Dreadful Tank For Sale At Tesco

[dwarfgourami]

The tank seems to be quite a bit smaller than 5 gallon- so I think that argument is hardly relevant on this thread.

It is also quite clear that Tesco are encouraging people to keep goldfish, guppies or tetras in this tank- so any argument to do with bettas, endlers, killifish etc is also irrelevant to whether we complain or not.

The lcck of filtration etc is definitely a problem for tropical fish. 100% water changes would stress your guppies or tetras out no end.

The advice is to rinse out the whole thing in tap water every so often- definitely problematic advice.

I have nothing against nano tanks myself, in fact I am getting quite into the idea, but I want them a decent size and preferably not populated by goldfish.

I also have nothing against arguments- I am a professional academic, after all- but can they please about something relevant to the thread? Like this actual tank.

 

[shaz3271]

its not the size of the tank but the way its advertised thats wrong, should come with instructions of basic fish keeping etc.

email sent

 

[SamUK]

guys this is tescos.


if our LFS's cant get it right (and there meant to specialise in fish) then how can we expect a supermarket?


not saying its right or i agree but were such a tiny percentage of there customer base that we dont count for much.


same with everything.

 

[Jeewhizz]

I saw these the other day, on I want one of those .com...

It's appalling, but whilst the market is there, shops will sell it...

 

[linda1503]

I actually think its quite cute, but just as an ornament in an office, maybe put a 'model' of the boss in it! I wouldn't put any fish in it. Anyway Arfie, I too have sent off an email to the customer service department voicing my concerns. thanks for bringing it to our notice. You never know, if enough of us get together, maybe in time we can educate the uneducated!!

 

[Erised]

I honestly don't think we can expect them to change things. Yes, it's marketed falsely, but how often do you see something advertised that's actually right*? If they sold it saying 'you can keep very limited fish in this and only if you're fully dedicated to doing a lot of waterchanges. Actually, you're better off just keeping plants in it', do you think it would sell?
It's not their responsibility to make sure that whatever fish is kept in it is kept correctly. What they're for is to sell the product, which happens by (falsely) advertising the product. It's up to the people buying it to make sure that the fish that are kept in it are suitable. And they shouldn't expect a *supermarket* to be giving good advice on pet care. If they do, they wouldn't be clever enough to actually keep fish properly anyway.

* - Like I said yesterday to someone, some deodorants are supposed to make woman run after guys and want them. It simply doesn't happen in real life. A certain brand of chocolate milk is supposed to be absolutely irresistible to women and make them chase whoever is holding it, in massive groups at a time. It doesn't happen. A brand of butter spread will make your life so much better that you'll go through life grinning all day long simply because you've eaten a slice of bread with a very thick layer of butter on it. Nah uh, it's no miracle cure. Falsely advertising to make the product more suitable is what marketing is about.

 

[annka5]

... it's not the tank that's "wrong", nor is it the lack of equipment.
It's not even the marketing thats at fault; it's the people who refuse to do any kind of research into the living creature that they are taking "responsibility" for. Shame to have to use speech marks around that word, really; when is it that we forgot how to take personal responsibility for our actions?

 

[Arfie]

I honestly don't think we can expect them to change things.

Not if we don't ask them to. If we don't speak up they will not change them.

Yes, it's marketed falsely, but how often do you see something advertised that's actually right*?

Then that would be an offence under the sale of goods act.

And they shouldn't expect a *supermarket* to be giving good advice on pet care.

Partly true, but if they are giving advice, which they are, then we CAN and SHOULD expect it to be right. If they can't then they should not give any advice at all.

It's the usual case, if you think it is wrong, write and tell them, if you are happy with the product and the instructions for it's use, then don't write

But the time it took most people to write a prolonged message on here saying why complaining won't work, could have been spent typing an email to Tesco to try and change things. Now Spinal has kindly posted an excellent template (considerably better than the email I sent myself) it will take even less time to try and do something.

But thanks for your input Erised, you've made me think a little more and I think I will send a report to the Advertising Standards Agency about it too as it is not fit for the purpose for which it is being advertised

Arfie

 

[OohFeeshy]

* - Like I said yesterday to someone, some deodorants are supposed to make woman run after guys and want them. It simply doesn't happen in real life. A certain brand of chocolate milk is supposed to .... etc..

Ah, but they're not actually *saying* it. If the advert said literally 'Drink this and you'll have gangs of women running after you', fair enough. But most companies are crafty- small, unnoticed words like 'can' and 'up to' get around false advertising, but this tank actually says, directly, 'suitable for.... etc'.

 

[timmystood]

Even if we do get it off the Tesco website their are loads of others websites selling it.

 

[OohFeeshy]

The interesting thing is I can't find *any* real accounts of people actually using them. The only pages you find are on shop websites, and all photos are posed. Same with most of these tanks.

 

[annka5]

WHAT!!! You mean that deoderant won't have strange men rushing up to me in the street to give me flowers???!

 

[PeterM]

Does anyone remember those bags that had a "bubble" in them to keep a betta in? *shudders* The things people will produce to make a few £ scare me. Scarier still is that people actually buy them... how much common sense does it take to realise that this is bad? Sadly, more than many people have.

The interesting thing is I can't find *any* real accounts of people actually using them. The only pages you find are on shop websites, and all photos are posed. Same with most of these tanks.

Thankfully Something does need doing about this though, when little tanks make it to the mainstream market full of completely ignorant* buyers it can only mean the death of a lot of fish. I still find it strange how people can be so blas'e about fish. So what if their nervous systems arent as complex as that of a monkey or a dog... theyre still alive and they still need to be looked after properly.

*ignorant isnt a bad word, we were all ignorant of how to keep fish before we learned about.

 

[MHunt]

Well that tank is a disgrace. I have nothing against fantasy themed tanks. A 20 gal with a minature office in it might be quite interesting, but this tiny plastic cube is not fit for any animals to be in. Goldfish are too big for a start, there's nowhere for the filter unless it's hidden in the filing cabinet! Adding a heater if you can find one small enough would probably melt the plastic so it's now unsuitable for the neons that it mentions. You could (I wouldn't just before anyone starts) pehaps keep minnows in it if you did like a 50% water change every other day. (dechlorinated of course)



I have no objections with them selling the office tank, but their suggestion of adding fish to it is inappropriate and irresponsible!



My email will be going off tonight.

 

[eschaton]

I'm surprised no one has said the obvious: While cute when sparkling clean, once it has algae on the surfaces, and fish poop on the substrate-less bottom, it's going to be a goddamn eyesore.