You want to have some fun?Next time you go into one of these chain stores ask the sales person if they can order any kind of fish you want(doesnt matter)but just use its latin name,to make it even funnier make up a latin name.Because most of them dont even know how to use a fish atlas.lol
Working for Petco.......
- Thread starter DCOWBOYS
- Start date
I have to say that I work for a major pet store chain. I am very knowledgeable and know more about the husbandry, care, and overall biology of fish and reptiles than most people. I take pride in my job and almost always have the right answer to many peoples questions. I take care of the stock there as if they were my own pets. No matter how you look at it these places are a business. Why do you think so many lfs struggle to break even? I would much rather sell a pacu to someone who has a 55 gallon tank than watch it deteriorate in something equivalent to a 15 gallon. I always say what the actual size of a fish will be, yet people still feel compelled to get them and think that they will easily be able to give it away once it gets too large. I will say that corporate does have some flaws but they order the fish that people want to buy. If anything, blame the ignorant people that dont listen to anything the experts in the field actually tell them, as they will persistently look for what they want to hear instead of the facts. I am very qualified at my job and always help people the best I can with the RIGHT answer. Not everybody who works at these places is ignorant, and not all chains have sick or malnourished animals and fish.
The petco around here I feel is above average. I know several of the employees and their knowledge about proper fiskkeeping is good. The only complaint I have is that they always have the same fish to sell. The manager says his hands are tied to only order fish that sell. The largest fish they sell are oscars and they stress that it needs at least a 55 galllon tank. They will order other fish upon a person's request but if the person does not pick the fish up within 3 days, it will sold to anyone.
Hey all - new here but used to work in a small lfs chain that was eventually swallowed up by Petco.
Maybe it's because I'm getting old, but none of what I see in the lfs's surprises me anymore. It's still sad and infuriating, sure, but not surprising. It goes far beyond the lfs unfortunately.
Everyone thinks they are smart - everyone. Nobody likes to be told they are stupid (even the same people who make fun of 'nerds' for being too smart, go figure. Really, try telling a bully he's dumb and see how upset he gets... then ask why he was beating someone up for being smart and watch his head explode). People have a sense of entitlement, and superiority, so if they come into a pet shop wanting something to put in their house to look pretty, they aren't going to like it when they are told they can't do it- even if there's a perfectly sound reason. And when they do hear something they don't like, they use it to get something out of you (like in the store when they call the manager - they'd ideally like free stuff, but seeing you get fired would also make them feel much better about themselves).
The fact is, many people don't consider fish living creatures to be respected. Instead they are pretty ornaments to decorate their house (or worse, maybe just something to buy so their kids will shut up). Actually many don't even consider their cats/dogs as being on the same level as them, so fish are not worth being respected. The goldfish/beta in the bowl has done more to harm the fish hobby than anything I'd say, but it sells product, and like it or not, none of us would be in the store working if we weren't being paid.
But as I said it goes past just pets - look how many people get married and then cheat or get divorced... sure many are unavoidable and/or unfortunate, but SO MANY break up because of bad or no planning, or a sense of entitlement/selfishness.
It's a pattern I see in so many aspects of life - and it is sad. Glad there's places like this where I can vent to peeps who break this mold!
FIrst official post a mini-rant. haha sweeet. Can you tell I've spent most of my time here so far in threads like this!?
Maybe it's because I'm getting old, but none of what I see in the lfs's surprises me anymore. It's still sad and infuriating, sure, but not surprising. It goes far beyond the lfs unfortunately.
Everyone thinks they are smart - everyone. Nobody likes to be told they are stupid (even the same people who make fun of 'nerds' for being too smart, go figure. Really, try telling a bully he's dumb and see how upset he gets... then ask why he was beating someone up for being smart and watch his head explode). People have a sense of entitlement, and superiority, so if they come into a pet shop wanting something to put in their house to look pretty, they aren't going to like it when they are told they can't do it- even if there's a perfectly sound reason. And when they do hear something they don't like, they use it to get something out of you (like in the store when they call the manager - they'd ideally like free stuff, but seeing you get fired would also make them feel much better about themselves).
The fact is, many people don't consider fish living creatures to be respected. Instead they are pretty ornaments to decorate their house (or worse, maybe just something to buy so their kids will shut up). Actually many don't even consider their cats/dogs as being on the same level as them, so fish are not worth being respected. The goldfish/beta in the bowl has done more to harm the fish hobby than anything I'd say, but it sells product, and like it or not, none of us would be in the store working if we weren't being paid.
But as I said it goes past just pets - look how many people get married and then cheat or get divorced... sure many are unavoidable and/or unfortunate, but SO MANY break up because of bad or no planning, or a sense of entitlement/selfishness.
It's a pattern I see in so many aspects of life - and it is sad. Glad there's places like this where I can vent to peeps who break this mold!
FIrst official post a mini-rant. haha sweeet. Can you tell I've spent most of my time here so far in threads like this!?
in my opinion corporations shouldn't be allowed to sell live animals because there's rarely people working there that take enough pride in there jobs and respect the animals enough to care for them properly. i worked at petco for a few months and it was enraging. they taught us wrong information and wanted us to sell as much as possible. when they hired me there death toll was cut by about 90% but they still lost business, mysteriously the lfs i trusted for years had a large spike in business 
they also won't spend money to save money, or listen to anything you have to say about easy fixes that need to be done.
well, i could go on for hours but i won't. so people, don't support your local chainstores, the customer friendly environments and nice placards are just faucades for a greedy company that has one thing on the mind, green.
they also won't spend money to save money, or listen to anything you have to say about easy fixes that need to be done.well, i could go on for hours but i won't. so people, don't support your local chainstores, the customer friendly environments and nice placards are just faucades for a greedy company that has one thing on the mind, green.
i wanna know how much they paid too. i could lie for 4 weeks in order to get some extra xmas money
I work in the fish department for petco's main competitor. The animals needs are number one! ANYONE reserves the right to deny a sale to anyone. Not every store is ran the same, but I feel like our store really tries hard to make sure any animal has the best possible environment. I think it really depends on that individual stores manager/GM.
90% of people overstock thier tanks and honestly the public is mostly way UNDEReducated about fish keeping. But I make a HUGE difference with the people I help and thats why I continue to work for this company!
If I had that same experience as the OP I would tell them to POUND GRAVEL!
That being said why the hell do we sell pacus and common plecos?
90% of people overstock thier tanks and honestly the public is mostly way UNDEReducated about fish keeping. But I make a HUGE difference with the people I help and thats why I continue to work for this company!
If I had that same experience as the OP I would tell them to POUND GRAVEL!
That being said why the hell do we sell pacus and common plecos?
im 16 and i know a lot about fish but thats pathetic for them to say that and make the fish lives terrible while the "customers" dont even do research..etc
