let's organize

[BettaMomma]

You can do more than you think you can

I will most definitely come back to this post several times, I'm sure. I am slowly working my way through reading all of the posts, too.

Although I keep only bettas at home - I am all for the rights of all tiny aquatic creatures - and even the big ugly ones. They all deserve a great chance at life - just because they're unlucky enough to fall under the care of some uncaring schmuck or store that cares more for making a profit than they do for life is no reason why we shouldn't fight for them. We all love our fish. I just feel bad that not all aquatic animals get the same care that most of ours do.

They have no voice that we, as humans, can hear. I like to think I'm that voice, and if I need to raise it so someone takes notice, I do that once in a while. And if feels kinda good.

 

[BettaMomma]

I don't suppose this stands a chance of getting pinned? probably not but I can hope.

We do stand a really, really good chance of getting something pinned - but we should probably organize and gather our resources first. Littlefishie and/or I will be in contact with you about it.

Stay tuned...........

 

[Torrean]

what do you think is the best way to prevent stores from selling fish to people who can't care for them is? For example: how do you prevent wallmart from selling a common pleco into a 1 gallon tank if you aren't there to say something(true story btw)?

EDIT: thank you bettamomma. I will be looking for you.

 

[BettaMomma]

Call the store and ask if they mind if you print out factoid sheets on whatever type of fish and then drop them off at the store... Most of them don't mind if you do it.
If they do mind, print them out anyway and lay them somewhere near the fish department. There's rarely anyone in the department, anyway. Even if they get thrown away when the employees come by, at least maybe a few people got them before they were tossed.

It's the best solution I have found to date.
And, on occasion, I just go hang out in that department and if I hear people contemplating what kind of tank to get, I simply ask them if they need help, as I am a fish owner myself.

I've headed off disastrous things - like a couple who were buying 3 good sized goldfish and were going to put them into one of the triple betta kits
They ended up getting a 10G starter kit instead. Still not big enough, but at least they didn't have to suffer quite so horribly.

This one was hilarious - a bit extreme, but HILARIOUS.
Someone had gone into the WalMart here in town and had printed up a big old fact sheet on red tailed sharks, then went into the store and used soooooo much mailing tape to stick it to the wall and tanks that they were going to have to work for days to get it off. It was hilarious. They had tried to peel it off but you coudl tell they just gave up.

loved that one

ps - i'm heading out for the day but will be back tonight or tomorrow.

 

[Torrean]

the same people who had the common pleco in a 1 gallon also had 2 rainbow sharks (very similair to red tailed but bigger) in another 1 gallon!!!

I don't know if it is like this at your respective wall-marts but mine has a thing about plecos on a little strip of paper. Well the first line of the information just happens to be covered up by the lip of the thing it's held in. Gues what info is contained in that 1st line. Common pleco's may grow to 20". How convenient eh.

 

[Torrean]

Wall-mart just called me back about the fish situation that I complained to them about. He said that he got the dead fish out and cleaned the tanks. I think I will go up there tommorow to see if he's a liar. But see imagine if everyone who saw fish in a sad condition spoke up. The fish would be taken care of much better everywhere. I really hope that he didn't lie to me.

 

[john5748]

I contacted the spca about what I saw I guess i'll know in a few days if they will do anything about it.

I look forward to hearing how you have got on with that organisation, I presume it is similar to the RSPCA?

 

[BettaMomma]

PM me when you need an additional person to give them a call.
I have a cell phone that I have several hundred unused long distance minutes on, and I have no issues calling a store to "let them know" that something's not quite right at their store. All I ask is that when i'm told about a situation at the store, that the info is exact, honest and not exaggerated.

And if ANYONE ever spots a dead or very very ill betta in a cup - OR if you ever see 2 bettas together, regardless of their sex, PLEASE pm me right away with the city and state of the store, along with its name. They WILL at that point be getting a very heated phone call from me.

 

[Zenn]

Well actually they might not be bettas but i was shocked and appalled the other day when i went to get my new RTB shark (who died less than two hours ago for unknown reason and be sure i am going down with him to complain, because my other fish are fine)

But when i bought him, he was in a tank full of Bala sharks, albino sharks, red finned sharks, siamese algae eaters as well as his own RTB sharks, LIKE HOW THICK CAN THEY BE!?!?

