# Going to walmart, need tips on what fish to get: reply now as I'm leaving in 30 min



## Guest (Jun 24, 2006)

A few weeks ago while I was out of town I went to the walmart and saw a crown tail betta that had pop eye so I felt sorry for it and bought it and was going to bring it home so I could treat it but it died on the way back. So I called the manager of that walmart and he said that I could go to any walmart and get another fish as long as I have the reciept. So I'm going to walmart in about 30 min and I need ideas of what kind of fish to get if they don't have a betta. So what fish would you recommend me to get?


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## book_em_danio (Jun 12, 2006)

Most Wal-Marts have horrible fish in horrible conditions. I know of one Wal-Mart, out of five in a 50 mile radius, that has acceptable conditions. The person running the department also was manager at a local fish store until they went under. I believe few Wal-Marts are run this well.


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## Guest (Jun 24, 2006)

Well that still doesn't help me choose a fish. This walmart takes pretty good care of the fish, well they were the last time I went there. 

I want to quarentine the fish if I don't get a betta but I don't have a hospital tank, would one of these work?







and I'd add a air stone with a control valve to control how much bubbles come out. And I'll change water daily. So would using this work as far as quartining goes?


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## Guest (Jun 24, 2006)

Well I found out that I won't be going to walmart till tommorow so that will give you all some more time to suggest fish for me to get.


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## Guest (Jun 24, 2006)

Its kind of hard for us to tell you what to get because most Walmarts carry different fish.

You could look for some cories or loaches, if they look healthy. I got all 6 of my panda cories from 2 different Walmarts. I bought about 4 at each place, so I only lost 2 out of the whole bunch, but they were pretty healthy looking. I also bought my albino cories at a Walmart (with clean tanks) and I still have all 4...have had them for about 3 months now with no problems or diseases. If there are any dead fish, I wouldn't buy anything except a betta if you have a tank for it.


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## Guest (Jun 24, 2006)

So your saying if I see a sick or dead fish in one of the tanks to not get any fish from a different tank? Why would you say that? Well I'm going right now so I may get a bristlenose plec, if they have it. Well I'll let you know what I get. Wish me luck that they have healthy fish.


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## Christine (Nov 4, 2005)

Because the store setups frequently have a shared water system. The water leaves one tank goes through the filtration system and voila its now in the other tanks also.


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## Guest (Jun 25, 2006)

Exactly! And usually, at the Walmarts in my area, there is always atleast 1 dead fish.

Good luck finding a BN. I got mine at a small LFS...haven't seen them anywhere else. Maybe they are more common in your area.


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## MaryPa (Jan 25, 2006)

Don`t buy any.


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## MaryPa (Jan 25, 2006)

Don`t forget the ick meds, you`ll most likely need it for wal mart fish. Seems a bit careless not doing research on the fish before you buy any. 
Fish are living creatures,not something you buy on the spur of the moment.


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## Scy64 (Apr 23, 2006)

I got my common Pleco there, and he's never had any problems at all. I guess jut go for a fish that's acting normally for that species (this particular one was cleaning the sides of the tank, then swam away quickly when he saw the net coming at him).

I guess the best advice is just to pick the most healthy fish you can find that fits your limitations (both tanksmates, size, and so forth). I saw someone mention Cories as well- I got an Albino Cory there along with the Pleco (different tanks, same purchase), and he's also been doing fine.


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## Guest (Jun 25, 2006)

Well now I'm peeved. I went there waited 45 min for someone to go back there and they didn't have any bettas and wouldn't let me get two platys but said to go to customer service and get a refund and then buy the fish. Which I think is stupid when they are still getting their money. So I go to customer service and they tell me that they only have a 3 day policy and I asked why they can't honor the other wal-marts return policy but they still wouldn't give me my freaking money. What I don't understand is why they can't give me $3.47 so I can get the fish then the will get the money right back. *rolls eyes and cusses alot* So I'm going to the walmart where I got the fish and if they won't give me my money I'm going to say something like "I drove 4 *&*&^%$ hours here to get a &&&& refund because the other walmart wouldn't do it which I think is &^%*()$ rediculous but anyway I come down here just to get my money back for a sick fish that I was going to treat since you all don't know %$^# about caring for fish I thought I'd do it for you but it died, which isn't my fault. Now I demand that you give me my money back because it doesn't really matter as you are still going to get your precious $3.47 back except I'm going to get something back for it for having to go thru all this crap to get my money!

Then if they don't give me my money I may just go back to the fish department, bag me a betta and walk out the door.

*rant over*


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## Bub (Jun 14, 2006)

You might as well just cut your losses and forget it. The cost of gas to drive that far will be a lot more than the amount of the refund.


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## Guest (Jun 25, 2006)

Well we are going to this town where this walmart is any way so thats why I'm going this far to get my money back. Then once I get my money I'm going to a reliable lfs to get my fish.


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## Guest (Jun 25, 2006)

> Then if they don't give me my money I may just go back to the fish department, bag me a betta and walk out the door.


