Reefs.org Forums

[EmilyB]

I recall when I first got into the hobby, and the LFS had 'picture/description' labels for all the fish. Basically, size, requirements, etc. In fact, I recall asking for some of these, and they said they only had received so many, and ran out.

Can labelling be made easier ? I think most LFS would gladly put up a card label on a tank, to help field questions, and it would help the average new person to the hobby field their decisions as well.

As it is now, the fish arrive, and quite often, the LFS has had replacements, and doesn't even know what they are.

Even if they do, they have to scrawl the names on the tanks, and the labels are many times incorrect, plus people viewing the tanks and seeing something new are uninformed.

[Rover]

I don't like to put up labels on my fish tanks because I don't want people to get the impression that because they read a little card on the tank they know enough to buy it. I generally have everything well labelled and do a little bit of digging before I agree to sell them a fish. Many hobbyist don't take into account the lengths people will go to buy something they've got to have. There have been many occasion where people just out right lied to me (tank size, tank age, other inhabitants, experience) in order to buy something teywanted and then where mad at me when it died.

Glenn

[MaryHM]

Emily,

There is a company out there that creates labels for tanks. They had a booth at a trade show I recently attended. Each little card had a picture of the animal, and some basic care information. I'll see if I can find the contact information for the company.

[EmilyB]

That would be great. No one in the city has anything like that.

Unlike Rover, many of our local places have one, if any, SW people on staff, that must grapple for info when the fish manager is not working.

I think a company creating labels is great... those labels could be enhanced to help the beginner aquarist, I would like to believe. (As in, I would really like to believe most do not want to take on a hard to keep fish, or lie to get one. ) [img]images/smiles/icon_confused.gif[/img]

[JeremyR]

<<(As in, I would really like to believe most do not want to take on a hard to keep fish, or lie to get one. ) >>

I've known plenty of people who lied to get fish.. and some people when you tell them they can't have a fish because it is too hard to keep, they want it *more*, as if it's a challenge or something.

[Cappuccino Bay Aquarium]

Thanks Mary, Ive been looking for this

[EmilyB]

Ditto, thanks Mary. They even have the prints I've been looking for forever. [img]images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img]

[MaryHM]

I found the company information!!

www.animal-graphics.com

[Bill2]

Doesn't this world have enough labels on it. Black, White, Short, Tall. Let's think of the animals here. [img]images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img]

Just Say No To Labels.

Petco has em and well sometimes the idiot employees can't even match them up [img]images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img]

[Cappuccino Bay Aquarium]

How bout "photo I.Ds? "I didnt really plan on putting lables ON the fish .

[EmilyB]

"multi-color slug"

Yeah. One of my favorites. [img]images/smiles/icon_mad.gif[/img]

[dmentnich]

I'll tell you, I would have loved the labels when I first started the hobby. It would have prevented more that one mistake in taking the clerks word at face value and purchasing for example a Gonipora coral as being a "beginer" coral, or an arrow as being "reef friendly" or my clam as being "fine under NO." (Yes, I have learned to do my own research.)

I did not lie to get the species I wanted, but I was lied to. Now if you tell the customers the truth and are knowledgeable then putting the labels up is not necessary. However, when you walk into a store and they have a sixteen year old who has only kept fresh water and couldn't even tell you what the salinity should be kept at at cards would be a start.

Rover- being as you seem to care about your customers sucess and the animals welfare I can wish you only the best! [img]images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img]

[Chucker]

danny's post brings up an interesting point.... Who decides what text to put on a label, and how accurate is it? I'd think there would be as much a case of buyer beware for accurate labels as there would the livestock they describe.

[JeremyR]

Good point chucker. What it all still boils down to is an honest LFS vs. the usual crappy one.

[dmentnich]

It would be nice to see minimal requirements on the cards. They may not tell you how many watts per gallon for the coral, but rather say that lighting requirements of PC minimum is recommended. Feeding requirements; easy, picky and damn near impossible. Yes, people will ignore the cards, but if the card says that it is hard to keep it may at least be a warning to someone who is unsuspecting and would otherwise ask a clerk who may have no idea what its requirements are and make like he/she is an authority. It would also have the scientific name so that I could go home, look in a book and find what the thing was and its requirements (nice even for those who are experienced.)

[Bill2]

What about using the requirements in one of the books that are considered pretty accurate.

high light, low light, high flow, low flow etc

[EmilyB]

Bill2,

I think one of the points here, is that many hobbiests do NOT have books or the web, at least in the initial stages of the hobby.

I recall seeing my first mandarin, just prior to embarking on the SW hobby. I was in great awe, and remembered thinking, that is truly an incredible fish and it must demand a high price....

What can be wrong with a label that even indicates for "experienced hobbiests", for starters ? Would it hurt ?

[DrDave88]

I can understand the retailer's need to postpone any upfront info on the care requirements for the livestock they sell in order to prevent the customer from scamming their way into a new creature only to demand a refund the next day. But as a new reefer who is constantly searching the Chicago area for reliable stores, i am constantly confused on what exaclty that creature is. I have seen the same fish with six different names, and i am not ready to have an employee sit with me for half an hour just asking what the other names for that fish may be. Just creating a standard ID card with nothing more than the fish's common name and scientific name would create a much needed ground base for stores to start with when IDing their livestock.

[MaryHM]

Emily,

I think Bill is responding to Danny's statement about the labels should have minimal requirements. Bill is just stating that the minimum requirements that are found in many books would be a good source to use to make the labels.

Check out this idea...
Why don't some of the book authors create a labeling system that corresponds to their books?? The label could have the minimum requirements that are in the book and then reference back to the book for more information.

For example, the label could be like this:

Picture of animal
Common Name
Scientific Name
Minimum requirements: Flow, Lighting, etc...
"For more information on this species, see "Man, aren't corals cool" by Mary Middlebrook p. 903734

If an author wants to jump on this idea, they can mail my royalty checks to... [img]images/smiles/icon_wink.gif[/img]

[EmilyB]

IMO the LFS should be creating their own labels. I'm sorry if you cannot write out basic care for the

Shouldn't be ALLOWED to even have them...at least IME.