petsmart people are morons (not store workers)

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debaric

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Feb 2, 2006
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Petsmart labels Clown Loaches as appropriate for 10 gallon tanks. Does anyone care? I feel bad for the personnel in the store as they are the ones who seem to know a bit better.

Has anyone raised this to those dipshyts who work in corporate? Cause I sure am.
 

you made me ink

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Sep 25, 2005
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the people at the pestmart near my house has a very knowledgable staff the labels are wrong but ive heard them numorus tell people that the red bellied pacus will not survive in a 30 or even a 50 or 90 gallon tank and also that goldfish wont survive in a bowl or a 10 gallon tank
 

Akysten

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May 28, 2006
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Sometimes store workers.. it's hit and miss.

I talked to one girl who was very very good... and I talk to a young man who actually suggested flushing fish that I didn't like. It's hit and miss in places like that.

The whole max size/tank size thing is an inexact science, it requires common sense. You don't put a 12" fish in a 20" tank. However, Clowns do grow slowly(they can live 15 years).. and that little 2" fish may take 3 or 4 years to double in size.

I would think that 29 gallon would be the min... but the sad truth is that majority of people who buy these fish from Petsmart probably don't maintain the fish for long... a couple years at MOST. I doubt that most fish reach their size and lifespan potential.
 

gatotsu77

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May 17, 2006
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The tags at our stores are highly inaccurate... I have no idea how corporate passed them. The max size listings are usually pretty close, but the recommended tank size is a load of bull. I've seen a lot of tags which recommend a 5 gallon tank or smaller for fish which I wouldn't keep in anything less than a 10, recommend a 20 for a fish which really needs a 50-75, etc. Ask someone in the store about the fish you're looking to buy... I happen to be one of the fairly knowledgeable people who works at Petsmart, and I feel that most of my staff is well informed and knowledgeable about our fish and products as well. I'm confident in my team, and if I come across anyone who recommends flushing fish you don't like, I'll report them to corporate immediately.
 

Roan Art

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Oct 7, 2005
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gatotsu77,

Sounds like a Petsmart I'd like to visit. Where are you located?

IMO Petsmart or Petco or Petland bashing isn't worth the energy of typing. Write a complaint letter to corporate. It may not do anything, but it's more positive then just being angry.


Roan
 

tdalessa01

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May 26, 2006
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Petsmart

I agree. Just last week I was at a Petsmart and a Clownknife fish was labeled max size 36" and min. tank 30 gallons????? I have attempted to contact corporate hdqt. many times because I feel bad for the new guy starting out that gets attached to his clownknife in his or hers 30 gallon tank!!!
 

gatotsu77

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May 17, 2006
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I work at the Yorba Linda store in Southern California. I know that a lot of the "recommended tank sizes" are way off on the fish labels, and I actually want to go through and scratch out that line on all of them myself, but I don't think that corporate would be very happy when they send the big-wigs into the store to check it out. I guess the best thing I can recommend is talk to someone in the store, and evaluate for yourself as to whether or not they know what they are talking about. I am one person who knows a good ammount of information about just about everything we sell, but if I don't know the answer or am not sure, I am one of the few who will admit it, but also recommend a viable solution for finding the correct information.
 

AnnieH

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Jun 8, 2006
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see that's the whole point here, people who are just starting out, they look to places, especially "petSMART" and are confident in what these people tell them. You guys are the experts after all. I wasn't impressed to find out what I had been told there wasn't even close to true. Don't call yourself pet SMART and then not follow thru!
I too have had the benefit of petsmart personnel giving me good advice but have also had so many "not true" events that I no longer trust them. I wish all of them had knowlegable fish people for their fish dept. but sadly it just isn't so.
If I can help at all getting "the company" to understand that customer trust is in fact a "big thing" just let me know how. :fairy:
 

RiverKid

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Jun 9, 2006
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I agree some PetSmart employee fail to inform....

customers. However, in my recent experiences the PetSmart in my community does go out of the way to accommodate any problems.


Recently I begun keeping fish after getting a small Hex 5 tank for Christmas. At first I got a 2 Zebra Danio's and 2 Tetra's. I had a bad Algae problem after about a month and got a small Algae Eater. I then got 2 more Danio's and 2 tetra's and my Algae Eater has doubled in size. I was told this particular Algae eater would only get to be about 3" but in fact it can get up to 18". I did not know this until I had a snail problem and sought out help and got to speak to the fish guru at PetSmart. He was upset that the employee misinformed me. He stated I can return the algae eater anytime and also the extra fish (I didn't realize I had to many fish for my tank thinking 8 small fish wouldn't be bad - I'm still a noob) and give me store credit.

Also this same employee didn't inform me about washing my plants I purchased before putting them in my tank and I contracted a bad snail infestation. PetSmart did give me a bottle of Had-a-Snail for my trouble and the fish guru offered advice on how to rid myself of the snail. I researched on the boards here and what he told me was exactly what everyone here has stated.

Yes, I've had a couple of bad experiences with PetSmart. But the customer service went overboard to correct my problems. My suggestion is if the employee seems a little hestitate at first when you ask a question ask to see if there is someone there that specializes in the fish department.


Just my opinion thus far (I've only been keeping fish for 5 months)......
 

AnnieH

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Jun 8, 2006
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unfortunately petsmart is going to have a hard time with this one as the 99% majority of people I have talked to there genuinely want to be helpful. "I'm glad to hear that "corporate" may in fact step up to the challenge as they ARE supposed to be pet SMART.
 
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