Spitting MAD at Walmart! ARGHH!!!
- Thread starter beckyd
- Start date
You asked about pH, not hardness/softness, granted it does affect pH. Most fish can be acclimated to different levels.
It's also the responsibility of pet owners to research their pets beforehand. The main concern for store clerks is to sell things, not necessarily to be knowledgeable about what they sell.
I think there's just a lot of petitions against WalMart in general. I know people who boycott them just because they're a super-giant.
It's also the responsibility of pet owners to research their pets beforehand. The main concern for store clerks is to sell things, not necessarily to be knowledgeable about what they sell.
I think there's just a lot of petitions against WalMart in general. I know people who boycott them just because they're a super-giant.
looks like emmanuelchavez is on the side of the bad petshops 
just kiddin'
anyways I had the idea for a petition before, but never said anything about it. I would sign a pettition to shut the Walmart fish section down, no hesitation.
just kiddin'
anyways I had the idea for a petition before, but never said anything about it. I would sign a pettition to shut the Walmart fish section down, no hesitation.
We should know well enough that these corporations are in the business of selling things and making money for their shareholders, and not necessarily to be deeply knowledgeable about what they sell. As the pet owners, we should be the ones whom are knowledgeable about what we're getting before we get it.
Rather than complain about it, we should be more proactive about bringing these issues into light and making sure they're changed or stopped. Complaints without action won't do anything.
Don't get me wrong, if given the chance, I'd sign a petition that would outline what these super-giants should be doing to ensure proper care of their fish, or otherwise shut-down that department completely.
I disagree. I expect the local Wal-Mart staff to know how to repair my flat screen tv, know all the songs on the albums they sell, and where all the tomatoes were grown that are in the produce section.
I work at Petco and t's ridiculous how people think I should know everything about the animals we sell. I know plenty about most common FW fish, quite a bit on SW fish but some people ask me how to treat their sick reptiles and expect that I know what to tell them... sorry I'm not a vet. Usually we have someone at all times that knows more than other employees about a certain section of animals, but fish especially has a ton of information cause they all require such different conditions...
On certain more advance fish like african cichlids, larger SA cichlids or SW in general, you definitely do the research on your own before you buy it... people come in and see a fish they like and I tell them all I know but that might not be enough to know if it is right for their setup. Plus a lot of people don't listen either way. If someone wants a puffer but keeps shrimp I tell them that might not be a good idea and to do your own research before you make a purchase of a LIVING ANIMAL... its not like buying a new kind of shampoo.
On certain more advance fish like african cichlids, larger SA cichlids or SW in general, you definitely do the research on your own before you buy it... people come in and see a fish they like and I tell them all I know but that might not be enough to know if it is right for their setup. Plus a lot of people don't listen either way. If someone wants a puffer but keeps shrimp I tell them that might not be a good idea and to do your own research before you make a purchase of a LIVING ANIMAL... its not like buying a new kind of shampoo.
Unwritten Law- I sympathize that it is impossible to know everything about every pet. However, the problem isn't the ones that don't know. Its the ones who don't KNOW they don't know and answer like they do! I wouldn't of been half as mad had the employee who helped me not informed me that she didn't know why the fish manager had left the fish like that as she had been in the fish section ALL DAY. The manager thoguht this was appropriate?? Good heavens, it isn't like a betta is a rare, exotic animal. It takes like 5 min to learn enough to keep them alive.
I couldn't agree more that people should do research on their pets before they buy them. With today's easy internet access, there is simply no excuse for not bothering. There is also no excuse for such a lack of pride in one's work that these employees don't bother to learn some basics about the products they make their living selling. There is no reason you would know everything about a reptile, but I would expect you to know better than to make some ignorant remark like "You can feed them anything(cuz I don't really know the answer). They're not picky."
More then anything, I am constantly disappointed in the ethics of the sales people. Either they are knowingly selling 4 fantails to a happy customer who is buying a 2.5g tank at the same time. Or they are so lazy that they don't bother even to ask someone who may be more knowledgeable. My Petco people don't know half the questions I ask them, but they usually know who might help. "Eric may know, he knows alot more than me about fish. I'll get him." And if Eric doesn't know, he says so. And I come here, the best thing that ever happened to the fish in my life
I constantly tell myself that its a good thing I do not approach my job like this. People would die. And while I do not equate the life of an animal to the life of a person, human beings have been given the gift of intelligence by which these animals have come to be in our care. We should respect that and respect them and their position of dependence on us that we have chosen to force on them. I just can't help getting defensive when I see people acting so unethically towards these creatures.
I know you all feel the same or you wouldn't be here. I know I'm preaching to the choir, but somehow it still makes me feel better to hear all your voices agree with indignation at the mistreatment. It reminds me that I can still have high expectations of other human beings because there are plenty that do indeed live up to them.
Thanks for letting me sound off, and for joining me
I couldn't agree more that people should do research on their pets before they buy them. With today's easy internet access, there is simply no excuse for not bothering. There is also no excuse for such a lack of pride in one's work that these employees don't bother to learn some basics about the products they make their living selling. There is no reason you would know everything about a reptile, but I would expect you to know better than to make some ignorant remark like "You can feed them anything(cuz I don't really know the answer). They're not picky."
