# Fish Rescue-Advantages and Disadvantages



## Lupin

I'm leaving this topic open for discussions, comments and suggestions. Please feel free to post your opinions but do not make any comments that are out of line or against the TOS.

I'm quoting below Bettababy's post which made an excellent point when rescuing a fish or any other aquatic creatures from your pet stores.



bettababy said:


> In the future, for anyone reading this post, I want to make it known that when you purchase a sick fish or any fish from unhealthy conditions, you are not really rescuing anything. What you are doing, in fact, is promoting the conditions in which you found it. You wonder how? A store spends money on fish to sell to the customers for a profit. They mark prices up 3 - 4 times the wholesale cost. The fish you pay $1 for likely cost them a quarter or less. The stores often provide bare minimum conditions to keep the fish until they are sold because everything they do for and give to the fish is something else they have to pay for, which brings their profit margin down. When they keep fish poorly, 1 of 2 things will happen. They will get stuck with a lot of fish that will die, costing them a lot of money, or people will come in and buy the fish as is, which gives them no reason to change their practices.
> Anyone who really wants to rescue the fish, there are things you can do to make a huge difference, while saving your money and many more than the 1 fish you may or may not be able to provide for your yourself. Complain! I don't know how many times I have said this... but complaining... making some noise, is one of the best ways to approach it. Tell these stores that you, a paying customer, will not give them your business until they raise their standards to a humane level. Complain to employees, but more so complain to management. Ask to speak to an owner, either in person, via phone or email... doesn't matter. Let these peopel know that we demand healthy and well cared for animals for sale, or we will take our business elsewhere. Then, the next best thing to do is walk away. Don't spend your money, don't contribute to the problem. These stores have to make money or they don't exist. If they start losing money they have to either quit selling that thing or fix the problem with why it doesn't sell.
> So the next time someone is tempted to rescue a sick fish, please remember this: you can save one and contribute to the death of how many others? or you can sacrafice one for the sake of how many in the future?


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## Falina

An excellent sticky and great advice from Dawn. i would like to add one thing however...

In my experience with a store in Glasgow (and Kate has had issues with the same store) talking to management did absolutely nothing. Of course this is always the first step and you should speak to management before taking it further. What Kate did a while back was contact the environmental health about the store and they received a visit. Speaking only from what Kate has told me for this part: the store received a visit and cleaned up their act for a period of time. Unfortunately it wasn't long before they were back to their old tricks again. All this happened before i had visited the store. On visiting the store i found the conditins terrible and like i said talking to the owners did nothing so i too made a complaint. Nothing came of it so I complained again and was told via email that the store would be looked into. Now that store has a record for having visits, any other visits will be treated more seriously.

so basically I just wanted to add that if you find you are getting nowhere complaining to the managers, you can always take it a step further and complain to environmental health, or whatever the equivalent in your area is. 

But the main thing is not to give them your custom. It's a sort of cruel to be kind scenario where you have to be "cruel" to the particular fish you are thinking of saving, in order to be kind to a whole batch of other fish.


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## scottysgirl

Interesting ethical topic. I agree: complain, complain complain...don't give them your business, but at the same time...I went to a LFS (which I no longer give my business to) and saw a half dead albino oscar. I made them give to me, took him home, nursed him up. He is now a happy two year old in his 55 gallon tank, and I love him and am thankful I have him every day. Also, lets face it, these stores are always going to be around, because too many people are just looking for the cheapest fish around. There are also a lot of people who don't care what conditions the fish lives in, THESE are the people who are perpetuating the cruel treatment. Also, I guess I kind of think of it like the animal shelter, or rescuing animals off the street. Will not adopting the animals, allowing them all to die, get people to spay/neuter their pets? No....
Anyway, just food for thought. I have been mulling over this same issue lately actually.


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## Falina

When you said you made them give him to you, do you mean for free? If so then I guess this would be the one exception where you may well be rescuing the fish since the lfs isn't actually making anything from the "sale". The only problem here is that if you have other fish in the tank, you risk their health, if not though, I see nothing wrong with this at all.


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## scottysgirl

Yes, they gave him to me for free. He was in really bad shape, he looked like he was going to be dead in a matter of minutes. I kept him by himself, always actually, he has never had a tankmate.


