"Discussion" with petco employee

[FroFro]

I went in to the pet store they just built near my grandma's last night to pick my dog up a new beef bone to chew on. After I paid I noticed an employee putting out plants that were partially submerged in their plant tank but not all the way. As I was interested in this I asked what they were for and the employee told me they were actually betta plants.

A little confused I asked how is it a plant specifically for betta? She told me that you put the betta in a vase and then put the plant in with the betta.

I've found an image to explain my immediate reaction to this statement.

I then explained to her that she shouldn't tell customers that betta can live in vases. I told her that 5 gallons is the minimum, 2.5 if you really MUST. That betta thrive in having room to swim and just be betta.

She of course corrected me. I asked her if she would then keep a 50 pound dog in a toy dog sized kennel, she of coure said no that would be cruel. I asked why she would do the same to a fish? I then pointed to their little betta shelves where they keep the betta in their bowls. I always look at betta fish when I visit the stores because I like to admire the different colors. I'd already seen one betta with a severe case of dropsy and at least two with wasting stomachs that floated listless on the bottom of their bowls. I told her that their betta get sick from being in such tiny bowls, how would being stuck in a vase with no new water or circulation be any better? She told me at this point she was only repeating what her coworkers had told her. I asked if she owned any fish and when she told me no I simply said, 'Good," and walked away.

The employees at the petco I usually visit are much different. They actually inform customers correctly about how to care for their fish and I've had multiple discussions with them about different fish and fish care. I've even learned they do daily water changes and health checks of the betta given the conditions they are forced to house them in because of company policy.

I know I'm ranting here but I wanted to vent to some like-minded folks. I will never shop at that new petco again.

 

[Demeter32]

I often give tips to the employees when they are trying to net fish out for me. It doesn't work to do it fast and yet I see people furiously swishing the net around chasing after their victim. It's actually pretty comical especially when they get frustrated. The poor fish though, I say this is one of the reasons why some new fish die shortly after being bought.

I am a prideful person and don't like to be reprimanded in my fish keeping (typical for gingers ). When employees try to give me less than great advice my poker face appears and I look at them as if they are idiots. HOW DARE THEY QUESTION ME!! I can't even talk to my family when they ask why I'm doing this or that with the tanks, my sass appears and I just can't humor their ignorance. I'm far too childish.

Then there's the few empoyees that actually know a thing or two about fish. One lady asked if I already had a fish tank and when I told her I had 8 she looked at me approvingly. I talked to a very nice guy who breed some of the fish in the tanks at Petco. He seemed to know his cichlids, and that made him all the more attractive in my eyes

And then, every now and then I find a new fish person and I get all excited and we talk about fish things and it's a joyous occasion. Fish people are my people.

 

[FroFro]

I often give tips to the employees when they are trying to net fish out for me. It doesn't work to do it fast and yet I see people furiously swishing the net around chasing after their victim. It's actually pretty comical especially when they get frustrated. The poor fish though, I say this is one of the reasons why some new fish die shortly after being bought.

I am a prideful person and don't like to be reprimanded in my fish keeping (typical for gingers ). When employees try to give me less than great advice my poker face appears and I look at them as if they are idiots. HOW DARE THEY QUESTION ME!! I can't even talk to my family when they ask why I'm doing this or that with the tanks, my sass appears and I just can't humor their ignorance. I'm far too childish.

Then there's the few empoyees that actually know a thing or two about fish. One lady asked if I already had a fish tank and when I told her I had 8 she looked at me approvingly. I talked to a very nice guy who breed some of the fish in the tanks at Petco. He seemed to know his cichlids, and that made him all the more attractive in my eyes

And then, every now and then I find a new fish person and I get all excited and we talk about fish things and it's a joyous occasion. Fish people are my people.

I get the same way when my father happens to be around during my weekly water changes. He stands behind me and follows me back and forth to the tub as I fill buckets and put water conditioner in. The story usually goes "when I owned a fish tank I never changed the water as much as you. Maybe once a month when I'd clean the bottom."

