Very Sad

[joshntarri]

Tonight my husband and I went to a local Meijer store. We always stop to look at the fish at any store that has them. We were extremely shocked to see the sweet little Parrots in with the Africans. Of course they were attacking them and killing them. I went to speak with the manager. Oh also dead fish in other tanks and more dying. Any way I told her what was happening to the Parrots and with the dead fish the others would die from ammonia. She told my they buy in bulk and things like this happen she would let someone know in the morning. Well we all know what will be there then, a lot more dead fish. I called their corporate office as soon as I got home someone is going to get back with me. I am so sad I could not buy them all and save them. We have 8 Jellybeans and Blood Parrots we love them they are so funny. we have other fish also 10 aquariums in all. I would like to ask everyone that has this store check out the fish and complain if they are making the same mistake. I would also like to ask if you have a Wal-Mart check them also ours had the Parrots in with Green Spotted Puffers. Thank you.

 

[ShinyCard255]

Meijer and Walmart are not good places to buy fish for your aquariums as they don't take good care of them or know what they are doing with them. I've seen a ton of dead fish in the tanks at Walmart. I like looking at them, but I will NEVER buy a fish from either store. Go to a LFS, not your everyday merchandise store for fish

 

[Chris2]

Just avoid these stores, and if anyone that you know gets into the hobby inform them of this as well. Thats all we can do.

 

[Dieses Madchen]

I buy the occasional fish from chain stores like Petco. At my local Petco, there is a woman there that is actually an aquatic specialist. She is very knowledgeable when it come to fish. I wanted to buy some harlequins last week to add to my school, but she warned me that the tanks on the wall were having issues, and strongly advised against me buying. So I help off. I went back today and they had more harlequins, and the tank was doing fine and all the fish were healthy, so I bought some. She has never steered me wrong and has been kind enough to advise me when it came to water quality issues, or sick fish. While there are plenty of chains that have a poor choice of employment in their fish section, do not discourage all of them, as there are some good ones. You can easily find that out by simply talking to them and asking questions. If they are telling you something you know is wrong, then you obviously got a bad one.

But this does not justify keeping incompatible fish in the same tank! I am glad to see that people are paying attention and trying to steer those stores in the right direction. I noticed at one of the chains near my house the other day that they had a betta in a tank(he was so pretty) with guaramis! I told the lady working(who admitted that she was no fish specialist) that the betta needed to be taken out before it kills the guaramis or vice versa. She listened!

 

[Caprichoso]

Tonight my husband and I went to a local Meijer store. We always stop to look at the fish at any store that has them. We were extremely shocked to see the sweet little Parrots in with the Africans. Of course they were attacking them and killing them. I went to speak with the manager. Oh also dead fish in other tanks and more dying. Any way I told her what was happening to the Parrots and with the dead fish the others would die from ammonia. She told my they buy in bulk and things like this happen she would let someone know in the morning. Well we all know what will be there then, a lot more dead fish. I called their corporate office as soon as I got home someone is going to get back with me. I am so sad I could not buy them all and save them. We have 8 Jellybeans and Blood Parrots we love them they are so funny. we have other fish also 10 aquariums in all. I would like to ask everyone that has this store check out the fish and complain if they are making the same mistake. I would also like to ask if you have a Wal-Mart check them also ours had the Parrots in with Green Spotted Puffers. Thank you.

Good for you for talking to the manager! I totally think that this is the best way to create change. Keep complaining until they change, that's what I did at my local walmart..now they don't sell fish anymore!

 

[ian]

lets not turn this into a major pet store bashing thread. If it carries on the thread will be locked.

 

[Ruskull]

I buy the occasional fish from chain stores like Petco. At my local Petco, there is a woman there that is actually an aquatic specialist. She is very knowledgeable when it come to fish. I wanted to buy some harlequins last week to add to my school, but she warned me that the tanks on the wall were having issues, and strongly advised against me buying. So I help off. I went back today and they had more harlequins, and the tank was doing fine and all the fish were healthy, so I bought some. She has never steered me wrong and has been kind enough to advise me when it came to water quality issues, or sick fish. While there are plenty of chains that have a poor choice of employment in their fish section, do not discourage all of them, as there are some good ones. You can easily find that out by simply talking to them and asking questions. If they are telling you something you know is wrong, then you obviously got a bad one.

