Petco and icthyocide

[Timothy01]

Lol....Petco is a Joke... I worked thier part time for extra money for a while and finally just got fed up and quit. the problem doesn't lie within the store, it's there stupid policies. Petco has removed 90% of its remedies for all animals(they don't want you to treat in the store infurmery(sp) they want to pay a vet $100 to save a $5 animal. So basicly the fish are screwed condemed to die a slow death and be comited to the freezer forever after. Can't have a hosbitilzation tank(we infact had 2 till our managment got canned for not follwing company policy) There is very little information if any given to employees about the animals they are handeling. In fact up until managment was changed that store had some of the best and knolagble employess of any of the lps. Now no one has a clue whats going on. As for the tanks they are on a 6 tanks to 1 sump distrubution. Which basicly means as stated before one gets sick and the rest are soon to get it. Petco also sets what you can have in 90% of your tanks and just sends out what ever they feel you should have(mostly clowns and damsels) however if after all the anti petco you still insist oon shopping there special order your fish from them and find out when they do recieve their orders, that way you can check the fish and if it isnt in good health (may be stressed from shipping) just let the store keep it, but if it is in good health you dont have to worry about it getting what may be in thier tanks

 

[Grumpy Ole Salt]

Wow! And I thought it was just the store in Mentor Ohio. And yes, they are not allowed to treat the fish. I have to drive at least 30 miles for my critters. Well worth it to get animals that stand a chance. I think Petco hard goods prices are high. At least the few item I've checked. Me, I go to stores that have healthy critters. Why support a chain that sells things that die.

 

[Newreeflady]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=5789680#post5789680 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by steveoutlaw
Unfortunately Petco is a disgrace. They will put full size tangs in a 20g tank and stress the hell out of them. Then they act like it's your fault when you try to save them and they die. Unfortunately it's better to just let the fish die at Petco because if you buy them from Petco.......Petco is just going to keep ordering more and they will keep getting diseased. I've boycotted Petco for good.

Absolutely! Definitely just don't buy. It's sad, but it's just like stores that buy reef animals that rarely make it in aquaria. Are you going to think you're the one that can save it, you've got the best aquarium ever? Or, are you going to realize that if you buy the animal, not only will it probably die, but they will just order a new one when you walk out the door... so now, you've effectively killed two

So sad to leave beautiful creatures, especially ones you think you can save... but I don't support stores that don't take care of what they buy, and don't buy responsibly.

-A

 

[fishinchick]

I have a friend who once worked at a petco. He supplied the animals in the store right out of his own pocket. He wan not reimbursed for a lot of the things he bought and did to save the animals. There are very few Petcos like this unfortunately. It's nice to see that at least someone cares.

On the other end of the spectrum though ...

I was at a petco buying catfood - The only thing I ever purchase from there and then only out of desperation if I can't get to my regular store. I overheard some moron giving out some really really really bad advice to someone considering getting into the hobby. He walked away and I took that chance to approach the guy, tell him about some cool fish he might want and a caution about cycling a tank and how important it was. I told him about ReefCentral and the other boards out here and how so many of us are hanging out online and wouldnt mind helping him get going.
The Petco employee came busting into the conversation and said that listening to too many people online was bad and how he had exp. for five thousand years and he claimed he supposedly invented reefing and the internet (ok I'm being sarcastic but you get the idea).
I looked at the customer, smiled, handed him the paper he asked me to write the RC url on. I said "you have the tools. Next step you take is up to you" and thanked the employee for his openness to new ideas and thoughts and wished him and his fish the best of luck. I bought my food, told the manager at the door what an idiot his fish guy is and left.

And dude, if you made it here to reefcentral and read this, I'm glad you listened and I hope this place helped you understand why you didnt need to buy a tank or livestock from that idiot.

The ASPCA or animal control would say something if they had puppies, kittens and guinea pigs dropping from illnesses like that. I do not understand why fish (also a live animal just not so cuddly) are treated like second class citizens in the animal world. It's like they arent even really living animals.

 

[elvictre]

Just keep putting them on the list.

Petco Commack NY

 

[DecoyDave]

The Petco here in Vacaville, California is pretty bad too. They just re-did their SW section a few months ago with new tanks, made an island in the store for the SW section, and everything is still dying left and right. I go in there to buy my fish food because it is the only place within 30 miles of me that carries it. Anyway, a lot of the fish are sick. They usually have a few powder brown and powder blue tangs that are faded out and skinny as all can be. I have said something to the fish person (each person on each shift), and i get the "what do you mean there is something wrong?" reaction. Their knowledge isnt the best, and even a newb like me knows that... I wanted to work there when i started this hobby, but i couldnt imagine stressing myself because all of the fish are dying. Its like a morgue in there (except with fish).

 

[EricBrian]

People, stop going to Petco!

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6415369#post6415369

target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Tango05
...

Anywho, not to go off topic have any of you been to a Wal-Mart and seen the fish section?

Seriously, they house freshwater fish, and I don't think any fish should suffer the way they do. I mean there must have been 60+ Mollies of all sizes most prego in a small 15g. When they we were swimming, if you can call it that, I actually felt really bad for them becuase it seemed they could not swim anywhere without being on top of another fish.

Amber

Uhm, why would anybody go to Wal-Mart for anything let alone for livestock?

 

[Runner]

Actually, Walmart around here always has their fish tanks well maintained -- probably more due to the UV lamp in the tank racks than anything else. The guy in charge of the nearest one told me to come in on like the 10th day of the month and I'd be able to get a good price on a BB Puffer. They usually get a few "exotic" things like that in at that time. I've never actually bought there, though. I have gotten a few at Petsmart before, but I always treat them for parasites before they go in my tank. I rarely buy freshwater stuff, anyway -- that tank is established and the fish are getting big.