Todays ***** visit....OMG

[srfisher17]

If I really wanted to start folks thinking, I'd say something like:" Take a look at any fish food container you happen to have. You'll see fish meal as a main ingredient. While living on the Mississippi Coast, I saw how fish meal is made. Menhaden (small herring) are caught by the millions and are dumped into a boats hold. They die under the slime, weight,& heat of the other menhaden. Then they're hauled to port and ground up for us to feed our 'prettier' fish. So what's the difference?" This is just my sarcastic way of saying that we aren't going to change everyone's values (nor, IMO, do I have the right to); but like 1journeyman said, just don't buy anything if the stores business practices offend you. I don't buy anything at *****.But, if I don't like the way halibut or sardines are killed, I'm going to have a very limited choice of where to shop.

 

[waterlogged]

Originally Posted by srfisher17
If I really wanted to start folks thinking, I'd say something like:" Take a look at any fish food container you happen to have. You'll see fish meal as a main ingredient. While living on the Mississippi Coast, I saw how fish meal is made. Menhaden (small herring) are caught by the millions and are dumped into a boats hold. They die under the slime, weight,& heat of the other menhaden. Then they're hauled to port and ground up for us to feed our 'prettier' fish. So what's the difference?" This is just my sarcastic way of saying that we aren't going to change everyone's values (nor, IMO, do I have the right to); but like 1journeyman said, just don't buy anything if the stores business practices offend you. I don't buy anything at *****.But, if I don't like the way halibut or sardines are killed, I'm going to have a very limited choice of where to shop.
Point taken but, at least their death is being used for something beneficial and not because employee at pet store is ignorant and/or lazy which causes the death.

 

[srfisher17]

Originally Posted by Waterlogged
Point taken but, at least their death is being used for something beneficial and not because employee at pet store is ignorant and/or lazy which causes the death.
Very true, that's why I don't even buy doggie treats there. I guess my rant was geared more toward the corporate responsibility issue. I'm getting close to 60; so I feel I'm entitled to spout a little personal drivel now and then.

 

[dugger]

Please let me say after working for this company for 6 years their live animal practices are unethical to say the least, if we dont talk about it (I mean the truth) than arent we just looking the other way!!!

 

[angler man]

***** should just stick to things like neon tetras, goldfish and rubber coral ornaments. Anything beyond this scope is simply asking too much. They kill more fish in one day than this whole board kills in a decade.

 

[alfieferenzo84]

I went there and i found all the prices are jacked way up so i left!

 

[cpbirds407]

Originally Posted by alfieferenzo84
I went there and i found all the prices are jacked way up so i left!
I second that! I buy stuff from ***** but most things are waaaaay overpriced! (like advantix $20 difference compared to where I normally buy it!)

 

[meathead]

New guy here with another basic question:
I don't know anything about triggers, but why is it a bad idea to feed one a goldfish? Does it pollute the water or is it harmful to the trigger?

 

[snaredrum]

Originally Posted by 1journeyman
Folks, we've said this before. If you don't like the way a major chain treats their livestock don't purchase from them. Any of them...Anything.
Corporations are in business to make money. If they start losing business they will change their practices to accomodate the customer.
Many stores use some products to lure customers in to sell them different products. If you refuse to buy a fish, but still buy cat/dog food from them they don't really care. You spent money.

Very well stated! These chain stores know that salt water fish are a big item. The hobby is growing leaps and bounds. They want a piece of the action for the income only!

 

[lazypinoy]

*****'s specialty has never been fish. it more of the dog cat type of thing.

 

[nietzsche]

Originally Posted by LazyPinoy
*****'s specialty has never been fish. it more of the dog cat type of thing.
lol at your avatar

 

[snaredrum]

Originally Posted by LazyPinoy
*****'s specialty has never been fish. it more of the dog cat type of thing.
Its a bad management thing. IF they were smart, they would hire people that know how to care for fish, stock it up properly and they would make a killing. It would be just a matter of time they would be putting a lot of LFS's out of business. They are not that smart or willing to pay the people with the know how the money. You have got to wonder how many small business are out of business because of Wal-mart and their marketing plan.

