My Experience With Petsmart

[AstonN24vantage]

yeah i asked the manager. he was a little afraid to admit it but he did. i no that petco definitely does, but not sure about petsmart.

 

[SlyPolak]

They dont ALL run on one system. If they have a total of say 25/30 tanks, they run on 3 different systems .. 10 a piece

 

[mtv8dmarine]

I find that any fish I buy from PetSmart all have Ich. Either it is visible but not in their lighting but instead mine or I don't know until later. This is why I've started a QT and take back everything that dies within their 14 day guarantee.

What's worse is the misinformation that spews from the aquarium people's mouths there. One guy tried to tell me that ich is everywhere and is caused by stress. I told him it's everywhere because their tanks are never cured of it and new fish quarantined before adding into sales stock. I told him stress doesn't cause ich but since stress reduces the slime coat on the fish, the ich has an easier time attaching to a host.

I really want to find some non-chain LFS but even in Southern California I'm finding it extremely difficult. I've found 1 place only and their fish seem ok but they have really no plant selection.

 

[GAB99]

I find that any fish I buy from PetSmart all have Ich. Either it is visible but not in their lighting but instead mine or I don't know until later. This is why I've started a QT and take back everything that dies within their 14 day guarantee.

What's worse is the misinformation that spews from the aquarium people's mouths there. One guy tried to tell me that ich is everywhere and is caused by stress. I told him it's everywhere because their tanks are never cured of it and new fish quarantined before adding into sales stock. I told him stress doesn't cause ich but since stress reduces the slime coat on the fish, the ich has an easier time attaching to a host.

I really want to find some non-chain LFS but even in Southern California I'm finding it extremely difficult. I've found 1 place only and their fish seem ok but they have really no plant selection.

where in southern california? lived there almost my whole life so i know a few places you might be interested in....

 

[AstonN24vantage]

I find that any fish I buy from PetSmart all have Ich. Either it is visible but not in their lighting but instead mine or I don't know until later. This is why I've started a QT and take back everything that dies within their 14 day guarantee.

What's worse is the misinformation that spews from the aquarium people's mouths there. One guy tried to tell me that ich is everywhere and is caused by stress. I told him it's everywhere because their tanks are never cured of it and new fish quarantined before adding into sales stock. I told him stress doesn't cause ich but since stress reduces the slime coat on the fish, the ich has an easier time attaching to a host.

I really want to find some non-chain LFS but even in Southern California I'm finding it extremely difficult. I've found 1 place only and their fish seem ok but they have really no plant selection.

they tried to tell me that a balloon molly could become a saltwater fish!

 

[GAB99]

I find that any fish I buy from PetSmart all have Ich. Either it is visible but not in their lighting but instead mine or I don't know until later. This is why I've started a QT and take back everything that dies within their 14 day guarantee.

What's worse is the misinformation that spews from the aquarium people's mouths there. One guy tried to tell me that ich is everywhere and is caused by stress. I told him it's everywhere because their tanks are never cured of it and new fish quarantined before adding into sales stock. I told him stress doesn't cause ich but since stress reduces the slime coat on the fish, the ich has an easier time attaching to a host.

I really want to find some non-chain LFS but even in Southern California I'm finding it extremely difficult. I've found 1 place only and their fish seem ok but they have really no plant selection.

they tried to tell me that a balloon molly could become a saltwater fish!

thats... actually true


BIG LOL

 

[walkers101]

yeah mollies can live in brackish so someone knew what he was on about lol

 

[Kipsie]

I've heard both things - that 11 was a fine number to stock, and 11 was too many. Just depends on who chimes in. My tank can handle a ball park of 28 inches of fish based on surface area, and the 11 I stocked were about 22 inches (assuming they had grown to adults, but in reality they were all juveniles and not fully grown). I am now down to 9 fish and don't plan on adding any more for a while, unless my numbers dwindle too far. I want to let the tank start to mature with actual live fish in it.

