Despicable treatment of fish

ProfessorAronnax · Oct 3, 2019

Today I was at the local big box store. A friend of mine works as a cashier there and wanted me to see the atrocity that is their marin sales tanks. I have seen some questionable LFS's in my day and even more big box stores, but what I witnessed today was atrocious.

This hawk has pop eye so bad, I wouldn't be surprised if it completely released from the orbital socket.

This scopas tang was being kept in, what appeared to be, a 10-15 gallon tank. Its dorsal fin ceases to exist and it is emaciated.

This foxface was far beyond emaciated and had clusters of lesions and tumors on its head and face. (Sorry for bad pic)

Desjardini and damsels left to rot

These were the only pictures I was able to take before the manager asked me to leave. All their fish had ich, rot, popeye, fungus', velvet...you name it, they had it. The corals were all covered in briopsis and cyanobacteria.

The "senior aquarist" said that he was happy with how things looked and that it had come a long way since it had been in his care! What an absolute crock! I've also sent test pictures to their corporate HQ. Whether or not they do anything about is another story, as they care about nothing more than the almighty dollar. While I am not normally one to raise my voice or get into the activist ideals, this display of inhumaness makes me sick.

Reefer_Rob · Oct 3, 2019

Thanks for putting them on blast

homer1475 · Oct 3, 2019

You haven't been in to many LFS's have you?

Seriously though, I think I've been in every LFS between VT, and NY. Some are very questionable, and I've seen this in quite a few.

Reef AquaCult · Oct 3, 2019

Boycott them. that’s terrible. I wouldn’t purchase anything from them. I used to buy tanks when they were on sale, but no longer will. They don’t have the ability to care for these animals. What a shame and waste.

Mikedawg · Oct 3, 2019

Would you be comfortable naming the particular store/chain; I for one would like to pile on corporate, particularly if it turns out that I am a shareholder of this company.
Thanks.

ProfessorAronnax · Oct 3, 2019

Mikedawg said:
Would you be comfortable naming the particular store/chain; I for one would like to pile on corporate, particularly if it turns out that I am a shareholder of this company.
Thanks.

I dont mind, but only if a moderator gives me the okay.

BayouReefer · Oct 3, 2019

I don’t know why more people don’t get involved in stopping their obvious lack of care and miss treatment of the marine animals. This is a major problem throughout the big box industry. I refuse to even shop at those stores for dog food. No support for their dollar first attitude what so ever.

ProfessorAronnax · Oct 3, 2019

homer1475 said:
You haven't been in to many LFS's have you?

Seriously though, I think I've been in every LFS between VT, and NY. Some are very questionable, and I've seen this in quite a few.

Unfortunately I have not been in many as of late. I generally order online or stop and pick fish at WWC on my way to my father's. It's a real shame what the LFS has become. I was fortunate enough to have one when I got into the hobby that was truly epic. Nowadays it's just a business and animals get shuffled to heck and back.

Tamberav · Oct 3, 2019

Very sad

Looks like a Petco tank to me because of the blue background.

jd371 · Oct 4, 2019

I was glad to see the Petco near me shut down their saltwater section.

TheHarold · Oct 4, 2019

Yup PetCo

ClearLife · Oct 4, 2019

I don't mind name shaming. Isn't LiveAquaria owned by Petco.

vetteguy53081 · Oct 4, 2019

No surprise Petco !!
They are fully aware of these losses that are reported to corporate and corporate still allows them to sell and maintain a saltwater section within their stores. Its poor for image and embarrassing not to mention cruelty to captive fish.

krbshappy71 · Oct 4, 2019

You can report them for cruelty. https://www.animallaw.info/topic/table-reporting-animal-cruelty-united-states#q4

Fish count too, they are considered wildlife but still protected from cruelty. https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalwelfare/complaint-form

vetteguy53081 · Oct 4, 2019

ProfessorAronnax said:
Today I was at the local big box store. A friend of mine works as a cashier there and wanted me to see the atrocity that is their marin sales tanks. I have seen some questionable LFS's in my day and even more big box stores, but what I witnessed today was atrocious.

This hawk has pop eye so bad, I wouldn't be surprised if it completely released from the orbital socket.

This scopas tang was being kept in, what appeared to be, a 10-15 gallon tank. Its dorsal fin ceases to exist and it is emaciated.

This foxface was far beyond emaciated and had clusters of lesions and tumors on its head and face. (Sorry for bad pic)

Desjardini and damsels left to rot

These were the only pictures I was able to take before the manager asked me to leave. All their fish had ich, rot, popeye, fungus', velvet...you name it, they had it. The corals were all covered in briopsis and cyanobacteria.

The "senior aquarist" said that he was happy with how things looked and that it had come a long way since it had been in his care! What an absolute crock! I've also sent test pictures to their corporate HQ. Whether or not they do anything about is another story, as they care about nothing more than the almighty dollar. While I am not normally one to raise my voice or get into the activist ideals, this display of inhumaness makes me sick.

very inspiring sights to get someone pumped up for saltwater tank in their homes !!!

primoleo · Oct 4, 2019

Very sad. What is even worse is that those chains are the first LFS for many people new to the saltwater fish keeping. Obviously, under such a guidance they'll all end up in failure and frustration, waste of money, animals and they will eventually abandon the hobby. This is not beneficial to the wellbeing of animals and is not beneficial to the aquarists community.

NeonRabbit221B · Oct 4, 2019

Its weird because my local petco is fantastic. Aquatics manager there is informative and on top of this fish/corals. Everything there always looks healthy and disease free. Weird how drastically different the stores are.

Reefermadness89 · Oct 4, 2019

I know what store it is, and can say they aren’t ALL bad. Lfs is as bad as the people that work there, and I wish more of these stores would hire the right people and not just any person.

ZoWhat · Oct 4, 2019

Look at what they're doing at my favorite LFS
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But seriously, mistreating pets is a SIN

BGrand · Oct 4, 2019

krbshappy71 said:
You can report them for cruelty. https://www.animallaw.info/topic/table-reporting-animal-cruelty-united-states#q4

Fish count too, they are considered wildlife but still protected from cruelty. https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalwelfare/complaint-form

I was going to say the same thing. Report them and include photos with descriptions so that the person receiving the complaint understands what they are looking at in case they are not familiar with salt life.