Butler exotic fish store owner says men disputed charge, kept animals

The owner of a Butler exotic fish store smells something fishy – and he's not talking about his animals.

It has always been Johnny Vang's dream to open an exotic fish store. Two years into that dream, he’s been able to sell some pretty interesting creatures. 

"Ever since I was like 10, I’ve been crazy about fish," he said. "It's just something I really love."

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About a month ago, something fishy happened. Vang said three men, who he calls "regulars," ordered some fish. A few weeks later, the fish were picked up and Vang said the men disputed the thousand-dollar credit card charge.

"What came to my mind was did I do something wrong?" he said.

Vang Aquatic Life

Vang Aquatic Life carries typical goldfish, running between $10-20, but he said the men bought fish as rare as an African lung fish – which can cost up to $400.

"I gave them a couple days to see if they would contact me," he said. "These guys didn’t contact me at all until I made a post on Facebook." 

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Vang said one of those men did contact him and returned about half of the money. The other two have not reached out.

"Give us a call or let’s work something out. They have my fish and my products. I either want my money back or my fish back," said Vang.

Butler police said Vang filed a formal complaint with them about the incident. The investigation is ongoing.