Rude AND Misinformed Pet Store Employee

[mursey]

I know there is a thread about this but I cannot find it, nor do I know how old it is.

I had a really rude Petsmart employee not only cut me off talking about my bettas to tell me they are "fine in vases eating just roots", but also get all red in the face and actually cut me off and walk away from me . . when I was trying to "GENTLY" tell her there are many betta misconceptions and that a vase with a lily plant isn't a great home for bettas.

Now, I wrote a yelp review about it and I am so annoyed I may write an email to the company. I just wanted to remind the "betta mafia", as I jokingly call my buddies on this site, that we can write letters or emails or reviews to help the correct information out there. Here is mine from today:

http://www.yelp.com/biz/petsmart-tuc...oZSqdXVaLnmdzg

I can always revise if someone has advice. I'd love to hear more stories about your interactions with misinformation at pet stores and how you handle it.

[Hershey]

I was getting 5 girls at once (mom teasing about me being the micheal vick of bettas, when she sincerely wished me luck later on) The lady said they're fighting fish and they can't live together, and one of her relatives bought a few and one killed them all. I nicely explained that when heavily planted sororities are possible, but she did not seem to feel better.

I guess it wasn't a conflict. The only big conflict I had was with my 3rd betta and my mom (my first post on this fourm) Where she snapped at me about MY fish and changing it's water. (She was telling me not to. :u)

[mursey]

Hmmm, I guess the thing I keep thinking about is "How can some people get so angry when they clearly don't know what they are talking about?"

I mean, when I buy a new kind of fish, I do not assume I know everything.

Also .. . I don't get why people don't "google" things more often.

By the way I agree with you on this - I have found so far that having a densly planted tank with lots of hising places too . . well many things are better for bettas or other fish I have. I told my mom this once and she said "That makes sense .. if you put 2 people in a tiny room they would probably fight more than if they had plenty of space to do their own thing". :)

[Hershey]

Yeah it's true, you'd go insane!

[whiskandbowl]

I'd post it on their facebook page as well.

Funny that your Petsmart was like that, around here it's the opposite. My Petsmart employees are nice and friendly, it's Petco who are rude!

[aemaki09]

Pet Supplies Plus in my area is the absolute worst place i've ever tried to buy anything aquatic from. They dont care for their betta's at all. I've seen numerous moldy and dying ones on just about every occasion I've visited.
As for my worst experience there...I was going in to look at their ADF's but looked at the betta's first and saw one dead and moldy, there were two employee's standing right in front of where they keep the poor guys. I showed it to them and they said "oh better get him off here before anyone else see's" and walked away. I then went into the fish room where they have even more betta's and saw one in the african clawed frogs bowl. I'm not sure what was wrong with him but he was definitely almost dead..told the employee, hoping I could take him home to try and save, but she acted like she didnt hear me. I just let it go because I was still wanting to get an ADF, but when I asked about them using the same nets between the clawed and dwarf's she said yes, was clueless about why she shouldnt do it, and when I informed her of why she kind of stuck her nose up at me and her only reply was "ok, suuure" so I walked out without buying a dang thing and will never go back in again. I've written numerous e-mails to corporate about how they need to hire employees that know atleast a little about their live animals, that I've applied numerous times, have a lot of experience and have never recieved a call, and that if they dont want to hire someone they atleast need to give basic training to their employees. The only reply I've ever gotten was that that they were passing it on to the franchise owner of that store or the manager/district manager there...Never a word from anyone there.
Its rediculous.

But my petsmart is actually somewhat knowledgeable. They actually hire people that know what they are talking about with their fish, although some of them are a little clueless on betta care.

Sorry for such a long reply. but pet supplies plus really makes me mad!

[RoMay]

Here's what you do when you get a rude uninformed employees; you call their corporate head quarters and tell them your concerns. I've never done it for fish, but I certainly have for hermit crabs. Unlike store managers the big guys don't like hearing complaints getting past the store.

Again pet stores are only as good as the people working there. Good or bad reputation; good employees equals good care, bad employees equal bad care.

I can't picture my betta eating roots for life, though she's eating the Japanese moss bald.

[dramaqueen]

My Petsmart employees are fairly knowledgeable about stuff. But someone who feeds the bettas is just dumping tons of pellets in their cups. If I see it again I might complain to the manager. I think they're fed about twice a week.

[Silverfang]

Our petsmart has some knowledgeable people. And some who need to be kept away from fish. I was telling one of them about a sorority, and she was really interested in trying one out.