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fishfanatic26

Aquarium Advice Regular
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Aug 23, 2013
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Today I was in a chain store with my mom and I walked down the fish section to see how horrible it was this time. I saw this gorgeous orange betta (sadly I couldn't get him) so I looked at him and he was just floating in one spot but still alive and then some stupid kids (even though I'm only 14) walked up and asked one another if he was still alive them one said I'll check. He swirled the cup around and around. J told them to stop and they asked why I said he was still alive and they said oh then they took him. I asked them what the would keep him in and they said a 20 gallon with 2 OSCARS!!!! I was so mad.
 
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Haha some people are so uneducated. The reason I say people and not just children is that I see adults fail just as hard as they did. I see the problem with some people and fish is that chain pet stores tell you lots of fake crap that gets you to spend more money. Im 14 as well, but when I was 8 and had my first fish tank, I read all there was to know about this and that regarding fish and aquariums. The problem is that the petco employees are huge scam artists that can manipulate kids. So, naive 8 year old me consults the all knowing employee who tells me not to believe what I see online and that 3 male guppies would work out fine in my 2 1/2 gallon tank. *facepalm* Well, he did sound pretty intriguing, so I decided to get 3 male guppies regarding his info. Lets just say it worked for about 3 days until my red and blue one mauled the yellow and then the blue mauled the red. The blue finally died of I don't even know what. So what I'm saying here is that an employee there probably told the children, naive as they probably are, that all those fish are compatible in the conditions given. Then the children don't read the fine print about how an oscar gets 14" and needs a 55+ gallon tank and buys the cute and cuddly 3" oscars. Now they're going back for a colorful tank mate who will either maul or get mauled depending on the size of the oscars. Lol they might coexist for about a few days before someone turns into fish jerkry or worm food. Ugh the chain pet store employees are a train wreck, and it needs to be fixed. Sure, there are some smart employees who told 11 year old me all about how to cycle my 29 gallon and about how I should probably get a better filter than the one the kit provided. That guy knew whats up. That may sound like a scam to some people but its true. The only other decent pet store employee is this one guy who was always there through the few weeks I was re-stocking the 29 earlier this year and he helped me a little bit. Lol there needs to be some sort of fish keeping liscense you need to take a test for to get, but its available to people of any age. And then people who don't have one can't legally purchase a living fish or fish tank. Sounds harsh but it would get rid of things like this. Well, to wrap this up, here is something absolutely off the charts stupid I saw online last week: ImageUploadedByAquarium Advice1407714210.922310.jpg
 
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Poor fish. That license thing sounds good to me. When I got my first tank it was 5 gallons and I put 2 dwarf gouramis in. Let's just say they didn't like each other. Pet stores should only hire people who know what they are talking about or give a class.
 
When I was at looking for a first tank we were looking at a 5 gallon. We asked them what to keep in it, and they said, well, you could keep 3 neon tetras in it, or you could put a GOLDFISH in it. So I ended up getting a 10g instead, and never go to chains for fish, unless I'm rescuing a betta, which I'm planning to do:)
 
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I've experienced both sides of this- good info and bad info from store employees. Just this weekend my mother and I each bought some fish but were paying together and the store clerk was worried that we would overload the tank if we put all 7 fish in there etc. Then at another store we bought a few fish again and this time the cashier asked if we intended to put all those fish in the 3 fish bowls my mom was buying for her plants. Both of these occurrences happened at big chain stores. I hope this shows employees are getting more training and they are actually hiring people with experience.

btw- all the fish went in different tanks as there are 12 in my house right now and only african violets went in the bowls. :)
 
Today I was in a chain store with my mom and I walked down the fish section to see how horrible it was this time. I saw this gorgeous orange betta (sadly I couldn't get him) so I looked at him and he was just floating in one spot but still alive and then some stupid kids (even though I'm only 14) walked up and asked one another if he was still alive them one said I'll check. He swirled the cup around and around. I told them to stop and they asked why I said he was still alive and they said oh then they took him. I asked them what the would keep him in and they said a 20 gallon with 2 OSCARS!!!! I was so mad.

That is so so horrible :(

My local chain store, last time I looked, had about 6 bettas. I wanted to take them all home, but I couldn't. At least they don't have rows and rows of them on shelves like some stores. I got my betta, but, I hate that they have so many :/
 
