Wally Mart

S

StevieM

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Nov 29, 2002
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I figured that subject heading would get some attention. This isn't so much a question as it was an observation. I happened to go in there to get something and even though it is Wal-Mart I can't resist seeing what they offer and comparing prices. I can't believe what I saw....about 12-15 small red Tiger Oscars in one tank about 12 x 14 and in the one below it about 9-12 Red-Bellied Pacu??? in a same size tank??. Next to them, Tri Color sharks, Irr. Sharks , and Regular Plecos, Silver Dollars. All fish that will grow and grow and grow. ( or die in someones 10 gallon starter kit they bought for 29.99 there. ) Not to mention the dead or lifeless looking ones in those tanks with the big fish. I guess the only way to stop that is to not give them fish business, which I don't! but........ I can't believe what I saw though. Too bad nothing can be done:(

steve
 
Not shop there is definitely the way to stop them from harming more fish, but to be honest, wal-mart will be carrying fish as long as they're open for business. While a lot of fish keepers here and out there read a lot of articles, whether it's from books or internet, and know what wal-mart's doing with their fish department is wrong. BUT there're just way too many people out there who doesn't know that the fish in wal-mart aren't treated right, therefore, the fish they have probably won't be treated right. Those people are going to buy things from wal-mart, simply because it's a lot cheaper than other places, and not knowing the consequence and the moral dilema of promoting wal-mart's fish department to grow bigger and bigger. As much as we wish Wal-Mart would stop carrying fish, that would probably never happen, in this world, it's all about profit, profits, and more profits. It's sad.
 
Some common "aquarium" fish quickly get too large for the average home aquarium and have to be replaced. Whether it's a chain store or a lfs, whenever you see a larger percentage of unsuitable fish than mere random chance would put into those tanks, you know you're seeing conscious corporate policy. It's no accident that you see Pacu and Iridescent sharks and Bala sharks in these stores. Do you ever see the big ones that have been "returned," so you can estimate how large they get? Read the "maximum" size labels.

Does anyone think that the executive buyers in charge of tropical fish purchases for Wal-Mart don't know about fish?
 
After a big struggle with local pet owners and the county lfs, our Walmart completely did away with their "live pets" department a few years ago. Our store still had birds, hamsters, gerbils, and fish. However, once the animal rights folks saw how the animals were being treated, they quickly put a stop to it. The sad thing is, this Walmart had a nicer fish department than some of the pet stores did, and kept a qualified person in that department (unlike most).

What got the masses' dander up was the fact that you couldn't return any live animals, only dead ones. I brought a parakeet back that someone had bought for me not realizing my allergies, and the customer service department told me that they would give me my money back, but only if I brought in a DEAD bird....

I obviously wasn't going to kill the poor thing, and I couldn't keep it, so I just opened the cage and let it go in the store....(keep in mind I was 15 at the time...) There was a very pointed editorial in the local newspaper shortly after this incident, and within 6 months, the pet department was deemed "no longer profitable" and closed for good. Good riddance.

The bird lived. It was still there when they moved to the new building, I think....it ate from busted seed bags...just like the pigeons and countless other "escapees" that made their home in the rafters.....I think some compassionate employee was feeding them, you know, dropping a bag of seed on purpose every once in a while....
 
i never shop at walmart for fishy stuff, not even hard goods because of the care they put into keeping their live fish (if you can call them live). i just simply refuse to buy fishy stuff there.
 
Two interesting notes.

I do buy fish from them, usually as rescue efforts. I know it's not helping the overall cause, but..................

The only two mbunas I've had that spawned so far were from Wally World.

My local WM has a description under their red-bellied pacus that claims they only hit 10". I brought it to the manager's attention, with no result. I did manage to get the place cleaned up a bit by calling the guy who is in charge of all the WMs in our metro area. Some of the metro stores have dropped the fish dept - I'm working on getting mine to do the same.
 
Well i do shop at Walmart ive even found some cool fish there Got a fire eel for 2.99 or some thing and I Dont even see those in the LFS O_o And also the Malawi Eyebiter's Golden topwater
Minnows Etc Ands it cheaper to Well in the Africain Cichlid market at least .
 
the other funny thing I noticed under their description for the Pacu's....they only grow to 9". I don't know a whole lot about them other than they are a relative of the Piranah, but the black Pacu they had at one of my choice LFS around here was a solid 12-13" and from what I heard they go quite larger than that.
 
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