Wal-Mart

[Lexus]

I work at a supercenter walmart in wisconsin. I work in the pet department and I must defend my department. I hate walmart in general but our pet department is very well run, my manager is knowledgable about the fish and so am I. We have a lady clean the tanks once a week and I clean them during the week, I scrub down the walls and syphon the tanks. I treat them with medication everyday and we salt the tanks. We use melafix and blue medication I cannot remember the name of right now. we are constantly treating the fish to keep diseases at bay.

We change the filters immediately when they are dirty. I am very concious of the diseases of our fish. I realize many walmarts are not as they hire any old idiot. I would just like you all to know that there is one walmart out there with decent fish.

The betta fish get their cups changed 1-2 times a week but usually are sold by that time as we go through about 200 bettas a week. The only reason the bettas are kept in cups is because of the lack of tank space, the quantity we sell and how fast they sell. we do not put them in the cups, they come this way from our supplier, either the cups or tinier bags.

The funny thing is we receive the same fish as Petco next door, the same supplier the same day. We do communicate with our supplier but many other walmarts do not and that is why they are over crowded. They are ordered like everything else in the store, by how much we sell. Often times though we recieve whatever they send us because basically the supplier is a processing line with people just scooping and putting in bag then shipping. We get what we recieve. Alot of the times our fish arrive with diseases, often times we will refuse the shipment.

A big problem we have is the goldfish tank is all run on one filter and water system, it is a bio wheel. There is a refridgeration system and a [acronym:d074923673="Ultra Violet"]UV[/acronym:d074923673] system with a sump. The tropical tanks are all run on another system with a bio wheel, heater and [acronym:d074923673="Ultra Violet"]UV[/acronym:d074923673] system. So it is a huge problem to try and isolate diseases as it all runs through all the tanks. T

What really pisses me off is the idiots that come in and buy fish that know nothing about fish and buy the tank and the fish the same day.

The store 25 miles away on the other hand has algae growing on the walls and algae that looks like moss coming off of the water spouts.The guy that scoops fish doesnt know crap and cant catch them. Their tanks are very overcrowded, people dont buy any fish there so the shipments kepp coming and the tanks keep getting overcrowded.

We try to keep our tanks not AS crowded as others. most walmarts dont care enough to worry about it they just want money, which by overcrowding makes us lose money.

I am by no means trying to get you to shop at walmart as it is a huge monopolistic white trash store but i just want you to know that there is at least one walmart that TRYS to do things right.

[Jchillin]

Welcome to AA! and Merry Christmas.

What you say may be true at your particular store. But, if you re-read what you've written, you'll understand why most people feel there is a problem.

You admit to not knowing what the "blue" medication is.
All tanks are medicated every day.
All the tropical tanks are running on the same filtration system
You're *beeped* off by the "idiots" that buy everything the same day

You should know all the meds, treatments, purifications, etc.
Medicating all tanks (whether a problem exists or not) is stressfull to the healthy fish, therefore it's just a matter of time before the fish actually gets sick).
The "all tanks running on one system" is a major problem
Are you advising these "idiots" that they are making a mistake?

The consensus is: Walmart isn't sensitive to the needs of the livestock or the customers on the whole.

I respect you for sharing. At least you are trying to correct some of the issues.

Keep up the good work!

[Cafe Jeff]

Aren't you being a bit harsh jchllln?
Lexus basically wrote that you shouldn't tar all wallmart fish departments with the same brush and you have, pretty much, dipped the brush back into the tar.
I personally have better luck and find just as knowledgable staff at my local petsmart as I do at Big Als or a PJ Pets here in Toronto.
Indeed, a woman in the fish department at my local Petsmart graduated from veterinary college in Russia and is busy studying for certification in Canada. One kid there is busy trying to breed Zebra Plecos (I have already put myself down for too.) I am not saying all Petsmarts or Wallmarts are like this. It's just that my local Petsmart happens to be excellent. Others, of course, are not.
All the best and Merry Xmas. Jeff

[Jchillin]

Jeff/Lexus - Allow me to clarify if I seemed harsh, which wasn't my intention.

The procedures regarding the filtration and medication of the tanks isn't your responsibility, it is something the corporation put into place.

The "blue" medication should be known (there are at least three that I know of).

The "idiots" could very well be impulse or aggressive buyers. Of course it's not your fault if someone, if after being advised that they can't buy equipment and livestock on the same and they want to anyway. Or, they can be novices with absolutely no idea of what to do.

As I said in closing in the first post, I respect you Lexus and believe me, if you were in NY rather than WI, I would be your loyal customer.

Hope this clears up any misunderstanding.

[Toirtis]

Originally Posted by Cafe Jeff

Indeed, a woman in the fish department at my local Petsmart graduated from veterinary college in Russia and is busy studying for certification in Canada.

Which, to be fair, means nothing. I am friends with several distinguished veterinarians that don't know the first thing about fish...or reptiles....or even ferrets, as their specialties fall within companion or farm animals. I also know some people that only graduated high-school...that taught themselves a trade, and are amongst the more skillful aquarists I know.

One kid there is busy trying to breed Zebra Plecos (I have already put myself down for too.)

Tell him the the secret is a 70 to 100 gallon tank and at least 4 fully mature pairs (they only spawn when larger groups are present, for some reason).

[Cafe Jeff]

Jchllln writes:

Hope this clears up any misunderstanding.

It does! Now I feel that I was the one being harsh. Actually, I know I was.


Toirtis writes:

Which, to be fair, means nothing. I am friends with several distinguished veterinarians that don't know the first thing about fish...or reptiles....or even ferrets, as their specialties fall within companion or farm animals. I also know some people that only graduated high-school...that taught themselves a trade, and are amongst the more skillful aquarists I know.

To be fair, it does mean something. For someone to try to become a vet requires upon that person at least a modicum of empathy/sympathy for the well being of animals. At the very least, it can't hurt.


As to:

Tell him the the secret is a 70 to 100 gallon tank and at least 4 fully mature pairs (they only spawn when larger groups are present, for some reason).


I will. I think, however, on his Petsmart wage it could take some time.

All the best. Jeff

[Lexus]

lol, well the blue medication is cure all, i had forgot since i hadnt been to work in some time. yes it is bad that all the tropicals are run on one tank and golfish on another, i think they are trying to make it idiot proof for the walmart associates, which is impossible.
unfortunatley we do not get to choose the system or the medications for our fish,

[oscarbreeder]

Very glad to hear that ONE Wal-Mart has a nice fish section with an employee that knows what they are doing.

Now if ALL Wal-Marts would hire the same kind of person they ALL would be great.

The one in my toen STINKS.