I then repeat to my father that he owned a 75 gallon long with those canister things underneath that are constantly cycling out and replacing the cleaned water back into the tank. PLUS he had a filter on both sides of that thing. Where I have a 36 gallon bow front and a tendency to meticulously inspect my tank every morning. He also makes fun of me because I named my fish.

And I talk to them during feeding time and in the morning... does anyone else talk to their fish or am I just a weirdo?

 

[Demeter32]

I only call their names in baby talk while gently tapping the glass to get their attention, or tap the glass harder when one is being mean to the other and say "hey, stop that". They never listen.

 

[Essjay]

I talk to my betta. But it's hard not to talk to bettas

I only talk to the fish in the main tank during a water change, then it's "get out of the way you stupid fish". The ricefish are the worst, they are attracted to the siphon tube for some reason.

 

[Ch4rlie]

And then, every now and then I find a new fish person and I get all excited and we talk about fish things and it's a joyous occasion.
Fish people are my people.

 

[AbbeysDad]

When I go to Lowes to get some PVC for a project, I don't expect to find a licensed plumber working there!

I wonder why we expect to find experienced hobbyists in the fish department of the big box pet store. Lucky if they can help you find the filter media (or whatever) you're looking for.

Oh I know it would be nice if the person scooping fish at the big box pet store was an expert on all things tropical fish related, but 'this is reality Greg' (a quote from...oh never mind). Besides, an expert isn't gonna work there for minimum wage!

 

[FroFro]

When I go to Lowes to get some PVC for a project, I don't expect to find a licensed plumber working there!

I wonder why we expect to find experienced hobbyists in the fish department of the big box pet store. Lucky if they can help you find the filter media (or whatever) you're looking for.

Oh I know it would be nice if the person scooping fish at the big box pet store was an expert on all things tropical fish related, but 'this is reality Greg' (a quote from...oh never mind). Besides, an expert isn't gonna work there for minimum wage!

I am not requiring that people be an expert on all things fish. I couldn't begin to tell you the difference between most aquatic plants, requirments for brackish water fish, marine fish, live coral and sand. I can't even tell you where to find ferts for your substrate.

However there is no excuse for ignorance when in a work environment that involves the care and selling of living creatures. I have worked in a floral department going on two years now. In my first week I couldn't blow up, tie, and bag 40 ballons in under 15 minutes like my manager could. I didn't know what a snap dragon or gerbera daisy, or whatever the hell floral tape was used for. I didn't know that arrangements go by flower tiers. But since I'm still at the job it obviously means I learned this because my manager taught me. But these are fresh cut flowers we are talking about, not living breathing creatures.

Even before I started in the hobby I thought it rather cruel that they kept those "pretty fishy" as I called them as a child in those tiny bowls. I remember how depressed and bored they seemed too. It is basic knowledge that betta can't be kept in bowls. If I ever worked at a pet store and was placed in a designated department you can bet your bucks that I would research what I needed to know in order to do that job to the best of my ability. Now? I can make arrangements that would have you go cross-eyed with their intricacy. And I started at minimum wage.

 

[AbbeysDad]

I don't much like store bought cut flowers - they cost a fortune and die within days and you can't even compost them for fear of what they've been treated with - so in the trash they go. Just throwing good money away!
With 50+ years in the hobby I've seen a lot of fish store people. At this stage in my life, I just take it for granted that with all the time I've spent with this passion and the research I've done, I'm prolly gonna know a lot more about fish keeping than the people (mostly kids) at the retail store. If I hear them giving incorrect information, I politely try to educate them as one of my good deeds for the day. But when it comes to knowledge, the more you learn, the more you learn that there's even much more to learn....And in this hobby, there's so many myths that seem to live forever, even 'experienced' hobbyists can learn a thing or two.
I also think it's just wrong to confine a living creature in a very small glass prison, but unfortunately all the pet stores seem to treat beta's that way. With so many in those little cup like containers it confounds me as to how they survive....but they do. And in spite of years and years of hobbyist's indignation, it continues.