Wal Mart throws in a free pair of silver bracelets with each of these types of transactions. Let us know how your pair fits.

I wouldn't quarantine in the plastic bucket. You really need a separate aquarium for that or there is no point in quarantining at all.


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## Guest (Jun 26, 2006)

I wasn't actually going to do that, I was just in that kind of mood at the time.


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## Osiris (Jan 18, 2005)

Go to Fishforums auction, have it delivered to the house, no worries


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## Guest (Jun 26, 2006)

> I wasn't actually going to do that, I was just in that kind of mood at the time.


Sorry about that. I know exactly the kind of mood you're talking about. I was just makin' a joke. My wife says I need to give people some clue when I'm not being serious. I'll try using these swell smiley guys from now on and see if that helps...at least online.  Have you tried to get your money back yet?


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## Guest (Jun 26, 2006)

I'm not going there till this weekend, and if they don't give me my money I'm going to be really peeved. But if they say I can get another betta whats the best way to get it back alive? As last time I just put it in the box that my new 2.5g was in so that it will be dark but it still died. So like I said is there a way to get a betta back alive with a 4 1/2 hour trip?


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## Christine (Nov 4, 2005)

Put him in a styro box or a lunch cooler for the trip.


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## Guest (Jun 26, 2006)

Are you sure thats a good idea with all the water sloshing around?


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## Osiris (Jan 18, 2005)

The betta's the members auction off here are superb i've gotten some from Sue before, they were spectacular:


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## Christine (Nov 4, 2005)

Ugh... I didn't mean dump him out into it LOL

I meant put his bag/container in there to keep it insulated LOL.


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## Guest (Jun 26, 2006)

Oh, I thought you meant to put some dechlor water and then pour him into it. So you really think if I put him in a cooler that he will make the 4 hour trip?


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## Christine (Nov 4, 2005)

People ship fish in styro boxes (they are in bags of course!) and when I take fish back & forth to meetings I use a styro box or a lunch cooler (again they are in bags/containers). Most others in attendance do as well.


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## Guest (Jun 26, 2006)

Ok, I have this cooler that has zippers on it and I'll put him in that and see if that works. Now that I think about it the water was alittle to cold when I picked it up.


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## Christine (Nov 4, 2005)

If you have the ac on in the car and its blowing on him.. it can really make him too cool. The zippered bag is probably ok if hes in one of those plastic cups. You might want to bring some newspaper or something that can be wrapped around a bag just in case you end up with a bagged betta somehow instead of a cupped betta - to protect the fish bag from the cooler zipper.


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## Guest (Jun 26, 2006)

They will put it in the cup if I ask but I thought a bag would be better, I could have them put it in the cup then the cup in the middle with newspaper under and above it.


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## Osiris (Jan 18, 2005)

4hr trip aint nothing should be perfectly fine. We have begun shipping fish without heat packs for 1-2days in the male that's nearly 60hrs in the mail no heat packs. from NY to WI about a 20 degree difference, no problemos.


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## Christine (Nov 4, 2005)

Just dont let the fish baggie get caught in/on the zipper is all I was trying to say  I usually use a hard sided type cooler if I don't bring a styro, so I've never dealt with the zipper thing.


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## Vermifugert (Jun 15, 2006)

book_em_danio said:


> Most Wal-Marts have horrible fish in horrible conditions. I know of one Wal-Mart, out of five in a 50 mile radius, that has acceptable conditions. The person running the department also was manager at a local fish store until they went under. I believe few Wal-Marts are run this well.


Even though most LFS and Mega Marts get fish from the same suppliers? Fact is conditions are going to vary from location to location. Your experiences are not the rule and you should keep that in mind when posting.


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## Guest (Jul 4, 2006)

Well great news!!! They let me get another betta and it made the 4 hour trip!! I wrapped a towel around it then set it in the cooler then I just used almost a whole roll of paper towels by stuffing it all around him, and I just set the cooler on a pillow then set the pillow on my lap to prevent to much shaking.


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## Christine (Nov 4, 2005)

Good for you durbkat. Wow, he rode home on a pillow? Thats one pampered little guy


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## Guest (Jul 4, 2006)

Yep, well most of the roads we were on were pretty bumpy which is why he got to sit on a pillow.

Also walmart is an idiot, they never took the reicept from me!! Which means I could go up there again and say the same thing and get another betta!!


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## Guest (Jul 4, 2006)

Usually Wal-Mart shouldn't be where you should buy fish. They have diseased fish there, just bringing more diseases to your other fish in your tank. ^^ So, since you CAN get another fish, you could get another betta, give it a good life in a bigger tank or something. Or you could get a diseased fish, and try to make it better.

Mmm, I just read that you got the Betta home safe.

(For next time you can use that advice)
Why was it 4 hours away though?!)


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## Guest (Jul 5, 2006)

Because this walmart is in a different town 4 hours away (I have family in this town) and the only reason I got a betta from walmart in the first place was because it was a crowntail and none of my lps has ever sold them but since it died I went to my lps and they had crowntails so thats how I got a crowntail. Sorry about the long story. LOL


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