Pet World
- Thread starter Willie41
- Start date
I delt with Pet World for about a year in their old store. Bill is the main Marine person there he strikes me as very well studied on the side of fish. But at the time I was going to the store he was just starting to learn about corals and was still new to the concept of husbandry and basic coral needs, I don't know if that has changed. The biggest problem I had with Pet World were the tank set-ups, there were no quarintine systems and becuase of that I had an outbreak of pyramid snails that killed all three of my clams! And I was also given a nasty outbreak of Flatworms so bad that it has now inevitabley killed my entire tank! After 5 treatments I am now in the process of breaking my tank down and will be treating the rock again but this time I'll be "cooking" it to kill all photosynethic organisims. But I digress, Pet World seemed to have a moderate to good assortment of corals and fish, but that novelty was lost when the price was increased 30 to 40 percent of the standard value of that item. But this is just my expierence some people will have had better ones and I urge you to not take my expierence for your own. Go into Pet World and look around talk to a few of the employees and make your own decision.
Hopefully you will have a better expierence.
Hopefully you will have a better expierence.
Pet World Bill
New member
F.Y.I.
Pet World has moved to a new location just north of the old location in the same plaza.
Also with the move I am looking for any suggestions for changes that you would like to see take place. We are still in the building phase and I would appreciate your imput
Also, we have recently lowered our price points conciderably and should be very competative.
As for me, I have been involved in reefing for over fifteen years and have a very extensive knowledge of husbandry techniques.
So please, if you have any questions at all about our new store or have any ideas for improvements or expansion of livestock selections feel free to post them. Your input is more than appreciated.
Thanks,
Bill
Pet World has moved to a new location just north of the old location in the same plaza.
Also with the move I am looking for any suggestions for changes that you would like to see take place. We are still in the building phase and I would appreciate your imput
Also, we have recently lowered our price points conciderably and should be very competative.
As for me, I have been involved in reefing for over fifteen years and have a very extensive knowledge of husbandry techniques.
So please, if you have any questions at all about our new store or have any ideas for improvements or expansion of livestock selections feel free to post them. Your input is more than appreciated.
Thanks,
Bill
In my opinion Pet World seems to have competitive pricing, especially their fish, but it seems very difficult to purchase something there. I work out of the home so I usually visit the store during the day and am suprised at how uninterested the employees seem to be when someone is in the store. I have heard this from others also so I know it is not just me. You can spend 15 or 20 minutes in the store looking through the tanks and leave the store without having anyone even acknowledge that you were there. There can be 2 or 3 people walking around the SW tanks and the girl working there won't take anytime to see if anyone needs anything.
Mike
Mike
Willie41
New member
I have to agree with blackcows no one ever seems interested enough to ask if you need any help. Also I think it would be a good idea to quaratine all your SW items before putting them out. Each time I have been there there is not much to choose from in the way of SW species or coral.
CH
New member
I agree with blackcows, it's hard to get help sometimes, but this isn't always the case. I like most of the prices on corals, fish are fairly competetive too. Availability is not always the greatest, most of the stock gets bought up the day it comes in. You need to get there on Thursday and Friday to get a shot at something good. This is typical of all stores though, IMO. I do like the fact that Bill gets smaller frags and "nano" pieces which have a much lower price.
As far as quarantining everything, I don't think there is anyplace that really does that, at least not enough to be effective. A typical quarantine should be about 4-6 weeks, that's just not feasible for a pet store.
As far as quarantining everything, I don't think there is anyplace that really does that, at least not enough to be effective. A typical quarantine should be about 4-6 weeks, that's just not feasible for a pet store.
