disclaimer....questions only for future reference

is it proper to offer double retail for a spotted madarin that is eating? (eating, as in eating mysis or other offered foods).....so, they would call me and let me know they have one?

also, what are the chances of finding a mated pair that both are eating?......is there a way to purchase a pair like this?

well if it is in fact eating prepared foods, that is more valuable to many people.
is it worth twice the price?? thats for you to answer, is it worth it to you?

while it doesn't guarantee results, it can increase odds. you have to remember that mandarins are still slow methodical eaters, and even if they eat prepared foods, they have to get the chance to eat them before other fish eat it all. so it may eat frozen food, but could still starve because other fish eat all the food before they can get to it.
you can use a mandarin dinner like Marc did here
http://www.melevsreef.com/mandarin_diner.html

Well a eating mandarin is worth twice as much as a not eating one. One that eats prepared food is worth more than those that just eat pods.

a mandarin that eats prepared food is worth several more times than one that don't. it would also encourage the lfs to pick his fish more carefully and to give it better husbandry. i've seen so many people just buy a mandarin on impulse without even finding out the care required. the simple fact that the lfs knows that the fish is eating already speaks volumes of their interests. my lfs will not sell ANY fish that they know is not eating, i hope yours is like that too.

thanks, guys.....i didn't know if there was some kind reefer etiquette i would be violating

walrus, i haven't purchased any fish from them yet, just corals.....he did tell me that none of their mandarins are taking prepared foods...also, advised me not to buy a certain coral because it was over-priced....i'm not so sure the other owner would have done that...(owned by 2 friends, i believe)

dreams, are you saying that lfs has one good owner and one bad owner?

bad?....no, i wouldn't say that, but i do think he woulda sold me the coral

it is by far the best LFS in our area....they livestock is taken care of....they are very knowledgable and don't give you the answer you want hear, but the truth

also, they don't talk "at" me....which i have come across alot

like when i was looking a lighting....he actually showed me his cost sheet for T5s and was asking me if i thought the prices right (turned out they weren't)

so no, not a bad owner....just think he woulda sold me the coral

if they admitted the coral is overpriced, then why not lower the price. is it maybe one owner felt you were not ready for that coral? what kind of coral is it, and how much?

it was frogspawn, which was what i bought....& i was looking at an sps, one time, and he told me it was really hard to care for.....so, that wasn' it.....he never did say how much...he just said you don't want that it is over-priced...and showed me other ones....so, i dunno

in my shopping experience, the good stores generally try to sell their clients the real easy stuff first if they sense that the client still lack eperience. sometimes its a decision to make a quick sale or to keep a customer's trust. it is also an art not to offend the client in regards to what the skill and monetary levels required to keep a particular specimen.