Petco

I WORKED AT PETCO AS THE DEPT MANAGER. WHEN A FISH SUFFERS FROM SIMPLE ICK, THE STORE MANAGER AND DISTRICT MANAGER AND RCAC TELLS ME TO FINQUEL (KILL "HUMANELY") THE FISH BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT WORTH IT. WHEN I USE QT TANKS, I GET WRITTEN UP FOR WASTING TIME AND PRODUCTS. THEY DON'T EVEN OFFER PROPER TRAINING FOR MY ASSOCIATES. TRUTH IS THEY MAKE MONEY THROUGH EQUIPMENT NOT LIVE SALES. THEY DON'T CARE ABOUT LIVE STOCK, THEY MAKE THEIR MONEY THROUGH THE OVERPRICED EQUIPMENT. THEREFORE, THE LIVE FISH IS JUST TO ATTRACT CUSTOMERS. BOYCOTT. PLEASE. UNLESS YOU WANT TO RAISE PARASITES FOR A HOBBY.
RICKY 14:41:50 11/12/2007
 

Just what happend a few days ago:

I visited the shop with one of my friends.
She wanted to buy 2 Clownfish. Against my advice she needed the fish now and Petco was the nearest.

However, at first we waited 5 minutes, looking for someone of their great stuff.
A guy came and tried to catch the fish. He tried and tried and tried.

I mean this small tank was full of Clowns and he did not manage it to catch a single one !
After my question if heīs done this before he pronounced he did.
I thought "Well, letīs see." I was just going to offer my help when he finished his work. He said "Now letīs leave the bags a few minutes open so that the fish can get some air."

Air ?

Regarding my english knowledge (Iīm learning a few months now) I thought I must have missunderstood something - I did not.
I found him five minutes later talking to another customer.

I was upset and went to find someone who knows of his business. I told him what happened and he explained that this guy is on training.

Training ? What the hack is this training for ? I mean donīt they teach any basics ? 8-()

I offered my friend to keep those little guys a few weeks in my quarantine tank and the fish is doing well so far but hey, can you imagine this guys sells animals directly cought out of the ocean. We should safe our nature and at least the one who keeps the tank and the one who sells the animals should know about the right treatment.

Regards,
Kia *already sitting speechless in front of the desktop*
Kia 00:02:54 8/13/2006
 

They have a betta in every tank and you can clearly see those bettas nipping away at the tails and fins of the poor fishies. Gosh, do they have the slightest clue.
newark 10:23:50 7/08/2006
 

This store SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! NEVER EVER GO HERE!!!!!!!!! SERIOUSLY!!!!!!!!!!! BOYCOTT BOYCOTT BOYCOTT!!!!!!!!!!!
Phoenix 19:11:13 2/08/2006
 

This store should not be allowed to stay in business. Incompetence, lack of customer service and, more important, terrible conditions of the taks and the fish.
Massimo 10:24:17 1/19/2006
 

I didn't think it was possible but, this Petco is worse than the Petco in Redwood City.

Tanks are absolutely filthy and ridden with dead fish.

As usual I eavesdrop on conversation and am amazed at the advice and 'facts' being given by Petco employees to customers.

I really do pray Petco will fold one of these days.
Cat 22:59:36 3/13/2005
 

The "elderly man" is by most definitions clinically insane. Please, do not go to this store with the intentions of learning anything about proper animal care. The staff can be lumped in three categories based on many visits; Not trained (a complete novice with no training), afraid of the animals, or clincally insane.
Bay 10:47:40 3/08/2005
 

Never, ever buy a fish here. I bought two false perculas here, placing them in a fully cycled tank, and they died quickly. I came back and was horrified to find a tank full of dead fish on display. I couldn't believe that they didn't have the good sense to keep their tanks clear of dead fish. I showed the manager, and the situation was embarrassing enough that she gave me a refund. But I have been back several times and the tanks are still scary with morbid fish. They made a mistake and gave me a 99 cent rain check to buy a false percula (a $12) and though I'm tempted, I have to say that I couldn't bring myself to put one of their fish in my tank if they gave it to me for free. Glad to see comments about other Petcos; perhaps I will try them. The fish at the Sunnyvale store looked healthy (some nice purple pseudochromis').
ChrisH 09:59:16 11/11/2004
 

