"Aquarium Paradise" Tacoma, WA (Lakewood)

[KCK]

I'm seriously pissed. I have been buying fish from PetSmart for YEARS.
And they almost never come sick, ever.
In fact, one hasn't died in a few years even.

I go to 'Aquarium Paradise' which is basically the best LFS I could find in my city, and its got all these giant tanks and super fancy like any other nice lfs.

One thing I noticed before I bought anything was
"We guarantee our fish while in store only"
Better than nothing, but kind of stupid.

So I visit a few times, and we finally decide to buy a severum.
She was in the same tank (Id say 75 maybe?) as a few other cichlids, plecos, a 14" Clown Knife, and whatever else.
But the tank was so spotless and perfect that you would think they were treating their fish as soon as they notice disease.

This Severum had been in the store for at least a week and a half, and when we take her home she friggin' ERUPTS,
into this rediculous fungus..

I've never seen it so hard to cure,

We used Tetra FungusGuard and Maracide on a rough treatment, and she just rolled over this morning.

About a week, good job ma & pa, just lost another customer.

Down $16 for a Severum,
$4 for the fungal guard..


SO THE LESSON IS;
Even when your in the most prestigious MFK vendor's shop, or in the smallest petco,

Always, Always, Always ask for any medication history / disease history in that particular fish's shipment.

I'm so pissed, and I'm definately going back to PetSmart.


Also, on a brighter note, I'm roadtripping down to portland today by bus, so I get to stop by the wet spot!!!
Everyone likes walls and walls of fish right?

 

[ballinouttacntrol]

lil rough ripping on a store for having one bad experience. Sorry though. did you even try talking to them? They may have more leeway then you think.

 

[KCK]

I just woke up like a half hour ago..

The only reason I'm pissed is because I know that they're professionals...
It's because they focus so hard on Saltwater & their monster fish,
than any fish smaller than 5" to them doesn't matter.

It's whatever, nothing I can do about it.
But looking at WetSpot's tanks will cheer my day up.
Maybe I'll sneak back with a blockhead?

Oh, and if anyone in Washington wants a good cheap RTC,
they have what I would say about 24"+ RTC for $100.
Their monster fish selection is very well maintained and healthy.

Just avoid the smaller ones without the proper info on shipments, etc.

 

[ar0wan]

The public is fickle.

 

[chefjimmy]

i think it sucks you attack a store on an open forum, when all of our tanks have disease and fungus, lurking, waiting for a new stressed fish to arrive.

 

[boredinthepeg]

WOW...not sure how to react to this one. Who knew that a store with pristine tanks and well maintained monster fish sold ticking time bombs of disease, never did see any mention of water parameters at the lfs or at home so I think I'll write this off as someone having a bad day.

 

[DMD123]

I go to this same store to look but have never purchased fish there. I like the staff, who are always friendly and ready to help or answer any questions.

I would have probably talked with the store first, before posting in such a mean way. But then again the policy was posted and you did decide to buy from them.

Any time you buy live fish its a risk. The big chain stores may have a better return/live guarantee policy but they also have a very limited selection. Sorry to hear about your loss.

 

[Dark Jester]

One thing I noticed before I bought anything was
"We guarantee our fish while in store only"
Better than nothing, but kind of stupid.

How is it better than nothing? They guarantee the fish won't die in the bag while they ring you up.

Not exactly a 'guarantee' by my definition of the word. Basically the only way to redeem that guarantee is to ask them to bag you a fish, shake it to hell in front of them, and ask for another? Would they honor it?

 

[Racersk]

I have purchased fish from this store, and even sold 3 large Balas to this store without ANY issues.

Sorry man, sounds like your fish got sick, it happens. But don't rag on the store without even talking to them first, I bet if you brought a water sample in and the dead fish, they'd replace it, probably wouldn't get your money back as it was longer than a week, like MOST are LFS that are privately run.

 

[sje106]

Idiot. Complete and utter Idiot!