Forgive me, I bought a fish from Petco

[smcdonn]

Ever since I started my tank up about 8 months ago, I would occasionally drop by petco to look at their stock. Everytime I would go in they would usually have a couple of dead clowns stuck to intake grates and yellow tangs covered in ich along with other fish swimming sideways. Well as the broke college student, I swore to myself that I would never buy anything from petco (or walmart but thats another story). It has been tough buying things that are just a little more pricey. The problem I had though was that I really have been wanting an ATLANTIC BLUE TANG. My LFS gets $55 for one and I just can not afford that right now. It's rare that I have more than that in my bank account (NO JOKE). So after I left the LFS today I decided to drop by Petco "JUST TO CHECK OUT THEIR STOCK". Well needless to say I went in and was AMAZED at how their tanks have inproved since the last time I was in there. NO DEAD FISH, NO SICK FISH. Everything looked well and happy. In fact the Yellow tangs they had looked better than the ones at my LFS. Well guess what I found hiding in one of the bottom tanks, a GORGEOUS ATLANTIC BLUE, price $27.99. So I just had to buy it. I know I swore I wouldn't but I have been wanting one forever and I just couldn't beat the price. So now it sits, with my dripper filling the bag as we speak. I must say though SG 1.016 seems a little low don't ya think? I will let you know how things pan out with this gorgeous fish. Cheers

[hawkfish21]

I have bought four fish from Petco, all died within a week. I think it pays to buy from an LFS. Good luck with your fish.

[Sk8r]

PLEASE qt that fish and make sure he's ok before he hits your tank. I think your observation may be correct: somebody has gotten a smidge of power to clean up those tanks, and you have a real good chance he's just fine, but just in case there's anything lurking, keep him very carefully, and if you HAVE to put him directly into your tank, watch him closely. Fingers crossed for you: I know what it is to be an impoverished student. Or improverished teacher.

[DylanE]

i got a clown from a petco, been fine for a month...it just depends on the store. i think there is usually one person in charge of all the tanks, so depending on their dedication, it can either be a bargain or sushi in a few days.

[reefing102]

Wow, my petco has never gotten in ABT's before. However, 3/4's of my stock comes from petco and the only deaths where from my own stupid mistake such as burying a blenny in new sand. All my other fish, except 1, that i bought from other lfs's has died for some reason

[Ironsheikh]

money talks - if the fish is healthy and the price is right - go for it
petco is the only place I can find $65 internet dotty backs for $25

[smcdonn]

I will say she is looking good. Swimming around being very active. I hope everything turns out OK. I know just about every time I have been in Petco their fish have ich or something. But today it was awsome. ALL their live stock was extrememly healthy looking and even their yellow tangs looked better than the LFS. I hope this one is ich free as its in my tank as we speak.

[55semireef]

it was probably a new shipment of fish.

One day I went in and saw like 15 baby Atlantic Blue Tangs in. They were no bigger than an inch.

[RichConley]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7932066#post7932066 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by hawkfish21
I have bought four fish from Petco, all died within a week. I think it pays to buy from an LFS. Good luck with your fish.

As much as I hate to say it, I have had much better results with the few fish I've bought from petco, than the many fish I've bought from nice LFS (at much higher prices.)


At this point, all of the fish in my tank are ether Petco, or ordered from Live Aquaria.

[vanmle]

I bought a purple tang from Petco. A local reefer here manages one of the stores and their fish are good. So it really all depend on the person working there.

[Cody Ray]

I hear ya on money as I have something like $10 bucks in my checking (but over $300 in savings and I add to it every week). Most of my money doesn't get a chance to hit my checking ;) Anyways I totally agree with the hit-or-miss thing on Petco. I have even seen a great Petco go down the drain and then come back around within a month. If I were going to buy from Petco I would ask them when they get their shipments in so that the fish wasn't in their system for very long.

[flameangel88]

I was at the Union Sq (17th Street store) on Sat. and most of the Yel Tangs were sick. Most of the times I go in there are some sick fishes but the Tangs in general look good. They must sell Tangs pretty quick in there that it doesn't have enough time to get sick in their tanks.

[boilermaker1]

Its hit or miss by the store. The one fish I bought there was an 18.99 Coral Beauty, because the LFS wants 60 for one, its been going strong for 10 months now.

[justin1977justi]

I have bought quite a few fish from Petco and have never lost one because of health isues. It all depends on the store and the time you buy them. I have seen stores look great one day and then have tons of dead fish in tanks covered in algae. Then the next time I go they are great. All i can say is that I got a large yellow tang from the one by my house and never had iny ick and it looks much better than any that I have seen at a LFS. And it was only $17.

[tnyr5]

i agree depends on the store. in my experience the fish i buy from petco often do better than the fish i buy from the lfs. i think the only logical thing to say here is " if it'll live in petcos tank, it'll certainly live in mine!"

[thor32766]

wow 60 bucks for a coral beauty thats crazy.