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## Falina

scottysgirl said:


> Yes, they gave him to me for free. He was in really bad shape, he looked like he was going to be dead in a matter of minutes. I kept him by himself, always actually, he has never had a tankmate.


Sounds like you've done well for him. Good for you.


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## Holly

I agree. Normally I'll check out the store, ask some questions that I know the answers and see what everything looks like. If compaining goes nowhere there's nothing I can do except not go there and let everyone else I know about what's going on so they don't go either. That's one thing I love about this web site, I've asked about good lfs to go to in NJ and I've gotten great responces. Word of mouth is the best way to make or break a business.


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## cedricb

I have seen sick fish all the time in PETCO. most of the time ich and rot tail deseases. really more than in petsmart. But even if you go to a specialysed shop you have always fishes that have ich or because they are more prompt to get it (more stressful fishes) or because at some point the store can have a problems to handle their water parameters. At the same time, at some point they are also dependent on what their dealers give them.

If you ask me PETCO should be forbideb to sell salt water fish. For the price they cost I can't understand why they didn't think about stoping selling them by themselfs because most of the time they are or dead in the aquarium or having ich though in the way to die.

But at the end what shall we do. If a fish seems nice and healthy, we buy it. In that case I think that the best thing to do is to buy fishes breed in captivity instead of the ones wild caught. In that case at least you are sure that it doesn't put the species in danger.

even if the health commity comes and visits the store they would be blamed and nothing more. Is it worth. I'm not sure.


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## miniflea84

I've only been to my local petco a couple of times, but I agree with you about them not selling marine fish. The last time I was there, there was a tank with two black clownfish and one of them was swimming at a significant list and one of its eyes was way way way bulged out. Yikes.


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## Oldman47

A local branch of a big chain store used to do business near me. I saw some poor fish conditions in that store and did complain to no avail. At most times, there were signs on their tanks saying the fish were "under observation" and not for sale. About a year ago, that particular store closed. I must say I don't miss them and am glad that I never contributed to them staying open even one extra day. When they closed their doors, they sold off equipment for close to wholesale prices and I did help them clean off the shelves of equipment. 
The opposite kind of store also exists. I drive an hour just to shop there and the fish are always in good condition. The owner is also a hobbyist and works with the local fish club and other customers to stock interesting fish that are well cared for. The store is always humming with activity and I am sure his business model is working better than that chain store that no longer has a branch here.


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## fishkid

I think the only time you should rescue a fish is when you demand that you get it for free or a very low price.


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## Chrisseh

1. As many of you know, I work for PetSmart. Sometimes if a fish is sick, it is our fault (i.e.; something broke with our filtration system, or feeding, etc). Sometimes it is the condition the fish come into the store. I know that we recently switched distributors and the fish have been so much healthier. 

2. COMPLAIN! Also, compliment when the store deserves it. I got a free lunch one day because I had a customer email corporate and compliment my good work. The more customer compliments I get/ the store gets the easier it is for me to get promotted. Then some day I can actually be influentual in store policys and procedures, thus resulting in better overall conditions.

3. NEVER buy anything from a store you don't feel is taking care of it's animals. Even getting hard goods will keep the company is business.


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## doraslilhitman

yea i went to petco today and half of their plecos had spinal or fin deformities. Ever seen a pleco with dropsy? they look like quasimodo with fins. by petco standards this one offers pretty good service but i agree big corporate companies should improve the quality of their fish. It was a good facility though I think most of the time it is the distributor's fault for selling poor quality fish. a LFS a bit aways from where I live offers great service and great quality fish...the corporate companies need to raise their standards.


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## veganchick

very cool, but its ok to rescue from other places. I rescued my betta from being flushed down the toilet after a cruel science experiment cuz he was so sick. He was the only fish out of hundreds who survived, and he wasn't expected to. I didn't send a penny on him. I think thats ok, correct?


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## dramaqueen

IMO, I think it's best to buy a healthy fish at the petstore. I read on another forum where people were buying sick bettas because they wanted to rescue them from the horrible conditions they were in. Their hearts were in the right place but then they got very angry with the petstore when, after treating the fish for various diseases and putting it in its own heated, filtered tank, the fish still died. The petstore didn't force them to buy that sick betta. I DO understand wanting to help save a fish's life, though. I saved a betta from being flushed myself.


