The Neon Saga

So a while back, work implemented a set order that we need to be opening our department in. 
Meaning that we take care of certain animal tasks before others. 

Mostly the thought behind that order was to make sure that the areas that customers visit most frequently would look the nicest they can. 

Those main three spots? The Crickets. The Cats. and The Fish.

Have the crickets swept and prebagged, the cat litter boxes scooped and fresh water/food in the cage, and pulling dead fish. 

Which most days isn't an issue. 
I can do the order just fine. 

The only sticking point....
Is the fact that work also wants us to be on the floor once the store is open so we can greet the customers that come in.

Which means that we also need to have the backrooms (where we keep our extra animals) finished before the store opens. 
Which if we work quick, the order can still be done as Backrooms are next on the list after the top three. 

But there are days where I don't....open in order. 
Because sometimes I come into the store only an hour before we open.
Other days I'm opening by myself. 

Which means, I adapt the order so that I can get things done, but also be on the floor when customers come into the store.

Today was one of those days.
Where I was going out of order.
Because a) I had an hour before the store opened and b) I was opening by myself. (yay double whammy) 

So I chose to focus on opening the areas of my department that would take me away from customers. 

Which meant that I was looking to get cats and the backrooms done in that hour. 
Because if I have all the cat cages full, that can take up to an hour to clean.
If the backrooms are also full? That can take up to another hour. 

Thankfully both weren't as full, so I was able to get them both done in that hour.

Which the plan had been after getting those tasks -which take me off the floor-finished.

Was to go over to the fish and pull out the dead ones. So that the customers wouldn't see them.

*shakes head* Because for whatever reason, whenever customers see a dead fish they apparently can't just ignore it.
No. They have to call out loudly. "There's a dead fish! You have a dead fish over here! Do you know that you have a dead fish?!"

*rolls eyes* Nooooooo I didn't. (Like...I'm not surprised that there are dead fish in the tanks, it happens. Fish die and sometimes I don't see it before you do. It happens.) 

So that was my goal. Finish the 'off the floor tasks' and then go pull the dead fish, as that was more important than bagging up crickets. Because people can wait for you to come get them crickets, but apparently can't ignore a dead fish in the tank without needing to point it out and announce it loud enough that the entire store can hear. 

In any case.
The store had literally just barely opened.
And I was just starting to go through our tanks and check to see if there were any dead.

When....my manager walked over towards me with a customer in tow.
*exhales*
Which the managers usually only bring customers over my way...if they're expecting me to help out.

So yah, right at opening.
This customer was like "I need to buy a ton of fish, but first I need your opinion on said fish!"

So I gave my opinions, stated some information, gave more suggestions, and you know, as I was finally getting to the point of catching the customer's fish.
The customer was like.....
"You have a dead fish over here."

*exhales* Nooooo reaaaallly????
What I actually said was "Yah I know" (I didn't) "You came in right as the store opened so I haven't had time to pull the dead yet."

Which probably not the best way to phrase that. I mean, I'm not always so...well blunt. But first thing in the morning my 'customer service' filter isn't always had a chance to activate yet.  
Especially when I'm wondering. "Why are you not sleeping in like a normal person?! Why are you here first. thing. in the. morning?" 

But, thankfully, the customer was like "Oh, yah that makes sense." 
*nods*
Yes. Yes it does.
Because if you come in right at opening and I've only had an hour to get the department ready...obviously things aren't going to be perfect yet. 

In any case.
Now that I've set up the background. 
The main part of the story is this.
The customer bought like six neon tetras first thing in the morning, 
To put in their 10 gallon betta tank.
As they had the betta and was looking to put other fish in with him. 

So yah, I fished them out.
Gave them the bag.
And didn't think much of it.

Went on to finish pulling the dead fish and finish opening the rest of my department, helped more customers....and around lunch time. 
So like 4 hours later?

The customer comes back in the store with four dead neon tetras.

Which I was like. O.o You just bought these!
In that I recognized this person, knew they'd bought them within the last day or so.....

But the funny thing about being at work....
Is that time moves really weirdly here.
I have no real concept of the passage of time. 
So I might be like "Oh hey! I saw you last week!" and a customer would be like "No...I haven't been here in two months." 
O.o 

So like I knew this customer. Like "Oh you look familiar I helped you recently!" 
But I honestly hadn't realized it was the same customer I had helped first thing this morning. 
:S I just knew I'd helped them in the recent past.
But recent past for me is like anytime in the past week.

So I was like "You just bought these! Like...yesterday right?"
Customer was like O.o "This morning?" 
That's when it clicked.
OH. OH you were the first customer of the morning customer!! OOOOOHHHH
*mentally cringes*
And my brilliant response was "Oh right! Sorry, I see a lot of people." 
*face palm* 
But it's true. I can deal with a lot of people in a day, especially on a Saturday. 
So like....at least I recognized you.
And after a few talking points could remember more details about our conversation as I regathered my frame of reference and such.

But yah. Awkward moment.

In any case.
It was really weird to have fish die so quickly.
Like....Neons aren't always the hardiest of fish.
But considering that I hadn't pulled any dead neons from the tanks this morning....
That usually means that the neons are doing pretty well. 

So to have 4 already dead and the other 2 possibly dead. :S Not good. 

And since it was lunch time and I was like....starving as it was nearing my lunch break time....
My brain wasn't quite fully functioning.

Mostly because the customer was like "Here's everything I've done!" 
And after double checking facts and such....
It sounded like everything was correct. 

So the only likely reason why the fish would die so quick is a) the betta was picking on them---but considering the customer hadn't seen the betta picking on them...makes it seem less likely, especially because the fish wouldn't die all at once.
Which possibly meant that there was something in the water.
But testing said water....showed that it was fine.

It was only towards the end of the conversation as I was bagging up more neons....
That we ended up coming to the conclusion that perhaps the customer had put too many chemicals in the tank? (like water conditioner and such) 
And maybe the neons weren't reacting well to it? 
Because neons can be very sensitive to the slightest changes in the water. 

So I suggested doing a water change, and putting untreated water in the tank just in case there were too many chemicals....
And recommended that if these neons weren't reacting well....to bring them back and NOT get any more because there's something in the tank that definitely isn't working well with them.
The customer also bought other fish too at that point

-Which is another weird thing with customers. "Oh no these fish are dying, let's buy more fish!" How about...no? Wait and let the tank settle first?

Though I honestly hoped that the water change would help....

Three hours later....

The customer returned with one neon out of the new bunch dead another two about to join it, three live ones and the knowledge that the last two of the original bunch were also dead. 

O.o
But the neons in our tanks were still fine....
*shakes head*
and. 
AND.
ALL the other fish were doing fine.
It was just the neons dying.

I had nothing really to tell them, unfortunately beyond. "I'm sorry, I guess they don't like your tank? Here's your money back, I hope your other fish do better." 

I feel bad for them though. :(
Returning to the store three times in the same day?
That's frustrating. Seriously.
Especially if the employee can't give you a definite reason why the fish were dying.
*exhales*

I hope the fish truly do better.
Because I don't want customers to get discouraged in their fish hobby.
Because seriously, it's a fun experience to have a fish tank (I know I have a 125 gallon. ^^;; )

*fingers crossed*

Until you next see these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi