PetSmart... why??

  • Get the NEW AquariaCentral iOS app --> http://itunes.apple.com/app/id1227181058 // Android version will be out soon!

dwayne

AC Members
Jul 12, 2001
548
0
0
50
Boston, MA
I went to PetSmart last night, and was yet again amazed at the number of dead fish in the tanks... along with many other things:

~ 2 tropical tanks had fancy goldfish in them - one was a big fat orange and brown fish (in a tank w/ 2 plecos), and another one was white and orange with a big forehead (not bubble eyed) he was alone in that tank. wtf is up with that? The white/orange one looked so sad too, he was kind of resting on the bottom peering out. I was SO tempted to buy him that's how sad he looked, but he'd be too hot in my tank, and severely crowded...

~ New signage (paraphrased):

In order to maintain a nice peaceful tank, follow these (color coded) guidelines and put fish in the same color category together: tropical community - peaceful, tropical community - semi-aggressive, cold water, chichlid. Imagine a 29 gallon tank filled w/ fish from the tropical community - semi-aggressive category?

Fill your tank and let the water sit for 72 hours, then add a few fish. Add fish over the period of a few weeks, a few at a time until you have the fish you want. Nothing at all about cycling, stocking limits, etc...

~Register dude asked me how big my tank is, and what I have in it. I told him (it was a slow night there), and he goes "That sounds like a lot of fish in that size tank". To which I replied "Actually, it's just right. I'm looking to add 2-3 more barbs, then I'll be all set. But I haven't been able to find any barbs that aren't almost fully grown, or that don't have other dead barbs in the tank with them". That shut him up.

I did talk to the one fish girl who knows what's what about my sword plant though. She assured me that it's not unhealthy, the pleco is just eating it away, which is normal and healthy for him. She showed me (on a plastic sword) where to cut to get rid of the dead leaves, and also showed me how to cut the long stem with 'baby' plants growing off it and plant it in the gravel. I was glad I bumped into her (she was on her break), because I was this '...' close to tossing the real sword and plunking down $15 for a nice looking silk one.

I will not stop shopping there, at least for supplies... I'm going to try to get to a nicer lfs (non chain) this weekend to see if they have any barbs.

~Tara
 

Milton Friedman

AC Members
Oct 26, 2003
24
0
0
Visit site
I swear, the incompetence in some of these chain stores is an embarrassment to this hobby. Petsmart in my area use to sell Dwarf Puffers. I asked what happened and why they are not selling them. The clerk said that mainly 1) its a seasonal product and 2) that they kept dying on them. I asked what was the proper conditions for these puffers. She said that they needed high salinity (They are fresh water puffers). I asked what they fed them. She replied flake.

Another instance, some clerk was trying to reassure me that Mondo Grass was an fully aquatic plant and survive in your tank.
 
Last edited:

Dangerdoll

Global Moderator
Aug 27, 2002
11,765
5
89
54
Roselle Park, NJ
aquariacentral.com
Real Name
Cori
Originally posted by Milton Friedman
I asked what was the proper conditions for these puffers. She said that they needed high salinity (They are fresh water puffers). I asked what they fed them. She replied flake.
eeeesh!! I remember when they sold them at the Petsmart around my way and it's true, by the time they were there for a couple weeks...maybe a month, they were just awful looking.... and to think, they even have books there.... the info was so close....yet so far...... :(
 

dwayne

AC Members
Jul 12, 2001
548
0
0
50
Boston, MA
Milton, that's awful! I don't know what mondo grass is... I assume it's NOT a water plant!?

PetSmart sucks though... I cringe going in there... but I had to get some betta pellets and a new test kit.

Like I said before, I'm only going to get supplies there. Maybe a betta when I'm in the market for a new one... I feel so bad for them.

~Tara
 

Milton Friedman

AC Members
Oct 26, 2003
24
0
0
Visit site
Milton, that's awful! I don't know what mondo grass is... I assume it's NOT a water plant!?
Mondo grass is not an aquarium plant. There are probably 2 reasons I can probably see them trying to sell it off as an aquatic plant 1) Because it grows in marshland/bogs, it must be an aquatic plant since they are 1/6 submerged under water or 2) It looks really cool in an aquarium = it sells = profit. Hopefully the market competition will result and the word will get out.

Here are some of the uses of mondo grass. According to these sites, mondo grass for a pleasant looking lawn :D

http://www.hellohello.com.au/Mondo.html
http://www.monrovia.com/PlantInf.nsf/0/30b2d9a366942eba8825684d0071eecc?OpenDocument

Note to all who buy aquatic plants. Do research before purchasing. Many Chain stores as well as Online outlets attempt to pass off non aquatic plants as aquatic plants. I was ripped off 30 bucks because I kept replacing the Green hedge because it kept dying on me (purchased at Petco).:mad2
 

sman91wing

AC Members
Apr 1, 2004
116
0
0
39
Mi
Visit site
In my younger days as a fish keeper, I bought some mondo grass from petsmart. It died. I went back and told them, they acted surprised and told me mondo grass was the toughest aquarium plant and encouraged me to buy more. I said no.
 
zoomed.com
hikariusa.com
aqaimports.com
Store