Petco, where I dont go...Anymore!(img INTENSE)

MAreefer1 · #1 12/27/2005, 10:03 PM

This is deffinatly not just a fish store, but a torture fishery, I visited two Petcos tonight in MA, and I was ASTONISHED! I found many VIOLATIONS of fish keeping, and when I questioned the staff, they were highly un-educated about salt water fish!

I asked some staff members a few questions ... supposobly trained to know all about fish, atleast thats what it said on there name tag,
_____________________________________________

Question: How often do you change the water In the salt water tanks?

Answer: " Iv worked here for 2 years, and I dont think we eva have changed the water."

Question(illigetimate, and just a test): How many yellow tangs can I Put in my ten gallon?

Answer: "I think 4 or 5 would look nice."( said with much enthusiasm)

Question( you wont like the answer): Can I put this purple tang in my 30 gallon fresh water?

Answer: "shure why not, just as long its the only fish in the tank, I think."

Question: What kind of light do I need to grow these corals?

Answer: " Whats a coral?"
____________________________________________

Some Pretty SCARY pictures:

Can anyone give me an ID on this coral?

These brown polyps were being kept under low low lighting!

Green Mushrooms

TANG POLICE TANG POLICE HELP!!!

This is the other side of the tank above.

These three fish were in the same 15 gallon tank TOGETHER!

The 3 in. Clown Trigger is WAY over Priced.

LOOK AT THAT ANGEL IN THIS PICTURE: ITS A 5 INCHER!

I know Im kind of ragging on Petco, but they def. should not be carrying those livestock in there stores when they obviously DO NOT
care about them the least bit. I took these pictures listening to the intercom announcmet:
"Here at Petco, We take great care in the health of our Pets"

Do you get my point yet, Does anyone have feedback or comments please feel free to leave any.

lachrimae · #2 12/27/2005, 10:08 PM

To be fair, I met one "fish guy" at PetCo that knew more about reefing than any of my LFS "specialists". I know that's not saying much but I was impressed that he recommeded not to purchase a Naso until it had sat there for another week or two while acclimating after the long trip in.

Dubbin1 · #3 12/27/2005, 10:16 PM

Well most people know how bad Petco is but what are you trying to prove with the pictures? You see the same stuff in every other LFS as what you took pictures of. The prices you showed are right in line with what I see all the time at the LFS's.

Amphiprion · #4 12/27/2005, 10:17 PM

What can you do, eh? There is no real way to stop such an operation as long as the company continues to make money--whether it is at the expense of the hobbyist or not. Showing photos and complaining cant solve much, but never going there again (as in your thread title) will be the best course of action. This is not necessarily because they will lose business (as they will find a new customer as quickly as they lose one), but so you will not have to witness it again. But I agree, it is not a pretty sight and is distasteful to say the least.

physicslord · #5 12/27/2005, 10:20 PM

I'll say one thing for PETSMART, they sell the supplies but they don't sell any saltwater fish.

Shawnts106 · #6 12/27/2005, 10:21 PM

Quote:

To be fair, I met one "fish guy" at PetCo that knew more about reefing than any of my LFS "specialists".

Yeah, but that is rare and hard to find now "adays"...

These questions and answers are really hard to believe, geeze, unbelievable how uneducated people working for an establishment like that are!...

kinda like going to the doctor and asking what to do about a cough, and the doctor replys "whats a cough?"...
... ok, sorta!...

We will be having a petco built here in Oxford soon, and with 2 LFS only a mile or two down the ROAD!!!... I dont think the petco will hold up long at all...

MAreefer1 · #7 12/27/2005, 10:22 PM

But the cruelty torwards the animals is horrible, and they are not healthy at all, do you see that at your LFS????????

I dont think so, there always well kept up, I have never bought from Petco and never will.