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## Kim

Ahh...the topic that I always think over every time I walk into a pet store and see half-dead bettas. I WANT to buy them all so bad, but my mind says no. I'd love to stop buying from chain stores altogether, but the only private place I've found was no better than the chain ones.

Here's some food for thought though. The Petco that we have is actually pretty good especially with the bettas which are all usually clean and healthy although they are still stressed and unhappy. Petsmart on the other hand - wow, I walked in there and EVERY tank was infested with ick and some sort of terrible fin/body rot. The betta cups were blue and filthy (uh duh, maybe you wouldn't need the methylene blue if you cleaned the cups!) and the bettas themselves looked half-dead. However, there was another post that said that it was the exact opposite scenario with those two stores in their area. So, even if I buy from the good Petco, aren't I still contributing to the bad branches of the store? And even if I rescue from Petsmart, aren't I still contributing to the good branches of the store? If you ask me it is a no win situation, so I guess I'll just have to open my own store lol! Realistically, I wish that I had a good lfs to give my business to. Just some food for thought concerning the entire chain store issue.

Rescueing from other sources is wonderful though. I myself have a sweet little betta that I rescued from a teacher at school, and if the situation arises again I would not hesitate to do the same again. Good for all of you who have rescued bettas from being flushed!


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## dramaqueen

I will take any betta that needs a home. I don't want to see one flushed just because the owner got tired of it. Some people get them for their kids and the kids don't take care of it (my cousin's daughter) so the parents flush the fish.  Its too easy to just flush them instead of trying to find them a good home. I just told my Mom that if something was to happen to me and I die before her, PLEASE do not flush my fish!!! Find them a home!! She said she would.


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## Fishin Pole

I personally wouldnt rescue fish from any chain store, like another member said, its just promoting the bad fish rearing tactics to continue..........This is what i do when i walk into a NEW store (New to me).........I act completely stupid about fish..........See what they reccomend and how i should proceed with setting up a tank........I tried this at the only place in my town that sells fish (never bought there before)...I walked in there and told them i was thinking about getting a betta for my girlfriend, the employee tried to tell me a 3 gallon tank is more than large enough for a betta and 3 goldfish..........I played stupid and told him i would think about it.........I have never been back there to buy anything, not even feeder fish!.......The sad part is, there tanks didnt look that bad, but some of there combinations of fish together, just made me cry...........They had buenos aries tetras (Known fin nippers) in with small angelfish, adn some of the angels looked stressed, to say the least!


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## Kim

So where do you guys buy your fish? Unfortunately, all the stores around me are chain stores, and the only lfs was just as bad. There's one place that I have yet to visit that I have heard is good, but it's really far away. And with gas prices being high, and time being short it is hard to get anyone to drive me there - and I probably won't be wanting to go there every time I need a little something when I have my license because of the gas. I'm not sure there's anything I can do about my situation now, but hopefully when I'm on my own things will be different.

My dream is to open my own fish store when I'm retired. I'd breed all my own fish, and my tanks would be beautiful (of course I'd have perfected growing plants by then!). I'd have info sheets at every tank and corner, and hopefully it would attract a lot of people actually into the hobby who would then have a good place to buy from. I'd be happy doing that to keep my busy once I'm retired!


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## veganchick

My only GOOD NICE fishstore doesn't sell bettas, which are usually the fish I am most concerned about!


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## amones369

Man, I went into a pet store today to check out the Bettas. They were displaying two or three males together in the same bowls. 

These are the people we look to for pet care advice.


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## dramaqueen

Some smart aleck may have put them there for kicks.


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## veganchick

wow! thats all I'm gonna say


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## parakeeto225

*???*

Biggest Pleco Ive seen was In my hometown Philippines!

a black adonis pleco (janitor fish)










plecos are nice but this one looks..err..scary...it got malformed because they had a ship full of oil sink down into the ocean causing all the oil to harm fish making them abnormalities.. poor fish  a.k.a oil spill


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## onekatietwo

I'm not sure how affective this is, but I ALWAYS go leave a review on listing on google maps. So many people use this to find the place where they are going, if they see a bad review, they might be more likely to avoid it. Often times there will already be reviews saying that same thing that you want to say, but more is better! It really drives the point home.

