Petco

[yonsu]

I didn't even know that there were new and old systems. The system in my store is the same that I have seen in every other (including one in a store that just opened last year). Basically, you take one end of the hose to the gravel vaccuum and hook it up to a white attachment that protrudes (in every other other other tank ) from the side of the black spout (the thing you do lock lines on) in each tank. You then turn the top knob thinger on the vac and the suction begins. The suction is very strong, and gravel is easily caught in it. The water and the nasty is sucked up into a bag that hangs off the side of the device, where the nasty is filtered out and the water is then re-added back into the tank. Right? The bags begin to wear easily, and the nasty just falls right back into the water.

I don't even know if there was a memo. I just know that the regional manager in my area instructed each and every store to discontinue the practice. Gravel stirring is the new alternative, and should be done long before the store opens.

BTW, the PetCo in my area is awful. I would burn the place down if I could.

 

[tmtpowers]

I didn't even know that there were new and old systems. The system in my store is the same that I have seen in every other (including one in a store that just opened last year). Basically, you take one end of the hose to the gravel vaccuum and hook it up to a white attachment that protrudes (in every other other other tank ) from the side of the black spout (the thing you do lock lines on) in each tank. You then turn the top knob thinger on the vac and the suction begins. The suction is very strong, and gravel is easily caught in it. The water and the nasty is sucked up into a bag that hangs off the side of the device, where the nasty is filtered out and the water is then re-added back into the tank. Right? The bags begin to wear easily, and the nasty just falls right back into the water.

I don't even know if there was a memo. I just know that the regional manager in my area instructed each and every store to discontinue the practice. Gravel stirring is the new alternative, and should be done long before the store opens.

BTW, the PetCo in my area is awful. I would burn the place down if I could.

LOL That sounds awful!!! Wow! That's a lot of work! We have one system plug in for the gravel vacs. We hook it up and the water simply is sucked straight into the biological filter in the sump room. The water goes through all the biological filtering devices then eventually ends back into the tanks as clean water. Its really a interesting filtering system. Looks a lot like something you would see on pinky and the brain LOL! We have no bags. All are vac is, is the python with a EXTRA long line. Nothing else I've heard only a little about the older systems but no one has told me about all of this! I can see why you guys do a gravel stir instead of vacuuming! Sounds kind of pointless with the bags and all....

And Kerrie,
Amen!!!

 

[DarthPookie]

petco vs petsmart

The PetCo in my area has immaculate tanks, and the saltwater even looks good! They carry fish that I rarely/have never seen in any other pet store, such as Peter's Elephantnose and Boesmani Rainbowfish (which I will eventually buy). They move their stock too, I hardly ever see a large fish in their tanks...except for the Elephantnose...I guess nobody wants the responsibility that goes along with it, plus it is nocturnal, therefore hardly seen during normal business hours. Every time I go in there I see the same one, just bigger than last time. They also have an "adoption tank", where people who can't handle or don't want their fish anymore can bring it back, and PetCo will let you take the abandoned fish for free.

Petsmart's tanks look like crap. There is something dead in every tank. Their stock does not move, I see kissing gourami and bala sharks that have already grown 5-6 inches cause nobody is buying them. The tanks don't have their own lighting over them; they rely on the store lighting which probably is not even full-spectrum. However I find their equipment and decorations to be much better, I get a much larger choice of gravel, rocks, plants, caves, etc. So my assessment: get the fish from PetCo, equipment from PetSmart.

But of course I'm sure every store is different, no matter what "corporate policies" are, nobody in any large chain ever meets every policy set by the top guys.

 

[tmtpowers]

The petsmart here actually does have lighting over every fish tank (odd that the one you speak of doesn't) and thankfully we don't have fish that are getting large due to not being sold however, if we did, they get adopted out to someone we know has the proper housing for the fish. We keep dead pulled as we tend to loose a lot of feeder fish Our fish also are healthy and aren't sitting still (that does not sound good!) but I can't help but feel sorry for the bettas kept in the small divided tanks. Its filtered and heated but you can just tell they are so bored
We don't have a petco around my town but some I've seen while traveling have been horrible while others have been clean and well kept. I have only been two 2 petsmarts. The one I work at, and one in a few towns over. I can't remember how the fish looked in the one in G'boro (a few towns over) as that was many years ago. I am sure though that some petsmarts, walmarts, petco, ect and so forth that have excellent fish and take good care of them, then of course there will always be the ones that are the opposite.