More then anything, I am constantly disappointed in the ethics of the sales people. Either they are knowingly selling 4 fantails to a happy customer who is buying a 2.5g tank at the same time. Or they are so lazy that they don't bother even to ask someone who may be more knowledgeable. My Petco people don't know half the questions I ask them, but they usually know who might help. "Eric may know, he knows alot more than me about fish. I'll get him." And if Eric doesn't know, he says so. And I come here, the best thing that ever happened to the fish in my life
I constantly tell myself that its a good thing I do not approach my job like this. People would die. And while I do not equate the life of an animal to the life of a person, human beings have been given the gift of intelligence by which these animals have come to be in our care. We should respect that and respect them and their position of dependence on us that we have chosen to force on them. I just can't help getting defensive when I see people acting so unethically towards these creatures.
I know you all feel the same or you wouldn't be here. I know I'm preaching to the choir, but somehow it still makes me feel better to hear all your voices agree with indignation at the mistreatment. It reminds me that I can still have high expectations of other human beings because there are plenty that do indeed live up to them.
Thanks for letting me sound off, and for joining me
We do. But sadly, the care of fish is not very well covered. When I called the Animal Protection League, I was told "We don't do fish."
As far as petitions go, I would think that a massive corporation like walmart would already have petitions coming out of their ears... IMO the best bet would be to petition/campaign your Animal protection league to tighten laws, increase penalties and even create new legislation if need be. Saying "sorry we don't do fish" is a complete cop out and surely goes against the mantra of the Animal protection league. Here, the RSPCA's mantra is "For all animals great and small".
This goes away from just the fish section at Walmart. But now in the world with sucky jobs and economy. A "job" is just a "job" that puts money in our pockets. People work there because they need money.. not to make the store better or to make friends.. its money. Some people do work at a store to work with the fish and etc.. (to learn more for there hobby).. but anywhere you go 98 percent of people don't know **** about there job or the store.. the goverment has enough trouble screwing people out of money and not keeping there paper work straight. I thing I did in life and had to call someone for something it was all wrong and still they mess stuff up.
Well that just blows... its a sad fact that fish seem to be put into the 'to hard basket' when it comes to monitoring the care and keeping of fish.
As far as petitions go, I would think that a massive corporation like walmart would already have petitions coming out of their ears... IMO the best bet would be to petition/campaign your Animal protection league to tighten laws, increase penalties and even create new legislation if need be. Saying "sorry we don't do fish" is a complete cop out and surely goes against the mantra of the Animal protection league. Here, the RSPCA's mantra is "For all animals great and small".
As far as petitions go, I would think that a massive corporation like walmart would already have petitions coming out of their ears... IMO the best bet would be to petition/campaign your Animal protection league to tighten laws, increase penalties and even create new legislation if need be. Saying "sorry we don't do fish" is a complete cop out and surely goes against the mantra of the Animal protection league. Here, the RSPCA's mantra is "For all animals great and small".
I could tell you many stories about Walmart employees and the fish section. And just because you know/talked to an employee doesn't mean they know whats going on. Over 60 % the time you go to Walmart or any Walmart I've see cept 1 in the chicago area.. But thats 1! Anyways most the time you go there its all dirty and they got tons of dead betas in cups and don't even move them. In the tanks they have very limited of fish untl stock day! They also have tons of fish. And the people that have worked in those areas it took them like 30 minutes to catch 1 fish.. And it was only 3 in the tank! They called 2 other guys over and I was so pissed at them. I said let me catch it. Eventually guy got it out and smashed the fish up against the glass so hard it killed it infront of me lol. Then he tried to sneak it into bag and tied and I said thats a dead fish you moron. And he said no its just shocked.. Its freaking crushed! Flat!? Wtf I through fish bag in the sink and left and laughed lol. Anyways many many storys and not enough time to type.
and we are laughing because fish get squashed by Walmart employees? I hope you only laughed at the employees incompetence.
IDK about incompetence, i think that varies.
I asked one employee of Pet Goods to get me an oto, and like i mentioned he pointed to a pictus cat. obviously this guy knows nothing about fish, he just works there. BUT once we did find the otos i was talking about, he caught them in the most quick and efficient way I've ever seen. He just flicked the net next to the otos and the otos somehow wound up in the net every single time. he was so skilled at catching these fish that i bough more than just one...
That dude may have been clueless about the fish he sells but he sure is an expert at catching them :0
IDK about incompetence, i think that varies.
I asked one employee of Pet Goods to get me an oto, and like i mentioned he pointed to a pictus cat. obviously this guy knows nothing about fish, he just works there. BUT once we did find the otos i was talking about, he caught them in the most quick and efficient way I've ever seen. He just flicked the net next to the otos and the otos somehow wound up in the net every single time. he was so skilled at catching these fish that i bough more than just one...
That dude may have been clueless about the fish he sells but he sure is an expert at catching them :0
I know that there are people in this thread that work for Petco and have had very good experiences with that store, but I must say I have lived in three different states and have gone to most petco's in each state and have found ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! that I even dare go into after the first time. I would rather buy fish from walmart because they are much healthier and more vibrant than Petco tends to be. This is has been a huge issue that has recently been changing, hopefully thanks to my complaining every time I find such a store, that I refuse to shop at there store should they not fix the issues. So for some Walmart is a better choice, maybe because the fish are fighters or maybe because it is the better of two evils. Either way I fully agree that every time the conditions of ANY pet is unacceptable, my issues with Petco in the past was ALL their pets not just their fish, then a verbal complaint should be said. I know that at least in one town I lived in I had Walmart fish department shut down and Petco go out of business, Mostly due to Petsmart coming in and showing them HOW to keep things clean. So I guess what I am saying is each chain is different and voice your option enough and things will happen.