Reason number 37,250 not to shop at petkill(*****)

[kdlbem]

I'm going to the local ***** as soon as they open this mornig to raise holy he*#!!!! I was in there thursday evening(the good LFS closes at 6pm, so if I just need something quick,and it's late, I go there), buying all the kent reef products. I started looking in the tanks, and saw a pretty cool little shrimp. So I ask the flunkie on duty, What is this and is it reef safe? His reply was "it's a camelback shrimp, and yes it is. So I tell him exactly what I have in my tank, and ask again, "is this going to be good for my tank?" Again, the answer was a definite "yes". So I buy it. Then yesterday I notice it drooling at the sight of my star polyps, and get online to do some research. Guess what they LOVE to eat...... YUP.... Polyps. Took me an hour to cath the little mutha#$*%@^, but I got it. It's been in a bag in my brackish sump with an air stone since 11 last night. I'm PISSED! So two lessons learned....
1- Don't buy it unless it's in a reef tank!
2- ***** REEEEEAAALLLLY SUCKS!!!!!
Thanks for listening to my tantrum,
B

 

[hermit enthusiast]

Boy am i glad i don't have a ***** around me. Sounds like they were real jerks. Good bord to let your anger out and it teach's the rest of us.

 

[misty]

The ***** I go to is USUALLY pretty good...healthy fish, etc. They actually have good variety as well (and they have an actual fish-person that maintains the tanks). I did have to rescue an absolutely beautiful mandarin a couple of weeks ago. Even though the guy who bagged him for me did ask about my tank (and discussed food needs for him) I was worried that a part-timer might sell him to some idiot. My tank is nowhere near ready for a mandarin, but my LFS agreed to rescue him and give me a credit toward my future livestock purchases. The LFS sold him the next day to one of their regular customers.
My rule of thumb these days for livestock is to research on my own and ask questions on BB's like this one so I get personal experience input from other hobbyists.
[ July 29, 2001: Message edited by: Misty ]

 

[maxx]

Im with KDLBEM on the "***** Sucks" issue. I went to mine yesterday, to do some price comparing. And of course had to check out there Saltwater stuff. Well it was sad, they had a 30 gallon "reef" thing going, no lights. Just an open tanks in a dull dingy corner. Most of there tanks were empty, with algae ALL OVER the place. And 90 percent of the fish were either not moving or "sleeping" on there side. Truly sad. Im gonig to give ***** one thumbs down for the poor quality on sea life, and a Im also going to give em the bird, for letting those animals suffer. The End
Maxx

 

[corky]

I have been to many Petcos and they can vary greatly from store to store. I can't say I am too pleased with them although occasionally I do buy some low budget items from them. Last week I saw they had some snails so I went to buy two. The idiot (who turns out to be just a stock boy) didn't know how to remove them from the tank and just about pulled them out of their shells. Needless to say, when I put them in my tank they sunk to the bottom where they never moved and were dead within a couple of hours. I went back a couple of days later and spoke to the manager (as I was buying food for my wife's cat) just to let him know what happened (I in no way even made reference to any refund or credit) and he immediately pointed out their no guarantee policy on salt. That's when I also found out that the idiot was a stock boy. I guess in this situation I can't really blame the stock boy as much as the bigger idiot- THE MANAGER!!!!

 

[vince]

Most fish at ***** near me are sick with ICH but other than that, they are in a fine environment. One thing that set me back was an outrageous price difference between my LFS and the *****.

 

[salisbury a d]

There are good times and bad times at the ***** in Warwick. The good thing is all the fish I have baught there have lived, they usually have the cheapest price, it is a shorter drive than Providence and Fall River.
The bad side is they have fish marked as different fish, they know squat about everything, there tank with inverts and anemones has insoficient lighting, they do not quarentine there new stock,
THEY HAVE A 17 YR OLD AQUARIUM DEPORTMENT MANAGER, they do not have a good selection of products and livestock, they had faulty wireing in the reptile department that killed about 10 lizards and 5 turtles, their tanks are not well kept, and they have customers that are grubby and ghetto that know nill about what they are buying and it dies within a day.
LISTEN TO THIS: I once baught a fish there, salt water, and there was extra water in the collection cup and the guy there just threw the water in a gold fish tank, and there was a drain on the floor spacifically for its purpose.
I english ***** SUX.
Adam

 

[lettheirberock]

I also have a ***** nearby,and my experiences with them are not so good as most have said.***** helped me learn my lesson about impulse buying when i first started this hobby.sometimes I buy supplies there but never any fish they always look sick and the tanks are in terrible shape.
misty you are lucky to have one nearby with staff that know what they are doing, as for mine thats not the case.i'm not saying all (*****) stores are like this but if your a beginer dont let the lower prices fool ya.

