Ay Ay Ay! Fish Store Stupidity

[qoftheq]

So I wandered through the fish section of one of my local pet stores today, and noticed that there were THREE male bettas in one 70 gallon tank. I ran off and found someone and explained that these fish will kill each other if left together, and she pulled two of them out before any real carnage happened. Who on earth runs a fish store and doesn't get that you can't put bettas together?

 

[linda1503]

That was a stupid mistake to make, but thank God you noticed and good on the assistant who took your word and quickly removed them.

 

[kniesh]

Thats nothing, I went into a pet shop by mine last week, in a 2ft tank they have a load of neons and 3 clown knife fish. They are only about 3" now but there is not one warning not to keep them with any small/ medium sized fish, or anything explaining the enormous size they will grow. Plus, surely keeping them in a tasnk with neons is sending out the wrong message?

 

[paul-discus]

I can believe anything with some of these stores, some are fantastic and some haven't got a bloody clue. The trick is find a good store and stick with it, even if it means having to travel a few miles. I would also like to see shops displaying on there tanks the size a particular fish will reach and what water conditions it requires, also what fish will go together. How many people get sold an oscar or a gibby and are not told how big and how fast they will grow, and they can't all be re-homed so they are doomed from the start really and is anotherfish life lost usually. The shops should be proffesional and informative and the would be fishkeeper not so eager, in fishkeeping patience really is a virtue, but putting 3 bettas together ugh dipsticks.

 

[020292]

The fish stores by me have the tanks labeled with the fishes kind (aggressive, tropical, community) and they also have a care sheet for every fish and they also have how big the fish is going to get and what other fish they can be kept with. Mine is pretty good and it does have trained professionals sometimes but not always!

 

[shellyboylan]

is that pets@home dean? sounds the same. shame the bolton one doesn't have a massive range though. bolton aquatics has loadsa fish but hardly any are labelled or priced and as for factsheets you're wishing on flying pigs lol

 

[nukeonekitty]

Apparently you don't need a fish keeping back ground to run a LPS/LFS... I can't stand when places have a dirty or poorly stocked selection, I am always just like wtf are you doing!?

 

[kniesh]

Yeah there are a couple of good ones by me but nothing is anywhere as good as the Maidenhead aquatics I recently found. It is definately better to travel that little bit further.

 

[richchappy]

ye there are a good few round here and i tend to stick to maidenhead and dobbies world that is surprisingly good.

 

[nukeonekitty]

Highland tropics is a little far for me, but well worth the drive. They listen to your input and know what they are talking about. The part I love is if they don't know the answer to your question they don't b.s. you they just ask around for you!

I avoid Petsmart/land/co because all they do is piss me off!

 

[020292]

is that pets@home dean? sounds the same. shame the bolton one doesn't have a massive range though. bolton aquatics has loadsa fish but hardly any are labelled or priced and as for factsheets you're wishing on flying pigs lol

No, it is PETCO. This is the best place i have found ot buy fish. The second choice for me is PetsMart and last is Walmart ( i try not to buy from walmart unless i have to and i have never had to buy from walmart!

Thanks!

 

[nukeonekitty]

I trust the major pet stores about as far as I can throw them...

 

[Okyrah]

I have seen worse...two male bettas in a ten gallon...at least in the 75 gallon the aggression could be spread somewhat, but thats just dumb what I saw at a wet pet. And the lady was like "I've been doing this for 20 years." 20 years my butt. She also recommended a common pleco for my ten gallon saying that it 'wouldn't outgrow the tank'.

 

[mildew]

Lack of knowledge in aquatic stores is one thing, but what about the quality of livestock and care for the livestock? Then you have the maintainance of the tanks. Cadbury Garden centre Nr bristol is one worth naming and shaming. most of the tanks have a build up of algae on glass and gravel, most tanks have sick, dying or dead fish in them and then theres the ones on sale with whitespot!!
I know there are industry guidelines for acceptable nitrate etc levels within display tanks but who enforces this?
If Rabbits or Hamsters were kept in equivalant conditions there would be uproar!

 

[nuttsaboutfish]

I use grosvenor tropicals just outside belfast, even though they have moved now and is a good bit further away from me i prefer to use them as they know what they are talking about and their tanks are always spotless, unlike some of the more lfs to me. Quality and knowledge is a must for me.