The LFS from H-E- double hockey sticks!

boalgf

boalgf

Member
I know you've all seen them. Pet stores who have no business housing any type of animal, especially not fragile and beautiful marine fish. There is one such LFS near me that should be shut down and I recommend no fish lover ever step inside for fear of your soul dying. I can't count how many lovely fish I have seen lying dead inside their tanks. I've seen lions that are shredded because they are housed with over 3 triggers. Zebra eels gasping for breath at the bottom of the tank. There was what would have been an amazing tesselata eel that they were calling a white throated moray (is there even such an eel?)because it's face and neck had been chewed up. Over 4 of their fish have severe cases of ick, 2 of which must be blinded by a white film over their eyes. One is an adorable porky. Clowns, damsels (who can kill a damsel???!!!), anemones, powder blue tangs... All motionless on the tank floor. Last time I was there I tried to talk them out of selling a nurse shark (who was already at least 9") to a guy with a 55 gal tank. They all knew better than me though, so ignored what I said. D*mn! I try not to look like a fanatic when I go in there, but I can't help myself. It's all so sad. Talking to their owner is useless. He's been in "the business" for over 15 years by his accounts and he knows how to run a pet shop. :help:
This is only an attempt at helping myself feel better, though I doubt it will work. The porky was the worst, since they have so much personality. Anyways, the place is Aqua Rama in Fayetteville NC on bragg blvd. I'm not sure if I'm allowed to put that here, just trying to keep any locals informed. May god have mercy on their ungodly souls! Grrrr!! :mad:
 
jacknjill

jacknjill

Active Member
holy crap! i was thinking this was probably somewhere no where near me. but its here in NC! thanks for the warning. but you have stirred up my curiousity and i may have to go over there and have a look. oh no.......
 
knots

knots

Member
I don't see how somebody can stay in business 15 years and still be making money with all the dead fish. You would have to be an idiot to buy something from a place like that. I guess it's kind of amazing just how stupid some people can be.
 
unleashed

unleashed

Active Member
what about reporting them to the local animal cruelty agencies or better yet maybe a local newspaper.heer in detroit we have a news chanel thats loves to put places like that in the great hall of shame.they take cameras to these types of businesses and interveiw them without prior notice and put them on national tv for everyone to see the shameful practice they keep for profit.:mad: ppl like that should be caged in the same conditions they house these poor creatures in
 
boalgf

boalgf

Member
I'm afraid I don't know any of the laws governing fish treatment. marine life being so fragile, and most people being so ignorant of how to care for them, most animal rights agencies would probably just get the wool pulled over there eyes.
what part of NC are you in jacknjill? the worst time to go is 3 or 4 days after their thursday shipment.
knots: i am wondering the same thing. I've seen so many expensive fish dead there, I don't know how they break even. they do sell a lot of other exotic animals like reptiles, spiders, and amphibians. Still they should get out of the saltwater business.
 
unleashed

unleashed

Active Member
well if they are selling all sorts of exotic pets the animal protective agencies may be more willing to check into them .if they are taking such poor care of the fish whos to say they are doing any better with the other animals.you could even write the local newspapers with a complaint maybe they will be willing to do a write up on them.its only slander if it isnt true
 
lion_crazz

lion_crazz

Active Member
Wow, that's terrible. I would definitely try to report them to the local agency about cruelty, however, I would also try to get to the customers who shop there as well. If you get to the customers and people stop shopping there (like you have now), this guy will not have a store to run because he will lose all of his business.
Let all the customers know that there are MUCH better places to be doing business with and that they should not be contributing to this guy's income by paying for that terrible and awful treatment of the fish. Word-of-mouth is sometimes the best form of advertising because it is the truest and mos sincere. No one like that should be in business and it is well-informed and intelligent people like us who have to make a difference agaisnt fish stores such as that one you are referring to. Make pamplets, flyers, whatever you have to do and hand them to people in the parking lot to let them know of how wrong and sad that this store is.
 
boalgf

boalgf

Member
I've talked to over a dozen of their costumers already. Most don't want to hear what I have to say, considering they are in the wrong about their fish keeping. There seems to be a big shark trend going on in this town with guys in their early 20's. None of them want to be lectured, no matter how good natured I try and be.
I've contacted SPCA by leaving a message on their voicemail. The humane society was a waste of time. If it isn't fluffy and huggable, they don't want anything to do with it. Have they never seen a procupine puffer at feeding time? :happyfish
Here is an email I wrote to North Carolina Voters for Animal Welfare:
I have been looking in to laws governing marine life in pet stores and came across your web page. Here in Fayetteville there is a local pet store that takes extremely poor care of their marine fish. I have seen many fish dead, mutilated by other fish that an experienced owner would know is not a compatible tank mate, and sold to customers who do not have the recourses to take care of the animal they buy. I have gone to SPCA online, where I found a link to your site. I also attempted to call the local SPCA but they were not answering. The Humane Society seems to only focus on mammals and I could find no contact information to report marine fish cruelty. Could you please give me any information on where to go from here. What numbers should I call and who should I contact? I need to find laws governing marine fish in captivity and the selling of marine life. I would appreciate any and all information that you could give me. Thank you for your time and attention.
This is so frustrating. Why do none of the major animal cruelty centers care about fish? I'll go in to stealth mode later today and take pictures for you all to see.
 
