Crimson
Member
When you make your 500 gallon aquarium out of plywood don't forget to use liquid nails on the seams so water doesn't come out :lolspin:
This may work too, but hard to see in:
Dealing with irresponsible buyers of fish
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When you make your 500 gallon aquarium out of plywood don't forget to use liquid nails on the seams so water doesn't come out :lolspin:
This may work too, but hard to see in:
Mael
New member
I go to Petco on Wednesday afternoons because the fish are usually still in the bags from the supplier and I can get them before they hit petco water on special cases(purple firefish for $15 kind of special), plus it is 2min from my job.
The stories I hear from other buyers there...some crazy lady was talking about having a 500gallon tank, and then proceeded to talk about all the fish and inverts she has gone through. I could only listen to so much before walking away, I couldn't understand someone running a reef system, especially one of that size, being so ignorant of so many standards in this hobby and being so un-caring when talking about the fish she had lost to bad practices.
Problem is this petco gets in some really nice fish sometimes, and that's the kind of person they go to.
The stories I hear from other buyers there...some crazy lady was talking about having a 500gallon tank, and then proceeded to talk about all the fish and inverts she has gone through. I could only listen to so much before walking away, I couldn't understand someone running a reef system, especially one of that size, being so ignorant of so many standards in this hobby and being so un-caring when talking about the fish she had lost to bad practices.
Problem is this petco gets in some really nice fish sometimes, and that's the kind of person they go to.
MickeyDime53
New member
PetCo aquatic managers get to hand order what fish they want. So you could ask them to order something for you if you wanted.
who (besides maybe a small child) doesn't know that clowns are saltwater, let alone somebody who actually works in a pet store?
Nina, Nina, Nina ... please keep this a fun thread, reality has no place here!
Definition of a 'fish story': an exaggerated or incredible story: It was just another one of his fish stories. Origin: 1810–20, Americanism
:lol:
I don't really go to Petco anymore (well, other than for their tank sales), but I can imagine that the vast majority of the fish they get are doomed - either to die in their ich-infested systems or as an ill conceived purchase. My neighbors son has a 10 gallon salt-water fish tank and bought a small powder blue tang from Petco. Apparently it was 'sick' and they asked me to come over to take a look and the poor things was essentially dead - covered in white spots and emaciated. I'd have taken it except my QT system was full. I imagine this kind of thing happens repeatedly. Heck, I've even had trouble with PBs over the years - even with a healthy specimen in an appropriately sized tank.
Allmost
New member
Allmost
New member
and that is your opinion.
theres a large reef bowl on RB ... its about 150 gallons ...
there are pico tanks on here, with clown fish ...
so its best to offer your opinion to those that ask for it, like on here ...
MickeyDime53
New member
Not reaply. Each store will be different in how they order and/or treat their animals. At PetCo they actually have a policy preventing them from having an isolation tank in the back.
And their tanks are able to be on seperate systems. The two closest to my moms house are awesome. But those are the only two ive been to in town that ive bought fish from.
Dont judge them all. Its a store by store thing. Same with PetSmart
Well of course it's a store-by-store thing! Trouble is, all the ones I have seen have been bad (and I actually doubt tanks can be on separate systems). I suggest you go to a top notch LFS, see how they do it and your view might change.
Based on the ~15 Petcos that I've been to (there are ~50 within 40 miles of my home) they all had the same 'rack' system that would allow for those 6-9 tanks to be on a 'separate' system...however it wouldn't matter because they constantly cross-contaminate by moving fish and rocks, and using the same nets and containers
I've seen them mark fish 'not for sale, under observation/treatment', but the rest of the same system is for sale!
MickeyDime53
New member
Ive been to a top notch LFS. But i appareciate the assumption.
They can isolate and quarantine each tank on their system if they like. If you ever see those stickers saying fish are under observation.. that tank is isolated from the system.
Best course of action is to go to the PetCo website and contact the higher ups. Ive done it before and they called me to talk about my complaint. And ended up firing a dude. Surprisingly corporate takes things seriously.
I work at a PetSmart. And my manager used to work at a PetCo. So I know everything that customers dont know :3
They can isolate and quarantine each tank on their system if they like. If you ever see those stickers saying fish are under observation.. that tank is isolated from the system.