OldMan47 - I will check into local fish clubs in my area. I think that is a very good suggestion!

This is off-topic, but...
As soon as I saw "local fish clubs" I thought of bright raves with dancing danios on a pole.
Oh, you gave me an idea, also. I could get some glofish and put a giant long pole in the tank as some sort of underground club theme. There could be tiger figurines, rainbow substrate...

 

[Gvilleguy]

This is off-topic, but...
As soon as I saw "local fish clubs" I thought of bright raves with dancing danios on a pole.
Oh, you gave me an idea, also. I could get some glofish and put a giant long pole in the tank as some sort of underground club theme. There could be tiger figurines, rainbow substrate...

I'm most of the way there - my 'kid designed' tank has rainbow substrate, a bubbling volcano, and glofish!

 

[Gvilleguy]

I suppose I should be fair and post about another Petsmart experience - there is a second Petsmart in my city that is older than the one I have been using. We went there last night, and the cleanliness of their wall of tanks was very impressive. I didn't see any algae, and on the entire wall we only spotted one dead fish. In other Petsmart and Petco stores we normally find many dead fish floating around.

So we took a chance and purchased 3 Neon Tetras to join our Glofish and Zebras. We'll see how these do for 2 weeks, and if they are okay, we'll go buy 2 more to get a shoal of 5.

On a side note - it was very interesting to see how the Danios greeted the Neons. For the first hour or two they moderately chased them around. It didn't look aggressive - it was more just "checking out the new guys". By this morning they were no longer chasing the Neons, and the Neons look calm, and are hanging out together.

 

[waterdrop]

..know this thread is getting old but wanted to make just one more observation, that unfortunately you really usually have to not only check out -all- the stores, both big-box-stores and local-shops and you'll see a range of qualities, but also you have to keep doing it over time, as they all change, potentially, over time. I have observed very large differences between different PetSmarts and have also observed over-time same-store differences within some of the smaller local-shop types. All of us on TFF should try, if we can make ourselves, to post up test results from the fish bags we bring home - it would make for some interesting stuff here on the forum! WD

 

[juliusskinner]

..know this thread is getting old but wanted to make just one more observation, that unfortunately you really usually have to not only check out -all- the stores, both big-box-stores and local-shops and you'll see a range of qualities, but also you have to keep doing it over time, as they all change, potentially, over time. I have observed very large differences between different PetSmarts and have also observed over-time same-store differences within some of the smaller local-shop types. All of us on TFF should try, if we can make ourselves, to post up test results from the fish bags we bring home - it would make for some interesting stuff here on the forum! WD

Yes, I totally agree with you and I must add in here that this thread is too old and still just I can make conversation and help others. This thread really gives goosebumps every time I been here and it does have a lot of information on how to purchase and return the pets or pets products at Petsmart. My personal visit at Petsmart would amazing and I would like to say that stop all rumors that Petsmart doesn't take care of the pets. They really work very hard and if you do like to know how the Petsmart Policy works on? go through the article.

 

[AbbeysDad]

I usually don't respond to ancient, resurrected threads, but I think a few points may be in order.
My LFS has a policy of NO guarantee or returns on fish - He clearly posts that he sells only healthy fish and has no control after they leave the store.
I think every Petsmart store has different Pet Care managers and employee's so it's likely some are better managed and maintained better than others.
On balance, I think they have some pretty good filtration equipment and water change procedures. However, of course, I can't speak to their sources for stock and any quarantine practices (if any).
It's equally a crap shoot on Mom and Pop fish stores. I've seen some that were really great, and others that were really poor.
In the end, you have to inspect a store and their tanks and only buy fish when things look good...and even then, it's best to quarantine for a few weeks.

