My lousy trip to petsmart....

[enchanted]

I went to petsmart today in order to return a Faulty Rena Cal TopLight Excel heater. After reading numerous other people with the same problem I was having I decided to only return it and not exchange it.

I was hoping to spend the instore credit, but wasn't able to. First, they were unloading the new shipment of fish so there tanks were half or more empty. The one fish they had in stock that I wanted I wasn't sure how to tell Male/Female apart and they didn't know either combined with the tag stating only males, that was Blue Dwarf Gouramis.

So, I figure I would spend it on other things I wanted. I found the replacement pump for my python and went looking for a spray bar for my Fluval 404, which subsequently is on there website but not available in the store. So, I figured I would pick up the background which they happened to only have 5' of and my tank is 6'. Then I went looking for a GH/KH test kit which they only have in test strips.

Needless to say the only good thing was that I didn't have the reciept and they would not credit me the amount I paid, but more. I had them price match their website when I bought the heater and only paid $22.00 for it. I didn't have the reciept and the manager said without it they have to credit the retail price and he wasn't to worried about it. So they credited me back 35.99. I still have 29.68 on the gift card, don't know what I'm going to use it on yet........

 

[jflowers]

Went to my local pet super store today, they had a tank labeled assorted cichlids and another labeled clown loaches that contained Kribensis and convicts!!!!!!! the rest of the tanks contained a mixture of live/dead/stressed other fish none or most of which were as stated on the lable. Have never bought a fish from there yet, but I have bought my tank as it was on special, a Fluval 1200n deep for 200 quid.

Jon

 

[Rubicon]

Yeah its hard to go traitorous to your LFS's with an outfit like Petsmart. Their fish have caused me nothing but trouble in the past, with the last "mistake" wiping out half my stock before I clued in and stopped buying their disease carriers. The only thing I find 'em useful for is their cheap tank deals from time to time. I got the 33 gallon all inc. starter kit for like 99 bucks from them. The small LFS's where I get my fish want closer to 250 for the same setup, if not more!

They can't compete pricewise with the bigger outfits, but all in all, their product and service is far better than the big chain stores. I hate nothin more than havin to wait.. in or out of any kind of discernable line.. for a half an hour for service from someone more clueless than me.

 

[enchanted]

Here my LFS is actually cheaper on tanks for the most part or very close in price. A 125 Gallon non-drilled is $335 from my LFS (all-glass) and $389 from Petsmart.....

 

[lilmolly]

I don't even buy newtank set ups anymore. My family comes across them at garage sales and give them to me with equipment. All of my largest tanks were free. It seems like a waste of money to buy new tanks. We have even came across more unusual designs like a 28gal bow front which is in our guest bedroom now. My advice is to look around and ask around. If you really want something make sure everyone around you knows it so you have more eyes doing the looking to help you out. If you want it, you'll get it.

 

[Tempestuousfury]

Well, at least you made the best of it.

And I don't think they carry any female bettas or gouramis anywhere...

 

[Becca]

I don't even buy newtank set ups anymore. My family comes across them at garage sales and give them to me with equipment. All of my largest tanks were free. It seems like a waste of money to buy new tanks. We have even came across more unusual designs like a 28gal bow front which is in our guest bedroom now. My advice is to look around and ask around. If you really want something make sure everyone around you knows it so you have more eyes doing the looking to help you out. If you want it, you'll get it.

You know, when I first started, I had just a 30-Tall. And I kept saying "I want to upgrade!" I looked high and low for a tank - and just couldn't find one...so I bought one retail. A nice 75-Gall Perfecto.

And since I've bought that tank, I have run into all sorts of deals. I've gotten 2 20-Long setups (tank, stand, heater, filter, etc) for less than $20 a piece, and I was just approached by a lady at work - her son has a 55-Gallon that he wants to get rid of since he's getting married and moving. Fish, equipment, stand, tank everything - for.....$50. I'm sooo tempted to take him up on that since my new baby South Americans will eventually need a bigger grow out tank until I can hook 'em up with a nice 120 in a few months or a year. Hell, I have a fish buddy who's replacing a 120 with a 210 in about 6 months and he's promised me "dibs" on a great price for the tank and equipment when he finishes the move.

I think what happens is when you get to the point where you have "big" tanks (read: 50+) people think you're serious about fish...and all of a sudden, they're looking to offload those "spur of the moment purchases and decisions" that are more work than they thought they would be on someone who will pay for it and take it off their hands easily.

You know what tho - I say bring 'em on! When I eventually run out of room, I can start overflowing into other people's homes. (Or at least pass the deal off to a friend that's interested.)

 

[MXPX4318]

yeah I have a 29g (paid 35 dollars for w/ hood and light), a 20g ($35 (well tank was free hood I bought was 35), a 10g ($17 w/ heater, filter, gravel), and soon to be another 10g(everything $15), and if I get around to fixing it a 20g long (free (just the tank)) so I haven't paid "retail" for any of my actual tanks. I agree look until you find (though our yard sales don't seem to net anything bigger then a 10g tank)

 

[DeathAdder]

Sigh, at work, I get sooooo many people who come in and complain about the fish they have at Walmart and all the great deals on the small tanks and bowls just bug me but in the end they all realize what crappy stuff they got. Whenever I get a customer who bought fish off Wally world it's usually dead at the time I'm talking to them. I took a look myself, (I want to check out petsmart and other places) and it was just discusting, told my perrents, and they felt it was an issue to take up with the SPCA or something meh.

And yes I do work at the LFS, a really nice famaly owned business bent on customer service, care, and quality products I love it there.

 

[shrimpster97]

the LFS's are usually good, because all they do is fish.

here in dallas, all the LFS's have gone out of business, except for the big pet shops, like petco, and petsmart.

i do like to get supplies and stuff from walmart. because its cheaper. and its really the same stuff you get any where else.

 

[boom-sage]

try using a petland discounts as your lfs. they always have nice fish and are very knowledgeable. luck to you.

 

[enchanted]

Petsmart isn't bad. They usually have decent fish and they always have immaculate tanks. The only stuff I usually buy there is equipment, etc... and that is usually only after a price match to an internet ad. If it wasn't for their price matching my LFS could beat all their prices.