Hi guys! Because of all of the bravery you guys have shown in standing up for fish, you have given me the courage to stand up against a company for what I witnessed this weekend. I have written and sent a letter to Pet Supermarket. It is long but I hope to God that the right person takes the time to read it and make some changes.
To Whom It May Concern:
On December 6, 2008 my husband and I were in the Asheville, NC store. The observations I made have burdened my heart and I must inform you of them.
First, the Bettas there are kept in small glass bowels without heat, filtration, hiding spaces, or sufficient space for exercise. Contrary to popular belief, Bettas do not dwell in puddles and need 5 gallons of completely cycled water at minimum. The ideal tank needs to have a biological filter to help maintain the water conditions and temperature should be heated to around 80° Farenheit. I encourage you to consider displaying Bettas, both male and female, in adequate conditions. Not only is it right and humane but the
betta will be happier, healthier, look better, and be more apt to sell.
The second thing that troubled my husband and I was the sight of a dying fish in the salt water section. It had large ulcerations along both sides of the body and it was rolling in place at the bottom of the tank, gasping. The scene was traumatic but my purpose in contacting you is to, hopefully, charge you to initiate a treatment protocol for your staff to follow upon noticing signs and symptoms of illness or injury among your livestock. Staff education on proper water conditions, fishless tank cycling, fish diseases, common fish and their appropriate environmental requirements would do nothing but facilitate the success of your sales. Nobody wants to buy fish or plants from a store where dead and sick fish are as that indicates issues which would likely be carried home to their tanks.
The third issue is one that I had with the black mollys. I would not have taken one of them for free! Not only were they overcrowded, as many of your tanks, but either a fungal or bacterial infection was rampant. There was no indication that these fish were being medicated and they were still for sale. Again, employee education would help identify proper treatment, and thus be your first line of defense in loss of sales. If these fish were healthy I would have purchased several.
The forth issue that I had with your Asheville, NC store was that you carry dyed fish. I can say nothing more than this inhumane, immoral, cruel practice should not be supported. I am far from a PETA member, but I am an animal lover and I treat my animals with compassion. If you know nothing of this practice you really need to look into it. Fish are either dipped in an acid wash or injected with a large bore hypodermic needle multiple times. Breeders sometimes try to lessen the crime by saying they feed the fish special food to dye them. Not true! To give you an idea of the needle size in relation to the fish, it would be equivalent to having a pencil inserted into our body multiple times. Here is a website to start your research with. As long as you carry this fish I will encourage other fish keepers and any animal owners to avoid your store. I will occasionally check to see if you still carry dyed fish.
In protest to the deplorable conditions we observed, my husband and I returned our items to the shelves and left the store empty handed. If you have made it this far I thank you. I have kept fish here in Asheville since 1993 and have seen good and bad fish stores come and go. I truly hope you have the moral fortitude to initiate change in your stores for the benefit of your livestock and your customers. I would love to continue to support you after I see that your livestock is treated humanely.
Most Respectfully,
(me)
