PETCO disgusts me...

I know its not really the fault of the overworked employees. It really boils down to the fact that they don't hire enough people to handle their fish departments. It's always a single stressed out person who is so busy cleaning and maintaining tanks that they can't even help customers.

Today I went in and there were three Pajama Cardinals that were absolutely covered in ich with every one of their fins almost completely destroyed. I wanted to started yelling at the employees but again, it really isn't their fault.

What is there to do about this sort of thing? Would an email to PETCO actually do anything?

 

Sadly no, PetCo and other larger pet store franchises could care less about these types of things. If it will not make them money then its a no go. The ich treatment for example would cost them money, so you can say no to that.
Normally but not always the people in the fish department of these stores dont know a thing about it. They are just there to do what the instructions tell them more or less.
I dont even bother with them anymore. I would rather give my money to the hard working stores that actually do try to give the best product to their customer.

 

I agree on all points. I wonder how to explain to PETCO execs that they would actually save money in the long run on the fish that didn't die from disease if they prevented it in the first place?

I can almost guarantee those three cardinals I mentioned will die and PETCO just ate every penny.

 

Then again, 90% of the time, those fish end up in someone else's tank before they die. Then, once the fish do die, the people go back to PetCo and try again and again and again.

Just look at how many people show up here after buying 5+ fish, after having one after another die on them, and no clue as to why. They're usually fish that don't belong in the tank to begin with, which PetCo employees don't realize. They're added one after another within a week - again, which people at PetCo have no clue about. Then, the fish develop something decently well known disease like marine velvet, and "the LFS" (aka PetCo, the distinction being lost on newcomers) doesn't have a clue what that is.

 

To chain pet stores like that, all animals whether they be fish, birds, reptiles, etc are disposable. They chalk up the deaths to the cost of doing business and really don't give a sh@* for the welfare of their livestock. In some cases, due to their size and buying power, they just make their suppliers credit them back for the loss. Apparently, it is a business model that works, sad, but true.

 

I've only been here a month and your words are too true.

 

During December and January, Petco stores have to order double their normal inventory. Which is why most see more disease and fatalities right now than usual.

How do you know they are not trying to treat the fish? Every LFS has situations like this. To always talk s*** about a certain chain and never any small mom n pop stores, is absurd. Just because you don't see the fish, doesn't mean that store doesn't have a single sick fish within the premises.

There is nothing you can do about it. Sometime, you just have to move on.

To say all employees have no clue what they are doing is not fair. I have two friends who work at the local Petco that have beautiful reef tanks. The issue is that most Petco chains seem to be forced to hire people that have no clue what they are doing. I applied to Petco once, I have experience with all small animals they carry, most reptiles they carry (I also use to breed some species), and have a good bit of knowledge for SW fish. I never got a call. However, they hired two people who wouldn't know the difference of a yellowtang and a damsel.

Employees are also not allowed to do certain treatments without management approval. If the manager says no, they can't treat them properly. As simple as that.


I am not a fan or affiliate of Petco, I am just tired of seeing people piss n moan about something they don't know all the details about.

 

Well I talked to the single employee that was there and she said she knew of the problem and was trying to correct it but was under staffed. I understand what your saying and I agree with you, that is exactly why they should do more.

There must be a reason behind the fact that you see a lot of posts against stores like petco. I'm sorry if I offended you but the store should be doing more.

 

i only go there for dog food

 

hahahaha