I've also considered writing a letter to be published in the local newspaper, but I haven't gotten that far yet.


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## Herbicide

I'm always tempted to steal the sad bettas. 
I used to buy them, and then when I had too many, I started putting them (the non-sick bettas) in the fish store's community tanks (only the compatible ones) and then one time at petsmart this huge security dude came out and followed me around the store, so I don't do that anymore xD


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## herbwin

I had never ever heard of fish rescue before I found this forum, I think it is very interesting, but kind of alien to me. Like the OP stated, it would be like paying the store to mistreat them. Plus, I would not want to pay money for an unhealthy animal. If I really wanted a sick fish, because of price or rarity, and I thought I could treat it easily, I might buy it, but compassion would not be a factor.

The nearest to a fish rescue I can think of was when I was buying a small breed pleco, while waiting to get him bagged we noticed he only had one eye! He was otherwise healthy, it was a birth defect or a very old injury and fully healed. The fish guy offered a discount, half as a joke I think, but I took it! I would have payed full price anyway. He turned out to be quite a charactor and we had him for many years. 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Deku

Holly said:


> I agree. Normally I'll check out the store, ask some questions that I know the answers and see what everything looks like. If compaining goes nowhere there's nothing I can do except not go there and let everyone else I know about what's going on so they don't go either. That's one thing I love about this web site, I've asked about good lfs to go to in NJ and I've gotten great responces. Word of mouth is the best way to make or break a business.


There is a few bad stores in NJ. 
Like:
-Pet Goods= Friend worked there for a year, tons of fish died easily, fish that were for a cent they put it for 10bucks. They even get some fish they LITERARY get off the streets. Like someone drops it infront of their store and they actually charge a TON of money for it. Like I saw a pleco they charged for 40bucks. 

Staff is rude, and generally unknowledgable

Adam's pet safari= Bought a toad from there it was full of parasites, and tons of stuff. I saw skeletons of some frogs on the side of t he tank. They keep toads with skinks in a dessert set up with the dish of water empty. Told the guy to fill it up. Said he would. never did. Bought his overly expensive fish and they all died in the same day. The service was bad, employees were rude and racist. Etc.

Petsmart=Some fish were okay, but for the most part, unknowledgable staff, uncaring, etc. 

Petco=Death trap for animals, tons of fish die there a week, they keep sick animals and never tend to them. They have seriously poor knowledge. 

Like I dont know why, but these people are stupid(general petstores). Like I mean even the basics, they dont know. Like who doesnt know you dont keep a goldfish in a bowl anymore? Or who doesnt know that you dont mix two species of animals from:
a)Two different families
b)Two different locations
c)Different necessities
All of this is common sense. Or who doesnt know that you dont feed frogs mice because frogs dont consume mammal tissue that well?


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## Norbert

I'm living near pet store "Pets at Home" in gateshead, metrocentre north east of England.
I'm going there every two weeks and I don't remember time when I didn't see any dead fish in tank or dieying.
If you'll buy a fish and it'll die then you can replace it within 10 days.

That doesn't make much difference since I've been having lots of problems with fish flickering and dieying constantly, now I have white spot.

They also said to me that I can keep fish I bought together and they're compatible - I found on this forum that it's far from truth and I have real problem with compatibility. Having fish which likes hard water and soft water isn't good idea and they said to me "they'll be fine, your water is good".

I don't trust them anymore and only go there for frozen food (best I could find). Apart from that I go to LFS in gateshead.

Those people often don't have idea about aquaristic. Some of them have aquariums but their advise is often wrong and it's most likely not their hobby. They're just cleaning and selling stuff there.

I would say that local fish stores are a lot better then companies selling for masses. Huge companies employ people which don't know much. In LFS owner opens stores like this because it's his hobby and he has to know something about it, it's not like opening fast food where you don't need to know anything about it.

Although most of huge pet stores have lots of equipment I wouldn't recommend going there for fish. In my case LFS have lot more equipement and if he hasn'tgot it then you can ask and it will be ordered.

In comparison I bought 5 neons from Pets at Home and only 2 survived, when I bought them from LFS all of them survived.And it's like that every time.


