Sea of Marvels
- Thread starter jamesk
- Start date
I was in both stores yesterday. I have no love really for either one but I do enjoy doing business with Hung.
I was unimpressed with the coral selection at Petland. But if you are out you are out. I don't think anyone on the net is really buying coral in stores but I could be wrong....
The tanks themselves were not properly marked for the fish that were in them. And they were kinda gross with algae but whatever. I think the fish department of Petland is average.
That being said, it is 100% better than a year ago and you can def tell that you guys are doing something good reef wise over there. It is only looking up for you guys for sure. I have no reason to believe you won't be rocking it over there in the new year. Seriously.
I won't shop there though because your dogs are from Puppy Farms. Which is wrong. Prove me wrong I guess but I don't think you can.
I was unimpressed with the coral selection at Petland. But if you are out you are out. I don't think anyone on the net is really buying coral in stores but I could be wrong....
The tanks themselves were not properly marked for the fish that were in them. And they were kinda gross with algae but whatever. I think the fish department of Petland is average.
That being said, it is 100% better than a year ago and you can def tell that you guys are doing something good reef wise over there. It is only looking up for you guys for sure. I have no reason to believe you won't be rocking it over there in the new year. Seriously.
I won't shop there though because your dogs are from Puppy Farms. Which is wrong. Prove me wrong I guess but I don't think you can.
SkinnY T120
New member
don't start something like this here. this is a reef forum. the fish department guys are just that, they are seperate from the rest of the store and its wrong to discredit them because they go to work at Petland.
SkinnY T120
New member
and for the record i work there and would defend my job to the end but this is not the place for it. lets keep it fishy please.
No offense, but it looks like he gave an honest assessment of your fish department. And then he added why he will never spend a dime in your store. Petland is probably the worst supporter of puppy mills around. For that reason, I will never spend a dime there either, regardless of how nice your fish section becomes.
The answer seems pretty clear to me. If Petland wants people to stop mentioning puppy mills in every conversation about their store, they should stop supporting puppy mills.
The answer seems pretty clear to me. If Petland wants people to stop mentioning puppy mills in every conversation about their store, they should stop supporting puppy mills.
billbigsbe1
New member
Animal Life Line, fo real!
ps please dont stab me if I come and check out the frags!
ps please dont stab me if I come and check out the frags!
SlukBunWalla
New member
If you have concerns about puppy mills I absolutely support you. It's sickening what happens out there. Truly.
That being said I've been with THIS Petland (not any of the other 200+ stores that are individually owned and operated) and I wouldn't have stayed a day if I had been displeased with my store's ethics. If you still don't believe me come speak with us...talk to our kennel manager (who has more compassion for animals than people sometimes hehe) If you don't care to see any other side then I can't help you.
But in all honesty...this is ReefCentral...I know fish and that's what I do. Any other reef related conversation would be greatly appreciated.
That being said I've been with THIS Petland (not any of the other 200+ stores that are individually owned and operated) and I wouldn't have stayed a day if I had been displeased with my store's ethics. If you still don't believe me come speak with us...talk to our kennel manager (who has more compassion for animals than people sometimes hehe) If you don't care to see any other side then I can't help you.
But in all honesty...this is ReefCentral...I know fish and that's what I do. Any other reef related conversation would be greatly appreciated.
However if the we are talking about quality of stores that sell fish. If they participate in questionably unethical issues w/ fish or any other animal in there place of business. I would want to know about it fish related or not.
( i dont know if you do or dont, or what these pup farms are which i will google dont tell me about it.)
( i dont know if you do or dont, or what these pup farms are which i will google dont tell me about it.)
SkinnY T120
New member
1. Petland is locally owned and operated. It is associated with other Petlands by name and name only.
2. I know with 100% certainty that my store does not support puppy mills. (I have nothing to say for any other Petland)
3. By starting this you ARE discrediting what these dedicated fish guys are doing.
Im not speaking ill of anyone of you and Im asking nicely to stick to the topic of fish. These guys are working hard for a small wage just to bring the level of our fish department up and hopefully raise the bar a little bit for the other stores in eastern Iowa. They love their work and I don't like the thought of people not supporting what they are doing because other stores who share our name have messed it up for the rest of us. Stop in and take a look around, give them a chance.
2. I know with 100% certainty that my store does not support puppy mills. (I have nothing to say for any other Petland)
3. By starting this you ARE discrediting what these dedicated fish guys are doing.
Im not speaking ill of anyone of you and Im asking nicely to stick to the topic of fish. These guys are working hard for a small wage just to bring the level of our fish department up and hopefully raise the bar a little bit for the other stores in eastern Iowa. They love their work and I don't like the thought of people not supporting what they are doing because other stores who share our name have messed it up for the rest of us. Stop in and take a look around, give them a chance.