CrazyLionfish · #8 12/27/2005, 10:22 PM

I agree with Dubbin on this one. I have heard many many bad experiences of petco like what you're showing with your questions, but in the pictures I don't see any dead/sick fish and the prices aren't too bad, so not sure what you're trying to show from those either. The PetCo near me used to be ok, but is now horrible!! The fish used to look healthy their and I got an undulated trigger for $15 that has been doing great for 2+ years in my tank. But when I went their last week, not one fish looked healthy.

Did he really say you could put a purple tang in a 30 gallon freshwater? lol That seems too dumb to be true.

MAreefer1 · #9 12/27/2005, 10:24 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Shawnts106
Yeah, but that is rare and hard to find now "adays"...

These questions and answers are really hard to believe, geeze, unbelievable how uneducated people working for an establishment like that are!...

kinda like going to the doctor and asking what to do about a cough, and the doctor replys "whats a cough?"...
... ok, sorta!...

We will be having a petco built here in Oxford soon, and with 2 LFS only a mile or two down the ROAD!!!... I dont think the petco will hold up long at all...

These questions are true, I know they might seem unbeivable, but its the sad truth.

CrazyLionfish · #10 12/27/2005, 10:25 PM

Sorry by the time I typed that.. I think.. I see you've added captions for the pictures which helps. I think that first coral is a very sick looking bubble coral, not sure. I now understand the pictures except the last one, they could have sold that angel before you got there.

MAreefer1 · #11 12/27/2005, 10:26 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by CrazyLionfish
I agree with Dubbin on this one. I have heard many many bad experiences of petco like what you're showing with your questions, but in the pictures I don't see any dead/sick fish and the prices aren't too bad, so not sure what you're trying to show from those either. The PetCo near me used to be ok, but is now horrible!! The fish used to look healthy their and I got an undulated trigger for $15 that has been doing great for 2+ years in my tank. But when I went their last week, not one fish looked healthy.

Did he really say you could put a purple tang in a 30 gallon freshwater? lol That seems too dumb to be true.

UNFORTUNATLY yes it was true... she was so uneducated to be working in the fish department, maybe she should be working with the squeeky toys for dogs...

MAreefer1 · #12 12/27/2005, 10:28 PM

no Im sayin that the Angel is in the middle of the tank under the fake coral thingy, in the tank with the 6 or seven yellow tangs, 2 miger triggers, and a pink tailed trigger.

CrazyLionfish · #13 12/27/2005, 10:31 PM

Sorry my mistake, I see it now.

Saltz Creep · #14 12/27/2005, 10:33 PM

I once saw a yellow tang at Petco with no eyes whatsoever and the body was totally skin and bone. Rather than just putting the animal out of it's misery or giving it away, they were trying to make a buck off of it by selling it at a reduced price. That's just sick.

MAreefer1 · #15 12/27/2005, 10:35 PM

Wow... Ya I seen something like that before, but with percula clowns, there were 4 DEAD clowns floating around the tank, eyeless, and almost totally white, and to top it off, being eatin buy 9 or 10 other clowns in the tank!

Worldwithin · #16 12/27/2005, 11:01 PM

There is a LFS near me that makes Petco look like the best fish store in the world.... No pictures available, but just imagine a7 - 8 inch emperor angel in a 10 x 10 cube. The tank was the length of the wall, but divided up into many smaller areas to keep the fish away from each other. This poor guy had just enough room to turn around, and that was it. Top that off with over medicated water (basically yellow water), and you have yourself a LFS that has no concern for its livestock. If it were not for the fact that I am unable to house that poor little guy, I would have taken it home to give it a real home, not just a friggen box to live in.

I wish there was somewhere that one could go to and complain about the conditions that some of these stores provide for these fish. I would comment to the owner, but I have a feeling that they really don't care. (I won't get into details as to avoid offending anyone). The only option that I can come up with is to inform local reefers to avoid the shop and spread the word.