 

[Jan Cavalieri]

It looks to me like they all run on some giant fiter system because you never see filters in the individual tanks. One day I was at PetSmart and they were squirting these huge syringes of rather pinkish chemicals into each tank. There was a really annoying customer there that was taking up all the girl's time (and didn't buy anything - but by then somebody else had her) - I just wanted to find out what they were squirting into those tanks. I have never seen a dead fish in a tank at either PetSmart or Petco here in Topeka but I've had about a 50% fish loss rate. We have one small but supposedly "expert" fish dealer in town - WHAT A SCAMMER. He doesn't mark the names on about half his fish I came in (as a newbie) that had decided to purchase Gourami's as my primary fish. I already had a few cherry barbs and rasdora's. If you can believe it - he sold me a so called "chocolate" Gourami for a hefty price. She's never quite looked like a gourami other than the spots on each side of her. I posted a picture of her here and was told she was a cichlid!!! No wonder she's over 5" instead of a maxium of 2 1/2 inches. I bought some real chocolate gourami's online and they are completely different creatures. She now resides in a tank with all my semi-aggressive Gourami's and even though there are only 6 fish in a 29 gallon tank it's way too small for fish this size.

Anyway - I now purchase all my fish online. LiveAquaria, AZGardens etc - they have a HUGE variety of fish. But you pay a small fortune to have them shipped overnight in a syrofoam cooler with either heat or cold packs depending on the weather. What pushed my tanks over the edge however was to buy a lot of fish/expensive fish and get free shipping - saving $40 is great unless you get so many fish at once you either find yourself overstocked or you blow your cycle by adding too many fish at once. So glad I'm done with purchasing fish for a while. I have some beautiful fish that were reasonably priced and in great health. When they sent me the wrong fish - I took a picture and got a store credit. When 3 died the first day - I took a picture and got a store credit. No water check or anything. I've only had those three die although I now seem to be missing a few fish. How do you "miss" two Thomasi Pleco's - they are big and look like tanks. I have one huge one left (the other two were much smaller) and I have never found any remnants of them. I'm missing one of my two tiny chocolate gourami's. but over all I've had far better success than with any fish store in town. I can't blame the missing fish on them and I have nothing to take pictures of - but could they have died and the other fish eaten them and all their bones in a matter of a few days? In a peaceful tank? Anyway - I don't think I trust any fish dealer any more. Why did I go online? One company is actually a Dr'sFosterSmith owned company and I always had good luck with their products, the other started as a aquatic plant store, got into fish and now primarily do consulting work for various companies that want large aquariums set up. Both have good online reputations. There are others out there as well.

Oh - if I get a big enough Styrofoam cooler I use it to build cat shelters for several abandoned cats in my neighborhood. Styrofoam, however, is the biggest mess to cut but eventually you do get it off of you and out of your hair. Use some home insulation inside(wrapped in plastic and covered in cloth rags) and some hay covered in plastic bags and cloth all taped to the inside walls of the Styrofoam and put a brick on top and you have some nice warm cat houses. They like both front and back doors even though it's not very energy efficient but it gives them an escape route. I through a few extra rags in there so they can wrap up in a little nest. We'll see this winter if they actually use them.

 

[Gypsum]

The UK equivalent is Pets at Home, and while I would rather buy fish from the local fish shop, it's achingly convenient because the nearest branch is closer to my flat than any LFS and it's open until 8pm, which means you can go after work. If you did an internet search, you'd find a lot of threads about them, most warning you off.

I bought our first lot of cherry barbs from them and lost one, but I attribute that to doing a fish-in cycle without the faintest idea of what we were doing. The other barbs have proven themselves to be resilient little things because they didn't die in spite of our bumbling efforts at setting up a tank. More recently, I bought black corys from them because they were the only place less than half an hour away that had them. We spent a while staring at all their tanks and concluding that the fish looked good. One of the corys died after about a week, but its friends remain healthy (knock on wood) so I'm prepared to consider it bad luck or a netting injury, as the guy in the store wasn't great at catching fish and knocked them about a bit. But if any more have problems, I'll replace them from somewhere else.