 

[grabbitt]

***** sucks. This is known. They shouldn't keep exotic fish when the employees aren't trained to handle them. Nothing new.

 

[srfisher17]

Originally Posted by Angler man
***** should just stick to things like neon tetras, goldfish and rubber coral ornaments. Anything beyond this scope is simply asking too much. They kill more fish in one day than this whole board kills in a decade.
I'll bet ***** could even kill rubber coral ornaments; or spread rubber coral ornament disease throughout my entire system. Nothing is safe!

 

[vapd3129]

I have never minded *****. Usually buy supplies there because of it's locality. Even bought some livestock. Also seen some that I would never buy. I thinks it's kind of hit or miss with these chains. Probably more miss. Think it's all up to the individual person who runs the salt department.
I know the guy who runs mine seems fairly knowledgable about marine tanks that.

 

[waterlogged]

If you buy supplies there you might want to check the price of supplies online.

 

[vapd3129]

Originally Posted by Waterlogged
If you buy supplies there you might want to check the price of supplies online.
Im sure I could find better prices online. I'm just one of those people hate waiting for the mailman.

 

[cpbirds407]

Originally Posted by Snaredrum
Its a bad management thing. IF they were smart, they would hire people that know how to care for fish, stock it up properly and they would make a killing. It would be just a matter of time they would be putting a lot of LFS's out of business. They are not that smart or willing to pay the people with the know how the money. You have got to wonder how many small business are out of business because of Wal-mart and their marketing plan.

I'm not defending ***** in any given way, shape or color but I have to say that sometimes this is nearly impossible. Hiring people that know this business is not the easiest thing. Believe me, I know! It's just plain hard! When interviewing, you are trying to get to know the person, and you have NO clue what good and bad qualities they posess. Specially if you are dealing with a massive amount of stores like *****. They would have to hire a "fish manager" in every store that knows a great deal of SWF. That's the simple fact. Now is the difficult part of the deal is that the same person who is good with fish, must have the ability to manage a crew, provide excellent customer service, mantain the fish department, be a "numbers" person, follow superior instructions and corporate planograms, know how to hire "qualified" employees that know about the saltwater business, and be able to train these fellow employees. (...and Jesus Christ is not available for the position

) ALL of that by eight hundred plus stores! How easy is that??
I'm not defending *****, but we must be realistic, it is not that easy! However, it is possible to train the employees the proper way of dealing with LIVE saltwater fish. I strongly believe that every employee should go through a series of training and testing before being allowed on the sales floor, dealing with these live creatures and their prospect new parents.
If this is not possible, then saltwater fish should be out of the question and should not be for sale at these stores.
...Just my opinion.

 

[cpbirds407]

...and on top of all that, there are a lot of "opinions" in this business. Other than the facts of parameters of the water quality and other vital things, most of the things that we discuss here are just opinions. For example; Should I keep an anemone under MH or T-5? or should I cycle my tank with a dead shrimp or damesels? and that sort of thing. However, fish should live in *****, free of ick and not being played with by poking it to make it move!!! ...just my last thoughts. LOL

 

[bcspeed34]

My ***** isn't all too bad, the first fish I got (2 false percs.) I bought from them, and they are the main attraction of the tank. However, a yellow tang I bought from them gave me an ich scare and he passed away a month or two ago, which looked to be caused by a temp. spike.
The past times I have visited, the fish just looked awful. Ich everywhere in the larger tanks on the bottom. When I bought my first fish, there was an experienced guy working there. They had a grouper that had been living for over a month or two.
Since the parents want me to get a weekend job, maybe I should look into the saltwater fish manager at *****, hopefully I can find some of those guys some proper treatment and some good homes.