I just about get sick when I go in there to see if there is anything I can save from them.

tdman3627 · #17 12/27/2005, 11:05 PM

Hey i work at a petco in gainesville FL, i got hired there because i know a lot about fish. Our department is way better looking than the pics you posted above. Most of the time with the fish overcrowding is because of some retard up in the corporate office. I have almost been fired three times by a big wiq from getting in there face about the pushes of fish they send us. As far as prices go we are cheaper than any of the lfs's in gainesville, and our fish are all healthy. We dont have any corals in our tanks because i wont let our manager order them or ill quit lol. They pretty much let me call all the shots. I would take pics but we arent allowed and i dont know how you got those pics lol they are supposed to stop you so you dont go make a petco sucks website. Anyways thought I would share a little bit, not sure if it helped.
Ryan

rizkeeper · #18 12/27/2005, 11:09 PM

petco can be bad, but I don't see much wrong with those pics...other than the brown GSP....

No LFS is going to put 3 small yellow tangs in a 200g tank.....it's product in and producto out at all LFS, petco or not....

I've seen way way worse at Petco and other LFS....

MAreefer1 · #19 12/27/2005, 11:12 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by tdman3627
Hey i work at a petco in gainesville FL, i got hired there because i know a lot about fish. Our department is way better looking than the pics you posted above. Most of the time with the fish overcrowding is because of some retard up in the corporate office. I have almost been fired three times by a big wiq from getting in there face about the pushes of fish they send us. As far as prices go we are cheaper than any of the lfs's in gainesville, and our fish are all healthy. We dont have any corals in our tanks because i wont let our manager order them or ill quit lol. They pretty much let me call all the shots. I would take pics but we arent allowed and i dont know how you got those pics lol they are supposed to stop you so you dont go make a petco sucks website. Anyways thought I would share a little bit, not sure if it helped.
Ryan

How can we get more people like you up north?

rizkeeper · #20 12/27/2005, 11:13 PM

petco can be bad, but I don't see much wrong with those pics...other than the brown GSP....

No LFS is going to put 3 small yellow tangs in a 200g tank.....it's product in and producto out at all LFS, petco or not....

I've seen way way worse at Petco and other LFS....

I don't think your interview summary is too accurate...very hard to believe

MAreefer1 · #21 12/27/2005, 11:18 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by rizkeeper
petco can be bad, but I don't see much wrong with those pics...other than the brown GSP....

No LFS is going to put 3 small yellow tangs in a 200g tank.....it's product in and producto out at all LFS, petco or not....

I've seen way way worse at Petco and other LFS....

I don't think your interview summary is too accurate...very hard to believe

Well if you visited this fish store you would believe, they hired employees totally unqualified for the job description!

It wouldnt be too hard to remember answers like that... If the person who I asked was qualified then I would have looked stupid asking the question about the 30 gallon fresh, but I took my chances in search of the truth about Petco...

Andrew · #22 12/27/2005, 11:27 PM

They can keep alot of tangs in a smaller tank because the tangs won't be there for long before they are sold. Flamming lfs isn't a good idea. If you don't like the lfs then don't go to it.

reefshadow · #23 12/27/2005, 11:35 PM

The first coral is a badly receded bubble coral. Probably a goner.

There are so many problems with most Petco's, where to start?

First, they have a regional manager who oversees many stores and makes sure things are run according to the corporate "plan". Even a skilled aquarist working in the fish department has little leeway on what products can be ordered or used. Thus they are not up to date on decent equipment or techniques. The petco in my area had to wait a couple of months before they could have corporate fix their already crappy skimmer in the sump chamber at the bottom of the marine system. Upgrades on lights, pumps, skimmers, etc. are not allowed.

If the aquatics manager or a specialist is not available you have someone from another department to "help" you. For a novice hobbiest this is bad news.

