Would you EVER buy a Fish from PetCo?

[Snowboarda42]

If you walked into Petco, saw a fish that you've wanted for a while, and the nearest other Pet Store is 160+ Miles away, would you buy it?

Assuming that this fish is healthy, eats well, no abnormal behaviors, etc. AND, you took it home, QT'd it, and treated it for infections.


Would you?

 

[Elmo18]

IMO, I would only buy fish from PetCo if it was still in the shipping bag (on the day they receive their packages).

A looooong time ago (8 years ago?), I was dumb enough to dump water with the fish I got from PetCo directly into a tank. Well....sad enough...the copper-laden water killed everything, including the rocks, etc...

When it is still in the shipping bag(either from ORA, or another place), it is much safer. It's just like getting your own shipment...except you pick it up elsewhere..

I don't want to bash on PetCo, but from a reefer's standpoint...I think there are better waters elsewhere.

Best,
Ilham

P.S. What fish were you looking at?

 

[Elmo18]

Oh, BTW, I did not finish the vote.. I just replied.

Best,
Ilham

 

[james734]

That was me that clicked the vote button. I never have and never will buy a fish from Petco. Make the drive a 160 miles...

 

[Snowboarda42]

P.S. What fish were you looking at?

I wasn't actually looking at a fish in particular, just thought about it while I was in there. I've heard alot of their stuff is cyanide caught.

That was me that clicked the vote button. I never have and never will buy a fish from Petco. Make the drive a 160 miles...

I always have driven the distance to Spokane and went to KevinPo's shop (Aquatic Dreams) or to Barbie's Shop (Aquarium Solutions), unless its just food.

 

[brady816]

i voted no!!! The reason is they dont take care of the fish like a lfs would there just there working a part time job and thats it.. Just my 2 cents

 

[trido]

I voted yes. I have purchased two fish from my local PetCo. I call it a rescue from people who dont have a clue and will likely kill them anyway. And, when you see a regularly priced $65 flame hawk on sale for $30 how can you pass it up after seeing it eat like a horse. I take my son in there somewhat regularly for his sake. He gets tired of the LFS due to lack of birds, reptiles, etc...

From what I hear when I talk to the one lady (that has a clue) in the fish dept. Petco as a whole (at least in the Pacific northwest), is going to discontinue selling SW due to the sensitive nature of the livestock and lack of knowlegde in thier employees. As a corporation it isnt cost effective to lose livestock continuously and to try to train every new part timer that gets hired bi-monthly.

 

[Reeferdude]

I voted yes but here's a funny story. When my daughter was very young we bought her a little goldfish and it died within Petco's return policy time frame. When we took it back to the store we were told to wait in line behind the next person. Well, the line was real long with several little kids. One of the kids asked about the goldfish not knowing it was dead. The look on those little kids faces was priceless when my daughter held the bag up and showed all the kid in line the dead goldfish...

 

[Jim Hart]

I have a yellow watchman that i bought from pet co 7 years ago, he is my favorite fish, besides my black ocelaris clowns or course.

 

[Reefergeorge]

I have, but don't recomend it. I just couldn't pass up $6 clowns.

Have had them for 2yrs now.

 

[joker577]

2 "healthy looking" clowns I got from them got ich and one of them died the first day...had to QT the other for 4 weeks

 

[Mrktplayer]

I personally would say no. Just looking at their livestock makes me sad sometimes. I do get ghost shrimp and damsels from them though. I never ordered fish online, but from what I heard I'd rather do that instead of driving 160 miles.

 

[burning2nd]

i said yes but it would have to be the right one... at the right price..... and with out any question my Qt would have to be ready for use... and... it would have to be really worth it...

but in general Ive made it a habbit of just staying outta there all together..

 

[darklight2ooo]

The petco around me stopped selling saltwater fish :|. The fresh water fish on the other hand where absolutly terrible, all of them died 4 days after buying them. sad... but yeah i think id by saltwater from them... save them from lack of care.

 

[CarlaW]

I have a few freshwater fish that have survived the petco ordeal, so I voted yes. I would never buy a saltwater fish from the petco I live near.

 

[spongebob lover]

no !!!
BUT i can't say, i had a LTA that lasted me 2 years .
i do buy some food from them though.

 

[blind1993]

well the petco next to my house is very nicely priced and their fish are nice and mostly healthy. i try to get all of my fish from the bag and not their water but when i do i dont let the water get in the tank i use the water that comes out as a water change and just add new sw. i have everysingle fish i own from them and they have people in the fish department who have sw tanks or know a thing or 2 so i think they are a good place to buy from but first u must test all the people who work there and see if they know what they are talking about. srry it is so long.

 

[logiktest]

I also have heard of cyanide talk... but just try to prove/disprove it. I'm sure these fish have poor survival rates while in the store due to neglect. However, I can also imagine LFS owners bad mouthing large chain retailers in order to make a sale. I don't own any Petco fish, but paying half to three quarters the price of the LFS is hard to argue with if the fish look good.

 

[Sascha D]

If you walked into Petco, saw a fish that you've wanted for a while, and the nearest other Pet Store is 160+ Miles away, would you buy it?

Assuming that this fish is healthy, eats well, no abnormal behaviors, etc. AND, you took it home, QT'd it, and treated it for infections.


Would you?

In a perfect world all of these might happen, but since we dont we all know that 90% of the time you're just throwing your money away and supporting the devil. On the mainland I only bought from Petsolutions.com. Not only does everything I've bought come in great condition, but I've had a 100% survival rate over 2 years from them.

Out of the 3 things I've gotten from Petco, 2 died in the first week and the other one I had for 2 years healthy.

 

[Minus The Ich]

QT anything from petco even if it looks healthy. They are kind of a fish chop shop. I did happen to find a small hippo tang there that I have had for 3 years. But in general I don't buy anythign there.

dennis