Questions to ask your LFS "expert" to see if they know what they are talking about

[SlipperyWhipple]

Not sure if this has been talked about before but I was in one of the many LFS's in my area and overheard the employee telling a customer that a chocolate chip starfish would be ok to put into a reef tank. I am new to this whole thing and if I hadn't researched reef safe starfish, I would not have known that that was potentially disastrous advice.
I was wondering if there are any questions that you could ask your LFS "expert" to determine if they really know what they're talking about? In other words, some universally regarded advice that everyone can agree on that isn't opinion or conjecture that you could ask a aquarist to see if you can trust them.

 

[Jon Fishman]

How do you choose an automobile? Give the salesman a test, and if he passes it, buy whatever he tells you is best for you? Or do you do your own research?

Researching yourself is the best way to go about it. Even my go-to shop and go-to guy is a short google away on any purchases.

 

[SlipperyWhipple]

How do you choose an automobile? Give the salesman a test, and if he passes it, buy whatever he tells you is best for you? Or do you do your own research?

Researching yourself is the best way to go about it. Even my go-to shop and go-to guy is a short google away on any purchases.

I get that but you know it gets old to ask advice and then do it again yourself. What I'm wondering is if there is something like - "Should I quarantine my fish before I put them in my tank?". This is yet another question I have asked at another store and the employee told me that all fish come with parasites and it depends on how active they are. He goes on to say that they should be fine if their immune systems are strong enough.

 

[Jon Fishman]

I get that but you know it gets old to ask advice and then do it again yourself. What I'm wondering is if there is something like - "Should I quarantine my fish before I put them in my tank?". This is yet another question I have asked at another store and the employee told me that all fish come with parasites and it depends on how active they are. He goes on to say that they should be fine if their immune systems are strong enough.

That’s a loaded question though. But there are other threads to see that debate