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

[LobsterOfJustice]

Give me a break. I dont think youll find any pet store willing to give each yellow tang it's own 9834502843 gallons or whatever they suposedly need. ITS A STORE! And honestly, that tank does not even look that crowded to me. If that is a 5 inch angelfish then that is not that small of a tank. As far as prices go, I bought my 4" majestic angel for $125 from a LFS. Live Aquaria sells 5" Majestics for $119-$145 and 3" Clown Triggers for $139. So pretty much I have no idea what you are talking about price-wise.

No comment on the employee knowledge. I am not going to defend that - you've got me there.

P.S. Petco has the nicest looking clowns I have yet to see in anyones tank, hobbiest or store. They also happen to be the cheapest I have seen anywhere.

[moogoomoogoo]

What's wrong with Petco is whats wrong with America! Money drives everything. Consumers( usually uneducated, looking for instant gratification) spend money. Look inside Walmart or Kmart or Target. Almost everything is made in China. Why- because instant gratification Americans won't pay more for quality, that would also put jobs in their own towns. This mind set will ultimately cost us much more than all the terrorists. OK I'll shut up now.

[GreshamH]

Originally posted by kidzatheart
$109.99 for a 3 inch clown trigger is high. I bought my 3 inch clown trigger NOT on sale for $25.00. All i could do when i read the questions was laugh although its sad. We dont have a Petco here in South Carolina where i live. Reading this thread makes me appreciate our LFS so much.

Considerring that a diver risked his life to get that clown trigger, I'd say thats cheap. The number of divers that have died due to collecting little clown triggers (they're deep) is staggering. No other MO fish has such a death trail. There's a village in PI with almost no men left due to them being a baby clown trigger hotspot. Great odds for a single guy, but horriable loss of life for something now being sold for $25 Not to mention a cheap clown trigger is most likely been cyanided as they're one of the top cyanide "target" species.

[Ricky@3rdshift]

Originally posted by MAreefer1
Another issue still needed to adress is how diseased there fish are. Petco is truning aound and selling these fish, even infested with disease!


http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/s...25&pagenumber=3
___________________________________________________

I watch the SW fish very closely. When I see some stress, or ich I usually try and search all he tanks to get a observation tags on them. Lately we have been keeping less fish so I am hoping we will have time to straighten the tanks back up with the substrate change.

[Ricky@3rdshift]

Originally posted by moogoomoogoo
What's wrong with Petco is whats wrong with America! Money drives everything. Consumers( usually uneducated, looking for instant gratification) spend money. Look inside Walmart or Kmart or Target. Almost everything is made in China. Why- because instant gratification Americans won't pay more for quality, that would also put jobs in their own towns. This mind set will ultimately cost us much more than all the terrorists. OK I'll shut up now.

DING DING DING DING DING DING!!!!

We have a Winner winner chicken dinner!!!

I totally agree with this statement!!!!

We as americans are some CHEEP BASTARDOS!!!

[MAreefer1]

Originally posted by LobsterOfJustice
Give me a break. I dont think youll find any pet store willing to give each yellow tang it's own 9834502843 gallons or whatever they suposedly need. ITS A STORE! And honestly, that tank does not even look that crowded to me. If that is a 5 inch angelfish then that is not that small of a tank. As far as prices go, I bought my 4" majestic angel for $125 from a LFS. Live Aquaria sells 5" Majestics for $119-$145 and 3" Clown Triggers for $139. So pretty much I have no idea what you are talking about price-wise.

No comment on the employee knowledge. I am not going to defend that - you've got me there.

P.S. Petco has the nicest looking clowns I have yet to see in anyones tank, hobbiest or store. They also happen to be the cheapest I have seen anywhere.

I posted the price of the majestic angel...because it was nearly dead, coloration gone, and its eyes were infested with some disiease, it also had Ich, did your LFS sell you your majestic Angel for 125 looking like that?

[grimmjohn]

Originally posted by GreshamH
Considerring that a diver risked his life to get that clown trigger, I'd say thats cheap. The number of divers that have died due to collecting little clown triggers (they're deep) is staggering. No other MO fish has such a death trail. There's a village in PI with almost no men left due to them being a baby clown trigger hotspot. Great odds for a single guy, but horriable loss of life for something now being sold for $25 Not to mention a cheap clown trigger is most likely been cyanided as they're one of the top cyanide "target" species.

Gresham, have I ever told you how much I love your posts...best info on the industry around.
Oh wait...
http://archive.reefcentral.com/forum...5&pagenumber=2
I guess I have told you () : )

Cheers,

grimmjohn

[MAreefer1]

Originally posted by moogoomoogoo
What's wrong with Petco is whats wrong with America! Money drives everything. Consumers( usually uneducated, looking for instant gratification) spend money. Look inside Walmart or Kmart or Target. Almost everything is made in China. Why- because instant gratification Americans won't pay more for quality, that would also put jobs in their own towns. This mind set will ultimately cost us much more than all the terrorists. OK I'll shut up now.