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## nicolaas

cedricb said:


> I have seen sick fish all the time in PETCO. most of the time ich and rot tail deseases. really more than in petsmart. But even if you go to a specialysed shop you have always fishes that have ich or because they are more prompt to get it (more stressful fishes) or because at some point the store can have a problems to handle their water parameters. At the same time, at some point they are also dependent on what their dealers give them.


I work at a pet shop and we are so dependent on the dealers,we all ways get sick fish. We get dead fish,and we get bags of dead fish.
And the problem is this is the only dealer that ships them in our location.

I have not saved a fish yet but I have saved a budgie.


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## AK Fresh Water

Fishin Pole said:


> I personally wouldnt rescue fish from any chain store, like another member said, its just promoting the bad fish rearing tactics to continue..........This is what i do when i walk into a NEW store (New to me).........I act completely stupid about fish..........See what they reccomend and how i should proceed with setting up a tank........I tried this at the only place in my town that sells fish (never bought there before)...I walked in there and told them i was thinking about getting a betta for my girlfriend, the employee tried to tell me a 3 gallon tank is more than large enough for a betta and 3 goldfish..........I played stupid and told him i would think about it.........I have never been back there to buy anything, not even feeder fish!.......The sad part is, there tanks didnt look that bad, but some of there combinations of fish together, just made me cry...........They had buenos aries tetras (Known fin nippers) in with small angelfish, adn some of the angels looked stressed, to say the least!


I had a worker try to sell me a pleco for a 2.5 gal tank before!
Yeah, no thanks I think a Mystery Snail is fine...


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## mommyandkids

My local Petco will only sell freshwater fish. When I was there, the fish looked healthy, but the Beta's. They had them in the dreaded cup, and on an end cap shelf. They all looked unhappy and not very active. I really wish they would stop the cup, and let them swim in a tank. Use the cup only for transport, not a bowl to swim in.


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## Adalheidis

I was at Walmart the other day to pick up some fish food...

There was a _completely flattened little fish on the floor_. Paper thin. Obviously dead, walked on, rolled over...


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## Lost Eventide

To be honest, it's really hard for me to walk past a fish (or any animal for that matter) that's in trouble and not try to help it, but I've been trying to restrict myself from "rescuing" any of them even if just for the reason of preserving the health of my own tank.

Not to mention I'd spend a fortune if I was to purchase all of them full price. Just the little neon tetras themselves at my local Pet Supplies Plus are over $2, so buying a healthy school of them ends up being a bit expensive to the average person that doesn't know any better and just wants a bit of added colour to their home aquarium. I ended up buying a school of them not to long ago and unfortunately one died by the time I got home before I even had the chance to float the bag (which took me less than five minutes from check-out). The others I had mixed results with.

And then when they do offer 2 for 1 deals or something, it's _always_ fish like redtail sharks. In other words, fish that you should keep _one_ of in most cases. I'd like to see the day when they offer sales like that on schooling fish.

I will admit I was a bit impressed last time I went seeing when I got the neons I was also going to get a small gourami, but the worker that was netting the fish for me commented on how he didn't think keeping a fish from the "semi-aggressive" group of tanks with the "community tanks" was a good idea. My dad and I have always kept the smaller gouramis with the more peaceful tetras with no issues, but I was caught off guard and doubted the decision so I avoided getting it for the time being. A bit of research later, it seems there would have been no issues at all with pairing the species so I'll probably go back after I finish planting my tank to get one, but that was the first time any worker in the fish department had ever said something that wasn't purely to encourage a sale, and I told him as much.

My experience with Pet Supplies Plus in general has always been sort of mixed. There have been weeks when I've gone in and the tanks were completely riddled with disease, and there have been weeks where almost all the fish look healthy and vibrant. We've also ordered fish through them before (such as an Atlantic Stingray my dad wanted as well as a type of Amazon stingray a couple years after) and the fish that we order directly have always been in fantastic health, so I'm wondering if the special orders come through more reputable distributors.

I'm probably going to start getting my fish from Agway when I can though. I've always been extremely happy with how their tanks looked, and while it is sort of a chain company, the local one is owned by someone locally (the dad of a girl I graduated with actually). I got my clown pleco from them, and he has just been an absolute doll, plus their prices are a bit fairer.

