Just sad

[Synirr]

I was in line to check out at Walmart the other day, buying a new 5 gallon, and there was a couple buying a 10 gallon aquarium right in front of me. They also had a bag containing two large fantail goldfish. I'm thinking to myself "oh great, they're not going to cycle it and it's too small... but it could be worse." That's when I saw the OTHER bag, filled with 5 or 6 common goldfish. It can't possibly get worse than that, can it? They'll probably have less than two of those poor fish left within a week.

This has inspired me to finally take action, write up some fish care sheets, and seed them on the Walmart fish aisle. I'm planning on writing two separate sheets; one for bettas, and one for the other fish. Any suggestions as to what specific items I should include? I'll post the finished product later

 

[Mr Miagi]

Yeah, thats a great idea. I think you should include topics like:

Care/Maintenance of your new fish and its new environment

Feeding your fish

And keeping your fish healthy.

Just some ideas, but a great idea non the less!

I walked into a low budget fish store once, and there i saw a woman obviously buying a tank for her daughter seeking advice on saltwater, the lady at the fish store sold him a 5 gallon roughly, with sea salt, plastic ornaments, blue gravel, and one tub of food for a huge price.......WITH two live clownfish.....that is shocking, and there is no way those fish survived. I told her too seek better advice once he left the store and she took it back in. But the lady would have just sold it again to some poor shmuck.

 

[fufanu360]

u no wuts even more sad...


that you would buy ur tanks at walmart....

no offense, but i support mom and pops stores... not chain stores

 

[littlefishie]

u no wuts even more sad...


that you would buy ur tanks at walmart....

no offense, but i support mom and pops stores... not chain stores

I also support them, but hey.. when money's tight..

Hell, I buy as many supplies as I can at WalMart, and keep my live purchases for the better stores.

 

[pica_nuttalli]

ditto... around here mom and pops are hard to find, poorly stocked, over-priced and under-staffed. its the college-town curse -- not enough business and everyone looking for that primo deal.

 

[Synirr]

I buy my tanks at Walmart because neither of my LFS even have any 5 gallon tanks in stock at the moment. They simply don't stock many tanks, and the ones they do have are horrifically (and I do mean horrifically) overpriced. I try to support my LFSs whenever I can, but damnit, they need to at least try to price things like they want my business

Woohoo! The tentative first copy of the betta care sheet is finished. I tried to keep it short and simple.

"BETTA CARE SHEET
Free -- take one!

Thinking of getting a beautiful betta fish? Here are some hints and tips to help you keep your new pet happy and healthy:

1) Bettas require at least a one gallon bowl; but bigger is better
They can survive in smaller homes, but the difference between a betta living in a one gallon bowl or a tiny cup is like the difference between living in a house or a closet. Which would you rather have?
2) Males cannot be housed together
They don’t call them Siamese fighting fish for nothing! It is possible to house females together in a tank of 10 gallons or more, so long as there are 4 or more females to spread the aggression around. Males, on the other hand, will relentlessly fight and pick at other bettas in their tank, including females, until death occurs.
3) Proper dechlorination
Unless you’re planning to age your water in a bucket for a couple of days before using it in your tank, use a chemical dechlorinator such as Aquasafe. Chlorine is harmful for fish, and even store-bought spring water contains it.
4) Water changes
To avoid the buildup of harmful chemicals in your tank, you should change your fish’s water weekly. If your tank has a filter, 10-25% of the water should be changed; with an unfiltered tank or bowl, 100% of the water should be changed weekly.
5) Feeding
Bettas are primarily insectivores in the wild, so despite what some betta-in-a-vase pamphlets would have you believe, they do not eat the roots of plants and should be fed daily. Careful not to feed them more than they can eat within the span of 5 minutes. Bettas will eat a variety of foods, but tend to prefer pellet foods over flakes.

Remember, I’m a real living being and not a decoration, so it is your responsibility to take care of me properly and provide me with everything I need to live a long, healthy life!"

And because I'm vain, I included a snazzy little piece of my art at the bottom, in front of the text that's written in first person

 

[Raechal]

I think walmart has cheap supplies like substrates and decor like fake plants and stuff but I'd much rather shop at my LFS for anything live. My local walmart doesn't even sell live fish. They only sell fish supplies. But a walmart about 20 minutes away has a fish dept. I've never been to it though...I've just heard stories.

I think Petsmart usually has good deals when it comes to filters.

 

[Mr Miagi]

The broachure sounds good. Even if one person pics it up, it will be worth it. Will wal-mart let you though?