It is true... on the way home not just a few minutes ago, Me and my mother were listening to the radio, and a comercial for Welches Grape Juice came on, we listened to it, and Regous Filmin was talking about how great it was, the same great taste you grew up with, and with the Antioxidents and such "its good for your heart", be as my mother is( the typical consumer), as soon as the commercial was over, we pulled into the gas station and she came out with 3 gallons of welches grape juice.

Another issue needed to be adressed:

its called the impulse consumer, when someone goes to a Petco and sees how good those CLOWN FISH look, they dont think about all the work and care that little Nemo needs, so they dont think or plan, or even consider what the condition or health the fish is in... and they wont even bother to ask the underqualified employees( not all are, but most), they just buy buy buy, for instant graftification...then Nemo dies.

[MAreefer1]

Originally posted by grimmjohn
Gresham, have I ever told you how much I love your posts...best info on the industry around.
Oh wait...
http://archive.reefcentral.com/forum...5&pagenumber=2
I guess I have told you () : )

Cheers,

grimmjohn

That is true...people do go to great risks to recover fish and corals... now it is even harder to collect such specimens.

The fastest grow phenomenon is LR aquaculturing... Its much better than Collecting LR off the coast and destroying reefs, but you still need alot of Real lR to sead the growth of this "base rock", and this is a long and tedeous process, they have to dive to gather the LR, and its pretty dangerouse considering the Sharks that populate most hotspots for LR... but thats why LR can get a little pricey...once you collect the seading rock, you have to invest TIME & money to create the aquacultured LR, it takes about 2-8 years to sead and promote good growth of Inverts and other micro-orgonism that make LR truely LIVE-Rock.


Heres a video link to an early 90s documentary about Acuaculturing corals, And LR... Pretty interesting its a good thing to check out...

http://windowsmedia.microsoft.com/download/

[beeker]

well most of the people that work in LFS's and places alike don't make more than 8 bucks an hour at most and well at that rate they probably don't know ish about saltwater because they are not finding the information on their own(IE: because they don't get paid enough to care)

also the store itself probably doesen't have anyone that comes in to train people for the types of animals they keep...it is all word of mouth care advice which is normally really bad advice...unless it's a dog or a cat something that everyone has/knows about saltwater fish are like tarantulas sure people will by them and keep them but most likely the care requirements and needs will be done poorly and most likely any pet like this will die eventually.

[grimmjohn]

If a clownfish gets somebody started in reefing then it's all worth it IMO () : )
Also, we need to remember that not everyone is going for RC's TOTM...most people just want a FO with a clown pair and a damsel or two and some fake coral...I'm not gonna tell them that that's not worth it, or that I think the plastic sucken ship is cheesie and they should get some real corals. I sell them a tank, some sand, filter, salt, hydrometer, thermometer, test kit, and a heater, load them up with info, give them a web link or two, tell them I'll be at the store if they have questions, and tell them to come get some fish a few days.
LR, skimmers, MHs, massive CA/Alk dosing...we take them for granted here, but most people don't need them if they follow a few basic husbandry rules that are no less difficult than your average FW tank.
LS has more than enough bacteria to handle a decent load, nitrates are less of an issue cuase of the FO and low lighting, and if any algea grows they more than likely will think it's pretty and if not it's easy to take care of since it's not embedded in LR. With no LR/corals your SW lasts lots longer and doesn't need 20 gallons of kalk a day or 20mls of B-ionic, not that the fish care that much anyway as long as the pH is decent, which is easy in a FO. Basically, most FOs just need some FW every few days, well within the abilities of most "impulse consumers," and if one of them becomes a member here, or decides that they want to upgrade and go reef then kudos all around.

Cheers,

grimmjohn

[grimmjohn]

Originally posted by beeker

also the store itself probably doesen't have anyone that comes in to train people for the types of animals they keep...it is all word of mouth care advice which is normally really bad advice...unless it's a dog or a cat something that everyone has/knows about saltwater fish are like tarantulas sure people will by them and keep them but most likely the care requirements and needs will be done poorly and most likely any pet like this will die eventually.

There are training booklets that all aspiring "specialists" have to read and take a test on..covers the basics of maintanence and husbandry. Everything in the store also has a coresponding "care sheet" that buyers can take home with them. There is also a hotline to a district animal care specialist to help with any concerns/Qs and a district animal care guy comes around every so often to make sure things are going kosher.
Tarantulas for instance, decent heat, decent humidity, 5 or 6 small crickets a day, water always clean and full, complete tear down, clean and rebuild of the enclosure every week.