 

[grouperhead]

i dont have any huge chain pet stores near me. im a huge supporter of going to one lfs and one lfs only. i have done my buisness with "wet pets", the lfs since ive been in the hobby. its always good to make friends with managers, workers, etc so you can know that the fish are good and they wont rip you off. bo

 

[kc]

No offense, but ***** sux! I ran in this morning for food for my pet mammal. They had about 8-10 saltwater tanks... only 2 had water/fish in them... and they're set up with this tiny canister sitting out on the floor. The guy said that all the fish just starting dying. And he was willing to sell them at 1/2 price! Right!
Bo's right. Stick to your LFS!

 

[fishinchick]

***** to the pet/fish industry is like K-Mart is to Macys. They are ghetto and the sales people dont usually know what they are doing having no official training. Matter of fact they keep asking ME questions. I am happy to see that Petsmart is finally giving in and supplying a minimal amount of salt water supplies (kent etc). Gosh I hope they never get into selling sw, most of those people there can hardly tell dogs from cats.

 

[a novice]

Against what everyones said, my ***** isn't that bad. The two local fish stores are much worse. One, always has dead fish in the tanks and when you comment about it their reply is, "We're busy right now, we'll get around to it when we can." First of all, there are always dead fish in the tank, it's not a one time issue. I would garuntee that they kill more fish than they even dream of selling. They have a so called "reef" tank that looks completely horrible...
The other LFS gets good stock but once they get to the store they get dieseases and die. The head manager is a real --- but there are two younger guys that are really knowageable and give some good advice(like don't buy fish from us they'll die.... I'm serious, too)
All I'm saying is that all Petcos aren't bad.... and all LFS aren't good.

 

[krazzydart]

First off DO YOUR HOME WORK?????????? this buy something, then it it does some damage, and blame someone else for your OWN STUPIDITY is just WRONG!!! .... not all petcos suck although, they need to educatate the people who work with the tanks or in each dept. sooooooo do your home work, ask questions, and look before you leap..... ask to speak to the manager, and if that does not work find out who is the distric manager .... and stop the BLAME GAME!!!!!!!!

 

[kdlbem]

Oh yeah, Lesson number three- NO more impulse buys! They did refund my money, and told me to come in tues. and talk to the lady that runs the fish dept. to see if they can will make good on the damaged polyps. So I guess they aren't completely evil. But I still will not buy any livestock from them again(even a cute little shrimp). Just the occasional item when I absolutely can't get it anywhere else(salt, chemicals, etc.). I also was talking to a girl that works there, and she wants to setup a salt tank. I told her: "don't listen to anyone here, go to SWF.com, and read all you can"(the lady who runs the fish dept. is still pushing UGF setups ) Hopefully she listens.
B
[ July 30, 2001: Message edited by: KDLBEM ]

 

[option720]

B-
I hear what you are saying. I live in Tualatin and i think i know who you are talking about. I'd just stick with the good LFS(you know who i'm talking about)
Emile

 

[savemykid]

Krazzydart:
With an attitude like that you'd think you had NEVER made a mistake in your life.....He did say he asked a number of times before buying it if it was safe.....snotty isn't usually helpful....
Sorry to everyone else, but I hate people who act "holyier than thou"

 

[playtime]

Well, What I do is this, when I am in the town that has the ***** (about 45min drive) I like to stop by, see what they have, watch the fish. I like the variety they carry. I have to say. You should definately do your homework before buying anything to put in your tank. If you have to ask what it is, then get the name, go home and read about it, if you still want it, you can always go the next day and buy it. I feel it is like that with most pet stores. My local fish store is awesome. The staff is very knowledgeable so I rarely go anywhere else. I do like to visit ***** when in the other town but just to look. If I like something they have, I have my lfs order it for my. And they always do. By using the same lfs, they are familar with what I have in my tanks and won't sell me anything that doesn't work with what I have. JMO!!!!!
playtime

 

[kdlbem]

Option720,
We live in Eugene, but I have been checking out stores in portland. Where do you shop? I recently got my cleanup crew and some polyps at seahorse in N.E. portland. Kinda small, but the guy wouldn't sell me anything until he got to test my water. That showed me he's not just in it for the money(and the prices are awesome!). And he will order anything you want.
let me know what stores you recommend, I enjoy seeing what's out there.
Thanks,
B

 

[option720]

b- drop me line at option720@yahoo.com and i can tell you about a few really good stores up here in portland area