should I save a yellow tang from petco?

nunlef

Member
Hi, I have been watching this yellow tang at petco for close to a month now. When it came in, it looked very healthy and rounded. There hasn't been an ich outbreak in his tank (or sister tanks) at all. When I stopped in the other day, his belly is sucken in. It is emaciated, and it's bothering me.

I wouldn't normally buy any animals from a chain store, but this poor guy looked so great in the beginning.

I have ulva and gracilllia growing in my dt (because I think it's pretty) as well as a little hair algae (not because it's pretty). I'm ready for a new fish anyway, and I'm thinking they may let me have it for cheaper than normal - obviously no one else is going to buy it.

Can this guy be saved? he is pecking at rocks and swimming nicely, just REALLY thin.
 

BigAl07

Administrator
RS STAFF
:nono:

If you buy it you only send them the message "This practice is ok because SOMEONE will buy it regardless".

Odds are if it's already "pinched in" it's too late.
 

nunlef

Member
it's making me angry that that fish is likely going to die in that tank. I need to go to petco for some supplies, and I love looking at the fish they have.
I would bet that at least half the fish end up dead in their tanks.

Thanks for the encouragement to resist the purchase. I've ended up with quite a few pets I didn't really want because they needed saving.
 

1Reefer

Active Member
Sad... I understand wanting to save the poor guy and it may be possible.... but I deffinatly understand that if you "save" (which to petco means buy) that fish odds are they count is as a sale and WILL order in another one at some point.... Sad deal either way really
 
Far too often pet stores don't have anyone who can care for fish long term. I confess I purchased a scooter dragonet with a concave tummy (and he's doing okay) but Allen and 1Reefer are right. To any pet store a sale means, "It worked; do it again."
 

Dweezil

Well-Known Member
I've ended up with quite a few pets I didn't really want because they needed saving.

I have the same problem. I can't stand to see any animal mis-treated. That's how I got 2 cats ;) When I go into Petco I do not even look in the fish tanks.
That keeps me from buying anything other than dry goods.
 
Agreed. If I were you, I would probably nicely ask the people there if there's something wrong with the fish. That will bring to their attention that having their animals look like that is really bad for business. Then I would make up some BS like, "I once had a tang that looked like that and I fed him lots of algal material and he fattened up real quick!" ;)
I hate the fish dept. at Petco. I won't ever even by dry goods from them anymore. Just last month, I went to get a test kit and all I could find was the Red Sea one, which is severely overpriced. I asked the woman who worked there if she had any other test kits and she just said "NO!" With a real snippy attitude. So I just said screw it, and walked away, at which point I found the API test kit I was looking for, which was 10 bucks more expensive than the ones everywhere else. It was in the freshwater section and covered with dust!:verymad: IMO, Petco has no respect for their aquatics, and don't even bother to hire knowledgeable people there. At least in my area.
 

Stang Man

New Member
Petco is the worst at saltwater and i have seen the same thing they don't take care of what they have and I hardly ever see anyone taking care of there stock they probably don't even feed the fish I have seen corals and inverts that die in a few short weeks very sad I thought of asking to hire me to do the job!!! Lol I would not buy from them although I have but just supplies. It is very sad to see this in a store!!!!
 

nunlef

Member
I've thought of trying to work there, as well, but I have some political issues, and I have a feeling I wouldn't last very long there.
:)flaming: that's me when I see people doing dumb things to/for animals and kids.)

I did ask a number of questions about the tang and a foxface they had (he died a few days ago). They said they didn't have the right kind of food, but were otherwise "healthy". sadly, that was pobably true.

the good thing about ordering online is... you can't see if they are caring for the critters properly or not - you can plead ignorance if something comes out later.
 
How can they NOT have the right kind of food?! They're a freaking pet store! Secondly, how can they watch an animal die knowing the problem, and not even try to fix that? When I ordered my first seahorses on eBay, they told me that they were captive bred, and when I got them, I could tell they were not. They were supposed to be eating frozen mysis. Ha! What a laugh! I couldn't even find a live food they would take! It took me and my mother three days of running to different stores, and probably close to a hundred dollars to find the correct food for them.
I simply don't understand how, as a pet store, you couldn't even commit to an animal enough to prevent it from starving. That type of thing just makes me sick to my stomach. Same goes for when you see dogs up for adoption because their family had a baby. Wow. Im not even gonna go off on that rant. lol...
 

Frankie

Well-Known Member
RS STAFF
Buy it or not Petco will still sell fish.
If you have the money time and experience to heal this fish then go for it. If not then don't waste your time.
I for one enjoy my hobby and am not in the rescue business. If the fish is not top notch I am not interested.
 

CazK

Member
Guess the Petco near me lucked out. The guy who handles the fish department has a salt tank so he considers the store his own extension of his one at home. The tanks are clean, the fish fed well (not too much but not pinched either), and his corals are actually growing in the store.

As for not going there for live animals...well I do from time to time...ok once a week for a mouse...hey a snake has to eat too
 

nanoreefing4fun

Well-Known Member
RS STAFF
welcomefish.gif

to ReefSanctuary, a real Sanctuary of reef forums, with lots of very nice members
745.gif
 

Reefmack

NaClH2O Addicted
PREMIUM
Re: Hi, 2011 first new member?

New member here in Daytona Beach FL.

Weird place to make a welcome post - in an older thread. If you're in Daytona, FL, why does your IP address say that you're in Latvia and posting from an IP address known to have comment spammers? I think I know where you are - you're outta here LOL
 

jpsika08

Well-Known Member
Re: Hi, 2011 first new member?

Hahahahaja i was in the middle of a murdering spree wirh Eddie when I read this, good one Terry :D
 

Reefmack

NaClH2O Addicted
PREMIUM
I could have deleted the post but left it in here to let people know that we mods are actually doing something LOL!
 
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