Cheers,

grimmjohn

[MAreefer1]

Originally posted by grimmjohn
If a clownfish gets somebody started in reefing then it's all worth it IMO () : )
Also, we need to remember that not everyone is going for RC's TOTM...most people just want a FO with a clown pair and a damsel or two and some fake coral...I'm not gonna tell them that that's not worth it, or that I think the plastic sucken ship is cheesie and they should get some real corals. I sell them a tank, some sand, filter, salt, hydrometer, thermometer, test kit, and a heater, load them up with info, give them a web link or two, tell them I'll be at the store if they have questions, and tell them to come get some fish a few days.
LR, skimmers, MHs, massive CA/Alk dosing...we take them for granted here, but most people don't need them if they follow a few basic husbandry rules that are no less difficult than your average FW tank.
LS has more than enough bacteria to handle a decent load, nitrates are less of an issue cuase of the FO and low lighting, and if any algea grows they more than likely will think it's pretty and if not it's easy to take care of since it's not embedded in LR. With no LR/corals your SW lasts lots longer and doesn't need 20 gallons of kalk a day or 20mls of B-ionic, not that the fish care that much anyway as long as the pH is decent, which is easy in a FO. Basically, most FOs just need some FW every few days, well within the abilities of most "impulse consumers," and if one of them becomes a member here, or decides that they want to upgrade and go reef then kudos all around.

Cheers,

grimmjohn

mostly agreed...but unfortunatly...some of those "impulsers", im not saying any names...think that Nemo can go with there "pretty" chinease fish in a bowl, i was sort of adressing how unaware most people are going into Petco, that keeping salt water isnt "exactly" like FW.


GOOD POINTS THOUGH grimmjohn!

[grimmjohn]

Everyone that knows Nemo should also know that he swam around in the ocean () : )
I've had to tell a few people which is which, but the chances of a SW fish getting out the door destined for a FW tank are slim to none...I'd say it's higher at a LFS, where that knowledge is more likely to be assumed than questioned. The chances are Zero on my watch
It's not "exactly" like FW, but for a FO, it can be pretty darn close...easier than keeping cardinal tetras alive, or a planted FW tank () : )

Something that seems to be forgotten is that petco doesn't win by selling dying fish or SW fish for FW tanks...there is a 14 day guarentee!! You could keep bringing your fish back forever as long as they died within 2 weeks and your ammonia isn't sky high. So petco would rather not have their fish die in your tank, whether or not the person that bags your fish for you knows enough to head that off at the pass is another matter () : )

Cheers,

grimmjohn

[MAreefer1]

too bad theres no gaurentee for there saltwater( which is too expensive)

[grimmjohn]

Originally posted by MAreefer1
too bad theres no gaurentee for there saltwater( which is too expensive)

That is true unfortunatly, best to let those die in the store.

[Ebisan]

There are already too many things in this world to be concerned about. How a fish store operates is just a spit in the bucket. No matter what you do or say won't change a thing. It just causes mental anguish.

[MAreefer1]

well its better to discuss it than keeping it to yourself...but you have a point, there are many other things that we take advantage of in this technological era the 21 century.

[fish_NEMO]

Hi

If they are keeping their live stock in poor condition contact the RSPCA and tell them, they will put the store and franchise in order with the fines that they could get...

[LobsterOfJustice]

Originally posted by MAreefer1
Another issue needed to be adressed:

its called the impulse consumer, when someone goes to a Petco and sees how good those CLOWN FISH look, they dont think about all the work and care that little Nemo needs, so they dont think or plan, or even consider what the condition or health the fish is in... and they wont even bother to ask the underqualified employees( not all are, but most), they just buy buy buy, for instant graftification...then Nemo dies.

What are you even talking about? You think this only happens in Petco? What solution do you propose, shutting down all fish stores? Come on, does anyone else think this is getting a little rediculous?

[MAreefer1]

So... thats your opinion, Its good to get a topic like this "out there" once in a while, I dont think anyone is going to really go to drastic measurments...

[ERICinFL]

If you are having a problem with a local PetCo, FishCo, Fish-er-ama, etc., simply write a letter of complaint to your local Better Business Bureau and encourage all your friends to do the same. The BBB is a great tool in the battle against shoddy business practices and it is a very under used resource. Now, that being said, most people don't bother to check the BBB's website before impulse buying, but if enough complaints are recieved, the BBB will notify the company of the issue and put them on notice. Also, I've found in the past, that actually writing and snail mailing a letter to a company, actually get's a more thorough response than an email. As stated before though, we are an instant gratification society and we want results now. Patience is a virtue in trying to change mentality and in the example of PetCo and crappy LFS, we'll need lot's of it.

[fish_NEMO]

Ok so you think that the info that they are giving out to nebies is ok? did you read the questions and the answers that they gave to them? also no thank is big enouf you can always give your fish more space, even if you are selling them!

dont take this the wrong way


and to the coment do you want to shut the company down, in my opinuin (cant spell) YES if thats their knowledge and care then YES

[grimmjohn]

The BBB is a tool unfortunatly a lot of the time, you can often buy your way to a good rating.
"Hey Petco, you have a lot of complaints against you and we're gonna have to give you a bad rating unless you join the BBB and pay your dues...Oh you will join, that's great, send us your check and we'll give you five stars."

Cheers,

grimmjohn

[fish_NEMO]

WHAT?