We always talk about the bad things, but let's talk about the good. I found this video of the betta section of a wal-mart that looks great!
It definitely does not look bad..
Also, around here (pittsburgh pa), the local Petco does a good job with their tanks. The employees there are very caring and take good care of the fish there.
I also have a top-notch LFS called Elmers that is talked about a lot so not much really to say but they are awesome!
So yeah, saw this and wanted to post that not all places are evil lol.
Wow!!!!
Who would have believed it? Course it would be better if they couldn't see each other, but geez, it's nice to know some walmart somewhere cares.
Yeah i know. None of the wal-marts around here carry fish (and I'm glad they don't), but at least I know there are people in this world who care I'm glad he took the time to divide the tanks as well! Some of them are flaring but it don't seem like they all are bothered by it.
I love my LFS! I have nothing bad to say about it. My LFS is Jacks Aquarium and Pets. Every time I go there, they give me excellent advice. They test my water with a detailed sheet. They have beautiful, clean aquariums. Fish are always with compatible tank mates. It's just wonderful!
I love my LFS's, the people are very helpful in most of them. I have a petsmart and a bunch of LFSes opening around me, it's like I see a new one every day. BTW, i love the bettas!
I’m just curious. Those who have these great LFSes that they deal with are they located in small towns? Twenty years ago my city (400,000) used to have all kinds of great “ma & pa) shops. But since the Wal-Marts, Big-Al’s, Petsmarts, etc. moved into town they have all closed shop.
Not necessarily, theres a lot of petsmarts and big chains where I live , but the small stores keep their prices lower here, so they get a lot of business.
I've been lucky...I had good LFS's before I moved, and I found more good ones after moving. They know their salt and freshwater and give candid advice when asked (or admit they don't know). The owners actually work at the stores, and have a passion for the hobby. Where I used to live, the Petsmarts were actually excellent about their fish as well, though the 'big box pet store' here (Petco) is terrible.
All I personally ask for in a fish store is clean facilities, a fair return policy (because even the best fish store has sick fish from time to time), reasonably interested employees, decent prices, and the ability to get interesting stock. Having experts, at least in limited segments of the hobby, working at the store is an added bonus. Is that too much to ask? I'm lucky enough to have all the above, to varying extents, available at my favorite local LFSs.
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Originally Posted by aquatic mouse
I love my LFS! I have nothing bad to say about it. My LFS is Jacks Aquarium and Pets. Every time I go there, they give me excellent advice. They test my water with a detailed sheet. They have beautiful, clean aquariums. Fish are always with compatible tank mates. It's just wonderful!
Very true -- the Centerville one in particular is excellent. The Beavercreek and Smithville Rd. ones are good too, but they have somewhat older facilities. I do hate that they all sell puppies, though, and they suffer from 'apathetic HS employee' syndrome from time to time, lol. Overall great stores though, in terms of the fish hobby.
I’m just curious. Those who have these great LFSes that they deal with are they located in small towns? Twenty years ago my city (400,000) used to have all kinds of great “ma & pa) shops. But since the Wal-Marts, Big-Al’s, Petsmarts, etc. moved into town they have all closed shop.
I'm located in a small town outside of Louisville, KY, but both of the stores that I go to are actually located within the city limits of Louisville. They're both mom and pop shops, Sandy's and Noah's Ark Pets, and are fantastic. Sandy's is my personal preference...they have a much wider and healthier variety of plants and the staff is more knowledgeable. The only downside is they don't carry as large a stock or quite as much variety, which is why I do stop at the other one from time to time. But, at Sandy's, I've had people working admit to me that they don't know the answer to my question and go find someone who does. Also, it's the only fish store I've been to where I walked in, saw a fish that I'd never heard of before, bought it that day, and when I got home and did my own research the information was identical to the information I got in the store. I feel truly blessed to have a place like that, even if it is a half hour drive one way to get there. And on the up side, they have an excellent saltwater selection as well (I'm sure I'll get sucked into that eventually).
My local petsmart is actually not too bad either. I've actually bought a fish or two from them and they've done well. Not necessarily my favorite place, but there was a fish that I couldn't find or get ordered in at my LFS that they had, so I broke down and bought her. I'm not sure what the difference is in their gouramis (the poor guys look terrible and have hardly any color) from their other fish, but overall for a chain store they're on the better side.
