Need EVERYONE's Help!!!

[Bosemani Fan]

I Recently send an e-mail to Wal-mart Corprate offices, Mainly concerning the sale of Pacus. I received a call this morning from a Manager at one of My Local Wal-marts, asking about the issues I have! I mentioned ICH and Dead fish in their tanks (His reply was less than encouraging). But My Main issue, was the Pacus, I informed him about the fishes size, temperment, etc. He Basically told me that, He had talked with the home office and they had consulted their "fish expert" (and I use that term VERY loosly), and was told that they will only grow to the size tank they are in and will have no adverse affects on the fishes health (he told me this twice), He said you could put them in a 10gal. tank and they would be fine. he also said they had decided to keep on selling them, That they just couldn't "pull a product off the shelf because of a couple complaints", so until they started getting alot of complaints they would continue to sale them! The last thing I said was that The problem is, that as you refered to them as product, They are not product, they are Live Fish!

So Please take the time to send and e-mail or give them a call about this and your other issues with Wal-mart fish Dept. Here is a link to the: http://walmartstores.com/GlobalWMStoresWeb/navigate.do?catg=224

[mvigor]

The form on Wal-Mart's web site didn't work for me. Wouldn't submit.

[DaisyTattoo]

I did email them and told them about the pacus, the brackish water fish being sold as freshwater, and the betta horror that i witnessed a couple of weeks ago. :rant2: Hopefully it helps but if we do this in numbers maybe we can make a difference. :)

[kyle3]

hey i want to send anemail but i want it to get to the same place you sent yours - what zip should i use?

[DaisyTattoo]

I emailed corporate about all of the walmarts because several in my area have the same problems.

[TKOS]

My Wal-Marts don't sell fish, just pet supplies. probably as they are always next to a Pets Unlimited.

[graphicdesign_r]

**My complaint. There was no confirmation screen after sending the message? They won't do anything about it Wal-Mart cares only about profits, but I'd like to think every little bit helps.

It has come to my attention that Wal-Mart is complacent regarding their sales and mistreatment of live animals.
Notably the Pacu, a fish you sell in your pets department, is an inappropriate choice for residential settings (it grows too large for the tanks you sell in your store).
I also have found that Wal-Mart associates frequently recommend these fish. I recently heard (from a corporate source that had supposedly "consulted a fish expert") that these fish will only "grow to the size of their environment" which is untrue. Housing a fish in an inappropriate tank stunts fish growth, and damages their internal organs. It is animal cruelty, pure and simple.

I am boycotting Wal-Mart until they cease selling these inappropriate fish to unsuspecting buyers. I am going to suggest on all of the aquarium forums I frequent that visitors there do the same.

-concerned aquarist

[DaisyTattoo]

Graphic, that was a wonderful letter. Couldnt have been said better. And no, I did not recieve a conformation after sending the email either. Maybe that is so they can say they never recieved it? That would be my guess. LOL.

[kyle3]

okay i just sent it to corprate

[sumthin fishy]

Hows this? (already sent)


Dear Sir/s and/or Madame/s

I am deeply concerned with your practices regarding the sales of fish. Any Wal-Mart store I have seen that sells fish has grossly neglected tanks, with diseased, dead or dying fish. While I have complaints on a lot of your fish keeping practices, I am mainly concerned with your sale of Piaractus brachypomus, the Characin commonly known as Pacu. A reply to a message, sent to you by one of my fellow aquarists, stated that your so called “fish expert” explained to you that fish only grow to the size of the tank, without any ill effects on the fish. That is highly inaccurate, and I would like to see this fish experts credentials, as well as their scientific evidence to back their statement.

Even if you are able to provide this information, it still does not excuse you from your false statement of the fish’s size. Your store advertises the maximum size as 11". This fish has been known to exceed 2 feet when properly cared for. Your stores advertisement of false facts, as well as inaccurate verbal advice for fish keeping is nothing short of animal abuse/cruelty. I can assure you if you gave similar advice concerning the treatment and care for mammalian pets, you would face lawsuits from the SPCA. Sadly, not much legislation is currently in place for aquatic creatures, they are seen as disposable items of pleasure and are hardly treated as living creatures by those who endeavor to profit from their sales. I think it would be nice to see a large company such as yours strive to give accurate and proper care advice WITHOUT needing a law in place to do so.

In closing I will simply say that I eagerly await your reply, hope that you will in fact provide the scientific evidence requested above, and that I appreciate you taking the time to read this complaint.

Best regards,

Yet another concerned aquarist.

Post script, while I focus my attention on the Pacu, this letter can also be applied to all fish.

[graphicdesign_r]

:thm: Now if Wal-Mart corporate has any cojones they will respond. I suspect as soon as our little crusade started they shut down that link ("here we go again with complaints, let's get that form offline") and that's why there was no confirmation page. After all Wal-Mart plays dirty pool.

[Star_Rider]

I really hope you all are successful in your attempts.

my personal opinion is..that wal-mart is misinformed and are only really interested in the bottom line.

I have seen many mis labeled tanks in wal-mart and I don't buy my fish there..simply because I know more than the sale associates and the condition of the tanks are deplorable.

sadly.I think as long as there is a market. Wal-mart will continue to do business as usual.
I think if the staff were properly trained and they were allowed time to maintain the tanks..we would see a different situation. but as long as they see payroll as one of the best ways to reduce costs...LOL

I think you get the point.

[ghinksmon]

There's no shortage of complaints as to how they treat their employees, why would they care about a fish? The underlying problem is that there's nothing to stop people from making a buck at the animal's expense. Around here, the first big chain store was Petland Discounts. I have seen a few, relatively OK stores but most of them are just a larger version of Wal-mart's pet department. On the other end there's also many independent stores that aren't any better. I don't have an answer because any form of regulation could quickly go too far and hurt the hobby and reputable dealers, but the problem extends well beyond Wal-mart.

[Bosemani Fan]

Great job guys. Lets keep this up!

[Slappy*McFish]

Straight and to the point. :)

Dear Walmart,
You have no business selling live fish...and I use the term "live" loosely as most of the fish in your tanks are actually dead. Clean up your act or stop selling live fish all together. Then, maybe I'll buy your merchandise.

Thanks for your cooperation.

-Another disgusted pet owner/fish keeper.