The bala sharks were the worse ones off in the tank from what i could tell actually, there were hundred of scales missing off their bodies, their fins were shreded and they just looked in really bad shape, now i had to bite my tougue at this time, because i was seriously in a rush and so would have lodged a full solid complaint against the whole thing if i wasnt off to see my nan in few hours from that time and so wanted to grab the fish and get back, put him in the tank and then dash to my nans who was in hospital, but seriously, you would think Pets At Home would have some knowledge as to not put those spiecs of all spiece all together in one tank, they will kill each other, the stress would never end...

I am going down there later, if they have not divided up the sharks into different tanks this time i go down, i will be sure to lodge a complaint against them, because it is a good chance that is what killed my RTB shark, was the after stress when i got him home, and getting into a tank that he wasnt being chased every 5 seconds by another fish, poor fella, i am really going to miss him, he was really young, i feel really bad, because i thought i was saving him, because he didnt look ill or anything and even now he still looks in perfect condition, in all my time of keeping RTB sharks i have NEVER EVER had one die on me

Oh i forgot to add another thing i would complain to them about, because while i was looking for a good RTB shark, i realised they had but a lovely blue betta in a tank full off BLUE TETRA NEONS, THEY ARE TOTALLY OFF THEIR BLADY HEADS!!! and it wasnt in good condition either

 

[Isis_Nebthet]

I boycotted my local pet shop...it's done so much good..

He sold my friend a zebra danio with an ulcer last week (and they called it an asian danio must be more exotic)...

Issues I have with them

They think gobies should be fed flakes (I've seen how much the marbleds appreciate flake when they spit it back out.....) Adapt or die.

They think kuhlis are too hard to keep alive...I lost one once....It got eaten by a foot long koi....

I saw the lady hit a cage with a broom that had a dog in it because it was whining (and she's the groomer too)...

I went through once and did point out sick fish...they just looked at me blankly....And these are the owners they rarely have anyone else there.

They won't refund any loses that are quarentined (that was the last straw for me).

the wife told me she had koi in a pond but they jumped so she doesn't use *that* pond anymore lol Maybe finding the problem would be better? I could just see trying to explain to my boyfriend I needed a new tank because something jumped...he probably would suffocate laughing.

"Those are bloodworms we keep live in there"..."Do they turn into midgeflies I think they're blackworms?" "No they're always worms..bloodworms don't turn into anything"....

 

[troutfly]

I tried doing this at my local PetCo. They had 3 types of puffers(Dwarf-Figure 8-Common) in a tank that also housed Clown Knifes and Black Ghost Knifes. I was appauled to say the least. I had noticed on F-8 that was harrassing an extremely beat up Clown to the point where its whole belly was pink with out a single fin on it. As I stood there, with an employee right next to me, I expressed my dis-pleasure and told them that in no way should puffers(notorious fin nippers) be housed with fish that had long fins, or should there be 3 types of them in the same tank. They were too busy in their job, restocking the fish bag drawer, to extract the injured fish and remove the fin nipper. While I was standing there, the F-8 took a large chunk out of the Clown, causing it to start bleeding in the tank. This inturned caused the other 9 (yes I said 9) puffers to hone in on this fish. I asked them to get the fish out of there, it took another 5 minutes before this employee acted. I am surprised that this happened because usually the employees there are good at listening to customers. I do not know the fate of the Clown (death I pressume) but i went back in there a day later to find the puffers (9 plus fin nipper) still in the tank with 2 other Clowns and 3 Ghosts. The tank they were in was a 15 gal. (they have banks of 15's for display) and every fish had fins that were damaged, including 4 of the puffers. I made a comment to the employee then walked over to one of the managers and inform them of the problem. I was told that it was policy to put "alike" fish in the same tanks for sale. I asked them about putting fin nippers in the same tanks as large fin fish policy? I was then informed that this was done because they didn't have room for the fish they recieved. Then I asked if it was also there policy to allow one fish to distroy another fish while an employee is present and informed by a customer? And I was told promptly that if I didn't like this, I could shop somewhere else. Now mind you, between the 5 tanks, 2 birds, hampster, cat and leopard gecko, I spend roughly 70 dollars a month in that store. I was so mad I told one of the Asst. Managers I deal with and was told "I'm sorry but my hands are tyed, he is the manager and there isn't anything I can do about it, or it is my job." California has a law where you can inform the local Animal Control Office about ill practices by a pet facility and they will look into it. I know I am just one person but at least I tried.