Best course of action is to go to the PetCo website and contact the higher ups. Ive done it before and they called me to talk about my complaint. And ended up firing a dude. Surprisingly corporate takes things seriously.
I work at a PetSmart. And my manager used to work at a PetCo. So I know everything that customers dont know :3
Terence Trent
New member
I worked in a salt water only store for several years and saw a lot of what was in IMO attempts at overstocking, rushed stocking, etc.
I found that if you give honest advice to people in away that is not dramatic and worded to sound like you are looking out for their best interest, most of them would listen...most people don't like to waste money, so I always gave them honest odds of keeping a fish alive based on their tank situation. For example, most would listen if I told them they had very little chance of keeping an Achilles tang alive in their 75 gallon. They would then be open to suggestions on alternatives.
I found that if you give honest advice to people in away that is not dramatic and worded to sound like you are looking out for their best interest, most of them would listen...most people don't like to waste money, so I always gave them honest odds of keeping a fish alive based on their tank situation. For example, most would listen if I told them they had very little chance of keeping an Achilles tang alive in their 75 gallon. They would then be open to suggestions on alternatives.
That's a good point
Mael
New member
Im kinda of in the middle of the petco argument, the 3 locations I visit are all vastly different than each other, 2 of them are higher end stores in higher end areas of town so they have a larger cleaner display system. They do have each rack on its own system but that is 6 tanks each and they do cross contaminate, hence my comment about trying to get them while they are still in the distributors bags on wednesdays.
That said my purple firefish I got from them was great, healthy, ate well in QT and is a great tankmate now. I also got my lawnmower from them with the same healthy success.
That said I have seen the same store put fish in the same tank that shouldnt be and so forth, and I let the aquatics mgr know and he gets them sorted, unfortunately its not always the aquatics mgr doing the stocking on wednesdays with new fish and dont really know what to put where.
This one also has a 55g display tank with some great fish in there, and that one always looks nice and healthy.
Now, if there was a LFS closer than half hour to me, I would definitely go to the petco 2min away less, but they serve their purpose for me(convenience and an occasional great snag).
Heck I got a juvenile splendid dottyback for $5 because they didnt know what it was.
That said my purple firefish I got from them was great, healthy, ate well in QT and is a great tankmate now. I also got my lawnmower from them with the same healthy success.
That said I have seen the same store put fish in the same tank that shouldnt be and so forth, and I let the aquatics mgr know and he gets them sorted, unfortunately its not always the aquatics mgr doing the stocking on wednesdays with new fish and dont really know what to put where.
This one also has a 55g display tank with some great fish in there, and that one always looks nice and healthy.
Now, if there was a LFS closer than half hour to me, I would definitely go to the petco 2min away less, but they serve their purpose for me(convenience and an occasional great snag).
Heck I got a juvenile splendid dottyback for $5 because they didnt know what it was.
JoeVandal49
New member
I subscribe to the MYOB school of thought when it comes to any hobby really. Yes this hobby happens to involve living organisms, and yes there are idiots in every hobby, mostly unknowing idiots, but there are those that know better as well.
But ultimately this is a hobby that experiences countless loses before said organisms even reach the retailer. So imo,being in a hobby that has countless loss of life before i even get a chance to see one fish in a petstore, it would be hypocritical for me to run around lecturing about the sanctity of life within the hobby.
I do what i can to personally provide the best care for my animals. Outside of that, its not my place to lecture others about their practices.
In this hobby i am very new, but its the same train of thought i use for all current hobbies and past hobbies. Ultimately i do this for my own enjoyment, and i don't have time to invest worrying about every idiot in the world.
But ultimately this is a hobby that experiences countless loses before said organisms even reach the retailer. So imo,being in a hobby that has countless loss of life before i even get a chance to see one fish in a petstore, it would be hypocritical for me to run around lecturing about the sanctity of life within the hobby.
I do what i can to personally provide the best care for my animals. Outside of that, its not my place to lecture others about their practices.
In this hobby i am very new, but its the same train of thought i use for all current hobbies and past hobbies. Ultimately i do this for my own enjoyment, and i don't have time to invest worrying about every idiot in the world.
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