TFA101

Moments ago, I read about how someone was banned from wal mart as a result of being helpful, which I see no clear reason for. I thought I'd share my walmart experiences with you people. Here goes...

Not long ago, I began pricing a 50 gallon tank (well, the inhabitants really) and one of them was going to be a Pictus Catfish. Seconds later, someone had requested two of the little guys, and anyone who owns or has owned them, knows very well about their fin spines. Beiong neither one, I had researched the fish and found out about the spines myself. The guy goes over and nets... NETS! one of the two requested catfish, and begins to put him in the plastic container... well, not really, the poor thing had all spines entangled in the net, so what does this wal mart attendant do? He shakes the darn thing with full force until his dorsal fin spine ripped off his fin. He did the same with the other catfish, who was actually shaken so much, he was knocked out for half a second, and began swimming normally shortly after he fell into the container. I went over there as soon as the deed was done, told him about what I saw, how to improve how to catch a fish, and he gave me that look, the kind of look me and a lot of fellow teenagers get when they tell someone how to do their job. Shortly after being lectured about telling him what to do, I told him the following...

"you have probaly just disgraced the Wal Mart name as far as you can go, and not only that, those poor animals you just sold to that lady will probably have their lives taken from them in short while. The pictus catfish has very little chance of survival once the tearing off of a fin spine occurs. Imagine having your arm or leg torn off, and then being put on show." and I left. My love for these animals must be taken to the extremes if I want these animals, who most people would think serves as our pet, to have the respect they deserve. They may be bred for show, but to me, they're more than bedroom decorations, or an item for display, they're my pride and joy, they're like my own kids, and a parent would never let anything bad happen to their child. This is pretty much the exact same situation.

End of story.

feel free to post your own walmart, petsmart, petco, or other experiences on this post. and like anna said in her wal mart posts, moderators, this is not to be taken with such great meaning and stuff like that, I just need to explain my feelings for such animals.

Alessa

there already was a symilar thread to this one... although not the same exact topic.

The worst thing you've heard from someone working at a fish store

aside that, I think it is just ridiculus that situations such as this happen so often. My friends told me a couple of days ago "why dont you work at petsmart? you know a lot about fish" and I told them that I love fish and pets too much to work on a place like that where they would fire me in the first hour for saying the truth!... (sigh)

hooflady

I avoid Wal Mart...the oppressive Wal Mart...their taking over the world! I run my own small business and I try to support every little small family owned store I can. I also buy from our local farmers and my husband is in the union. Of course I shop there sometimes-they're so convienient! Darn them all! I bought two fish there once a year ago-they died in 4 days or so...NEVER AGAIN!!! But about Pet's Mart And their puppy training class...what a joke! My mom spent so much on this terrier and it would chase down motorcycles and grab onto the saddle bags and hang by it's teeth! Yeah right, I'll listen to you! Sure!!! I handle 1,200 lb. animals every day and you can't get your dog to sit? COME ON! I have a 10 week old (35 lb!) Wolf that I can throw a steak in front of and say Don't touch and leave the room for 1/2 hr! She'll wait till I say release to eat it. And they charge HOW MUCH!?? OH MY GOD!!!

TFA101

here's to finding wal mart and other big chain stores to be some of the most oppressive places to find pets, train dogs at, and find aquarium fish that are treated with love and are in good health. Wal mart does actually have a good deal on Glo fish though, typically $7, they are only $2.50... what am I saying?!?

hooflady

See! They use some kind of brain washing devices in their lights! I knew it!!!

TFA101

Lucy

I can't bear to relate my walmart story again, it still brings tears to my eyes. I'll never step foot in that particular store, ever.
Anyway, here it is:
http://www.fishlore.com/fishforum/be...a-tonight.html

Annadvn

I have actually found a petco that has knowledgeable staff!!

I went to buy some clown loaches from them (they were a really good price and large too), the guy wouldn't sell them to me until i had brought in a water sample!! Then the guy wanted to know about what size tank and what tank mates!!

He keeps clowns and knows their requirements as regard to size and water quality. I must have chatted to him for an hour on care of various fish it was lovely (i checked all his advice against this site, it was like he was quoting this site).

I'm still opposed to the chain stores but i would definitely return to this store for future fish purchases.

Why are stores like this so few and far between??

Anna

TFA101

the same reason neon tetras aren't the size of chihuahuas... we have no idea

TFA101

just went to petsmart today... found a hatchetfish who looked two days dead... on the floor. Never again, never again....

King_Snuggles

I had to write a paper for school last semester its was short but it was on walmart and i mentioned the fish section.


The ghetto Wal-Mart
You all know the Wal-Mart I am talking about. The one where you get an uneasy feeling parking your car and have to double check to make sure your doors are locked. The one where all the employees walking around, stocking the shelves, are muttering, cursing, complaining under their breath to anyone who happens to walk by, or god forbid ask assistance. The one with the gang of “hoods” loitering around the entrance wanting to pray on the weak but being too weak themselves to do something. The topic said to immerse yourself so I did my best. I loosened my belt so my pants had to be held up though you could see my under garments. I untied one of my shoes as well. Passing random shoppers I displayed the symbol one of the hoods outside tried to intimidate me with. Passing the fish section I witnessed two demented little idiots tormenting the little fish in those cups. If only I had a gun like some of the other inhabitants of the store. Retrieving the shampoo I had come for I proceeded to the checkout lines, full of other irritated shoppers due to their short wait, and the fact that the Wal-Mart did not have a drive through. Seeing the transaction in front of me taking place I noticed the quality of cash the customer was handing the employee, I quickly took out my wallet and crumpled the ten dollar bill I had intended to pay with, to further experience my trip. When my turn to checkout had finally arrived I was greeted by the attendant with a stern glare as though she was trying to light my hair on fire. When my transaction was completed I offered the attendant to have a nice day. She looked startled but soon regained her composition and dismissed my comment as sarcasm. Leaving I was nearly run down by the wheel chair security guard who was trying to run the hoods out who had decided to stand in front of the door so that It stayed open. Again nearly being run down this time in the parking lot by some guy who thought he would show off by peeling out backwards from his parking space. Finding my car unscathed relief swept over me my trip to the ghetto Wal-Mart was over.

Allie

Our newly built Wal Mart seems to keep up on the cleanliness. A kid who is big in our local aquarium club is working there.
The betta are still in cottage cheese sized containers, but never any dead ones. I wouldn't buy cichlids from there but I am always willing to rescue at betta who catches my eyes. Whether it's a Walmart or somewhere else.
They don't have much variety at all and usually have a few sick tanks of the few tanks they have.
I guess the other 3 Walmarts in our area are horrible tho.