Atticus
New member
I find it funny that anyone would say that a retailer is limited by our club... If you believe that, please make a trip to Aquatic Enviroments in Davenport and ask them how damaging our club is to their sales... Since the club began AE has actually increased their SPS and hard to find coral selection to meet demand. If anything we have increased their market. I also know for a fact that we send a ton of business Hung's direction, case in point look at this thread.
I'm sorry, but you don't get it both ways. If you are going to pimp your store on here, the good comes with the bad. While I agree it is a reef-related site, if you are going to ask people to shop at your store, the whole store AND who it does business with gets considered.
My posts make it sound like I am being a lot more confrontational than I really am. It is a free country and people can spend their money wherever they want. I am just giving you feedback on why my money won't get spent there.
SkinnY T120
New member
i didn't say THE CLUB was limiting anything. i think when PEOPLE speak poorly of a store it has the potential to do damage. this is a free country and its fantastic that we have the right to say what we like and spend our money where we like. in fact 7 of the 10 fish i have in my tank are from hung, not my store. im not necessarily trying to pimp my store either, im just supporting my guys as they try to get their department above and beyond.
you are all entitled to your own opinion, as am i. spend your money where you like, i don't really care and it does not affect the thickness of my wallet either way.
ps i hear that Ed (Coralville Bay) will be reopening his store in the coming months. Though he is competition, i will show him my support just for having the grit to rebuild his store after the flood left his old one in a pile of mud.
you are all entitled to your own opinion, as am i. spend your money where you like, i don't really care and it does not affect the thickness of my wallet either way.
ps i hear that Ed (Coralville Bay) will be reopening his store in the coming months. Though he is competition, i will show him my support just for having the grit to rebuild his store after the flood left his old one in a pile of mud.
SlukBunWalla
New member
Hell, if I can get nicer corals from other reefers I would do that WAY before buying from any LFS.
To me any LFS is really a way to have a place to ooh and aah over things I may not have seen and to shoot the sh*t with the employees. It's a bit of an open forum discussion. That's why I love my job.
while I want local business to do well...local clubs are generally the best way to learn and collect livestock...for newbie and seasoned reefer alike.
Hung has said though that the retail end of his business barely pays the light bills. He make a fairly nice chunk of change doing commercial and private maintenance. Riverside casino he maintained I *think*...
That may be part of the reason for his lack of diverse coral selection. If I were him I wouldn't put that much into my retail either. It would be kind of silly to focus on that part when your livelihood is elsehwere.
To me any LFS is really a way to have a place to ooh and aah over things I may not have seen and to shoot the sh*t with the employees. It's a bit of an open forum discussion. That's why I love my job.
while I want local business to do well...local clubs are generally the best way to learn and collect livestock...for newbie and seasoned reefer alike.
Hung has said though that the retail end of his business barely pays the light bills. He make a fairly nice chunk of change doing commercial and private maintenance. Riverside casino he maintained I *think*...
That may be part of the reason for his lack of diverse coral selection. If I were him I wouldn't put that much into my retail either. It would be kind of silly to focus on that part when your livelihood is elsehwere.
xroads
New member
I have been so SOM several time but rarely buy anything from him.
The first time I was in there he tried selling me a single stalk of pulsing zenia for $60. From then I have been turned off about him.
I hate walking into a store & having to say " how much is this, how about this, how about this, how about this"
I havent been to Petland but I plan on it just because of the employees who sound passionate about it.
I wont judge them about the puppies because I understand the difference between a franchise & the corporation.
That is like saying I will never buy another GM car because I had a bad experience with a particular dealership.
The first time I was in there he tried selling me a single stalk of pulsing zenia for $60. From then I have been turned off about him.
I hate walking into a store & having to say " how much is this, how about this, how about this, how about this"
I havent been to Petland but I plan on it just because of the employees who sound passionate about it.
I wont judge them about the puppies because I understand the difference between a franchise & the corporation.
That is like saying I will never buy another GM car because I had a bad experience with a particular dealership.
aaron1987
New member
I've gotten tons of stalks of pulsing xenia from Hung for $5/stalk. Granted, this was when he had it practically overgrowing some of his tanks. However, I think more than likely he was trying to sell you some of the blue Cespitularia he's had occasionally that he generally sells for something around $60.
SlukBunWalla
New member
I asked him about xenia once...there was a stalk blowing around in the big acrylic tank in the back. I asked him how much he'd want for it...thinking MAYBE $5 or maybe even just give it to me since it was going to be sucked into the overflow anyway...he pulled the limp strand of xenia out and said $25. I clearly declined.
I got a single head of frogspawn from him for $20 and my coral beauty (which is GORGEOUS) for $30...both GREAT deals. Beyond that every price he's quoted me has been ridiculous. I haven't been back in months.
I got a single head of frogspawn from him for $20 and my coral beauty (which is GORGEOUS) for $30...both GREAT deals. Beyond that every price he's quoted me has been ridiculous. I haven't been back in months.
