Buying fish from PetSmart or Petco

[Anna94]

Does anybody buy fish from big box stores, more specifically GloFish? Aquarium Arts (the LFS) sells them, but I called yesterday and they are out, but I really want some so I was thinking of taking a chance and buying some from big box stores again like I used to. I bought GloFish and 2 platys from Petshop almost a year ago and the platys are still alive, while the GloFish died months ago. Should I take the chance and buy from big box store or wait until Aquarium Arts gets a shipment of GloFish?

 

[Fresh2o]

When will Aquarium Arts have them in stock?
Regardless of where you get them, you should really consider setting up a QT. You don't have to but you take a chance in introducing something that may require you treat the entire tank.

 

[Anna94]

They said they may have them in the next week or 2

 

[Fresh2o]

They said they may have them in the next week or 2

Then it's up to you and how patient you are. If I were you, I'd wait.

 

[Barliman]

Does anybody buy fish from PetSmart or Petco, more specifically GloFish?

Quarantining in general is good, but I'd QT *anything* I got from the big box stores. At least in the ones near me, each "stack" of tanks is served by a common sump on the floor, which means infection could travel. Look at the fish in the tank you're interested in, then look at the aquariums above and below. If you see any dead or sick ones, don't buy.

In fact, I think I agree with Fresh2O: it's probably better to wait for your LFS to get them in.

 

[abw0004]

For what it's worth, I never buy live fish/plants from the big chain stores . When I first got into the hobby I did, and every single time they had either ich or flukes. They are most likely inbred to an extreme degree so their immune system won't be that great. At the time the fish I bought didn't show any illness, but it still happened. As far as the plants, there was always some sort of pest like pond snails.

I know the subject of Glo Fish can be touchy so all I will say is be careful. Those fish are not naturally that way in that they glow, so the commercial fish dealer had to have done something to force the fish to be like that...

 

[Coursair]

For what it's worth, I never buy live fish/plants from the big chain stores . When I first got into the hobby I did, and every single time they had either ich or flukes. They are most likely inbred to an extreme degree so their immune system won't be that great. At the time the fish I bought didn't show any illness, but it still happened. As far as the plants, there was always some sort of pest like pond snails.

I know the subject of Glo Fish can be touchy so all I will say is be careful. Those fish are not naturally that way in that they glow, so the commercial fish dealer had to have done something to force the fish to be like that...

Guys, you do know that almost all the box stores and your LFS get their fish from the same few places right ???
Segrest Farms is the main supplier in the US.

http://www.segrestfarms.com

So unless your fish are coming from a local breeder or from your club...they aren't magically different in a LFS.

Care and maintenance vary wildly from box stores to box stores and LFS to LFS. A big chain is not automatically a bad place. A LFS is not guaranteed better except in supporting a non chain business.

The reason stores can use a central system is that IF it's maintained properly there is a huge battery of UV lights sterilizing the water.

We once lost power when I was working at our local Petsmart. Employees stayed till midnight stirring tank water and adding peroxide to stimulate oxygen we saved 98% of the fish.

I have LFS that I'll never buy from. Lots of dead fish, poorly maintained tanks, etc. I'd like to buy from them but I won't.

Glofish have jellyfish DNA. They are not dyed. It is a GMO fish.

All of my current fish except my Pearl Gourami are from my local Petsmart. So slamming every box store because it's a chain is just narrow thinking.

My Petsmart Roselines are doing awesome.


If you have a store that you trust that's fine, be patient. Buyer beware of EVERY store.

 

[abw0004]

Guys, you do know that almost all the box stores and your LFS get their fish from the same few places right ???
Segrest Farms is the main supplier in the US.

Tropical fish wholesale and Marine fish wholesale - Segrest Farms

So unless your fish are coming from a local breeder or from your club...they aren't magically different in a LFS.

Care and maintenance vary wildly from box stores to box stores and LFS to LFS. A big chain is not automatically a bad place. A LFS is not guaranteed better except in supporting a non chain business.

The reason stores can use a central system is that IF it's maintained properly there is a huge battery of UV lights sterilizing the water.

We once lost power when I was working at our local Petsmart. Employees stayed till midnight stirring tank water and adding peroxide to stimulate oxygen we saved 98% of the fish.

I have LFS that I'll never buy from. Lots of dead fish, poorly maintained tanks, etc. I'd like to buy from them but I won't.

Glofish have jellyfish DNA. They are not dyed. It is a GMO fish.

All of my current fish except my Pearl Gourami are from my local Petsmart. So slamming every box store because it's a chain is just narrow thinking.

My Petsmart Roselines are doing awesome.
View attachment 291916

If you have a store that you trust that's fine, be patient. Buyer beware of EVERY store.

I never stated bad people work of the box stores. But I will respectfully disagree that all of the fish come from the same place, because that is untrue. That may be true with all of the chains, so I will agree there. But specialty stores get them from different places for the reasons I stated. The ones here will even give me the info of where they come from (I am not a fan of wild caught so that's why I ask). That's why you typically pay more, which I am happy to pay for peace of mind. It is a general rule box chains the fish aren't as healthy, but there are exceptions like at the place you work at, just like I can name an LFS here that is not a chain that I would report for animal cruelty. Everywhere is different but there are rules of thumb, especially if many tanks are run off of one sump and no actual quarantining is actually done before introducing to the main system. The percentage of sickness goes way up, no matter how cautious the employees are.