We always talk about the bad things, but let's talk about the good. I found this video of the betta section of a wal-mart that looks great!
So yeah, saw this and wanted to post that not all places are evil lol.
I said the same thing a few weeks ago! I started a thread very much like this one in hopes we could hear the good things seen and done in LFS's around the world rather than just the bad ones.
Shaina, the Jack's Aquarium and Pets I shop at is the Huber Heights store. I'm not always thrilled with the Beavercreek store. They're not a bad store, they're just not as personable as the Huber Heights store. And yes, some of the High School kids don't know a whole lot. They do seem to know more each time I go. The managers try to teach them.
It makes me mad that they sell puppies and kittens too. They say they're from breeders, but still. I think it's better to adopt a shelter animal. On a side note, they have the biggest, healthiest crickets that I feed to my leopard gecko.
Shaina, the Jack's Aquarium and Pets I shop at is the Huber Heights store. I'm not always thrilled with the Beavercreek store. They're not a bad store, they're just not as personable as the Huber Heights store. And yes, some of the High School kids don't know a whole lot. They do seem to know more each time I go. The managers try to teach them.
It makes me mad that they sell puppies and kittens too. They say they're from breeders, but still. I think it's better to adopt a shelter animal. On a side note, they have the biggest, healthiest crickets that I feed to my leopard gecko.
Oh I didn't even know there was one in Huber Heights...I'll have to check it out the next time I go to Ohio to see family. I know at least one of the Beavercreek managers was moved down to the Centerville one, and he was great.
I've been told that about their puppies too..."we get them from local breeders, not puppy mills." But no quality breeder would let their pups be purchased by the first person to wander into a store with enough money...so even if it's true, we're not talking about good breeders either. At least they feed them well (Innova) and make sure they have their first shots...*attempts to look on the bright side*. I'll happily second your motion regarding shelters over pet stores.
Glad you can get nice fat crickets though My Bolivian Rams and my Betta (both in my sig) as well as my Neons are from Jack's, and I've been really happy with all of them.
Oh I didn't even know there was one in Huber Heights...I'll have to check it out the next time I go to Ohio to see family. I know at least one of the Beavercreek managers was moved down to the Centerville one, and he was great.
I've been told that about their puppies too..."we get them from local breeders, not puppy mills." But no quality breeder would let their pups be purchased by the first person to wander into a store with enough money...so even if it's true, we're not talking about good breeders either. At least they feed them well (Innova) and make sure they have their first shots...*attempts to look on the bright side*. I'll happily second your motion regarding shelters over pet stores.
Glad you can get nice fat crickets though My Bolivian Rams and my Betta (both in my sig) as well as my Neons are from Jack's, and I've been really happy with all of them.
My Gourami, Emperor Tetras, Harlequin Rasboras ,and ghost shrimp are all from Jacks. In other words everything except my catfish. I got them from Super Petz.
I've never been to the Centerville Jacks. I'll have to check it out. Have you been to Gerbers Saltwater Warehouse in Moraine? I went there yesterday. They have used tanks for sale!
I'm impressed with that Betta setup, though it would be better if they had more horizontal swimming space. My LFS has healthy fish and clean tanks, but they sell puppies from "breeders" (actually puppy mills), so I don't ever go there.
My Gourami, Emperor Tetras, Harlequin Rasboras ,and ghost shrimp are all from Jacks. In other words everything except my catfish. I got them from Super Petz.
I've never been to the Centerville Jacks. I'll have to check it out. Have you been to Gerbers Saltwater Warehouse in Moraine? I went there yesterday. They have used tanks for sale!
Nice The Petsmart down by the Centerville Jack's is pretty decent as well (though not as good as Jack's). The manager when I was there last actually keeps and breeds Apistogrammas (Flash and some others I can't remember off hand).
I haven't been to the Moraine one...and as I no longer live in Ohio, I probably will never go, lol. I have actually heard good things about it though.
well i live near an animal jungle and they tanks are very clean and the people that work there know what they are doing and there was a guy there that gave me a neon tetra and a ghost shrimp for free.
My petstores aren't amazing, but they're decent. One time, my Petco had some bettas scattered in different tanks with other fish. It's a start I guess.
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Wow!!!!
Course it would be better if they couldn't see each other, but geez, it's nice to know some walmart somewhere cares. 
sure looks like it & they look very big.
