HELP ME UNDERSTAND WHY ?

................. It starts like this.... I stopped into my LFS just to kill some TIME because it was on the way to where I was dropping a long time friend off and kinda wanted to spend an extra couple minutes with him ( with no intention or need to buy anything).... OK so we're there and I'm always looking at the aquatic plants and it's busy as hell buy the way. Tons of little kids picking out goldfish or whatever and at first I really didn't care about the wait,(LIKE - I said, I was killing time and wasn't planning on spending money). In one of there aquatic plants displays was a really good looking JAVA MOSS attached to a tiny piece of wood ( so it floats in there display)...... and I'm thinking that it's going to look awesome in my tank and maybe encourage breeding ( which I'm planning to do, but not quite ready) ---Anyways- So now my buddy is getting anxious now that he realizes that I am going to actually buy something and may have to wait even longer, because of the crowd. He finally has enough and decides to go try to get the attention of the 16 yr old girl, who's pullin the fish...AFTER some ridiculously long stink eyes he was throwing her way she finally approaches us." I'd like some of that JaVA Moss please ---" I say ----

THEGIRL: "Ok ya I have to weigh it" --

---- "Right" I say ," just grab those two little pieces there!! That's PLENTY!!

---- so she takes the small pieces off to go weigh them and .. comes back and says" this is not even half a pound.... $43.80 somethin " ---- "WHAT !! no that's wrong I say, you got it labeled 139/pound" ---- She says ":ya One Hundred and Thirty Nine Dollars/Pound. ---- she seems so clueless but then says "oh ya That's a really good JAVA MOSS !!! " ----- and i don't wanna make a scene in this busy place or question it to much,because there are other people waiting for her attention. So I just say "that doesn't seem right, ($1.39/pound is what I was assuming when I asked for it)..... and...... " NO THANK YOU" ... after all that!

---- so since then- I've been checking prices all over the web for JAVA MOSS and It's CRAZY!!! Prices vary (BIGTIME) , but I still haven't found any for $139.00/pound.....

The question for my understanding is WHY ? and could this expensive Java Moss really cost/worth that much?? WHY ?? could it be a "REALLY GOOD KIND" as she says. Or Did I just let this little girl BAMBOOZLE me into doubting myself......

.."ONLINE PURCHASING IN THE FUTURE!!"

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Comment by Peter on December 28, 2012 at 6:06pm: Lol u were right to pass on it. "Really good java moss"? Wtf java moss is java moss it grows different in different conditions. Their is no grade in moss

Comment by Dylan Tommy on December 29, 2012 at 1:40am: ... Initially I really wanted to believe that it was just mislabeling and an absent decimal point. But then I'm thinking well $1.39/pd. is pretty cheap and then she starts in with "It's a really good kind" -AND -- Skrewed my thought processing all up (not to mention the environment in there was just not a "Happy place" despite all the kids !!!!!

Comment by GSP on December 31, 2012 at 5:00pm: was there no one else at the store to ask?

Comment by Dylan Tommy on January 1, 2013 at 12:02pm: ....unfortunately no - it's a Mom And Pop family run business that has really just gone way down hill in the last few years. At one point- This place was "Really Awesome". The main man who ran the fish room, past away a couple years ago and now they hire students, who have no real knowledge of the hobby.All the Marine tanks have recently been disassembled and the general look of the place is deteriorating. For me this place is "hit or miss".Sometimes these kids can be helpful and other times "not at all". I will continue to shop there, but plan to be careful and patient with my purchases.

Comment by ŦůRbö ۰ Ҏяѻ ۰ on January 2, 2013 at 12:49pm: Haha. I love the high school students that think they know more then me. I was buying cichlids a few weeks ago; and bought 20 of them. The 18 year old girl told me that it was a bad idea, and was shocked that anyone would ever put more then 3 fish together. (she said this as we are looking at a ten gallon packed with 50 or 60 baby cichlids...) I told her that I have been 'tanking' for almost 20 years, and that the 1/2 inch cichlids would be fine in a 75 gallon tank. She still insisted that they wouldnt last more them a few hours cause, as she said 'dosent matter how much experience you have, the more fish you have the more the nitrates will rise.' I asked her how many tanks she has, and got the 'none' answer. 'So, you have no idea what you are talking about, and you are just telling me what you learned from your training video?' I said. She stared at the ground while she bagged my fish. Had the Cichlids for weeks now and they are doing well, by the way. lol.

Comment by Dylan Tommy on January 2, 2013 at 2:48pm: ... I Agree !! I've had my 70g for almost 15yrs and you just get the "feel for your tanks" and your equipment. I mean I know how much of a Bio-load I can get-away with..and the "Do's and Don'ts"..... not only are these students dealing with experienced hobbyist's but people with totally different "Setup's"..... So much is relative to your particular plan,water,size,filt,etc..........

"Just sell me what I asked for !!! If I really wanted your advise---- We would be conversing on FISHTANKTV !!!!!"

Comment by Dylan Tommy on January 2, 2013 at 2:51pm: ......oh ...and Great News about the Cichlids!!

Comment by Robert Jango on January 4, 2013 at 1:18am: She might be right about the $139.00/lb but probably weighed it wrong. There's no way two little pieces weigh 5 oz - that's more than a quarter pounder with cheese! I suspect the owner (I could be wrong) might be complicit with these kinds of "mistakes" but who knows? BUYER BEWARE!! Tropical fish stores are going out of business all over the country and I'm not surprised to hear this.

Comment by Robert Jango on January 4, 2013 at 1:27am: Stores like Petco are corporate and want ignorant, obedient, foot soldiers at the point of sale. If Petco was a restaurant it would be McDonalds. I like most of the kids that work there though. If you try to explain things to them they usually listen and seem interested.

I recently informed the owner (part owner?) that Petco recently bought up most of the fish farms in Florida and is getting ALL fish, no matter what the breed, for 3¢ each. He was furious and wanted to know my source. HaHaHa! Screw him - and McDonalds

Comment by Tony G - AquaStudent on January 4, 2013 at 5:32pm: I think that java moss was actually strands of gold painted green. That would make more sense.

That is quite the find...