I can't comment on Petco though. We _just_ had one put in, and I've only been in once to look at aquarium lights and heaters/filters. Most of their tanks seemed to be reasonably healthy (even the saltwater ones), but I didn't get a good look at them seeing my attentions were focused elsewhere. However, they did have the bettas in the cups and they were stacked several rows high (which I couldn't help but wonder what would happen to the poor little guy that's stuck on the bottom in the back). Some looked pretty healthy, but others... not so much.

Unfortunately I don't have a truly local fish store anywhere close by. There was one my dad would always go to, but it's quite a drive away and I think it ended up closing down (which was a real shame... we got our chameleons from there when we had them and their tanks looked like display tanks in and of themselves). Either way, my choices are a bit limited.

Lol, I think I rambled a bit though. Oh the faults of typing out thoughts as they come to mind xD


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## Fredsterbit

For those who work at Petco or some other big chain, is there any way that you guys can change who the supplier is? I know some of you have said that you are dependent on the supplier but.. if you keep getting bad fish it really doesn't help the business..


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## Tigris

What would changing a supplier do? Yes there are times when the supplier does not treat the animals correctly. Petsmart, Petco, and some of the ma and pa stores all use the same supplier and each store's stock is amazingly different. Yes, fish will die in transit, and unfortunately it is unavoidable. The difference between the quality of the stores is what each individual store does after they receive the fish.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## ninjablackghostknife

mommyandkids said:


> My local Petco will only sell freshwater fish. When I was there, the fish looked healthy, but the Beta's. They had them in the dreaded cup, and on an end cap shelf. They all looked unhappy and not very active. I really wish they would stop the cup, and let them swim in a tank. Use the cup only for transport, not a bowl to swim in.


Well I think all the petcos do that, it's really sad, and once there was a dead oranda that was allowed to just sit at the bottom of a community tank for hours. I pointed it out and got the brushoff 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Bluewind

Guess I have a simi-lucky story then. I have a friend who is a total fish addict (I blame her for my new obsesion! XD). I was trying to figure out the price of starting my own. She told me how some things can be bought cheeper at Walmart (like filters), so I went. I didn't even know they had a single fish! They just had Bettas, but they were so pitiful looking, I called management and raised cane. When she blew me off, I called corporate. Lots of fussing later, I got a fish and a Walmart card for my trouble. 

I went back a week later and the fish looked no better which really bummed me out.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## jentralala

I'm surprised to hear your local Walmart still sells Betta fish. The Walmart in my town stopped carrying them several months ago, thank goodness. Unfortunately they probably stopped carrying them because people were putting them in the freezers. I really just don't understand people.

And I understand a lot of people's situation. I have three LFS in my area. One has been there for ages and I really love the girl who works there, but the actual owner is a psycho, and refuses to pay for nicer facilities. So the fish and animals really suffer, even though the girl tries her best to keep it all maintained on her own. I ask her for advice but I'm always cautious about the fish. And she only has about 5 Betta fish at a time, and they all get put in a tank with other compatible fish, which I really like that she does.

The second store has actually really nice tanks, but the woman who works there freaks me out. And then the third store is a complete fish store with just fish and supplies, and the tanks are actually pretty bad. Several of the Koi have defects, and there's usually one of two fish per tank with some kind of disease/defect. He has an entire tank of mixed gourami species. Another tank, I think a 15, maybe 20 gallon, with a 7inch gar. And he also weird's me out. 

Sorry to rant but I just want to empathize with you guys. It's really hard to find good stores, and ones that I can be comfortable buying from.


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## jentralala

Lol, I meant that I don't understand people who can do that to fish. And I understand the situation many of you are stuck in, where to buy from. Those sentences sounded odd together, just wanted to clarify.


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## geek9110

Adalheidis said:


> I was at Walmart the other day to pick up some fish food...
> 
> There was a _completely flattened little fish on the floor_. Paper thin. Obviously dead, walked on, rolled over...


