Does anyone else feel bad when they go to the pet store and see dying fish? Do you want to save them?

Question

Every time I go to petco I just have to "save" the fish that look like they are doing really bad. Recently they have been taking such poor care of their betas. I saved 2 in the past 2 days. Their water was nasty and smelly and they only had enough water to cover them fully, but no more. Anyone else have this same problem? (I have to keep buying new tanks for this reason)

On the bright side, my older fish that I have saved are so healthy and thriving. My betas have BEAUTIFUL color and full tails. It makse me consider someday opening up a pet store!

I can't bring myself to buy fish from walmart. First, they are always sick, but second I choose not to support their cruelty! Did you know that they flush the unsold fish everytime they get a shipment in?!?!?!?!?! I know it's kinda a catch 22 not buying them since I'm also not saving them, but walmart also thrives off of profit, and a sick fish would die anyways!!

Nunya... If you have rude answers to my questions, quit answering them. I take very good care of my fish. My ten gallon tank is a temporary arrangement until I can get my bigger tank. It is in the process of being repaired. You should probably know your facts before you make such rude comments. I love fish. Most of the fish that I save get their own tank because they are betas. I'd really appreciate it if you left me alone unless you could find a better way to get your point across. I respond to rudeness with rudeness.

I also don't buy from walmart because they always make my other fish sick. There is no way that I can afford to nurse them back to health because chemicals get expensive. I stick with ones that I know I can help on my budget. Betas are the easiest and some of the worst treated since stores never change their water and don't care if any spills out. The "ugly" ones tend to get flushed, but I bring them back to their true beauty.

Answer 1

Too many stores care only about making a profit and not about living things under their care. It's more profitable for them to have employees working the registers and stocking shelves, because this is where they make the most profit per item. Most fish cost less than $.50, so if they lose a few, what's the big deal?

It's also the one area where they have to spend money (for food, medication, etc.) and even though this comes out of their stock, they lose money on every item used for livestock because they can't sell it.

Sadly, every time you buy a fish at one of these places, you're just re-enforcing the cycle - they sold some, they can sell more, so they order more.

There's a high rate of employee turnover at these stores too, because the people who care about animals quit because they aren't allowed to spend the time or use the materials they need to do a good job.

I try to support all the privately owned stores more than the superstores, but some of these aren't any better.

Answer 2

I understand why you save them but I don't understand why you won't save them from walmart. Supporting one stores cruelty isn't any different then supporting another stores, which is what you are doing when you buy them from Petco. I know it can be very hard to just walk away from an animal when you could be their only chance at life but you are just giving the store reason to keep treating them like that instead of them realizing that maybe they should either start taking care of their fish or stop selling them. I'm not condoning this at all but if I see a fish that needs me I just take it, the stores aren't getting my money and they probably wont even know that it is gone. I actually just did it a couple weeks ago at walmart and the female betta is doing great in a 20 gallon tank with some guppy friends.

Edit: I just looked at your name and realized you are the person who has I believe 4 goldfish in a 10 gallon and you are going on about saving fish from petstores. I'm sorry but if you can't even properly take care of your current fish you shouldn't be "saving" more fish. And I don't care if you think my answer is rude (I read your comment on your other question about my answer), I think what you are doing to those goldfish is much more rude and cruel on top of it.

If you find my answers rude then that is your problem, I am not on here to hold somebodies hand while I give my advice and I am only going with the information you provide, I'm not a mind reader. How can you properly take care of your fish when you don't even know what they are all, you thought your shubunkin was a fancy goldfish, I hope now you realize that it isn't and will need a pond once it starts growing. That is if it isn't already becoming stunted in your tiny 10 gallon tank, even as a temp tank it is still VERY tiny for that many goldfish and it would be better if you separate them all in their own temp tank or temp container, lots of people use rubber maid containers if they can't use tanks. And I'm not saying you should buy fish from walmart but if you are supporting a store that mistreats their fish and then say you wont buy from another store because they mistreat their fish it doesn't make sense. No matter where you buy your fish you should always quarantine them to make sure they have no diseases before you introduce them to your other fish anyway. If you buy a fish that you know is sick or not and add it to your tank to make all your other fish sick is your fault not the stores.

Answer 3

Yes. I just saved a few female bettas from WalMart and talked them into giving me one for free since her little cut was so filth ridden and disgusting that I told them she would die on their hands anyway and I was going to try to save her. Can't save them all though, sometimes I can't even stand going near some pet store fish tanks. The PetSmart near my house seems to keep up on having only healthy fish and brings sick ones to the back for treatment, but the WalMart and Petco regularly have dead and dying fish in their tanks, killing all the rest.

Answer 4

YES! I went into wal-mart one time and I don't think there was one live fish in their tanks. And the bad thing is they were all stuck to the filter. It was one of the most horrible things I have ever seen! It really made me want to report them, but I didn't know who would care enough about fish to do something about it. But it was one of the most sad, sick things I have seen. There were at least 100 dead fish between all their tanks. And there were some that were even falling apart they had been in there so long dead. Probably is what killed the rest.

Answer 5

It is very depressing. You go into the store planning to buy some healthy,beautiful fish for your tank,and you see dead,dying,sick fish in most tanks,and dirty water. Then the help in the store doesn't take out time to attend to you,the customer,or to the upkeep of the tanks. Besides,many fish come in in bad condition. This is true in most Petland stores where I've been. I cannot save them,and cannot afford to buy them. Poor fish! People forget that they are real living creatures .

Answer 6

Yes. Petco, at least here, is horrible about that. They go through the tanks every day scooping out dead fish, I guess it's too much of a hassle to actually take care of them.

I was also at a small pet store some weeks ago, where I saw a turtle. He was walking against the walls of his thing (dry aquarium?) as though he wanted out. It was really depressing.

Answer 7

yes, and people who say not to buy them so you arne't supporting it don't make sense because unless you go up to the manager and tell them you are not buying the fish because they take poor care of them they aren't going to know you even considered buying the fish. not to mention one person not buying a fish doens't make a difference.

instead, beat the system. buy a dying fish (bettas work best), once that has NO chance of living. take it in and demand a new fish, and the body of the old fish back for a proper fish funeral. just keep bringing in the same dead fish and save new ones without supporting the poor care they provide.

Answer 8

Nope. Don't want to give money to Wal-Mart or any other massive pet chain store that treats animals like merchandise. I don't even go to the fish section in Wal-Mart. I go to a local aquarium store that quarantines their fishes, will actually be honest with you about which fishes are best for a 10-gallon tank, and will offer water testing before you even buy any fishes to recommend the best fishes for your pH, hardness, etc. or be able to identify for you which amendments will give you water more conducive to health in those species you've chosen.

Answer 9

it is depressing , but sometimes it cant be helped or preventer .. by that i mean if they fish have illnesses the store cant really help them because they arent fish doctore .. you know what i mean .. but the fact that they keep their habitats in such bad shape could contribute to the fact that they are dying .. i wish i could take all animals home with me .. not only fish . lol

Answer 10

yes you seem really kind you should open a pet/ fish store i would defenitly but from you. i went to petco and saw still alive fish on the floor it was so sad so i picked them up and put them back in the tank