Lev F.
New member
I was at yorkdale mall about two days ago, and I decided to visit the Pet Store (which I don't usually do for many reasons). Well, I was walking around the saltwater area, I saw that they had an octopus. It was about 5 inches in diameter, and was being kept in one of those small plastic salad containers within a 40 gallon tank. I don't know much about octopi, but I don't think a less-than-a-gallon plastic container makes an adequate holding container. And it didn't have any holes or rocks either, It was just, well, "there." PJ's has a reputation for doing this salad-container treatment on animals, because I guess they're too money concerned to waste a whole tank on one animal. They did this once to a 6 inch in diameter stingray, and he couldn't turn around, they did it to a mantis, and ect. In the 40 gallon tank itself were Upside-Down Jellyfish and small Horseshoe Crabs. I continued looking. Now, at PJ's, their display tanks are about 5 gallons. In one of these tanks are about 30 Ocellaris Clownfish, each priced at $40 a pop (nemo buisness is going good I guess) . In another, they have a 6-inch Sargassum trigger, and about 20 emerald crabs, and 4 Indigo Dottybacks,and in another, 3 6 inch long Anglers, they're practically sitting on each other. The other tanks are also rediculously stocked, up to 6 tangs in each one. I know it's only for a small time before the purchase, but they could possibly lower the amount of fish they order in one go so at least they have space... Anyway, They also have this 90 gallon or so display tank it the back, and it usually contains something rediculously expensive, such as one time, they had about 4 barracudas going for $600, another 4 Moorish idols for $200 each, and so on. Well, this time, there was a Trumpetfish ($300) and Some Black Clownfish (I couldn't discern the species, as the tank wasn't lit, and they were $70 a pop) I watched this tank for a while and it became apparent that the trumpet was slowly making a meal of of those clowns, one by one. I watched it suck up 2 clowns. Anyway, I wasn't very happy at this point, and decided to speak to the manager. I'm 14 by the way, and apparently PJ's Pets finds it utterly impossible that a 14-year old could keep a reef tank, or even attempt to. here's how the conversation went.
"Excuse me, Sir, Do you happen to know the species of octopus that you have right now"
"It's a saltwater octopus, kid, you can't keep it. And we have only one."
He didn't even maintain eye contact with me as he said this, and I think he was having a bad day.
Nevertheless, I continued.
"I am aware that it is a saltwater invertebrate, but what's the species?"
"I don't know"
He said this while he was looking at another customer, because apparently,14 year-olds can't keep marine invertebrates, and aren't worth talking to because they can't buy anything. The other customer asked, while pointing to a large Clown Knife Fish (which, by the way, was labelled "RARE Golden knife-Fish, $400)
He wasn't very nice to them either, I think he had an off day. Anyway, I then asked another employee.
"Do you happen to have Marine Angelfish Food?" I needed some because I ran out and my Regal likes it. He takes a can of Nutrafin Freshwater Flakes (with the picture of the F.W Angel on it), and says:
"They'll eat this"
"I highly doubt that, sir." I said. "I was reffering to S-A-L-T-W-A-T-E-R Angels. You know, like emperors and stuff."
"yeah, they'll eat this, it's what we feed ours"
I gave up. I just walked out of the store, informing the manager that I have better things to do than be treated like leftovers and lied to. Thank you for letting me vent, and I'm sorry if it was rather long, but I hoped I made one message clear. Avoid PJ's like the plaque. I'm not sure about other stores, but Yorkdale is clearly unprofessional in the way they treat their customers.
"Excuse me, Sir, Do you happen to know the species of octopus that you have right now"
"It's a saltwater octopus, kid, you can't keep it. And we have only one."
He didn't even maintain eye contact with me as he said this, and I think he was having a bad day.
Nevertheless, I continued.
"I am aware that it is a saltwater invertebrate, but what's the species?"
"I don't know"
He said this while he was looking at another customer, because apparently,14 year-olds can't keep marine invertebrates, and aren't worth talking to because they can't buy anything. The other customer asked, while pointing to a large Clown Knife Fish (which, by the way, was labelled "RARE Golden knife-Fish, $400)
He wasn't very nice to them either, I think he had an off day. Anyway, I then asked another employee.
"Do you happen to have Marine Angelfish Food?" I needed some because I ran out and my Regal likes it. He takes a can of Nutrafin Freshwater Flakes (with the picture of the F.W Angel on it), and says:
"They'll eat this"
"I highly doubt that, sir." I said. "I was reffering to S-A-L-T-W-A-T-E-R Angels. You know, like emperors and stuff."
"yeah, they'll eat this, it's what we feed ours"
I gave up. I just walked out of the store, informing the manager that I have better things to do than be treated like leftovers and lied to. Thank you for letting me vent, and I'm sorry if it was rather long, but I hoped I made one message clear. Avoid PJ's like the plaque. I'm not sure about other stores, but Yorkdale is clearly unprofessional in the way they treat their customers.
