Just venting, no replies needed!

[PlatyLady]

I know we've been over the bettas-in-a-cup issue more times than anyone can count...

Today I was at a LFS that I know to be quite bad - it's near my bf's work, so I occasionally check in to see if they've gotten any better. Well, they haven't. They had some really beautiful bettas - in cups, barely covered in water. They were stacked, and at least three of them at the bottom were obviously dead or dying. Others had fungus growing on them, or severe dropsy... It was sick. No wonder they were giving them away free when you bought a betta tank. 8O

I had thought about taking advantage of their half-price special on tap water dechlorinator, but had to high-tail it out of there before hurling in front of the betta display. Never bought anything from there, but really need to stop going in.

 

[smilla4]

Same way at my local Pestmart. Little cups, some barely had any water, saw one betta with head to toe fungus. They used to take somewhat decent care of them but the guy who actually cared about fish quit. Now they have a bunch of dumb kids who couldn't give a damn. To my surprise walmart has improved: they use bigger cups!

 

[Christmasfish]

bad fishstore! bad!

Yes my daughter was happy to see the new large cups at Wally world. Makes places like PETsmart and PETco look bad...... it took a normal retail store to listen to complaints and put in the first positive change in retail bettacare in the past 10 years?
*Sniff* ..poor fishies

I was in PetNo yesterday to see if they carry a battery operated gravel vac and get food. My kids went to the fish section. And then as opinionated kids do..started making loud negative observations.
Like...Daughter: "Why does that anenome look like a bad casserole? Aren't the tentacles supposed to face UP? Eeeww its dead! ""Why are there so may of these goldfish in here? are they feeders too?(Ryo's and bubble-eyes)" HEy! There's loaches in there! They look awful too! Bet they die! Even I know you can't keep tropicals with goldfish!""why are all these tetra so ugly...or are these minnows?"
Son: "Oh Noooo! The betta has ich!" "There are dead fish HERE too!"
"Oh noooo! The goldfish are stuck in that pile!" Oh noooo! The loachie is beting bit up by that mean fish!!!" "moom , you have to but these fish to save them! Theyre killing all the fiiiiish!!"

Needless to say I grabbed my obnoxious brats and left quickly before one more lame excuse got ME going....

I didn't realize how vitally healthy my fish must be until yesterday. Their loaches lookedd like albinos compared to my fat rascals. And my tetra are a riot of color, the pesty boogers. My tanks are not as clear...2 get kinda of hazy. But my water is always dead on.... not dead fish...

 

[Thaiboxer]

It's funny how much things change from one locale to the next. I've got a small local LFS that rocks, and another that's really bad...

There's a PetCo right by my house that's very good, too! The guy who runs their fishies is a marine biology major at the U, he's young but very good and really cares about the fish. It's amazing how much difference a little compassion and education can make.

The PetCo near me is actually much better than the privately owned LFS down the street.

None of them can touch World of Fish in Bloomington though - they're the best LFS I've ever seen. (Nope, I don't work there... )