I'm concerned.

[xenacanth9]

In the past year or so, it seems like my local PetCos have grown a lot more ambitious. If you go to any of the PetCos within a 30 minute radius of where I live, chances are you'll find at LEAST one, and very possibly multiple of the following: Exodons, bumblebee gobies, pea puffer, wrestling halfbeak, and more. Now, that's cool for me, a more advanced fishkeeper, but somewhat worrying when you think of the average inexperienced bozo who shops at PetCo. Let's break down what's wrong with PetCo selling those fish, one at a time.

Exodons - Very aggressive fish that could easily be mistaken for just another peaceful, larger tetra.

Bumblebee goby - Brackish fish (Except maybe xanthomelas, but let's be honest, PetCo probably isn't gonna take the time to separate xanthomelas from the other various/commonly confused brackish species) which are more sensitive to parameters than some other fish, and are also delicate feeders. Not the most advanced fish, but not something I would recommend for beginners.

Pea puffer - A fin-nipper which is very sensitive to nitrites and nitrates, as well as a weak swimmer that could easily be overpowered by your average HOB. Also requires meatier foods such as worms and snails.

Wrestling halfbeak - A skiddish fish that could easily smash its face against the glass if it gets too scared. Many can only feed these with frozen and live foods, but I've had a pair for well over a year who eat mostly spirulina, flakes, and the occasional dried bloodworm which have been doing great, so take that how you will.

So, in conclusion? Many PetCo shoppers are blissfully unaware of these risks, and just buy these fish because they are $10< and look cool, and I don't exactly trust the employees who work there to know the risks either, and if they do, I don't know if I trust them to tell the truth. After all, places like this aren't exactly the most selective when it comes to their employees, in the fish department, anyway. If I had a dime for every time someone and PetCo or Petsmart told me something about a fish I was buying that was blatantly untrue, I would be the richest man in the world. Bottom line is, think that PetCo selling these fish is just asking for trouble. It just seems somewhat unwise to me. Thoughts?

 

[Deadeye]

Petco has sold dwarf puffers for a long time, most people know the risks and most employees know enough to tell they are hard.
Bb gobies are similar, as long as you know they are really hard water or brackish needing it isn’t too bad, and that is easy from a google search.
Overall I do agree that it is not good to let such difficult fish be sold by idiots, but if they weren’t easy to get, we wouldn’t be able to have them without paying an arm or a leg.
What I can’t stand with petco is the disease though…especially saltwater. At least try to make the tanks presentable.
Of course, it’s all about the buyer. It appeals to the novice who doesn’t know. The only way to learn is to make a mistake, and this often leads to making more and better fish keepers!

 

[esoxlucius]

With non beginner fish you just have to hope that either the buyer has done their research and knows their own limitations before taking on said fish, or that the store employees are suitably knowledgeable about the fish to advise buyers that the fish may not be for them unless they can provide x,y,z care for them.

Unfortunately, as we all know, this isn't the case. And I can't see it changing anytime soon.

A couple of years ago my missus was taken with three little adorable catfish. I didn't know diddly squat about them so I asked the manager, yes, the manager, not a spotty young assistant. He said they stayed small and were a great community fish.

As soon as I got home I researched them. They were Columbian cat sharks!! They grew to 2' in length and were monsters, and to top it all off they required brackish water as they matured. They went straight back the following day!

 

[tlindsey]

The only way to learn is to make a mistake, and this often leads to making more and better fish keepers!

I agree but best for people to do research prior to purchasing. All big box stores like Petco are mainly concerned about sales of hard goods.

 

[xenacanth9]

Oh yeah, that's another big example! As a Columbian shark owner myself, I can say that is is INCREDIBLY irresponsible for big-box stores like Petco to carry them.

 

[Deadeye]

I agree but best for people to do research prior to purchasing. All big box stores like Petco are mainly concerned about sales of hard goods.

Yes very true. A lot more fish would be saved if people simply read up on them before buying.