But this does not justify keeping incompatible fish in the same tank! I am glad to see that people are paying attention and trying to steer those stores in the right direction. I noticed at one of the chains near my house the other day that they had a betta in a tank(he was so pretty) with guaramis! I told the lady working(who admitted that she was no fish specialist) that the betta needed to be taken out before it kills the guaramis or vice versa. She listened!

I'd put money on the Gourami killing the Betta if they're the same size, especially if it's a Three Spot, Blue, Gold or Opaline.

 

[Ruskull]

lets not turn this into a major pet store bashing thread. If it carries on the thread will be locked.

I've gotten all my fish from PetSmart, PetCo & Walmart and the only issues I had were with Dwarf Gourami Disease. That particular disease would will any fish in any store as it's incurable. I bought 2 female Dwarfs from Walmart & a single male Red Flame Dwarf from PetSmart and they all died of DGD.

Walmart had some really special looking Fancy Guppies for cheap. We bought 2 males & a female & they're doing well after 2 months in my son's tank. I know, we were supposed to get 1 male & 2 females but I couldn't tell the difference. Now they all get along fine, go figure.

PetSmart had a great sale on Gold, Blue & Opaline Gouramis and my favorite fish is a male Gold Gourami that I got at PetCo. I also found 3 very nice Albino Corries & 4 Otocinclus catfish.

I did find a local exclusive fish store that has Pearl Gouramis, CRoaking Gouramis, Blue Rams, etc. and if you want the more rare fish you have to go to a local fish store.

 

[CezzaXV]

Walmart had some really special looking Fancy Guppies for cheap. We bought 2 males & a female & they're doing well after 2 months in my son's tank. I know, we were supposed to get 1 male & 2 females but I couldn't tell the difference. Now they all get along fine, go figure.

Are you 100% sure they're guppies? It's just that male and female guppies are quite distinct, it's difficult for me to imagine anyone not being able to tell male and females apart.

 

[Dieses Madchen]

I buy the occasional fish from chain stores like Petco. At my local Petco, there is a woman there that is actually an aquatic specialist. She is very knowledgeable when it come to fish. I wanted to buy some harlequins last week to add to my school, but she warned me that the tanks on the wall were having issues, and strongly advised against me buying. So I help off. I went back today and they had more harlequins, and the tank was doing fine and all the fish were healthy, so I bought some. She has never steered me wrong and has been kind enough to advise me when it came to water quality issues, or sick fish. While there are plenty of chains that have a poor choice of employment in their fish section, do not discourage all of them, as there are some good ones. You can easily find that out by simply talking to them and asking questions. If they are telling you something you know is wrong, then you obviously got a bad one.

But this does not justify keeping incompatible fish in the same tank! I am glad to see that people are paying attention and trying to steer those stores in the right direction. I noticed at one of the chains near my house the other day that they had a betta in a tank(he was so pretty) with guaramis! I told the lady working(who admitted that she was no fish specialist) that the betta needed to be taken out before it kills the guaramis or vice versa. She listened!

I'd put money on the Gourami killing the Betta if they're the same size, especially if it's a Three Spot, Blue, Gold or Opaline.

She moved the betta out when I said something. I told her the gourami would mutilate the betta. Other than that one scenario, and I pleased with my local chain petstores. Bought 3 new swordtails today from petco Very healthy fish.

 

[Baccus]

Walmart had some really special looking Fancy Guppies for cheap. We bought 2 males & a female & they're doing well after 2 months in my son's tank. I know, we were supposed to get 1 male & 2 females but I couldn't tell the difference. Now they all get along fine, go figure.

Are you 100% sure they're guppies? It's just that male and female guppies are quite distinct, it's difficult for me to imagine anyone not being able to tell male and females apart.

Many people can't tell my male guppies from the females as some of my girls carry just as much colour as the boys. To many people assume that only the males are colourful so they lump any coloured guppy into the male bracket. Heck I have trouble telling them apart while young and have to wait until the gonopodium has really started to develop, before I can safely seperate out the young males from the girls.