Dead Fish In The Tanks At My Lfs....

[drobbyb]

Old thread.

 

[Fake Username]

I used to work for Petsm@rt. Their fish department is understaffed and underpaid thus resulting in bad quality people. They had a 3 hour training course that allowed you to sell fish in the store. Three hours isn't nearly enough time to grasp the concept of fish husbandry much less master it. I quit working there because of some of their policies. I just couldn't sell oscars to people who bought a 10 gallon tank that very same night. It just didn't sit right with me.

My roommate works for PetSmart. He told me that the employees can refuse fish and pet sales to people they believe will NOT provide a good home for them. This includes mixing species of fish that are not compatible, purchasing fish before setting the tank up, or not having the proper equipment for the fish (i.e. small tank for a large fish). I think that they have to ask each person buying fish how big their tank is and what kinds of fish they have in there before they bag them up for them.

How long ago did you work for Petsmart? I just asked my roommate and he said that he had to do a week-long training course on fish since that is what sells the most at all stores or something like that. Seems like new training policies?

 

[NaughtyT]

He told me that the employees can refuse fish and pet sales to people they believe will NOT provide a good home for them. This includes mixing species of fish that are not compatible, purchasing fish before setting the tank up, or not having the proper equipment for the fish (i.e. small tank for a large fish). I think that they have to ask each person buying fish how big their tank is and what kinds of fish they have in there before they bag them up for them.

That SHOULD be the pure basics in ANY fish store,sadly we find out all too often that it's not.


I personally would never purchase any fish from a tank that contains dead fish,i'm fully aware that fish can just die for no apparent reason but i personally am not willing to take the risk.I also judge a store on how quickly they deal with dead or ill fish in thier tanks after i have informed them.

It's all too easy to end up with just one fish that could end up wiping out your whole tank,yes as a rule you should quarantine but not everyone has the facilities to do that.

 

[OldMan47]

Welcome to the forum Fake Username. What you describe as a policy must be a local store policy. I have used the Petsmart near me for years now along with the other pet stores in town. I have never been challenged by anyone in any of the stores about my fish knowledge or my stocking plans. I have seen people walk out of the stores with aquarium kits still in the box and fish in bags at the same time. It does not strike me that they limit people buying fish in any way. I have even seen people ask advice for fish that are already bagged up in terms of what tank to get for them. The part that bothers me is not that people would ask, at least they are trying to do things right. It bothers me to see the LFS employee walk over and point to a tank that might be suitable if it had been set up last month but not when the fish are already bagged up. I really don't think people in any of the stores care what goes on once you are out the door and the money is in the till. There is a fish store about 55 miles away that would be very careful about this kind of thing but nobody that I have found in my town.