[DewDropFay]

OKay so, I went to Petco. Hush, I know it's bad! But it's the only local fish store within ten miles, so bear with me, please >.<
I got some new tanks to divide my spawn for a gender experiment, and though that hey, since I'm here, might as well pick up some plants for my community tank, right? So I go through the plants, getting three of those little things in a tube, one small, two medium, totaling about $16.50.
After I get home, I do some research on the plants I got so I can make the preps for them-typing into the search engine their Latin names; hygrophila Difformis (Water wisteria,) selaginella Wildenowii (Peacock fern,) and Dracaena Variegatus (Gold Ribbon.) Lo and behold, two of the plants, the Peacock fern and the Gold ribbon, aren't even aquatic plants! No wonder the package says they're fish safe, they don't even live with fish.
So, now I have to go see if they'll take them back and let me exchange them tomorrow or something. Doesn't this come under misleading advertisment or something? Has this ever happened to any of you?
Gosh, I feel so stupid lol

 

[Jupiter]

I've never heard of plants in a tube. That's bizarre. Of course, tere aren't any Petcos here so that may be why.

 

[dr2b]

I posted a thread about this a few months ago. Same thing happened to me, but I found out before I went home (which is 20 minutes from the stores). They let me exchange with no problems...I'm sure they'll let you too.

Oh and mine wasn't Petco, it was a independent pet store. They are actually terrarium plants. You could put them in the vases with bettas, but you can't put the whole plant... and make those dreaded betta vases/plant set they sell. (Not saying vases are bad - but you guys get the gist)

 

[dr2b]

Here is where I posted with pictures previously:
http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=25843

 

[Elaina]

Yeah the same thing happened to me and I returned the plants. I told them that they weren't actually aquatic plants, and they just said "hmm, ok," and then went back and put them into stock... :roll:

 

[dr2b]

I was told they already knew it, and were trying to stop customers from buying them so they would be taken out of the store eventually. They told me I "looked so excited they didn't want to ruin it for me" and we excited to show me "real" aquatic plants.

 

[DewDropFay]

*Rolls eyes at the sheer lucridousness* Not sure if I can return one, 'cause when I was setting up the tank my father accidently kinda broke the tube thing...Ah, well I might get a lizard soon, I'll keep that one and plant it in there or something lol I'll return the other one and get something I can actually use...stuff like this is why I want to own my own pet shop when I'm older, so I can actually help people with this stuff lol

 

[dr2b]

Why don't you get a vase and put the plant roots in it. That's what it is meant for anyway.

 

[Lupin]

Lo and behold, two of the plants, the Peacock fern and the Gold ribbon, aren't even aquatic plants! No wonder the package says they're fish safe, they don't even live with fish.

I've never heard it put that way.:rofl: :rofl:

 

[Kim]

Ugh, yeah when I tried to plant my tank my mom asked me why I didn't just get a few plants from Petco (rather than order them). She said "this one looks nice" and pointed to a plant that I knew wasn't aquatic. It's so misleading and terrible that they'll sell plants to people when they know that they'll just die anyway....any other industry and that'd be a lawsuit.

 

[AlexXx]

Petco sells that "lucky bamboo" as an aquatic plant lol... they die within a month or so after being fully submerged. Such a joke!

 

[DewDropFay]

PetCo shoudl really step up and get some standards lol

 

[dr2b]

Petco sells that "lucky bamboo" as an aquatic plant lol... they die within a month or so after being fully submerged. Such a joke!

Every pet store or fish store I have been in with lucky bamboo has told me not to fully submerge it.

 

[AlexXx]

Well thats good, they always have lucky bamboo in their plant tanks. I nearly bought some, Luckily Christina told me not to.

 

[dr2b]

Yeah I was going to buy some when I didn't know much about plants. The one store asked me if I had a lid that completely closed the top of the tank and when I said yes they told me it'd die because of being fully submerged. I mean even Petsmart here has the lucky bamboo partially submerged - just enough to survive - I've never seen it fully submerged. They actually keep it in a separate plant area. But I do agree with what is said that it is ridiculous they try to sell plants that are not aquatic. My boyfriend and I had it happen also at a different fish store. This plant was actually in the plant tank, and it was selling like crazy the day we were there. I took it back ASAP and got a plant I knew was truly aquatic.

 

[paxt0n]

tubed plants

I contemplated buying a "tubed plant" tonight, when I got my Betta. There were several "plant care" items hanging near them, so I asked an employee, "Do you really need all this stuff to keep these live plants alive?" Obviously, not knowing what she was talking about, she said "At least some plant food, but they don't die for a long time. I just use the plastic ones over there."

Don't they give/require some sort of formal training for their employees? I usually see about three people walking around with shirts that say "DOG TRAINER" on the back. This store is in a strip mall, and is barely the size of a convenience store, yet they have three "DOG TRAINERS"!? :roll:

I hated the hours upon hours of computer training I had to go through during the first year of my job, but at least I know what I'm talking about now! ;-)

 

[ChristinaRoss]

ya i started out with the "tube" plants too until i knew better. my petsmart always has them on sale halfoff too, because noones buying them. so maybe around here the consumers are getting more knowledgeable. but, the fern that i bought is actually still living and thriving after 6 months in an aquarium fully submerged. i also have 2 other plants that were tube plants and they are also doing well. but i do also use liquid fertilizer and have good lighting. but, im on the lookout for them dying or starting to melt, eventually im sure ill have to take them out. but so far so good, although id highly recommend buying the actual aquaria plants