Ok, this is a little unethical but...

[hashbaz]

I too think 0 nitrates would look "fishy." I would suggest mixing a little aquarium water with your dechlorinated tap water.

I think it would be funny to go to a pet store with kind of policy and say: "Yea, I wanted to get some fish... wait, let me check your water first."

 

[Jchillin]

This wouldn't be a problem for any healthy fish, but I'm pretty sure its too high for their refund program. What I was thinking of doing was just filling a pot with water, adding dechlor, boiling it, and them letting it sit out overnight. Then I would bring in this sample as my tank water. Like I said, not 100% ethical, but they sold be a dying fish so I'm not going to lose any sleep over it. Wouldn't this work?

Nuff said.

 

[talloulou]

I just read the post where they don't accept returns when the nitrates are above 5. That's ridiculous you need to scream and yell.
Or bring your wife and let her cry, that sometimes works as well depending on the hotness of your wife and the maleness of the store employee, LOL

 

[krap101]

well s little while ago i bought some hatchets... all 4 of them died. i didnt bring extra water for them to test. i told them i got 4 other hatchets from petland and their doing great! so if their telling me that i have mutant hatchets that can survive when the others died your mistaken.

then she just decided that it was a bad shipment. i was getting pretty irritated when i take better care of my fish than they do there... just say something really confusing to them and either they'll agree and dont take your water sample or they'll say they dont know what your talking and look really stupid.

thep etco i go to doesnt even check for water. one time the cherry barbs were on sale so i bought like 4. all 4 died.. i returned them and got 2 more. so now i have 6 cherry barbs.. they died. so all 10 of them died from ich. i went back there and they said that they cant give second refunds. i talked to a manager and told them i was losing faith in petco or something like that and she gave me my money back. when its unjust you either have to get mad or you confuse them

 

[megladonsharky]

My petco tests the h2o but has never refused a refund ... in the time period allowed.. I was told that they wouldnt give me a new fish but that I could get a refund cause the h2o had some issues

 

[QTOFFER]

Just tell them that the fish died in the bag on the way home. Bring a sample of the bag water if you still have it. If they refuse to issue you a refund, just go back and try again when that particular manager isn't on duty. The kid behind the counter making $5 per hour isn't going to care either way.

 

[Toirtis]

I used to work for a chain shop years ago....a number of employees in just about all the stores would, when the customers were not looking, slip some water from the hidden 'special supply' (a small jar of water with a couple of dead fish in the bottom) into the customer's sample so that they would never have to replace a fish. One day I nailed them to the wall after presenting them with a 'sample' that was lab-grade 100% pure water.

 

[Guest]

I used to work for a chain shop years ago....a number of employees in just about all the stores would, when the customers were not looking, slip some water from the hidden 'special supply' (a small jar of water with a couple of dead fish in the bottom) into the customer's sample so that they would never have to replace a fish. One day I nailed them to the wall after presenting them with a 'sample' that was lab-grade 100% pure water.

I just returned the fish using the de-chlored tap water. The manager tested it for just about everything, said my levels were a little high (I didn't even ask him what) but that he would do the refund this time, but only for credit and that if the new fish died I was out of luck.

 

[Lepomis]

Darn me, I can't keep my mouth shut. I generally try to let things slide not give my opinion but I have read enough posts from younger people at this site not to sit here and pretend this is acceptable behavior. It is not right bottom line. Delete if needed (advisors). I can't believe some of what I am reading. First, I believe pet stores should sell quality stock but they often don't many of us know this (Tony included). I also believe from many of his posts Tony isn't some stary eyed newbie showing up at the store to purchase his first fish. The bottom line is Tony decided to buy fish from a store that has strict standards (no one twisted his arm). Then Tony decided to purchase a fish that he knew was inferior, one he was not satisfied with (once again no one twitsted his arm). Now Tony feels that the store should basically reward him for his bad decisions, 1. selecting the store for the first place, 2. Not being mature enough to say I don't wan't that fish it appears to be in poor health. Now Tony knows what he is doing is a little shady he is wanting to use as he said unethical means. I guess I just think adults should be able to make decisions and accpept the responsibility of making poor decisions.

 

[Toirtis]

is not right bottom line. Now Tony knows what he is doing is a little shady he is wanting to use as he said unethical means. I guess I just think adults should be able to make decisions and accpept the responsibility of making poor decisions.

