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 Posted: Wed Nov 14, 2007 9:10 am
I was just asking because I actually do not support 'petshop rescues'. I can understand if you manage to pick it up from them for free but if you are paying to rescue the sickly, deformed, malnourished, or otherwise 'defective' fish what you are doing is simply telling the petstore that it is 'ok' to sell fish that have not been properly cared for because eventually, someone will buy it. So by rescuing petstore fish by paying for them, you are just letting the petstores continue to think that it's ok to not properly care for their animals. Not that many petstores care about how their animals are treated, they want them in and out as soon as possible.
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Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2007 12:45 pm
Actually, since I work in the pet store, I can say that our Bettas are not neglected, and any problems the fish have are not from the workers. While I whole-heartedly agree with not supporting businesses that take improper care of their animals (I boycott two stores in my area because of that), not all problems with fish are caused by the place of sale. Many of them arrive with issues or unexpectedly develop them while there. The store has no control over the exitance of such things, though they can make an effort to control and solve them. Decent pet stores have quarantine and treatment tanks in the back employee areas (out of public eye), where sick fish are cared for until they are well. We do, and I know our local PetSmart does as well.
Actually, a fellow Betta enthusiast I've spoken with has also made a very good point. The actual money made with Bettas is not off of the fish themselves, but the pricey items supposedly "designed" for them. It's even more important not to buy products from places that mistreat their fish.
I personally hope that it sends a more positive message that someone who works in the petstore is willing to take ones that come in with problems. I don't actually work in the pet area (I'm a designer), but I pass the quarantine area and through the actual fish room every day. Our store employs marine biologists (I believe we have five currently), and our fish room supervisors are all experts in their particular types of fish as well. Heck, I know two of them can recognize most aquarium-kept cichlid species (there are 100+ different ones) just from a picture. I still don't know how they do that.
The last time I saw a goldfish in the quarantine area with a swim bladder problem (he floated upside down a lot), he was being temporarily quarantined until another employee took him home. I've seen everything from baby clownfish being raised until they were old enough to be sold to a huge red hook silver dollar fish that stayed in a hospital tank for probably two months before he overcame his mouth rot and was healthy enough for sale.
Sometimes, a problem with a specific fish is something a worker hasn't yet noticed and will take care of once they do. For example, I've had to tell an employee if a fish was being bullied by another in a tank (NOT Bettas of course! Keep them separated!), or if one of them looks sick or needs a cover because it seems at risk for jumping out of the tank. All of those problems were taken care of the moment I spoke about them. However, it is possible that some places are just bad caretakers. If you encounter a place that has poor treatment of their fish, it's best to find the manager of the area and talk to them about it. If htey try to shrug it off, make it very clear that you have no intentions of purchasing anything from their store, or recommending the store to anyone else, until things approve. If necessary, speak directly with of write a letter to someone who is a manager or supervisor of the store itself. Of course, stick to your word and don't come back.
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