knots

knots

Member
Great job boal. :cheer: While most people think this is terrible and the store should be shut down, not many of us would actually do anything about it. We just wouldn't shop there. I commend you for the steps you're taking to do something. Pretty sad these fish get taken out of their home to die in some idiots tank. Keep up the good work and I would like to know what progress you make.
 
boalgf

boalgf

Member
Email to a local newspaper.
Hello,
I am an active marine fish enthusiast. They are very beautiful creatures, but also very fragile. I have contacted the SPCA, the Humane society, and one of NC states congressmen. All in regards to Aqua Rama located on bragg blvd. This place specializes in rare animals, most of which seem decently cared for considering it is a temporary transition place. However, they are very inhumane in their treatment of marine livestock. They do not seem to understand the care that goes in to keeping these precious animals alive. I have seen many of their fish dead, dying, or being torn to shreds because they are housed with unsuitable tank mates. Also, they are only interested in making money from the fish and therefor sell the fish to anyone who wants them. Regardless of the fact that the consumer has no means to keep the poor fish alive. They sell a lot of sharks to people with tanks that are entirely too small for a fish that gets over 9 feet long in some cases. Neither the SPCA nor the Humane society seem interested in helping, since they are only interested in cute fluffy animals, not fish. I have not yet heard back from Senator Clodfelter's staff, but I only recently contacted them. I don't recall ever seeing an article in your paper concerning something like this, but do you ever inform locals about wrongdoings in local businesses? Is there is any way you can help inform people about care for these creatures, so at least they won't make ignorant purchases? Or tell them how inhumane the animals are being treated there, so the petshop might be more responsible? I have told the petshop how I feel, they are not interested in my views. I have not let them know the actions I have taken however, since I don't want them doing a temporary fix to avoid unwanted attention. I hope to hear back from you on this and appreciate your time and attention.
Does anyone have any idea on some better recourses? I am reaching many dead ends. I would appreciate any help...
 
falconred

falconred

Member
iv been in the place man it is a dump . the store motto is. your only friend is a buck the more bucks you got the more friends you got.and yes these fish will do fine in your tank
 
bdkdave

bdkdave

Member
The rush on sharks is a phenomenon I've noticed here over the last few months. It's definitely a testosterone thing, as prior to that, it was lions. (Same mentality as the lug from "Deuce Bigalo"? :) ) They would have people literally standing and waiting when shipments would arrive on Thursday (or sometimes Friday) afternoon.
They would hand the bags out straight from the shipping boxes - no inspection, no acclimation, nothing. Some boxes were even left open on the floor and people just picked from those..
As long as the market here in Fayetteville exhibits such a strong "demand", it'll be easy for someone to meet the demand by simply supplying what's being called for.
Another thing this business has on its' side is that there is no other saltwater store for a lonnnnng drive.
 
knots

knots

Member
Doesn't surprise me you aren't getting any feedback. IMO people don't treat fish like live animals. Fish are from a different world, the ocean. Might take alot of people like you before something gets done. Hopefully you can at least give that store some bad publicity. Sounds like the fish have a better chance if they stay in the bags and out of that stores tanks. That's almost encouraging.
 
djminus1

djminus1

Member
Man...its really refreshing to hear someone taking a stand for what they beleve in these days. This situation reminds me of that commercial on tv. Its the one where a bunch of girls are standing around a running sink. One of them mentions how awful it is that someone left the sink running. Then someone else comments. Finally, one girl goes up and shuts it off, walks away, and everyone is speechless.
I hope you get some free TV airtime for this.
:D
 
boalgf

boalgf

Member
man I'm glad some other people have seen this place, because it's hard to get my point across to those who haven't. NC isn't very sympathetic to animal rights, fish are barely even considered animals. Falconred and bdkdave know just what I'm talking about, fish welfare last, money and minimal hassle first in this lfs. normally pet stores can pull it off, this one fails miserably.
if anyone goes in that store, please voice your wisdom and complaints. Maybe it will spurr management into taking better care of them (yea right).
bdkDave: are you military here? I've contacted up and coming magazine and the fayetteville observer about this. if others would email them as well, there would be more chance of them listening.
Up and Coming Magazine site: http://www.upandcomingmag.com/ (go to "Our Newspaper" then "contact us" to leave a message)
fayetteville observer editorials email: eletters@fayettevillenc.com
Also, here is the email for the North Carolina Voters for Animal Welfare: ncvawinfo@bellsouth.net
I'll post the pics this weekend.
 
djminus1

djminus1

Member
You should post the phone number of this place. I got some spare time at work to call and harass these guys. They won't want to do business after I'm through with them!
 
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