Walmart fish

[jhawk__]

I went to walmart today to pick up some stuff and decided to check out their fish section. it is absolutely terrible and disgusting. almost all the fish had ich and all the tanks had dead fish in them and they looked like theyve been dead for a while. it sad, and there were atleast 6 oscars in a small 5 or 10 fallon tank. they also had a ton of cichlids in the same size tank...poor guys, are any of your local walmarts like this ? just curious

 

[jhawk__]

heres a pic of all the oscars. sorry about the bad reflection

 

[jhawk__]

heres all the cichlids!!

 

[Wiggles24]

They are always crowded. Some are better than others the one here is OK I still rescue fish from there whenever possible though

 

[jetajockey]

They are always crowded. Some are better than others the one here is OK I still rescue fish from there whenever possible though

It'd be rescuing them if they weren't profiting and replacing them. The more we patronize them the more they will continue this behavior.

Store tanks are usually on central filtration so seeing a dozen Oscars in a little space is not that unusual.

 

[jhawk__]

I just think their overstocking is worse than most lfs . Like it was bad! And it smelled to, I wish I could save them but I'm afraid they might contaminate my tank. Is that possible?

 

[jetajockey]

I just think their overstocking is worse than most lfs . Like it was bad! And it smelled to, I wish I could save them but I'm afraid they might contaminate my tank. Is that possible?

Yes it's very possible. Just avoid these kind of places if you can. It's hard to resist the urge to save a few but they'll just put even more in their place.

 

[jhawk__]

Yes it's very possible. Just avoid these kind of places if you can. It's hard to resist the urge to save a few but they'll just put even more in their place.

Yeah, I know what you mean. I was just checking It out and though, "wow !" And I probably stood there for a good 30 minutes just examining the tanks and there was Atleast 3 little kids that came and got a fish. I just wanted to say "no don't buy those!" But I figured they wouldn't listen.

 

[Wiggles24]

It'd be rescuing them if they weren't profiting and replacing them. The more we patronize them the more they will continue this behavior.

Store tanks are usually on central filtration so seeing a dozen Oscars in a little space is not that unusual.

Its not like Walmart is going to stop what they are doing. There will always be somebody there to buy fish. I would rather somebody take them that actually has knowledge of how to care for them. Leaving them there us pretty much condemning them to death. Either they are going to go home with somebody that doesn't know how to treat fish or they will stay there in horrible water conditions and die eventually from that.

 

[Christina717]

The problem is that there is 1 person to run and do other things. I'm a dep. manager at walmart and at my store in PA the manager and the employees have to take care of paper goods, chemical and pets. And theres only 2 employees and the manager. So there is not one person to just take care of the pets. Its sad but true. The fish here are no better, I look at my fish and say they got the good life. Walmart shouldn't see fish because they don't care about them as much as they should.

 

[Mumma.of.two]

The point jeta is making is that the fish you take home will just be replaced by others. It encourages places like these to continue to stock fish because they are still being bought. If we would all just stop buying from places that don't care for their fish section then eventually they won't be making a profit from it. If they don't make money from something they won't stock it. It's all business.

 

[Laser]

Its not like Walmart is going to stop what they are doing. There will always be somebody there to buy fish. I would rather somebody take them that actually has knowledge of how to care for them. Leaving them there us pretty much condemning them to death. Either they are going to go home with somebody that doesn't know how to treat fish or they will stay there in horrible water conditions and die eventually from that.

I agree, Walmart is never going to stop. There are always going to be children that want fish and there are always going to be parents that want to give their children that fish using the cheapest means possible. So long as there is human ignorance, apathy and disregard for life Walmart will sell fish.

 

[jetajockey]

No offense but that's a rather defeatist way to look at it. If enough people take a stand, complain, educate their community, it CAN make a difference. There are several stories of stores that reduced or removed their live pet sales completely largely in part by customer complaints and action.

We as consumers DO have the power to change things if we band together and try.

 

[Laser]

No offense taken. Perhaps you are right. I believe all animals should have the right to live, to not be eaten, not be tested upon, and not be mistreated in a store. I think being in the minority viewpoint has jaded me a bit in this regard.