Does Petsmart have betta care regulations in their stores?
Just wondering, because I got to thinking how aweful one Petsmart is compared to another nearby when it comes to their betta care. The care is the bettas get from store to store varies so much, that I doubt there are any regulations at all. I've looked around online, but can't find anything about petsmart having regulations for their betta care. :P If they do, the regulations need to be changed because obviously they aren't working, and if they don't, they definately need to make some.
From talking with the manager from my petsmart, I found out that its really up to the manager of the fish department. If he really care's he will make the employees change there water. With that blue water that has be oxygenated. Then you got managers that will just let the fish sit in the cup's, when a fish dies they throw them out and each fish shippment they get some fresh bettas and put them up there..
Well, then, I need to start gathering resources and citations and having talks with vets and petsmart managers so I can begin writing a rough draft for a letter to try and get that changed.
Im not 100% sure thats how it works. But when i was at the other petsmart by me that dont take care of there bettas. I asked the lady,, Does anyone ever change the water? And she said between you and me i have never seen anyone do anything with the bettas!!! thats what the employee said to me ...
Yes, it really varies from store to store. I work at Petco, and even within my own state which only has 5 stores, the care varies WIDELY. There are guidelines, but it really depends on how the aquatics manager implements the guidelines and how the general manager manages the store over all. You should contact their headquarters and complain. There is no need for poor care especially if there are guidelines. But, on the flip side, I'd make sure to compliment the good stores. This is why I applied at my local petco. They responded by my complaint to HQ regarding their betta care, turned it around, and I believe an employee even got the boot. I was so impressed with their concerns and response that I applied. And I told the GM that this is why I applied.
Yeah, I know what you mean about how it varies. There is one store where the water is always clean, and the bettas are healthy. I rarely see sick bettas there, and when I do, it's typically been a looong time since the last betta shipment, and even then, it seems as if the employees try their best to care for the sick fish with frequent water changes and stuff :) . But then there's one where I've never seen it with healthy fish and clean cups. Ever.
There definately needs to be a change, and I'm going to try my best to make it happen. Personally, I think more strict guidelines and regulations, and something actually happening to the stores that don't follow the regulations would help a lot.
I have a petco by me, that has about 15 VT,15 CT,10 HM,7 HMPK, and 4 Giant bettas. They have female VT and CT but no other females. There always clean and okay looking. They have a special shelfing system, where theres a section for each betta cup. making it where there not just sitting beside each other they cant see each other at all..
When i seen how they had so many bettas, plus different type's, I asked the employee where do they get there bettas from? He said Petco has it's own breeding company located somewhere and they call in what type of bettas they are getting low on and then switch it up by sending the ones that havent sold for a month or two sending them back to the farm and putting new one's up..
It has to be the best system I have seen for bettas. Besides a divided tank...
But that goes to show you they have that breeding place that has to supply to all them stores so there just breeding this with that,,, with this and that.. Just so they can keep petco happy.
Yeah my petco even has a saltwater section, the petsmart dont have nothing like that..... The petco also has the big 40 gallon tall with all live plants. petsmart only has them plants in a tube...
Actually I beg to differ. I actually learned that there is a tiny itty bitty tank with plants in them in most Petsmart stores near me, they are just extremely hard to find. They even sell the marimo balls in most of the fish tanks at are about an inch and a half in width.. :P not that is's anything to brag about.
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