I know what you mean about Walmart! How gross! And who wasn't disgusted to find out they just stepped on a fish? You have to feel SOMETHING. (Then again, people have managed to get trampled before. How the heck do you not notice A HUMAN BODY LYING UNDERNEATH YOU?!?!) At Walmart once I saw a moor (I've always thought they were cool little guys; unfortunately, I have a tropical fish tank so can't get any) with a REALLY messed up eye. You know how those things have entirely black eyes? Well, that was completely off of the one eye. It was stringy white stuff on it. I don't know much about fish diseases, so I don't know if it was a disease or if that's just what you find under a moor's eye. It was nasty, but I still kind of found it awesome. Not awesome that he was suffering, but I'm a pre-physician assistant major. I'm that person that when you get some weird infection or injury I go "That looks awesome!"



herbwin said:


> The nearest to a fish rescue I can think of was when I was buying a small breed pleco, while waiting to get him bagged we noticed he only had one eye! He was otherwise healthy, it was a birth defect or a very old injury and fully healed. The fish guy offered a discount, half as a joke I think, but I took it! I would have payed full price anyway. He turned out to be quite a charactor and we had him for many years.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


I took a pleco from my dad's aquarium and I think he might've been blind in one eye! The one eye was completely black. He was a cool, very active little pleco. I just loved watching him. R.I.P. little guy. 



My opinion on the topic: To be honest, I'm one of those generally informed people who doesn't make an effort. It's not that I don't care, it's just not my main priority. Mine is usually human health care. Considering what I've mentioned above. So, like, I care about the environment, but I don't do everything I can possibly do to save it. Mostly I just do little things, like recycle, you know? But I digress. This is merely to describe my general take on important issues.

So I'm one of those people who thinks Walmart sucks ethically but shops there anyway. And other than a local store which has moved to I don't know where, the stores nearest me are Walmart, Meijers (like Walmart but it's regional), and some pet chain store. I am not sure which one. I've never checked out the fish there and have only been there a few times, but it's still the chain, so it's not like it's any better. As someone else mentioned, even if the fish are well treated there, you still give your money to corporate. It's like if one Walmart started paying all their employees $15 an hour and gave them health care (Hah! Like that will ever happen)... you're still giving your money to the same CEO. So it's still not good to shop there. So unfortunately, since I don't know of very many pet stores in the area, I pretty much have to shop at these places. So all the fish in my community tank are Walmart fish. My betta is a Meijer fish, which isn't any better, although I did think it was great that their cups were a little taller, thus giving them slightly more water than Walmart does. Still, like Walmart, half the bettas were dead. So they're no better. And I still shop at Walmart because at least the prices are better.

Now, let's look at my logical analysis of this, ignoring ethics and emotion:

Thing is, I can understand them overstuffing the tanks with fish. It sucks, yes, but if they made enough room for all their fish, they'd take up a lot of room. And you want to have enough in stock so that you never run out. Especially since these are supposed to be temporary homes anyway. Thing is, they should make sure these fish stay HEALTHY and happy while they're there. And I don't get why they wouldn't. If the fish gets sick, you pretty much have to let them die, because if you treated every fish that got sick it wouldn't be worth how much you sell him for. Unless if it was some really rare, valuable fish. (Although I'd still recommend quarantine for the sick fish so you wouldn't get all the healthy fish sick, thus, you lose money on the whole tank). I would think making sure they were all healthy would give the companies the most profits. Think about it. If a fish dies, you lose that money. If a fish lives, even if he stays there for years (maybe no one picked him; unprobable, but likely if they all look the same), he's still a fish in stock for you to sell. You may have spent more money on food over the years than what you sell him for, but you would have still been spending that money anyway as the next stock would have eaten it anyway. If he died, you have to pay for a new fish to take his place and lose the profit on the one who died. So I just don't understand why no major chain seems to invest in making sure their fish stay healthy.

I think the biggest issue is the bettas, though. Those tiny cups! At least save a few by putting them in tanks with compatible fish, but none go in there. They could even have a sorority tank, but no, the females are in the cups too.

For the record, I will never knowingly buy a sick fish. You spend money on the fish, and then on all the chemicals, and quite often they're too far advanced to save anyway. Then you have all that money out the window and wasted time.

And if I had an option to buy from a company that takes good care of the fish and sells them for a reasonable price, I would do it if I knew about it. But for now, the Walmart fish have actually worked pretty well for me. I always pick out healthy fish and so far any fish that I've gotten from there have not been infected or infected any other fish; any fishy deaths were my own fault, unfortunately. 

I hope this makes sense. It's 3:15am and I'm not even bothering to proofread this novel. lol


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