Petco not that bad

[Shark_Bait]

Check out this baby that I found in PetCo for $40 Everyone was standing around "ohhing & ahhing" over it. Saying that they wanted it. But then they all left so home it went. Took a few days for it to acclimate but now all pins are out and it's looking great. Pretty sad when PetCo is the best LFS around.

[Chris]

PetCo often times does receive some nice softy corals and misc. fish/crustaceans. The problem i've encountered in the past with many of the stores around San Antonio is their staff isn't at all knowledgable in the aspect of marine care.

I would eventually like to see us (MAAST) make an attempt, cooperatively with them and other stores to help educate their staff & customers alike. If you're in a PetCo again any time in the future, feel free to make the suggestion to their management. :shades

[Polkster13]

<<stepping up on soapbox>>

I use to work at a PetCo here in Austin. Educating the staff will take some serious effort. Most of the people that work there are barely making above minimum wage and most don't care about the animals thay have to maintain. One of the reasons why I left was because I got tired of going in and finding the place looking like a diaster because no one cleaned up after themselves, removed any dead fish or cleaned any of the tanks (was working almost 30 hours a week plus 50 hours at my main job). They left it for me to do. I had quite a few customers that would only buy from me because the rest of the staff didn't know anything about fish, much less how to care for them or what made good tank mates. Occasionally, you will find someone that does care and knows what they are talking about (or will admit they don't know but will find out for you) and you just have to support them when you find them. They are very rare and we should make every effort to support them and let them know how much we appreciate them (burn-out and depression are major stress factors for these employees).

<<stepping down from soapbox - putting it back under desk>>

[AlienAnchovies]

when i worked at awana pets, half the time i would actually sit there and have to explain the importance of water quality and lighting to would be fish owners, i remeber once i actually got introuble for not pushing the cheapo whisper filters
but yea i made it well known when i got hired that i wasnt gonna sit there and try to sell stuff with out at least trying to edjucate the public

[bumpintj24]

Hey Rob...How is the tank coming along? My 90 is almost up. Let me know when you frag the toadstool...i really want one. I'm running my own saltwater business out my house. I can get you whatever you need at a really good price so let me know. Talk to you later buddy. Ram

[Shark_Bait]

I'll frag it this weekend. Not this new one yet.
What kind of buisness? it on the web?

[Jenn]

How do you frag a toadstool?

[MikeDeL]

How do you frag a toadstool?

Did you sleep during the meeting Jenn? v.v Everyone knows you use a blender to frag toadstools. :lol

[bumpintj24]

Rob..

Saltwater stuff buddy. Just local for now...i'll hit the web sooner or later cause I'm making reactors and tanks also. Let me know about the toadstool.

[CD]

Everyone knows you use a blender to frag toadstools


Darn...I thought it was an electric carving knife :skeezy

Wendy

[Jenn]

Did they seriously discuss a toadstool??? :blush Guess I was somewhere far, far away.....

[Polkster13]

They discussed fragging leathers in general towards the end of the meeting. Just use a really sharp razor blade. That is probably the time your eyes glazed over.

[Shark_Bait]

There are a few different ways to frag it. You can cut off part of the "cap" and attach that to a piece of rubble. Or my prefered way is to cut the "stalk" down near the bottom and it will grow out a new "cap". When it has the new cap you just cut it out and mount that sucker. Then list it in the for sale section.

[Jenn]

Great, thanks guys. I got it from Jim Norris' huge toadstool - his just dropped little babies. I've been waiting for this one to do the same, but nothing so far.

[GaryP]

I guess the question is why would you want to support a company that has such little regard for the livestock they have in their care.

I would be willing to bet that Sarcophyton you bought wasn't under adequate lighting and if you hadn't bought it, it would have withered away and just becaome an accounting statistic for the store.

[dan]

there's one right down the street from me but i ''WILL NOT'' shop there. half the time they don't even know what they have and when you ask about a peice they don't even know what it is. :angry :angry :angry

[Shark_Bait]

The reason I support them is sadly to say they are the most reasonable fish store in town. I don't know if it was under the perfect conditions. But I must say this this store must know they are the only competitors and have a "alright" setup. All the saltwater tanks are under PC lighting instead of NO Florecent like the freshwater is. they have a autotop off for the tanks. I haven't been able to peek at there filtration but have not seen anything dead or dying or with any visible disease in there tanks. The staff at PetCo is oblivously not as educated as the LFS but the 2 guys that work the department keep tanks themselves; So they are somewhat educated.
I would love to suppost our 1 and only fish place in town (except now for bumpintj24) if they were reasonable. I have seen diseased and dead/dying fish in the LFS in there tanks that are always covered in red slime algae. For comparison I purchased a RBTA in PetCo that had been there more than 2 week for $35. The LFS wanted $50 for one a little smaller. I'm just not impressed with the tanks and quality of the livestock to pay the additional cost.
Man never thought I would see myself defend PetCo with so much vigor. I am all for paying more for better quality and service. Just here the quality is the cheaper place.

[GaryP]

I didn't notice you were in Corpus.

One of these days I'm going to move to Corpus and open an LFS. A town that size should have more than one.

[Shark_Bait]

There is the perfect store already in the mall. It's walls are all reef scenes and has nice spot lights and is divided well. It used to be a hair salon. I'd be more than happy to help !! :w00t :shades

[GaryP]

A decent LFS can't survive the overhead of a mall. That's why the best ones are usually in some out of the way strip center or industrial park.

[Shark_Bait]

gotcha. I'l keep looking for ya.