I dont have any wal-marts around in australia, but we have our ones too, for example, pets paradise. They know absoulutely nothin bout fish!

 

[Synirr]

The broachure sounds good. Even if one person pics it up, it will be worth it. Will wal-mart let you though?

Pffft, they don't even know what's going on on the fish aisle!
I don't plan to ask permission... I'll just plop the care sheets down on an opportune shelf. I guarantee you that none of the employees are going to care enough (or know enough) to get rid of them... they'll probably think it's something the store printed out!

 

[Raechal]

The broachure sounds good. Even if one person pics it up, it will be worth it. Will wal-mart let you though?

Pffft, they don't even know what's going on on the fish aisle!
I don't plan to ask permission... I'll just plop the care sheets down on an opportune shelf. I guarantee you that none of the employees are going to care enough (or know enough) to get rid of them... they'll probably think it's something the store printed out!

I agree. If my walmart had a fish store I would most likely do the same. Except I would put "Bettas NEED atleast a 5 gallon to be happy and healthy" just because that is my opinion. Although I've had happy and healthy bettas in 1 gallon bowls. I think they are more active when they are in larger tanks (up to 10 gallons)

 

[Synirr]

I agree. If my walmart had a fish store I would most likely do the same. Except I would put "Bettas NEED atleast a 5 gallon to be happy and healthy" just because that is my opinion. Although I've had happy and healthy bettas in 1 gallon bowls. I think they are more active when they are in larger tanks (up to 10 gallons)

Hehe... yeah well, I don't want to completely discourage people from buying them!
The 5 gallon starter kits at Walmart will run you about $35, and most people who are just starting out with their first fish don't want to spend that much. I've got about 15 male bettas, and I assure you they're not all in 5 gallon tanks *lol*
1 gallon is "enough," in my opinion.

 

[3fsh]

Hmmm... some of those nifty little pamphlets just might *accidentally* show up in a Walmart near me... Would it be okay if I used that info... and the gorgeous picture?

 

[Synirr]

Hmmm... some of those nifty little pamphlets just might *accidentally* show up in a Walmart near me...        Would it be okay if I used that info... and the gorgeous picture? 

I'd be delighted!
I could send you the .doc file too, if you like, since it's already formatted and the picture inserted and all that good stuff.

 

[SuckerLove86]

Hey, Synirr!

Awesome idea.

Could you send me the doc file so I can "distribute" some to the evil walmarts here?

We have three of em here, but one of them actually has people that know what they're doing. Suprisingly.

Message me if you could.

Thanks!

 

[Synirr]

The general fish care sheet is complete now as well, woohoo! I'm going to try to find a place to host the .doc files, but if I can't I'll just email them out to whoever wants one

"Fish Care Sheet
Free – take one!


Fish need more than just water and food to survive, so here are a few tips to help start you and your aquatic pets off on the right foot (or fin):

1) Get the right tank size for your fish
Contrary to popular belief, fish don’t necessarily grow to their tank size. Living in a tank that is too small does, however, stunt a fish’s growth; which can cause organ failure and a slow, miserable death. Do some research and know how large your fish will grow before buying. Common goldfish can reach sizes of up to 12 inches long, and need a tank of at least 40 gallons to thrive. Careful about trusting those stickers under the tanks, too. Iridescent sharks can grow to be 40” in the wild – over three times the size listed!
2) Tropical fish and goldfish shouldn’t be housed together
Goldfish are very messy, which can cause problems for tropical fish, as they tend to be a bit more fragile. In addition, goldfish prefer temperatures much lower than those needed by tropical fish.
3) Be aware of fish compatibility
You wouldn’t want to buy two lovely fish for your tank, then wake up the next morning to discover that one was missing its eyes and fins, would you? Some species just shouldn’t be mixed.
4) Feeding
Be sure to choose foods appropriate for your type of fish. Don’t overfeed – only give as much food as your fish can consume within the span of 5 minutes.
5) Proper tank care
Dechlorinator (such as Aquasafe) should be used whenever adding new water to an aquarium. Even store-bought spring water contains chlorine, which is harmful to fish. Water changes should be done regularly to avoid the buildup of harmful chemicals – change 10-25% of the water in filtered tanks weekly, and 100% of the water in small, unfiltered tanks or bowls.


THE BOTTOM LINE:
Research, research, research! Knowing what you’re getting into before you make your purchase will likely save you a lot of time, money, and effort."