 

[xenacanth9]

Petco has sold dwarf puffers for a long time, most people know the risks and most employees know enough to tell they are hard.
Bb gobies are similar, as long as you know they are really hard water or brackish needing it isn’t too bad, and that is easy from a google search.
Overall I do agree that it is not good to let such difficult fish be sold by idiots, but if they weren’t easy to get, we wouldn’t be able to have them without paying an arm or a leg.
What I can’t stand with petco is the disease though…especially saltwater. At least try to make the tanks presentable.
Of course, it’s all about the buyer. It appeals to the novice who doesn’t know. The only way to learn is to make a mistake, and this often leads to making more and better fish keepers!

Disease is another big problem.

I'll get back to that, but for now, let's get back to my first point. I do agree that many people who buy and sell these fish DO in fact know the risks, however many still do not. It is sort of hard to prevent these fish from getting into the hands of idiots. I'd say I agree and disagree with this point.

Yeah, but back to disease, I totally agree. I've bought many fish from PetCo that ended up dying the next morning. These have almost all been fish that I have kept very successful specimens of from other stores, who just put in a little extra effort to prevent disease.

 

[xenacanth9]

I agree but best for people to do research prior to purchasing. All big box stores like Petco are mainly concerned about sales of hard goods.

I agree for the most part, and I will say that some locations and employees take better care and do better research than others. However, again, for the most part, yes, definitely.

 

[esoxlucius]

I agree but best for people to do research prior to purchasing. All big box stores like Petco are mainly concerned about sales of hard goods.

This is very true. If you can't rely on the knowledge and experience of a senior manager, as in my case, then what chance have you got with the younger inexperienced staff members?

This puts the onus firmly on the buyer, and in this day and age it's not exactly difficult to research fish. The time i wrongfully bought those cat sharks was a time when I had a very old Nokia phone. I couldn't research whilst in the store. I have a modern phone now so I won't be making the same mistake again.

 

[Joshuakahan]

In the past year or so, it seems like my local PetCos have grown a lot more ambitious. If you go to any of the PetCos within a 30 minute radius of where I live, chances are you'll find at LEAST one, and very possibly multiple of the following: Exodons, bumblebee gobies, pea puffer, wrestling halfbeak, and more. Now, that's cool for me, a more advanced fishkeeper, but somewhat worrying when you think of the average inexperienced bozo who shops at PetCo. Let's break down what's wrong with PetCo selling those fish, one at a time.

Exodons - Very aggressive fish that could easily be mistaken for just another peaceful, larger tetra.

Bumblebee goby - Brackish fish (Except maybe xanthomelas, but let's be honest, PetCo probably isn't gonna take the time to separate xanthomelas from the other various/commonly confused brackish species) which are more sensitive to parameters than some other fish, and are also delicate feeders. Not the most advanced fish, but not something I would recommend for beginners.

Pea puffer - A fin-nipper which is very sensitive to nitrites and nitrates, as well as a weak swimmer that could easily be overpowered by your average HOB. Also requires meatier foods such as worms and snails.

Wrestling halfbeak - A skiddish fish that could easily smash its face against the glass if it gets too scared. Many can only feed these with frozen and live foods, but I've had a pair for well over a year who eat mostly spirulina, flakes, and the occasional dried bloodworm which have been doing great, so take that how you will.

So, in conclusion? Many PetCo shoppers are blissfully unaware of these risks, and just buy these fish because they are $10< and look cool, and I don't exactly trust the employees who work there to know the risks either, and if they do, I don't know if I trust them to tell the truth. After all, places like this aren't exactly the most selective when it comes to their employees, in the fish department, anyway. If I had a dime for every time someone and PetCo or Petsmart told me something about a fish I was buying that was blatantly untrue, I would be the richest man in the world. Bottom line is, think that PetCo selling these fish is just asking for trouble. It just seems somewhat unwise to me. Thoughts?

I hate when a petco employee tries to tell me anything