I partially agree that the economics of a retail business don't allow for a quarantine tank to be used. However, it wouldn't be that hard to have "acclimation" tanks for the livegoods that come in every week. All you need to do is monitor and inspect each livegood for a day or two in these isolated tanks to assure they don't have any obvious signs of stress or disease. If this method were used 90 percent of all sick corals, inverts or fish could be treated and sold to the public happy and healthy. I think it's just simply irresponsible for a business to offer livegoods to the public the same day as they arrive. (I know every store does this I'm just pointing out a flaw.) Now, after rereading what I have written I see there is some hostility, and stubborness in my message but I guess I'm at my breaking point just having lost around 700.00 dollars worth of corals and I don't know how much in fish and inverts, all because a small piece of coral was loaded with flatworms. Pet World isn't totally to blame, I did know for a fact that the 180gallon reef tank they had was inundated with flatworms, but the fact of the matter is that I bought that piece of Claustera from a totally different tank. (Make your own conclusions.) And that's why now I only buy from on-line retailers that have a documented quarantine process and a good guarantee.
I know almost no one does it and I used to be the same, but most of the responsibility is on the customer to quarantine the stuff they buy. Nothing should be added to your tank w/out a quarantine period, even from places that say they are "clean". There are just too many bugs, predators, bacteria etc...that can pop up after a few days of observation. Trust me, I've been through it and now have a quarantine protocol for all inverts.
I wouldn't take the word of any retailer or online store that says their stuff is totally clean. It's just too easy for stuff to slip by.
Mitch
I wouldn't take the word of any retailer or online store that says their stuff is totally clean. It's just too easy for stuff to slip by.
Mitch
Btw, why did you lose your fish and inverts to flatworms? I assume you got the little red pest flatworms. While they are unsightly, they don't cause much harm, unless you nuked them w/ a drug w/out removing as much as you could beforehand. Just curious.
Btw, I am now an official ReefCentral expert cause this is my 100th post. That's how it works, isn't it?
Mitch
Btw, I am now an official ReefCentral expert cause this is my 100th post. That's how it works, isn't it?
Mitch
Fantasy Reefer
New member
fwiw....how can you be positive you got flatworms from the coral you bought at Petworld? If you are like most of us you shop at different stores, trade with friends, maybe buy from people here at reef central,etc... unless you have only bought coral from Bill or visually inspected that piece before you dropped it in your display and saw the flatworms then you can't be sure. Another fwiw...since i started shopping at petworld i have never had flatworms. Yes they were in the old display there, but i never saw them or got any of them from the other tanks.
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Mitch- Yes I had the problem of not only getting a lot of the toxicity of the flatworms out of the water, but the repeatedness of having to retreat the system 5 times! It was really weird, everytime I dosed my tank I would get a TON of dead flatworms, I would do a 25% waterchange and run about a half pound of carbon in active filtration. It just seemed that the repeated attempts became more and more futile. This consistant stress and probably some of my own ignorance to something else I couldn't think of, or understand ultimately led to the systematic STN of all my corals. Some of the fish like the Damsels lived and a few of the snails and hermits too. I also agree that it is my responsiblity to check the corals themselves but I also bought with "confidence" that Petworld would not be so casual with swapping corals between tanks, especially with the major type of flatworm outbreatk they had. A very expensive lesson learned. Also Kudos for getting Mr. Calfo to speak. I'm very excited.
Fantasy Reefer- At that particular time Petworld was my only source of marine goods for a 6 month period. That's how I know I got not only the flatworms from the Claustrea frag but also the pyramid snails from a squamosa clam. I'm a nerd at heart so I like to keep detailed records of my tank.
Now I would like to state that, I in no way am trying to dissuade anyone from going to Petworld or buying their livegoods. I have absolutly no bad intentions towards Bill or the store. I know that running a business is a lot of hard work and it's hard to please everyone. Bill was always very nice to me, although I do agree the other employees seem to have no interest in helping. He is very enthusiastic about the hobby and has a good general knowledge about aquaria. In the end I just felt like Petworld ultimately didn't care about my problem and naturally I was unhappy with that and hurt.
Fantasy Reefer- At that particular time Petworld was my only source of marine goods for a 6 month period. That's how I know I got not only the flatworms from the Claustrea frag but also the pyramid snails from a squamosa clam. I'm a nerd at heart so I like to keep detailed records of my tank.
