Ugh my petsmart
- Thread starter austinpetemo
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Well, the Petsmart I go to (mostly for dry goods supplies and cat litter) definitely does use salt, either that or the "Petsmart uses and recommends aquarium salt" sign is outdated. I am not sure what they feed, it's true, but judging from the cricket counter where the cans of flake food, bags, markers and rubber bands are, it seems like just the basic fare. Which is fine for many fish, just not fish like Tropheus, or leaf fish, or green spotted puffers - the kind of fish that Petsmart should stop carrying, in my opinion. As I said before, they often do clearance them out, but why not pick more suitable fish to start with? Brackish fish have no place in a recirculating system of tropical fish, nor do fish that require specialized diets, if those needs can't be met.
I have to wonder if you're thinking of somewhere other than petsmart, honestly. Petsmart policy keeps the fish food in the fridge in the back (though I'm not sure on the reason for this). Either that or someone forgot to put it away! LOL I'm not sure on the salt sign, I worked there quite awhile and NEVER saw salt added, or heard mention of it. There wasn't even aquarium salt in the back for store use! Its possible its outdated, maybe overlooked in the day to day grind and never taken down? Or maybe yours does use it, but mine never did. Which supports the case that pets mart stores IMO should be treated as individual stores in some instances, it bothers me when they are dissed as a company and petstore when not all of them are like that.
And at the end of the show you will cry seeing a very expensive and beautiful fish floating dead.
This is how I got started with tropheus. Got one from petco many years ago. I threw him in my 125G african cichlids tank, I really liked him, and he did well. Then I learned more about them and I have kept several colonies since then. I currently have a two small colonies in my 90G, again mixed with malawi haps and peacocks. If that petco didn't have a trepheus, I may have never gotten started on them. So, I am glad they carried one.
It's definitely Petsmart I am thinking of (although my Petco also definitely uses salt, only it's in little cups inside of the tanks.) Since the stores are franchises, it's very possible they are run differently - and I'm in Florida, you're in Kansas, so that could very well play a role also. I know the Petsmart closest to me has a lot of issues with their filtration system. I have seen towels, buckets and cones on several occasions. I've asked the people about it, and they've said something to the effect of "Corporate knows what the problem is...they just won't pay to have it fixed." (There is only one person there who appears to know anything about fish, and he keeps a flowerhorn in a 30 gallon tank. Although I'm Facebook friends with him and see he just recently got an 120 gallon, but that's neither here nor there)
Just as an example, they call Malaysian trumpet snails "those parasitic snails" - and when I told them that, in fact there is no way they can harbor any parasites, they told me all the bad things about them. How they ruin filters, eat plants, and are a general nuisance. They were happy to give me all the ones I wanted though, even if they thought I was genuinely crazy for requesting them!
And while this may be atypical (I know for example the Petsmart in the next town has an AWESOME fish department, and I've seen them feeding frozen brine shrimp with a turkey baster to their fat, healthy fish...the tanks are clean, healthy looking and sensibly stocked with plenty of cover) it's how at least one Petsmart in the U.S. is run. And chances are they will be getting tropheus too! Which may make the day of a few experienced fishkeepers, but overall I would say is going to do more harm than good.
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