Agreed, it is not correct....if your conscience says that it is wrong, it very likely is....in this case it is just as much fraud as if the store were to alter the sample (as in my story).

 

[greenmaji]

This makes me worry about getting fish localy I cant trust any of them for healthy stock... then if they have tight return policys Im definatly out of luck!!

 

[krap101]

but isnt it also true that if unhealthy stock is bought that if you nurture it back to health you feel much better, and you become more attached to the fish

 

[mr86mister]

a good friend of mine is the "fish person" at petsmart, and she's had aquariums her whole life...but to the point of healthy stock....she tells me never to buy fish the first 4-7 days they have them, because thats the point that the sick ones begin to die.....which is totally right and everytime i buy fish they live happy...the only down side is....there isnt toooooo much selection left, but at least i'm sure the fish i buy are happy and healthy

i agree with krap101....i bought a otto from petsmart and he got crushed during shipping and nobody would take him and he has a kind of crooked spin and tail...and he's happy and healthy now and he is my favorite fish

 

[talloulou]

Darn me, I can't keep my mouth shut. I generally try to let things slide not give my opinion but I have read enough posts from younger people at this site not to sit here and pretend this is acceptable behavior. It is not right bottom line. Delete if needed (advisors). I can't believe some of what I am reading. First, I believe pet stores should sell quality stock but they often don't many of us know this (Tony included). I also believe from many of his posts Tony isn't some stary eyed newbie showing up at the store to purchase his first fish. The bottom line is Tony decided to buy fish from a store that has strict standards (no one twisted his arm). Then Tony decided to purchase a fish that he knew was inferior, one he was not satisfied with (once again no one twitsted his arm). Now Tony feels that the store should basically reward him for his bad decisions, 1. selecting the store for the first place, 2. Not being mature enough to say I don't wan't that fish it appears to be in poor health. Now Tony knows what he is doing is a little shady he is wanting to use as he said unethical means. I guess I just think adults should be able to make decisions and accpept the responsibility of making poor decisions.

Well IMHO if this is as shady as Tony gets he is probably an alright guy. Geez talk about making a mountain out of a mole hill, LOL.

Tony say two hail mary's and a praise be to God before bed tonight....LOL

 

[Billsgate]

I would do the same thing Tony did... not like he did anything wrong, the fish looked unhealthy when he got it, it died, he wanted to make sure he was going to get his money back or get another fish.
I wouldn't have took other water then my tank water, but I think if he just took his tank water he probably would have gotten the same reaction then he did now.

And don't judge him for asking if they would notice if you used tap water instead of tank water. Just a question, and if you don't agree, leave it at that.

JMO

 

[BrianNY]

 

[FMJnaX]

I don't want to cause any problems here nor am I picking on anybody, but aside from my clown pleco, ALL of my fish have come from PetsMart. I look over every fish before I even call over an associate. If the tank has even one fish that looks out of it, then I move on. If you spend enough time looking at the fish BEFORE you get it, then you shouldn't have a problem (unless the fish was carrying a disease not noticed at the time). I know that I never have...

 

[Hara]

I wouldn't have took other water then my tank water

that is the entire point. he is wanting to be deceitful instead of doing things
in a proper manner (which he knew when he bought the fish)

 

[wabyrd]

I look over every fish before I even call over an associate. If the tank has even one fish that looks out of it, then I move on. If you spend enough time looking at the fish BEFORE you get it, then you shouldn't have a problem

Good point. I usually shop in the early morning to get a look at the tanks before the dead fish are removed to see what WAS in the tank as well as what IS in the tank.

 

[FMJnaX]

I look over every fish before I even call over an associate. If the tank has even one fish that looks out of it, then I move on. If you spend enough time looking at the fish BEFORE you get it, then you shouldn't have a problem

Good point. I usually shop in the early morning to get a look at the tanks before the dead fish are removed to see what WAS in the tank as well as what IS in the tank.

I'm not sure if it's just the PetsMarts and PetCo's in my area, but every one that I've been to will tell me if they've had any dead fish in the tank, recently removed, if I ask. One PetCo, though, just doesn't case and leaves dead fish in their tanks for days (always stuck on the filter intakes). Ewwwww. You'd be surpised what kind of information you can get just by asking. Sure it's a big-box pet store, but I think we stereotype them all too often.