# Why I like Petsmart...



## fishnjeeps (Nov 11, 2011)

With folks bashing the petsmart stores near them, I thought I'd share a happier tale. I went in on Memorial Day to pick up some food as usual. I went down the filtration isle and what do I see but the Fluval 206's are 50% off. Yep, $59.99 each. Sadly there were none on the shelf. My wife was wanting a bearded dragon so after we got a manager to help us with the dragons, I asked her if she had any more 206's in back for the sale. She told me that fluval didn't send more than 1 unit to their store and that more would be there later in the week. Before I could even ask, she offered me a rain-check for the filter! I happily took the rain-check and picked up my new 206 this weekend. Now both of my tanks have a fluval underneath which will make media changes cheaper as I can use bulk carbon in both. Plus I saved $60 on the filter itself!

ANd yes I bought my wife a bearded dragon and a new vivarium for it as well. They offered us $5 off the Vivarium kit even though the coupon was for a different brand. And we got the dragon on sale.

For anyone interested it is the Countryside IL Petsmart.


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## Manafel (Sep 4, 2011)

Congrats on the nice find! I think their big problem is just that their employees most of the time don't know how to take care of their stock properly. Their deals on hardware are typically good, and they sometimes have good deals on fish if you have Pet perks.(which has saved me a lot of money over time BTW!)


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## ElChef194 (Dec 25, 2011)

i love my petsmart too. the people are very knowlegeable and their entire aquatics section is full of fish tank owners, salt and fresh water.


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## Kehy (Apr 19, 2011)

I wish I had a Petsmart like yours around here. I'm usually lucky if I can see a few healthy fish or a decent sale.


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

ElChef194 said:


> i love my petsmart too. the people are very knowlegeable and their entire aquatics section is full of fish tank owners, salt and fresh water.


Only one way to find out how much knowledge they have, or think they have usually and by them it's too late. Just watch what they tell you and never trust what they say. In the 4 stores I frequent around me, not just Petsmart, I have only met 4-5 that have actually owned tanks in the 25 or so people I have dealt with. The experience they get in the store doesn't do much for anyone.


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## FishFlow (Sep 13, 2011)

Love my local PetSmart too. While I love my LFS, it is nice to play with cats, check out the birds, comtemplate getting another ball python, etc. In one store. This one only has FW fish, and the tanks always look clean and healthy.


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## dvanbramer88 (Jul 23, 2011)

I work at a Petsmart in the Pet Care department. My petcare manager has 3 tanks, I have 4 tanks, and the pet care lead has 3 tanks, one being salt water. We have a lot of combined experience and treat the fish systems as our own. 

(pet care is the fish, small animal and reptile department)


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## jbrown5217 (Nov 9, 2011)

The petsmart I go to in NH is ok, but when I am in MA I tend to stick with my local LFS because their prices are just as good and their fish are so much better.


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## mestar (Nov 17, 2011)

I like my Petsmart. Many of the workers there have tanks of their own and they take good care of the tanks in the store. Yesterday I went in to get a small 3 1/2gal nano tank and got a 30% discount...it seems they have this lose bird flying around the store that no one can catch. Well the tank I wanted had been visited by the bird. I mentioned it in joking that since it had been used I should get a discount and they gave me one, a very nice 30%. They have always been good to me there.


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## snail (Aug 6, 2010)

jrman83 said:


> Only one way to find out how much knowledge they have, or think they have usually and by them it's too late. Just watch what they tell you and never trust what they say. In the 4 stores I frequent around me, not just Petsmart, I have only met 4-5 that have actually owned tanks in the 25 or so people I have dealt with. The experience they get in the store doesn't do much for anyone.


We don't have petsmart here, but I agree, staff who know anything about keeping fish are the minority whether it's petsmart or other. I'm always on the lookout for new stores to visit. Out of probably 100 staff I've met in stores about 20 of them know *something *about fish and I can think of two that I would actually ask for advice. 

To be honest I don't think all staff have to be experts so just finding a store where they know the basics is good. It's always good to do your own research anyway. Nice to know there are some fairly decent petsmarts out there .


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## navigator black (Jan 3, 2012)

I don't have petsmart where I am. I visit them when I travel, and I find they are to fish what McDonald's is to food - clean, good for what they are, but not somewhere to look for anything new or exciting. 
Still, a lot of people in pet stores have good knowledge of fish. My two local independent stores have different policies - one hires and decently trains kids who have been in trouble through a government program - they have written tests on fish as part of their adding hours. High turnover keeps the expertise from developing too much, which is a shame. 
The other has a couple of core employees hired out of the Aquarium Club when the store opened 10 years ago. They focus on hiring students out of the sciences from a local university, as a part time job. Their employees are motivated by wages above the minimum and are well read. They often lack hands on experience, but they discuss fish among themselves a lot. 
Both stores are thriving, and both (because they aren't chain purchasing) have some really cool oddballs for aquarists who want to expand their experience. 
The chains have their limitations, but if the people are into it, they can be good. I wish they would stop selling so many doomed oscars, dempsies etc and vary the choices a little to more appropriate fish for the average tank, but they stay with the tried and true sellers, and it's up to us to inform ourselves before we buy.


