lower maintenance thing or else they're on a budget and can't afford to get everything then and there.

And I often take the "less is more" approach.
As I feel like the "more" you try and "do" for your tank...the more problems you end up having and more money you spend trying to 'fix' it.

Thankfully I was able to catch up with the two newbies and do a quick "Yes that's all important, but this is probably what you definitely need, wait on the other stuff" and also "you don't necessarily need "this" stuff" sort of quick conversation.

As the other customer was wanting them to buy like another $50 worth of stuff. 
And I was like "Okay you probably need this bacteria starter to help with the cloudy water but wait on the other stuff." And sent them on their way.

Because.
Yes.
There is a ton of stuff you can buy for your tank.
but there's no need to overwhelm new fish owners right away.
And if you set up the tank slowly...oftentimes you don't need half the stuff anyways.

-Sarnic Dirchi