Pet Store Rant

[Malibu99]

Okay. This is just a rant, so...

I go to PetSmart, right? First thing I see: over 100 goldfish in a 5 gallon tank. Most of them were just laying around. Then there's an upside-down goldfish. It was alive. THEN the worst part for me: bettas. at least 5 had ammonia burns, one had ich, one had popeye, and I could list 50 more diseases that the bettas had. The one that bothered me most was one with a spider web like substance on it. And what did the PetSmart employees do? Try to sell it. I would have taken him if I could. The tiny little cups they keep them in are way too small, and the information tag says 'needs 1+ QUARTS of water to live in. Oh PetSmart, how much you anger me.

 

[duckinnut]

Best bet is just don't patronize the store. I never liked PetSmart. Petco is not much better. $8 an hour just don't get the level of brains it used to. Which one are you referring to, Hyannis?

 

[Malibu99]

Yep. The sad thing is, the fish are so beautiful, only to be harmed by inadiquate living conditions. And when someone complains and says 'this fish needs treatment', they flush it, not treat it. Even if it's something easily treated. *takes deep breath*

 

[Malibu99]

Best bet is just don't patronize the store. I never liked PetSmart. Petco is not much better. $8 an hour just don't get the level of brains it used to. Which one are you referring to, Hyannis?

Once they sold us a bowl for 2 goldfish, then said we needed a 10 gallon, then a 20, now a 40.


Edit: We have a 20 now. will get something bigger though.

 

[Magic Birdie]

Fish are treated like that almost everywhere. People don't think fish are worth very much... theydon't think anything is worth much other than money

 

[dainerra]

don't get a 40 either! For goldfish, I wouldn't go smaller than a 55 with LOTS of filtration. Unless, of course, you only plan to keep your 2 fish forever. Goldfish are related to carp and 10-18 inches long is common for tank-raised fish. In a pond, they can be 3 feet long!

It really depends on the individual store. Our local PetCo aquatic head is a friend of mine who does lots of research on what she sells. However, the store is in it to make money and the bottom line is, fish are cheap livestock. I'm excluding the salt water species in that, of course! How do you know that they flush the fish? 1, that is probably illegal and 2, most stores get credit from the supplier for fish that die so they turn them back in. I know that our local store has an infirmary area in the back for taking care of sick animals/fish and a vet that comes by the store to treat and evaluate animals.

 

[DeannaOR]

Patronize small businesses. It's the best message you can send. Not only are you more likely to get educated information from someone older than 16 years of age.....but if you do have a complaint, you can talk to the owner. If it's not resolved, you can always leave a review on Yelp or Google...those tend to mean more to a small business than a corporation.
Supporting small businesses supports the PEOPLE in your own community.

 

[Malibu99]

don't get a 40 either! For goldfish, I wouldn't go smaller than a 55 with LOTS of filtration. Unless, of course, you only plan to keep your 2 fish forever. Goldfish are related to carp and 10-18 inches long is common for tank-raised fish. In a pond, they can be 3 feet long!
It really depends on the individual store. Our local PetCo aquatic head is a friend of mine who does lots of research on what she sells. However, the store is in it to make money and the bottom line is, fish are cheap livestock. I'm excluding the salt water species in that, of course!

How do you know that they flush the fish? 1, that is probably illegal and 2, most stores get credit from the supplier for fish that die so they turn them back in. I know that our local store has an infirmary area in the back for taking care of sick animals/fish and a vet that comes by the store to treat and evaluate animals.

The pet store employee said "We don't have the heart to flush him (the goldie). He's too good to be flushed." And also, they don't care about the bettas, otherwise they wouldn't have any bettas. I have gotten 5 bettas from there; 4 died of disease within 5 days. They keep the bettas in TINY cups that are probably only 1-1.5 cups of water in each one.

 

[Kevin565]

That's why I don't buy from large chain stores. I always purchase mine from my LFS. Always kept in excellent conditions and they actually know what they are talking about.

 

[Turkenlover]

That is so sad. I am a goldfish nut. I rescued four feeder goldfish from an idiot I worked with fifteen years ago who was given them away to co-workers as gifts in betta cups!!

First they lived in a ten gallon tank, then a 20 gallon tank, then I bought them a 55 gallon tank, then I bought the biggest tank I could afford on Craigslist, a 125 gallon. I lost the last one two years ago. I had "Jason" 13 years. He was seven inches long and was Beautiful! Now I am hooked on goldfish! My 125 gallon tank has 5 wonderful goldfish, two common and three comets, and a pleco. All the goldfish in the tank were from a Craigslist rescue. Just because something is labeled a "feeder fish," doesn't mean it doesn't deserve a good life!