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## dvanbramer88 (Jul 23, 2011)

mestar said:


> I like my Petsmart. Many of the workers there have tanks of their own and they take good care of the tanks in the store. Yesterday I went in to get a small 3 1/2gal nano tank and got a 30% discount...it seems they have this lose bird flying around the store that no one can catch. Well the tank I wanted had been visited by the bird. I mentioned it in joking that since it had been used I should get a discount and they gave me one, a very nice 30%. They have always been good to me there.


They're more than likely sparrows. We have them too. They're self sustained in the store from spilled foods (bird, fish, small animal, dog, cat) and they drink out of the fish tanks. They poo on everything! haha.


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## Kehy (Apr 19, 2011)

dvanbramer88 said:


> They're more than likely sparrows. We have them too. They're self sustained in the store from spilled foods (bird, fish, small animal, dog, cat) and they drink out of the fish tanks. They poo on everything! haha.


lol sounds like the family of birds in my local grocery store. I don't see them pooing on anything (probably cleaned very well), but they're been there for years and are multiplying


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## Hannah_wc (May 21, 2012)

My local Petsmart has a great fish department. Was there yesterday, I was asking the girl how she got her knowledge and she was telling me that they had a a virtual library of material in the back and all they did was read up on the different fish. I found all the staff very knowledgeable. All have their own tanks and all have personal interest in fish. 

As a matter of fact I ADOPTED a silver dollar from them yesterday. I didn't even't know you could adopt fish. She was telling me how bad she felt for the little guy because he was missing an eye and he was up for adoption. So I said I would adopt him and put him in my community tank. That is how I got One eyed Larry (I LOVE him). SHe was telling me that they often get fish that they put up for adoption. I did not know this. I think its kind of cool.

Hannah


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## ElChef194 (Dec 25, 2011)

jrman83 said:


> Only one way to find out how much knowledge they have, or think they have usually and by them it's too late. Just watch what they tell you and never trust what they say. In the 4 stores I frequent around me, not just Petsmart, I have only met 4-5 that have actually owned tanks in the 25 or so people I have dealt with. The experience they get in the store doesn't do much for anyone.


i usually get any advice i need from here here anyway. also i promote and practice active research of fish BEFORE purchasing them.
unlike you, i have 3 stores to choose from. petsmart, petco, and a private LFS. needless to say, the private place definitely knows what they are talking about; i agree knowing 5 knowledgeable fish dpt workers but at my PS there are only 2 strictly aquatic employees, and 3 at PCo- all of which own tanks, several i have seen (small town). that being said, the issue with these wholesale general pet stores is the lack of knowledge of people AUTHORIZED TO SELL YOU FISH who are not strictly aquatic specialists. it's like any other job, if you don't know what you're talking about (or doing) you shouldn't be eligible for the job (just an opinion). i simply bypass these people and go straight to the specialists. it's easy to pick out the BS sales pitch when you know what you are talking about. all the general employees are good for is "what isle are the _____ on?" and "do you guys have ____?"


*if i offend any employees of these stores, i apologize, but maybe as a fish owner you should do what you can to work in that area of the store. it would help break the stigma of "don't trust pet___ stores for your fish." like this guy is doing:


dvanbramer88 said:


> I work at a Petsmart in the Pet Care department. My petcare manager has 3 tanks, I have 4 tanks, and the pet care lead has 3 tanks, one being salt water. We have a lot of combined experience and treat the fish systems as our own.


*


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## ArtyG (Jun 29, 2011)

The Monroe,NC PetSmart has some of the most enthusiastic and intelligent fish people. The young ones all at least have an aquarium at home and know their way around the hobby. The manager is a senior type who is breeding angels at home. The other area PetSmarts are similarly staffed. I look forward to shopping there. They have good prices on lots of hardware and lots of frozen food too.


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## ClinicaTerra (Nov 12, 2010)

Indeed, we have been VERY impressed with our local Petsmart -- the only place in our vicinity that actually sells and stocks decent selections of tropical and goldfish. All our goldfish have come from this Petsmart, and two are still with us and thriving some two and a half years later. While we have experienced about six losses as of late, this could just be from poor stock at the time; nevertheless, I am always amazed at how many beautiful, colorful fancy goldies this location stocks, the larger ones looking close to show quality even. The tropical and chichlid selection is way impressive, as well.


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