Now I would like to state that, I in no way am trying to dissuade anyone from going to Petworld or buying their livegoods. I have absolutly no bad intentions towards Bill or the store. I know that running a business is a lot of hard work and it's hard to please everyone. Bill was always very nice to me, although I do agree the other employees seem to have no interest in helping. He is very enthusiastic about the hobby and has a good general knowledge about aquaria. In the end I just felt like Petworld ultimately didn't care about my problem and naturally I was unhappy with that and hurt.
huskerreef
New member
About 6-12 months ago PW had a flatworm issue, i got them and it took treatment to get rid of them along with some vacuuming and water changes. It was all over there 180 bad.
Fantasy Reefer
New member
Hey Bill....I am ready to frag some Anthelia again. Could i bring some in for store credit or are you not interested right now?
Pet World Bill
New member
Sure you can bring some in. Just make sure I am there when you do so I can dip them and give you credit.
pufferpete
New member
First of all, I have to say that I have lost just as many fish from each store equally. Each store has their downfalls. We would all have to agree that the art of keeping saltwater is not something that is learned overnight. I have to give Pet World a pat on the back for hiring kids with a interest in Marine Biology and other areas of aquaria. I don't think that I have ever seen a kid at any other stores. Remember, those kids are the future members of OMS. Maybe, we could all help share our knowlege with them instead of making them sound so stupid. We have all started somewhere. As far as it goes whith the girl(s) that work there, I think that they have other responcibilites in the store too... There are other things in the store besides saltwater?! I think that if the corals and fish where labled better it wouldn't be such an issue. They probably get tired of looking for prices the same way we hate asking. Bill is a very nice guy and he has always helped me with any problems that I have had. I love the new store and I think that it is going to be the best with a little more time!
I will have to say that Bill must have spoken to the crew because they are much better at asking each time I am there if I need any help. Thanks Bill. As for the comment about the employees having other responsibilities I agree but in the past many times there was no one in the store and the employees would just sit at the counter and visit.
Mike
Mike
I have to add my 2 cents.
I have had some similar problems with the staff not being so helpful when I stop in there but it was just a few of them which I think is just their personalities and maybe they should go work somewhere else.
Since they have moved I have noticed some new employees which are very helpful, especially the nice lady on the freshwater side (I forget her name). I think Bill strives to improve the store every day. I also noticed at the OMS meeting he paid for all of his employees yearly memberships.
I notice all the LFS you go to usually get one marine shipment a week and is sold out of the good stuff by the time the day working class gets a chance to go there. Everything is usually picked over. When I mentioned this to Bill he said he might consider doing 2 smaller shipments and eat the shipping cost so there would be more selection. I know Petland is the only other LFS which does this.
I believe in just a short time Pet World will be one of the best stores.
I have had some similar problems with the staff not being so helpful when I stop in there but it was just a few of them which I think is just their personalities and maybe they should go work somewhere else.
Since they have moved I have noticed some new employees which are very helpful, especially the nice lady on the freshwater side (I forget her name). I think Bill strives to improve the store every day. I also noticed at the OMS meeting he paid for all of his employees yearly memberships.
I notice all the LFS you go to usually get one marine shipment a week and is sold out of the good stuff by the time the day working class gets a chance to go there. Everything is usually picked over. When I mentioned this to Bill he said he might consider doing 2 smaller shipments and eat the shipping cost so there would be more selection. I know Petland is the only other LFS which does this.
I believe in just a short time Pet World will be one of the best stores.
Pet World Bill
New member
Thanks for the input guys. I am glad that the service has improved. If you have any problems with it in the future please let me know. Also as far as labeling is concerned do you like the system that is in place now (each peice w/its own stand and label in the tank) or would you like to see something different. As I catch up with the actual set up of the store the new merchandise will be labeled as it comes in. Looking for feedback so I can improve our service to you.
Oh yeah, the third fish only system will be up and running as of tonight and I will be moving forward on design and set up of another system on the opposite side. Let me know what you would like to see more of in our selection so I can design it (or modify others) based on your needs.
Thanks again,
Bill
Oh yeah, the third fish only system will be up and running as of tonight and I will be moving forward on design and set up of another system on the opposite side. Let me know what you would like to see more of in our selection so I can design it (or modify others) based on your needs.
Thanks again,
Bill
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