OMG - most fish look bad at petsmart

I went to petsmart today to pick up some fungus medicine and a lightbulb for my tank, the trip went well, until I saw the fish. Not only were the Betta's listless, 80% had finrot and the regular fish weren't much better. Most of them had finrot as well. I tried talking to the employees but it was in vain. The guy in charge of fish was completely clueless about aquatics. He actually claimed that the so called dyed fish were merely "stained" with food coloring. Since the store was about to close and I simply didn't have the energy I just nodded my head and left, they will get a phone call in the morning.

 

That's really awful. Sometimes people work in that department who dont' know a thing about fish. I hate to admit it but sometimes PETA is right about pet stores. However unlike them I believe that higher standards are needed, not the absolute end of an industry.

 

I really am just so sick and tired of all the workers at fish stores. The stores hire just "anybody", out of the blue. They never think about the fact that to help with the fish someone must have at least some basic knowledge about fish-keeping. I am not even talking about some elaborate knowledge about fish diseases and how to treat them, etc ... But at least the knowledge of the nitrogen cycle and overcrowding. You're right Poefox, most of them indeed are clueless.

 

well they called me back and it looks like "rusty" will get a good talking too, and the manager didn't know much about fish either but he was ready to please (and that's a good sign)

 

The workers at PetCo are well-trained. The employees always make sure that my tank is cycled, etc. it's annoying sometimes,but it's a good thiing.

 

you know, I went to a wonderful fish store close to where I live, the fish were in such good condition and really were awsome, they were very healthy. After looking down the rows I noticed there were tiny bowls with bettas in them, next to all the tanks, its amazing how these little things are neglected, people actually think they like being in tiny little bowles that have cold untreated water in them. that just goes to show that very many of these LFS owners actually don't have a clue. if they truely loved and knew the fish they were selling they wouldnt do that, I know I wouldnt!

Thanks for raising the subject!

 

I went to petsmart today to pick up some fungus medicine and a lightbulb for my tank, the trip went well, until I saw the fish. Not only were the Betta's listless, 80% had finrot and the regular fish weren't much better. Most of them had finrot as well. I tried talking to the employees but it was in vain. The guy in charge of fish was completely clueless about aquatics. He actually claimed that the so called dyed fish were merely "stained" with food coloring. Since the store was about to close and I simply didn't have the energy I just nodded my head and left, they will get a phone call in the morning.

I have encountered the same thing in my area. Tanks that are filthy, dead fish being pecked at by others,but the thing that truly amazes me is the lack of info these workers have in the fish section. There plant section is'nt that much better either as more than 80 % of the plants are either dead or rotting. What a mess..

My wife and I were looking for ammonia to begin the Nitrogen Cycle and the lady(40's or 50's) asked us if we needed any help. I asked her if they carried Ammonia and she looked at me as though I was crazy. She knew actually nothing about the process and attempted to pawn off a bottle of Cycle to us.

We tried to explain to her about the process of doing an ammonia cycle and she was dumbfounded. The next time we went up there my wife handed her a paper with the steps in doing this and we left. She kinda got caught off guard by us doing this but maybe it'll help them.

John

 

Sounds like the Superpets here.
We went there today to get some danios and.. it was just heartbreaking looking at their fish.
We had gone in there last week and everything looked fine. There were a few dead fish clinging to the filters in some tanks, but overall, everything looked ok. They had a ton of bettas in those horrible tiny bowls, but they looked lively.
Then we went tonight and BOY, I can see now why my bf doesn't like that place.
There were so many tanks with dead fish in them that were being nibbled on by the other fish. And there were absolutely no bettas left except for one lone one in a goldfish starter tank.. and even that poor guy looked terrible.
The girl (and I do mean girl... she had to be 16yrs oldnot saying all teenagers acted like she did ) manhandled our poor fish. I thought she was going to kill them just trying to get them out of the tank. Don't even get me started on the disgusting yellow skuzzy water that was in the bag. We made sure that none of it was going to get into our tank.

The petsmart that's a little bit aways is a tiny bit better. They seem to take care of their actual tanks better, but their bettas are in really bad shape.
They keep them in these box things (same size as the bowls you usually see them in) over the fish tanks, but every single one of the boxes are absolutely filthy. They also keep younger looking bettas in these gladware looking plastic bowl things with blue water. We had gone there one day to buy some supplies, then came back the next to write down which fish we'd like to get eventually, and I was just heartbroken to see that a lot of the bettas in the boxes were suddenly missing and that a few in those bowls were dead
I'm gonna be getting me a 5 gallon tank one of these days so I can save me one of those lil fellas.

 

I think they would appreciate it

 

It's so sad the state of the fish at most pet stores.
Just annoying is the fact that most employees are clueless. Like, you walk in there and ask if they carry sponge filters, and after 5 minutes of them staring at you like you're a lunatic point you to the canister filters which have sponges in them...
(true story by the way)

 

OK, here's what I do. My local small fishstore actually has a couple of semi-smart employees, so I go there for questions, but I won't buy from them because they carry these poor tatooed fish...they know why I won't buy there. The local petsmarts( there are 2 near me) are a sorry excuse for a pet store (they advised me to cycle my 50 G tank with 10 fish!), but their supplies are cheaper then petco which is where I buy my fish. So I usually end up visiting 2-3 store...luckily they are all in the same direction. Isn't that pathetic though? Just my 2 cents.

Izabela

 

*sigh* I have more horror stories....
We went to all of the close local pet stores here today looking to see if any of them carried BioSpira... Petsmart, Superpets (ugh) and a privately owned small one.

We first headed to Petsmart. I was eager to look at their tanks to see their prices on 5 gallon tanks. They only seem to carry hexagon and this really nice looking, but expensive corner one.

They also had a fresh stock of bettas in. The ones in the little plastic box things above the aquariums looked alright, but the ones in the cups were a sad state. That's where they keep their females and they all just looked SO sad I wanted to scoop them all up and take them home with me.
I picked up every single small cup with one in it.. One had a dead female that looked to have been decomposing already. And another had one that looked like she was about to die. The rest were just so lifeless that they barely stirred when I did pick them up GOD I can't wait to save one!! I felt so bad that I can't right now.
Then we went to the local petstore. They were alright, but I think they were mainly a store for reptiles and puppies.. definietly not fish. They didn't have BioSpira either. We asked them about it and they said they might get some on Weds.. so we'll see.

Now here comes the dreaded SuperPets... I've already said I hate going there, but I really wanted to try to find some BioSpira. So off we went.
It was a nice day out so it was slightly busier than normal.
We head in, bf already knowing that they didn't have any.
He asks the lady in charge of the fish... she has absolutely NO idea what he's talking about. He comes back to me and we browse their fish.
Not as many dead ones but still a few floaters that the other fish have been pecking.
Then.. this is where it gets really sick.
Near the fish, they have a few containers with some froggers in them. BF was looking hard into them trying to spot them and in one he finally did. But what else did he find in that container? The skeletal remains of another frog in the corner.
In another container that was supposed to hold another one of those frogs... he finally spots it, BUT... what's wrong with it?
Oh it's just stuck in the corner, dead, with maggots eating away at it. >
Just... UGH.... I had never been so absolutely disgusted in my life. He hustled me out of there quickly though b/c I was about to raise ****.

 

How awful :'( :'( :'( :'(