Walmart big mistake but I saved a fish
- Thread starter joecool44
- Start date
agree with Bob..
having spent many years in retail.. stores often employ a 'lost leader' , items they don't make money on to sell the items they do make money on.
having spent many years in retail.. stores often employ a 'lost leader' , items they don't make money on to sell the items they do make money on.
How sad that no one was there to rescue all the poor bettas too. It makes me so sad to see them in the tiny terrible conditions in which they are kept. Not just in Walmart, but petco and petsmart too. They should know better and so should the industry. These are some of the most personable and enjoyable little guys. It is so cruel to see them kept in cups of less than 5 ounces in some instances, and often remain there until they die a sad and very uncomfortable death.
not really. the more you "save" the more they will order to replace them. the cups are not meant to be life long homes. just good enough until they are sold.
More and more it seems even LFS are more into the supplies rather than the first, got a trio of green swordtails today, the kid asked me how to tell the males from the females, After I explained the difference he said 2 males and 1 female? Had to explain what a live bearer should consist of. SAD
You're going to fall in love with this little fish if he makes it! Especially knowing where he/she came from with those conditions. I had a similar situation, well, similar in that I'm certain I gave a Tiger Oscar a good home, but he was in a regular tank as he should have been but anyhow I was in Petsmart to pick up some Prime and I glanced over their tank section. I usually don't buy fish from chain stores but I always like to look. Anyhow, they were emptying out all of their tanks day by day to break them all down to remodel the set up. In one of the few remaining tanks with fish there was a lone Oscar. I've never kept an Oscar and quite frankly never had any interest in them.
Then I stopped and looked around and I thought to myself, this poor thing is going to be bought by someone who has no clue what they're doing and he'll prob end up dead. And as I'm looking at him I got a good look at his colors. He was largely plain with minimal patches of orange but had a bright orange ring around his false eye spot on his tail and I thought, wow he's cool looking. Almost looks as close to wild as it can get. And his personality was great. He just came over to the tank and stared at me, swimming around happily, looked healthy and just needed a good home.
I said, you know what... screw it, I'm gonna buy him, full well knowing he's going to need a big tank. I have a 130 gallon South American Cichlid tank that in the back of my mind could suffice in a pinch, but I had an empty 46 gallon cycled and sitting there so I said, hey, I'll save this guy and let him begin to grow out there.
Well I've got to tell you... this was the best thing I've ever done in fish keeping! He's growing quickly, and he knows me well now. He leaps out of the water and eats freeze dried shrimp right from my hand! Its awesome! He's crazy fun to watch and I love just spending time with him. I could watch this guy all day. I admit, I'm feeding him well because I want to see him get huge.
In the meantime, I bought him his own 75 gallon that he'll move to next and have to himself. After that, he can have the 130 if he needs it and I'll move some other fish around to accommodate. Down the road, I have a 220 gallon I will set up some day and he can be king of that tank. I can see why they're nicknamed 'the waterdog' now though and I totally understand why people love these fish now! They're like aquatic pups!
Then I stopped and looked around and I thought to myself, this poor thing is going to be bought by someone who has no clue what they're doing and he'll prob end up dead. And as I'm looking at him I got a good look at his colors. He was largely plain with minimal patches of orange but had a bright orange ring around his false eye spot on his tail and I thought, wow he's cool looking. Almost looks as close to wild as it can get. And his personality was great. He just came over to the tank and stared at me, swimming around happily, looked healthy and just needed a good home.
I said, you know what... screw it, I'm gonna buy him, full well knowing he's going to need a big tank. I have a 130 gallon South American Cichlid tank that in the back of my mind could suffice in a pinch, but I had an empty 46 gallon cycled and sitting there so I said, hey, I'll save this guy and let him begin to grow out there.
Well I've got to tell you... this was the best thing I've ever done in fish keeping! He's growing quickly, and he knows me well now. He leaps out of the water and eats freeze dried shrimp right from my hand! Its awesome! He's crazy fun to watch and I love just spending time with him. I could watch this guy all day. I admit, I'm feeding him well because I want to see him get huge.
In the meantime, I bought him his own 75 gallon that he'll move to next and have to himself. After that, he can have the 130 if he needs it and I'll move some other fish around to accommodate. Down the road, I have a 220 gallon I will set up some day and he can be king of that tank. I can see why they're nicknamed 'the waterdog' now though and I totally understand why people love these fish now! They're like aquatic pups!
Great story right now I have him in a 55 gallon- with 3 pacu piranhas, lol don't worry everyone they are herbivores and I been watching him good and not even a fin is nipped I love him he takes Canadian worms from my hand, I seriously thought he wasn't gonna make it but with good care and knowledge he did, he will be going into a 125 soon.
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Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app
Just a head's up Joe - Pacu's aren't Piranhas they look very similar but are a different species, but you are right they are herbivores. Just be aware that these guys get HUGE. They're a table fish in South America sometimes. I personally don't think they should be sold in chain stores, and minimally in the LFS. Most people buy they and have no idea how big they get and then they're stuck with a fish in a cramped tank or have to give it up. Just be prepared to get a huge tank for all these fish or to give them up some day. Pacus are big fish full grown.
Yeah, you're going to have to remove the tank mates and keep just the oscar in the 55. Still not ideal, but you can make it work, by feeding excellent quality pellet food and feeding lightly. O's are a lot of fun for sure with their constant roving eye-balls and love for those who feed them. My favorite fish are my O, my Severum and my goldfish of all things! lol.
Make sure you've got glass tops or some type of decent lid on this 55 because oscars are jumpers. You don't want to do anything to promote this behavior. They can and will spazz out in complete darkness, so it helps to keep a nightlight nearby.
Make sure you've got glass tops or some type of decent lid on this 55 because oscars are jumpers. You don't want to do anything to promote this behavior. They can and will spazz out in complete darkness, so it helps to keep a nightlight nearby.
