Petsmart, Petco, etc, complaints

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
I am fortunate that the best LFS in town is like 3 minutes from my house. I don't hit the chain stores for anything but dog stuff. Even then, there is a feed store 2.5 from my house that has a great dog supply selection including great foods. So I choose to keep my $ local as much as I can. My LFS will order anything I want, the fish are high quality and healthy ( never lost one or got a sick one), and it's like Cheers-where everyone knows your name. But, just like I might sneak into WalMart for diapers occasionally, I might slip into petsmart on a late night frozen brine shrimp run - but only if I am delinquent in good planning. The big box guys are what they are. The serve a niche, and a pretty big one at that. If you want personalized widely knowledgeable staff, hit the LFS. It's only 3 min away. You jealous?


Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app
 
The last time I was at pets mart the fish manager said she wanted rectics. I asked her what size tank she had and she said she didn't have one. I told her that from my personal experience she didn't want to start with that ray because of the difficulty. She said I think I can manage I am the fish manager you know. My wife grabbed me by the arm and made me leave. Almost as she knew I was going to say. Since when dose pets mart carry stingrays?

Sent from my SCH-R970 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
 
I make a point of buying stuff from good local fish stores, but I go to the chains for the very simple reason that there are fish there! Seriously, unless a place is truly bottom of the barrel, I just want to know what's swimming there. There are some I visit and never buy anything (I can think of a particular local Petsmart where I browse but never buy), but from others I will buy stuff. For example, a particular Burton's Total Pets always has a tremendous stock of aquarium plants, and usually great prices for them.

Funny thing is, as many problems as occur at the big chains, not all that long ago I had to give grief to the manager of one of the largest and oldest local independent stores because I caught him selling a woman several fancy goldfish and an aquarium with all the equipment at the same time!
 
I think most people keep shopping at big box stores bc it seems to be a hit or miss. Until you've had a big loss or a precious loss you just chalk it aside and forget till it happens again. Up until recently I shopped big box for fish that's before I really got into and learned my lesson. Beforehand I'd buy 5-10 fish at > $5 each sure I might have lost a few of them but it's a risk some take for cheaper fish. Why pay 3-4x the cost at a LFS? I think is the common thought.
A couple months back I did just that, bought several cheap fish and put them in a tank where I kept my favorite 6"+ Bala shark. Wouldn't you know we caught ICK and velvet and it about wiped out my whole tank! Even my Bala. I was so mad actually still mad! I will now gladly pay the bigger price tags at my LFS for all their quality fish and for their knowledge!
It's hard for me not to look at the fish at the big box stores bc I work in one. I still look them all over but the moment I think of my Bala and the 2 prized fish I have now I can walk away. Never will I buy big box fish again!
 
Dave's pet food city in MA is perhaps the best chain of pet stores in MA. The fish room is wonderful, and is the only chain I seen carry flagtail prochidolis, widebar silverdollar, tiger striped silverdollars, stingrays, arowanas, and at great prices.
 
I have nothing against Petsmart. Petco, however is very expensive and sells a lot of "tatooed" ,Painted and glow in the dark fishes. NOT COOL.
 
I would like to point out that there is a lot of hypocrisy in the scorn that chain stores suffer.
My local speciality shop (for example) keep fish in 15 or 20 gallon aquariums for the most part. The numbers they keep in each is definate over stocking and that's a reality of the business. Petsmart is no different in aquarium size or over stocking methods.
People seem to think that because they are a store they are somehow immune to same risks and problems every other private aquarists suffer? Hate to burst your bubble but, no, they're not and if you know anything about the hobby; you know there is no way around this.

Next thing you know, you'll be called cruel and inhumane because you keep a dog. And you know...they're pack animals. So, honestly! how could you do such a thing to your dog!? ;)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
MonsterFishKeepers.com
Top Bottom