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#79
12/29/2005, 08:51 PM
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Ok, I will admit that I didn't read all the posts here but I will give you some info from my opinion.
My Background. I worked at PetSmart in Rockville for a few months in the small critters section. I can truly say that I would without a doubt go back for FW fish. The people in "THAT STORE" really care about their animals. The fish, hamsters, birds, and reptiles are really given great care. Now moving to the local Petcorporation. There was a petco about 3 or 4 blocks from our location. I was getting into saltwater fish so I thought I would visit the location because it was across the street from a LFS in our area. When I got there I met a really nice guy who knew a good amount about SW fish and inverts. He told me that he was fighting the manager to not buy any more anemones for the store. He told me that he even offered to give the store his PC lights for the store setup but they reffused. In the end the store stopped getting anemones and switched to only fish. If you confronted him in a personal way he would tell you not to buy anything from the store, but that was only a front for those in the know! He had really good intentions with the livestock that came in but he said he was limited by management. In the end you have to realize that these stores make more money off those who buy dry good items. If 1 in 10 buys a fish then they will make their money back in fish losses. While some petcos have employees that are uneducated there are those where the knowlegeable have their hands tied by management. I will not rule out a local petco for fish because they do bring in captive bred fish. But I will ask first if I can buy fish in their shipping bag before they hit store waters.
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^I just wanted that line^ |
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#81
12/30/2005, 04:37 PM
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Ft. Smith Arkansas stores always gets fish in on Fridays. occasionally tuesday. Howevere as I mentioned before Petco only pays for UPS Ground shipping hence the cause of some of the ich problems.
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#83
01/03/2006, 02:14 PM
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The best and only way they will get the message is through the bottom line. The only way their bottom line will be affected is if people stop shopping at places who do not care for their animals. I've read several posts where people said they visited a horrific LFS and purchased fish to "save" them or "give them a real home". In reality all they have done is give an irresponsible shopkeeper a tidy profit as well as clearing out space for another fish to be shipped in and he cycle stats all over again.
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#85
01/13/2006, 01:52 AM
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Having run a reptile petshop (manager) I can etll you the markup on animals is at least 200%. Fish tend to run 800%. Now there are exceptions to every rule.
I have been inot petco here numerous times (buying crickets for my reptiles). They're reptile care isn't good either. Though there is a guy here that is educated (perhaps overly so) on both reptiles and SW. LOL he had me confused talking about the different DSB and how they were effective. He is only allowed to do so much. He tries but as one person you can't fight a corp.
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My life's purpose, is not to arrive at the pearly gates softly on a pillow. But to come sliding in, beat up, torn up, broken up, screaming YEEHHHAAWWW WHAT A RIDE!!!! |
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#89
01/17/2006, 02:05 PM
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Quote:
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BRS |
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#90
01/18/2006, 01:37 AM
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I do the ordering for my store and one thing people have to understand is that this is a business. I'm not defending petco, I think every single one should be smited from the face of the planet as an example. However, due to the volume and types of fish that we carry we cannot setup every tank to conform to the rules of fish keeping as most people know them. These fish are in the tanks for a very short amount of time compared to your tanks at home. In my store the fish are separated and kept with compatible species but the number of fish in each tank is way over the "limit" due to available tank space. We do daily water changes and cycle through our systems weekly. Many in store systems are a lot larger than you might think just by looking at them. The volume of water helps to keep it as stable as possible allowing for the number of fish we keep. Our sick fish are kept in a quarantine system 1/4 the size of our saltwater dept. which is pretty large. I will not order certain species and will not sell certain species to just anybody. PETCO is a price club for animals. Go in there, buy what few supplies you can get there, and if you have a hospital tank feel free to buy something if it looks healthy. To look at a huge chain like that and hold them to the same quality as another petstore is, well, completely retarded. It is what it is. There are stores you can go to out there that have employees who know what they are doing and can help you out finding the right fish or invert. You can't walk into any store and expect to see 200 tanks all conforming to what you perceive as "ideal". You will never see a full grown Sohal Tang or Miniatus Grouper swimming in a 1,000 gallon tank in a store. For the few days that the fish is in the store a 125 or even a 75 is fine. I have 5 Moorish Idols right now in a 75 all eating flake and mysis and nori. Most people can't get that done in their home tanks so before you go knocking LFS's just because remember there are some of us who are doing everything we can to make sure the fish are going to make it and are happy. You just have to put everything in perspective.
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#91
01/19/2006, 01:16 PM
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Quote:
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BRS |
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#92
01/20/2006, 03:59 PM
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aquariumadventrure
Fortunately in KC there are three very good LFS that I know of. I use them for fish and inverts. I bought my lights mail order. I typically buy my supplies mail order but on occasion I'll buy local and if I do the chains Petsmart and Petco are the place to go.
I've seen LFS in town that don't care for their fish. It isn't just the Petco's of the world. On that subject, when surfing I came across what appears to be a great LFS growing business franchise in Ohio. I found it very interesting. Aquariumadventure.com. check it out, it's interesting I've never been to one of their stores but looks like they have the right idea on compromise between LFS and chain. If I were to win the lottery that would be a fun franchise to consider so I could quit my present corporate job. |
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#93
01/21/2006, 12:07 AM
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Quote:
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Bill "LOL, well I have no brain apparently. " - dc (Debi) |
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#97
01/25/2006, 07:58 PM
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Quote:
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BRS |
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#98
02/13/2006, 10:10 PM
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I stopped by Petco again yesterday to pick up some salt, and I met someone who seemed to know alot about SW. He said that he only worked at the store one day a week, and often tries to pursuade his managers to improve the SW system.
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BRS |
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#99
02/14/2006, 12:51 AM
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Been at petco since November and guess how many SW fish have died under my care (outside of baby clowns and baby damsels...sorry there just ain't nothing you can do..3 or 4 outta a batch of 50 ain't bad at all)...none...if it made it over night the first night in was in the tanks..then it was alive until I sold it () : )
Notable Funnies: Coworkers putting a ~$30 Naso label on a ~$70 PBT, putting more than one dwarf angel in a tank, putting hermits in the same tank as a hawkfish, and putting a $6 scooter label on a $12 lawnmower...LOL () : ) Luckily I interviened before any damage was done in all cases () : ) Anyway, Cheers, grimmjohn
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They always come back Oh Lord...I'm not ready for this sort of thing. |
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#100
02/15/2006, 02:48 AM
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death to petco LOL
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however, I find that both SSB and DSB work.
Linear Mode