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When I was looking for a first tank we were looking at a 5 gallon. We asked them what to keep in it, and they said, well, you could keep 3 neon tetras in it, or you could put a GOLDFISH in it. So I ended up getting a 10g instead, and never go to chains for fish, unless I'm rescuing a betta, which I'm planning to do:)

don't rescue any beta matter of fact don't even go there unless you have to I did that same thing had him quarantine but what I didn't know was their lack of care for him made him get bugs which killed off 4 of my original fish and later just recently he died too. never will I set foot in that store. I will only grace my presence in My local fish store which has been in business since 1983. ( I got impatient when they didn't have any betas forgot I could order never make that mistake again). and I have never had any issues with the fish he gives me which I have had for going on 2yrs I think. and never have I had to quarantine any of the fish he gives me so im sticking to him and going to try to give him as much business as possible cause I cant afford losing anymore fish.
p.s. I still have 1 female beta she appears to be fine though again idk I hope that she doesn't have anything got her shortly after I got him. thought I was doing the right thing saving him and her but it cost me 4 of my original fish one of which was lucky the loach. and red one of my golden loaches. and both duke and duchess my male and female leopards cory and also one of the new leopards I had gotten. all of that is not worth the headache. if you can always go local don't make my mistake and if they don't have ask about ordering them they wont mind if everyone went local then all these big careless cooperation's will lose money and we would save a good family business.
 
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Chain stores are the worst , there used to be one in the next town that was run by some in the hoby and keep there fish great
but I was in my local one and one of the employees said the have been raising fish for over 10 years but they would not let her work in the fish dept.
 
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Some stores are really good, the employees for the fish section, all have like 3 50gallon tanks, and they helped me with a lot of my fish problems


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice
 
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Was at a local chain store today. Saw about 15 Bettas :(. One had a lot of waste floating around. He nipped at it a little bit. He looked sad. I wanted to save him. Ugh. Another one had a decent amount of waste in with him too. I shouldn't have looked but. I can't help it. I was tempted to change the water for those guys as there was a sink right there but. Wasn't sure if I should. Also they had a sign saying don't feed etc we have people for that. ::sigh::

There was a beautiful catfish that died and was floating around a tank too. :(
 
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I broke my rule and not only got one but 2 bettas from a chain store, both were quarantined however got them at 2 different times. got the first one cause I really wanted him to feel love before he passed in a clean tank. like no joke there was mold growing in the bottom of his plastic cup. and the second is still alive but has to pass the first 48 hour time frame he is so pretty its like looking at a diamond still covered in mud. baby blues, pinks, purples, I mean really just so cute even in his horrible condition. and with the first fish they being the manager and the clerk asked me why do you want to buy the fish if you know its going to die. we can mark it off of the inventory and you can get a different one(aka let it die in the sink they place them in out of site so they don't see the horrible condition they are in) I said no I want him cause I want him to get the care he needs even if he dies at least someone tried and at least someone gave him a clean tank to be in even got to see a girl.(yes he was in a container other than his that didn't contaminate my tank. he passed peacefully with me by his side and a clean hand to rest in. that's all he wanted was love and I buried him in the flower pot of a peace Lilly aka resurrection Lilly. this just burns me up I wish I was a millionaire I would get all the bettas in separate tanks and give them a better chance then my stupid store.
pics be fair warned really horrible and not altered:

bottom of his container



after death pic


after death pic



pic of second ones container not as bad still has waste at bottom



this is him I placed him in another container I had real quick since he is feeling very active after eating some brine shrimp



 
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I have gone through and removed all store names as using them for bashing is against forum rules. Please remember this. The thread title has also been changed for the same reason.
 
Thank you for giving them some love and care Corylover.

Reading this made me tear up. I want to rescue them all too.

I want stores to sell Bettas responsibly and for gosh sakes, change cup water daily (I don't think that always happens and it needs to), and not order more till they're all sold or there's only one or two left.
 
Rivercats I didn't realize. Thank you for reminding us. :)

Personally I wasn't trying to bash. That just happened to be the store I saw them this way at. I won't name names of stores again though if it's about something negative.
 
don't rescue any beta matter of fact don't even go there unless you have to I did that same thing had him quarantine but what I didn't know was their lack of care for him made him get bugs which killed off 4 of my original fish and later just recently he died too. never will I set foot in that store. I will only grace my presence in My local fish store which has been in business since 1983. ( I got impatient when they didn't have any betas forgot I could order never make that mistake again). and I have never had any issues with the fish he gives me which I have had for going on 2yrs I think. and never have I had to quarantine any of the fish he gives me so im sticking to him and going to try to give him as much business as possible cause I cant afford losing anymore fish.
p.s. I still have 1 female beta she appears to be fine though again idk I hope that she doesn't have anything got her shortly after I got him. thought I was doing the right thing saving him and her but it cost me 4 of my original fish one of which was lucky the loach. and red one of my golden loaches. and both duke and duchess my male and female leopards cory and also one of the new leopards I had gotten. all of that is not worth the headache. if you can always go local don't make my mistake and if they don't have ask about ordering them they wont mind if everyone went local then all these big careless cooperation's will lose money and we would save a good family business.
meant 1963 not 83 don't know why it wont let me change it and I did get another betta male before the one I have rescued now and calling him and the female elvis and Pricilla.
 
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