Again, my posts are not to offend anyone or say you aren't doing a good job.

 

[Brookster123]

Nah.. cours is pretty much spot on.. Seacrest is a major player, only difference for my situation is my lfs has a brain trust and huge box of meds, fish get the treatment and most make great pets. Ordering from the Chinese is an option too, seems a gamble as never sure what you're going to get but with certainly be charged for it.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[abw0004]

Nah.. cours is pretty much spot on.. Seacrest is a major player, only difference for my situation is my lfs has a brain trust and huge box of meds, fish get the treatment and most make great pets. Ordering from the Chinese is an option too, seems a gamble as never sure what you're going to get but with certainly be charged for it.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Aquarium Advice mobile app

I agreed with the big box stores of their source. It was the non-chains I was referring to of getting their fish from different places. At least that is the case everywhere around me in Atlanta. Actually I am a German Blue Ram breeder for three of them here since I have F1's and can successfully breed them.

In regards to the medicine most big box chains don't carry meds do the degree of offering products like Seachem. At least not any chain store I have ever been to in any state. Again, everywhere is different though but I don't think they have the contract with Seachem other than to sell Prime.

 

[Coursair]

I'm in CA. Where are your LFS ordering fish from ? They aren't all from local breeders are they ? It would be nice if they were all CB except for fresh bloodlines for breeders.

I have one LFS that QTs all new fish. It doubles or triples the price, but they are known for it.

I have a LFS that I drive an hour to get to because they stock a good variety of Nano FW fish and as they are club members, I get a small discount.

I would order from WetSpot for Cories, if I planned to do mail order.

I know PetCo now uses LiveAquaria for at least some if not all of their fish.
I'd forgotten they switched over.

 

[Coursair]

When I worked there we sold Excel but mainly had API products. Lots of SW Seachem.

Now they sell store brand or NatGeo stuff with a few other things from Seachem, etc...

I think Amazon killed a lot of their business for Seachem and specialty stuff.

 

[abw0004]

It depends on the type of fish of where they get them. It's not all from one location. Each breeder they have to vet though, like they did me. I just do it because I enjoy my rams and my tank is set up specifically for them. Even the SW fish are only from sustainable sources or tank bred which to me is everything as I am a big environmentalist.

Wetspot is a good store I would say. Each tank they have is on an individual system and they have a person that all she does is diagnose and treat sick fish. I usually will get neons from them with no issues. Seachem medications are definitely the way to go if you have any sick fish. Just be sure you know what the sickness is. Don't throw in random medications hoping to treat the illness. Seachem's products are actual medications where they tested in laboratories. I am a strong believer in them.

 

[Coursair]

I rarely medicate. Haven't had to. It's good they are checking their sources.

 

[goldstar8]

Personally, I've used both Petsmart and Petco. We've only had our aquarium running for a month, but I can say that none of the fish we got from Petsmart lasted a week. All of the fish from Petco are doing great in our tank. I think it mostly has to do with the way the people treat the fish at the stores. The people at Petsmart were very rough...swatting at the fish with the nets to get them out of the tanks, then thumping them with a finger out of the nets and into the baggies of water to be taken home. The people at Petco were much more gentle. They used a small container to catch the fish. Just put it in the tank and waited until the fish swam into it...then removed the whole container from the tank. Very easy and gentle...took a little longer to get them but I think it was worth it. They were also a lot more knowledgeable at Petco...giving good advice about which types of fish would do well together in our tank.

 

[nirbhao]

It's really important to understand that GloFish are a byproduct of valuable scientific research. They were bred to detect pollution in the water. They just happened to be pretty.

I've bought both fish and plants from Petco. After the dog deaths at PetSmart I've stayed away from them. Some were fine. With blue rams, they pretty much all had hexamita.

I bought three Harlequin rasboras (because that was all they had) from Petco and then went to a local shop for five more. He works directly with local breeders, so, if nothing else, the fish haven't had to travel far. They are also all very young, which I have mixed feelings about.

I've sold him some snails.

I can't even begin to tell you how much deeper the color was on his fish. I've since bought a female blue ram, and she's amazing. All of the fish from his shop- including two guppies- are like gemstones. The ram is so feisty she will bite me whenever I put my hand in the tank, which is hilarious to me. Especially since she begs for food whenever she sees me. She and our male have spawned twice now.

So Petco fish have been mostly fine. Local place who sources from breeders (as opposed to farms) have been AMAZING.

 

[killrsheep]

For what its worth i am just getting back on the hobby and i went last week to Petco for supplies (still cycling my tank), and i was gladly surprised to see the aquariums there, NO dead fish anywhere, water was crystal clear, and all the fish seemed happy (bettas aside, but those are pretty much mistreated everywhere)

LFS that i used to know always had plenty dead fish lying around, cloudy water, algae blooms, hungry fish, etc.

Except for the one i did visit last week, small place, VERY knowledgeable owner, one dead baby in the gravel (so it probably didnt die from illness) little bit of algae here and there.

i guess my point is that there are good stores and bad ones regardless of its business model.