Thoughts on buying from Petco? - Page 2

hart24601 · 04/28/2017, 07:48 AM

You can't really make an accurate generalization about a place like petco with 1300 locations. Of course not many sell saltwater, but that is still a lot of stores.

Honestly despite the metro area here having around 650,000 we do not have any good LFS. I visit each one at least once ever two weeks and the quality of livestock at Petco often times exceeds the LFS (especially inverts for some reason).

Better off buying online? Sure. But shipping on small orders can be expensive and some like to see the stock. I wanted a single trocus snail and one tux urchin for a small system. Guess what, no LFS had either of those, but Petco did. Under 10 bucks and I was done and they are alive and well 3 weeks later.

Jon0807 · 04/28/2017, 09:49 PM

I've been to 3 locations that sold saltwater life and all 3 didn't look good. Neither did the corals/anemones Even in a newer location. Personally, I bought 4 snails, and due to me not quarantining them, my 2 clowns came down with ich and one of them lost their tail fin. Luckily I was able to save them and they are both doing fine, even the tailless one. If you do buy from them, as others have said, QUARANTINE! Their fresh water fish seem to be fine, personally I'd only buy equipment from them and who doesn't love the $1/gallon tank sales!

04/28/2017, 07:48 AM	#26
hart24601 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Posts: 633	You can't really make an accurate generalization about a place like petco with 1300 locations. Of course not many sell saltwater, but that is still a lot of stores. Honestly despite the metro area here having around 650,000 we do not have any good LFS. I visit each one at least once ever two weeks and the quality of livestock at Petco often times exceeds the LFS (especially inverts for some reason). Better off buying online? Sure. But shipping on small orders can be expensive and some like to see the stock. I wanted a single trocus snail and one tux urchin for a small system. Guess what, no LFS had either of those, but Petco did. Under 10 bucks and I was done and they are alive and well 3 weeks later.

04/28/2017, 09:49 PM	#27
Jon0807 Registered Member Join Date: May 2016 Location: SF Bay Area Posts: 293	I've been to 3 locations that sold saltwater life and all 3 didn't look good. Neither did the corals/anemones Even in a newer location. Personally, I bought 4 snails, and due to me not quarantining them, my 2 clowns came down with ich and one of them lost their tail fin. Luckily I was able to save them and they are both doing fine, even the tailless one. If you do buy from them, as others have said, QUARANTINE! Their fresh water fish seem to be fine, personally I'd only buy equipment from them and who doesn't love the $1/gallon tank sales!