Pet Store Chain Acclimation

[rhiggsbear]

I happen to hit my local, one and only place to buy saltwater fish, which happens to be a major chain store, as they received their shipment of fish and invertebrates. So, I stood there watch how they acclimated the critters they were receiving.

Here is how it goes:

Opens large cardboard box
Pulls small bag out of box
Looks at what’s inside
Dump it into a tank.
Snails, shrimp, fish, doesn’t matter.

I asked how many more he had to do and he said 3 more boxes. He then mumbles something about them shipping each type of item in a separate bag and how much time it takes to get them into their tanks.

I wonder what the survival rate is. I may have to go back tomorrow and see as the tanks were being stuffed full.

 

[catfisher]

I once saw a bunch of big carpet anemones stuffed into a ten gallon at Petco under less than adequate lighting. They also had a few each of yellow and Hippo tangs in a ten gallon as well. I couldn't believe my eyes.

 

[VacavilleFC3S]

i start work my my local petco this week, in my interview the GM told me she knows nothing about the aquatics department,

i told her about them having a huge flatworm infestation and she had no clue what they even were.

i think i'm going to approach it by explaining it would be similar to selling people hamsters or rats with lice or fleas, and maybe she'll connect with that.

as for acclimation i've always assumed they do little to none, and they really don't care about survival rates. even my favorite LFS does very little acclimating, he says the extra time acclimating often creates more stress and die off than not doing it.

 

[Reefer07]

I think about every pet store I know doesn't acclimate EVERYTHING, including some fish and corals.
You would be surprised.
Vacaville, sounds like you got some work to do at this store haha

 

[rhiggsbear]

Well, I had to go back today and take a peek. Either they sold a bunch or they lost about 50%.

 

[mr pink floyd]

usually we try to float for a few minutes, but its much better to let a fish out of the bag into a tank. think about it, its been in a bag for 24-36 hours... its not happy. the sooner its in a stable environment the better

some things need to be acclimated though, like if we get a large order of mexican turbos, they come dry. just a bunch of shells tossed in a styro box. usually we get a siphon with airline tubing and fill the box with about 5 gallons then start putting them in tanks