Corporate HQ will buy lot orders of fish, many times in the thousands. They are then distributed to stores across the states. The manager at our Petco has complained many times about receiving way too many fish of a type not needed such as 20 perculas when there were already 15 in the store. The aquatics manager can make orders of needed fish but many in the shipments are sent without a request. The last few shipments that came into our area store were at about 60 degrees as well. They bag and freeze any DOAs or casualties and do not take a financial loss on them, thus there is little pressure to improve things.

At least twice someone in the store has left the FW top off valve open overnight, flooding the marine tanks and killing every fish and invert in the system. Corporate won't let them put a lock on the sump/top off chamber.

They will sell obviously sick and dying, unhealthy fish. Reduced price? That's a laugh. Quarantine? Hehe. Doesn't happen. Not at our area store. Corpaorate will not allow them to set up a real display or a quarantine tank. All the marine tanks are one system so all fish and inverts are subjected to the same conditions.

Best policy is to try not to add to the problem by buying their live animals or products. In an area like ours it is hard though, the nearest real LFS is 2 hours away.

They should not be in the business of selling ANY live animals AT ALL. It's funny because a point of pride with them is that they do not sell puppies or kittens. I suppose smaller animals like the birds, rodents, fish and reptiles just don't rate.

Beleive it or not, most of the knowledgeable employees feel a sense of frustration as well. Their hands are really tied in alot of ways.

I wrote a letter a couple of years back to corporate HQ detailing what I see to be big problems. I received no reply.

I guess I wasn't suprised.

Kent E · #24 12/27/2005, 11:37 PM

I can top this! I once went into Petco and ALL THE FISH WERE DEAD. The entire stock was killed, massive wipeout.

I still shop there, tee hee.

MAreefer1 · #25 12/27/2005, 11:41 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by reefshadow
The first coral is a badly receded bubble coral. Probably a goner.

There are so many problems with most Petco's, where to start?

First, they have a regional manager who oversees many stores and makes sure things are run according to the corporate "plan". Even a skilled aquarist working in the fish department has little leeway on what products can be ordered or used. Thus they are not up to date on decent equipment or techniques. The petco in my area had to wait a couple of months before they could have corporate fix their already crappy skimmer in the sump chamber at the bottom of the marine system. Upgrades on lights, pumps, skimmers, etc. are not allowed.

If the aquatics manager or a specialist is not available you have someone from another department to "help" you. For a novice hobbiest this is bad news.

Corporate HQ will buy lot orders of fish, many times in the thousands. They are then distributed to stores across the states. The manager at our Petco has complained many times about receiving way too many fish of a type not needed such as 20 perculas when there were already 15 in the store. The aquatics manager can make orders of needed fish but many in the shipments are sent without a request. The last few shipments that came into our area store were at about 60 degrees as well. They bag and freeze any DOAs or casualties and do not take a financial loss on them, thus there is little pressure to improve things.

At least twice someone in the store has left the FW top off valve open overnight, flooding the marine tanks and killing every fish and invert in the system. Corporate won't let them put a lock on the sump/top off chamber.

They will sell obviously sick and dying, unhealthy fish. Reduced price? That's a laugh. Quarantine? Hehe. Doesn't happen. Not at our area store. Corpaorate will not allow them to set up a real display or a quarantine tank. All the marine tanks are one system so all fish and inverts are subjected to the same conditions.

Best policy is to try not to add to the problem by buying their live animals or products. In an area like ours it is hard though, the nearest real LFS is 2 hours away.

They should not be in the business of selling ANY live animals AT ALL. It's funny because a point of pride with them is that they do not sell puppies or kittens. I suppose smaller animals like the birds, rodents, fish and reptiles just don't rate.

Beleive it or not, most of the knowledgeable employees feel a sense of frustration as well. Their hands are really tied in alot of ways.

I wrote a letter a couple of years back to corporate HQ detailing what I see to be big problems. I received no reply.

I guess I wasn't suprised.

Wow...thanks for your input, I have a much better understanding of the corperate side of the story, but I still feel that condition should improve(which they never will), so your right, just dont feed the fire, thats buring down a house.