This store is sorry. I have on more than one occasion heard people come in to a fish store with dead or sick fish due to thier lame *ss advice. Skirt tetras for cycling not any small fish will do. They sold one guy a 12 gallon Eclipse and 7 fish to go with it. Poor kid was in tears because his fish were dieing a week later. Don't help them - even if they are giving product away every dollar in their pocket equals a dead fish in the sewer system. " I only go there for cat food" - don't be stupid find somewhere else and maybe they will get the hint.
Pisces 23:33:21 8/11/2004
 

That "elderly man" that someone referenced - I'm pretty sure that I know who he means and he does NOT give good advice. He talks like he knows everything about fish, which made me trust him. I went in asking about putting my betta into a community tank and what would be a good fish to add that would definitely work well with a betta. You know what he gave me? Three male gourami who promptly beat the crap out of my betta, who ended up dying. I took thr gourami back and complained to the manager. He said that they had gotten three complaints about the same guy that day. I will never go back there.
Marco 18:12:34 8/11/2004
 

All their fish wind up dying sometime soon after most are diseased and The people know nothing about the fish and tell you the wrong stuff.
Heather 16:17:13 8/04/2004
 

Ok, I read these comments and visited this Petco.
Here are my findings. The selection is, at best, ok. The new tank systems are tiny, cramped, and overpopulated. The dry goods are sparse, but reasonably priced, and sometimes on clearance :)

Customer Service: Sadly, it was lacking. The young people didn't understand the more technical questions, and finally I got a chance to talk to the manager about Mountain View's water quality.

Surprise ending: I actually work at another Petco and I take pride in my store, but I needed to see for myself about the reviews on this site. I was disappointed in the aquatics department, to say the least. The guy who tried to help me when I wanted to buy the fish hadn't been properly trained on humane netting techniques, and I offered to teach him but he declined (the fish died).
I wanted to respond to the comments previously posted to differentiate between the countless Petco's in the Bay Area. Each one is under a different manager, with variously skilled employees. I've worked very hard to get this position (regardless of the meager monetary compensation, it's my passion!) at another Petco, gone through several trainings, questioned experts, and spend hours researching aquatic life on the web. I've been reported to the manager a couple of times for refusing to sell fish to beginners who haven't cycled, or refusing to guarantee the fish to people who had overcrowded tanks, taking too long to net a fish humanely, and the manager has sided with me! There are corporate policies which DO make me sad, but I can always contact the big boss of Northern California (I have 4 phone numbers for her, including her personal cell phone) regarding animals under my care and argue with her about the policies until we reach a humane agreement.

As for how much the "stock" of fish and animal lives cost: I get to choose and order the fish based on a budget set by how many fish we sold the previous week. I've seen the prices that our breeders send us, and it's not at all like the stock costs nothing. Our vendor is available to answer our questions practically anytime the whole business day, and will talk our ear off about correct care for a specific fish.

Please try to limit your comments to a specific Petco. That is why, in this forum, they are located under different cities. To reiterate, there are those of us who work very hard at this passion and would like sme positive feedback.
GouramiGirl 08:55:26 7/27/2004
 

They have a nice display area but not alot of knowledge. The displays are new so it's pretty to look at but that's about it. The elderly man that works there is good and has good advice. THe staff is lacking and I got hit on by one of the girls I was there. L- followed me around and made me uncomfortable. Made the place seem sleazy.
Alex 10:18:17 7/25/2004
 

My experiences with Petco, any Petco, make me VERY sad. Lets write the name out" Pet Corporation". They are the legal equivilent of a puppy mill. Their stock costs them nothing, so they can make a lot of money. They cost almost nothing because they buy from diseased fish mills. Same with thier rats, guiena pigs, chinchillas, snakes, and reptiles. I speak out of expirence (family members that were employees and seeing with my own eyes). Most the time the employees have no knowlege of how to care for the animals. I watched an employee pour a pitcher of water in the hermit crab cage. When he noticed my horrified look, he said "It's not like they will drown." Um, sorry, thats one of the reasons they die!!! Please don't support this company and thier maltreatment of animals.
Val 18:12:42 7/18/2004