Wal-mart -- the pound for fish

[lyquidphyre]

You know when you go in a petstore and you see a cute little kitten or puppy and you really want it, but you know it will get a good home because its in a pet store. And then you go to the pound and find the cutest little kitten or puppy and you buy it because you know if it doesn't get a good home they well.. you know what happens =o(

That is how I feel about Wal-mart fish. I always want to rescue those poor fish.

In fact, I did rescue some and a good majority died soon after.

Later, I went to Petsmart and I was looking at their fish. Apparently when the guy at Wal-mart told me what kind of fish I bought... he was completely wrong. So when talking to the Petsmart guy about thinking my rasboras were white clouds he asked where I bought my fish and I said "Wal-mart" and he gave me this look like "you idiot" and that is when I realized that Wal-mart is a pound for fish *nod*

That is my story. The End.

 

[tkos]

Never buy fish from WalMart because you feel sorry for them. It just means that they will get more to replace them. If people stop purchasing them, the head office will eventually stop wanting to sell them. Sure that is a pipe dream but maybe it could happen.

 

[William]

How many millions of innocent, beautiful fish will have to die to realize that pipe dream?

 

[tkos]

Far too many.

 

[Allivymar]

I have a need to clarify something about Walmart, Petsmart and all those big chains. It depends on the store and the management there.

One of the honchos over at Wetwebmedia is a manager at a Walmart. Anyone I've spoken to who has been to that store only have nice things to say about their pet dep't, including the fish. I've spoken to other folk who wouldn't even walk into their local Petsmart or Petco cause they were so nasty.

So what to do about it? Complain! Write a letter to the store management. Write an email to the president of the chain. Call your local ASPCA or Humane society and report em. Let people know whats happening at the places selling fish by you if you feel there is a problem!

 

[tkos]

True enough.

I think the main problem, at least at my Walmart, is that people just don't know what they are doing. There is a manual but it is read by the same lady that mixes the custom paint colours.

Unfortunatly in Cape Breton the Human Society and ASPCA are far more concerned about the thousands of cats they have to put down every years, hundreds a month sometimes. All this because people around here won't get their cats fixed and let them roam free.

 

[Allivymar]

Bummer tkos. Especially since that crew are the folks who are supposed to be standing up for ALL pets, not just the fuzzy ones. I loathe it when these sorta places pick and chose what animals are important.

Do keep in mind tho, we are talking about businesses who are dependent on the consumer. Bad press is something they want to avoid. A letter to the editor can be a powerful instrument (just be sure everything is factual) and heck, could even get the community involved!

 

[Fishy]

I feel the same about my local Meijer. I went to "browse" one day and you could hardly see the fish through the green "gook"!

 

[PlatyLady]

I bought two guppies from Walmart a few months ago. They looked healthy, the tank looked good and I've never had any probs. This is of course, the same store I posted about a couple days ago that sold a pleco and some guppies with a goldfish bowl...

I've also been to LFS that have had tanks with fish covered in ich, tanks full of dead fish, etc...

In addition to complaining and writing to management, Find a good store, Find a knowledgable employee and Support them.

 

[tkos]

Of course all of my healthy fish that I have are WalMart fish right now. I did loose some guppies and dwarf puffers but never had any problems with cories, white clouds and platies and my current betta. But I think I may just be lucky. Soon I will have more choices - big moving day here I come.

 

[WackyInsertions]

I was going to post this as a new thread, but I'm glad I noticed this one.

Yesterday, I went to walmart to get some nyquil, as I recently got the flu. Anyway, it was near the fish section, so I happened to stroll back there. Now, as a side note, my walmart keeps its fishtanks very clean, and you hardly ever see any dead fish.

Anyway, as I was walking by the aquariums, something caught the corner of my eye. I looked into a 10 gallon aquarium and I saw a cup. I quickly realized that it was a betta cup, so I looked a little more closely. Someone had dumped a still living betta into this empty aquarium and left it to die. Naturally, I tilted the tank so that he was in the water, and when he was elevated off the glass, I scooped him up and then dumped the rest of the water from that aquarium into his cup. I started to put him back, but then I saw all of those bettas. There were probably 50+, and surely most of them were going to die. Now, I usually don't buy fish from walmart (even though mine is run excellently...aside from the fact that no one is back there past 10:00pm), but I felt sorry for the little guy. So I bought a little one gallon aquarium, some rocks, and the betta (he's extremely pretty...I don't understand how anyone could do something so cruel).

I already have 4 fairly large fish tanks in my one bedroom apartment, not counting my 3 hamsters and millions of plants, so I'm hoping my ex-girlfriend will take him as a present; if not, I have to force him onto my mom. Presently, he's got one of my cultured biowheels floating in there to speed up the bacteria culturing, and I clipped a ton of my plants so he has something to hide behing/brush up against. Still, I think he might not make it; he keeps his top fin down, and isn't moving particularly much, and I'm having trouble getting him to eat. I'm hoping that in about a week or so he'll be back to whatever is normal for him.

 

[Electrobes]

I agree with alliv, well err.. have to anyway! The reason being is that I am being interviewed soon to hopefully become a manager at a petsmart. Its funny... my friends are a bit shocked that I would want to do that when there are so many chances at making more money. The truest thing is that I WANT to become a manager at a PetsMart, its almost like a dream to me to work with animals being around them AND doing the business thats needs my education. My point being is that I believe in it when people say one should strive for happiness in what they do, not from the money they get from it. A happy person doing their job that makes them happy ends up being the best worker by far, hence whether places are clean, healthy, and reliable. The people doing the job because "it was there" or because they get good money from it, in my opinion ends of running the crummy places that you see. Anyway.. my 2 cents

 

[PlatyLady]

The reason being is that I am being interviewed soon to hopefully become a manager at a petsmart. Its funny... my friends are a bit shocked that I would want to do that when there are so many chances at making more money. The truest thing is that I WANT to become a manager at a PetsMart, its almost like a dream to me to work with animals being around them AND doing the business thats needs my education.

Good for you Electrobes. I hope you get the job!

 

[tkos]

Go for it! I would love to work at a fish store but unless you are management I don't know if I could take all the bad with the good. All those people who want 5 plecos for their 5 gallon tank (1 pleco per gallon isn't that the rule?). Anyway let us know how that goes and make a difference!

That being said I just did what Ally mentioned. While contacting the SPCA around these parts is a head against the wall kind of idea, I just sent a letter of complaint off to walmart. I wrote very nice things to start off with and then calmly asked for something to be done or that I didn't feel I could continue to shop in such a store for any products. Who knows, a small group of people got Maxim magazine kicked out (at least for awhile).

 

[Bernie]

Most of the problems encountered at chain stores stem from the "policies" they
use to run the stores!
It starts from buying from "mass distributors" (including livestock) where quality
is not the "driving factor", but rather "PRICING!"; then proceeds to usually an
"inferior display & filtration/isolation system"(in the case of fish, particularly); then
proceeds to a lack of knowledgeable staffing....and (where there may be a good
staffer now and then), he or she is "dictated" by somewhat rigid "store policies".
Again.... the situation is better or worse from location to location;

Often a single complaint by individual consumers is "shelved" or "muffled" along
the way. Unfortunately, it only makes ANY impression if complaints are made
by "larger groups, organizations or media".

No problem with any of us "doing our part" and "or showing your concerns" along
the way. It makes us "feel better", knowing we've spoken up or "done the RIGHT"
thing.

Just some thoughts.

Bernie

P.S. Hey Wacky....Where in Tenn are you?? Join the Tenn Regional Forum, here at AA!