View Full Version : Puffers at walmart???
MeganL3985
07-16-2007, 02:20 AM
Aren't puffers saltwater? I didnt think walmart kept saltwater fish? Also I noticed a few of them were shapped funny, like in a bent 'S' shape. They looked so sad in there.... I hate my walmarts fish department. There is never anyone over there and the tanks are always so over stocked.
RobbieG
07-16-2007, 02:21 AM
Some are saltwater and some are brackish - a lot of stores keep brackish fish in freshwater.
...they're like the FW dwarf puffers, or pea puffers...I have some...very personable and entertaining...very brave...even when I stick my hand in the tank, they're busy checking me out...
My only complaint? I wish they were at least an 1/8" (or more) bigger...they're so small, I can't see them as easily as I'd like too...
Tilmo2180
07-16-2007, 11:06 PM
The Evil Walmart empire keeps puffers in freshwater and knows nothing about their keeping. All puffers are at least brackish if not salt water fish. I have seen a girl tell a lady she needed to get AT LEAST 2-3 bettas as ALL fish like company. I immediatly told the lady doing the shopping that they would kill each other if she kept them in the same tank. Walmart pet people get no training at all about what they are selling and are not the people to be asking fish questions to. Walmart as a whole needs to re-evaluate how they sell fish.
In my opinion anyway :D
freshwaterfishlover
07-16-2007, 11:11 PM
I Know there is one or two common true freshwater Puffers.
Tilmo2180
07-16-2007, 11:13 PM
I did not know that, I thought they were all brackish +.
Good to know though. I know the African Green Spotted ones are brackish and thats what they sell at walmart.
RobbieG
07-17-2007, 12:20 AM
You need to know what you are buying when you buy something at those stores - there are some FW puffers but most are not - but still get sold that way at some stores.
If you see something you like just get the name and look it up so you can be sure you can take proper care of it.
All puffers are at least brackish if not salt water fish.
Tilmo, please avoid making statements that are false, fishguy is correct in that there are at least 2 types of freshwater puffers. Making false statements can be very confusing to the new aquarist. If you aren't sure of something, please ask and we will be happy to help you. Or, do some research on your own. If you find something that contradicts what one of us is saying, post it so we can review it.
I am not attacking you, I have made and will continue to make this type of comment to new people here so as to avoid a potentially harmful situation. In this example, if you were to post what you did, someone goes out and buys a tank full of puffers believing what they read. They set up a brackish tank, and the puffers don't even survive more than a few hours.
salman
07-17-2007, 01:07 AM
The Evil Walmart empire keeps puffers in freshwater and knows nothing about their keeping. All puffers are at least brackish if not salt water fish. I have seen a girl tell a lady she needed to get AT LEAST 2-3 bettas as ALL fish like company. I immediatly told the lady doing the shopping that they would kill each other if she kept them in the same tank. Walmart pet people get no training at all about what they are selling and are not the people to be asking fish questions to. Walmart as a whole needs to re-evaluate how they sell fish.
In my opinion anyway :D
This reminded me of the time i was in a fish store. A lady was there buying fish for her first aquarium. She was asking the man working there if she can feed the fish her lunch leftovers lol. I remember she wanted a community tank and when she asked if oscars can live with tetra's the man working there said yes. I then helped her in choosing her fish, i recommended livebearers since they are good first fish and cheap and they are fun to breed.
Walmart and some other LFS employees are horrible. SO much incorrect information out there, and people listen. That is exactly why I call people out when I see them post information that is flat out wrong. We are better than that and are here to truly benefit the newbies among us!
MeganL3985
07-17-2007, 02:25 AM
When I went to walmart a little bit ago to get my betta, a woman was looking for the "seashell weekend feeder" that was there a few days ago. They didnt have any in stock. The girl working there just gave her a blank look and was like "Oh i'm sorry I guess we dont have any weekend feeders" the woman started walking away, i'm like "Wait, what kind of fish do you have" she said "Oh just a couple neons and others", I picked up the tetra 14 day weekend feeder and handed it to her. The girl working there was like "Oh...I guess she could use that too...." Hello??? hahaha The woman was very appreciative as I guess they're leaving tomorrow morning for vacation for the week.
kimmers318
07-17-2007, 11:36 AM
Sorry I am late popping in here.....it has been a busy couple of weeks with baseball tournaments, trying to remodel a room, and a new puppy!
First, there are SEVERAL species of FW puffers.....I have 5 FW puffer tanks here.
Trio of c. irrubesco.....red eyed/red tailed puffer
single t. suvatti.....arrowhead puffer
single t. cohcinchinensis.....fangs puffer
pair of c.travancoricus....dwarf puffer
single a. modestus....bronze/golden puffer.
NEVER trust an lfs about puffers unless you know they are a puffer lover! My modestus was sold to me as a BW who supposedly had been returned 2X because he was so aggressive. Well, when you only feed them brine shrimp, they must find food elsewhere. He now lives with a gang of barbs and hasn't even harmed the ghost shrimp I tried to feed him.
For those looking for something a little larger than the dwarfs with similar personality, the irrubescos might work. Keep in mind though that they are a little more territorial than dp's so you need a larger tank for a trio.
All of my puffers are very interactive with people, even my lurkers will come front and center to see me.
Hope that information helps. There is a lot of information to be found on puffer specialty forums so check those out if you are considering puffers in your future.
Tilmo2180
07-17-2007, 04:28 PM
Tilmo, please avoid making statements that are false, fishguy is correct in that there are at least 2 types of freshwater puffers. Making false statements can be very confusing to the new aquarist. If you aren't sure of something, please ask and we will be happy to help you. Or, do some research on your own. If you find something that contradicts what one of us is saying, post it so we can review it.
I am not attacking you, I have made and will continue to make this type of comment to new people here so as to avoid a potentially harmful situation. In this example, if you were to post what you did, someone goes out and buys a tank full of puffers believing what they read. They set up a brackish tank, and the puffers don't even survive more than a few hours.
I take no offense at all, as you are right. That was the information I got from doing research though. I looked into puffers for a while. I shall refrain from making such "set in stone" statements unless I know they are true. My main point was to let people know that the Evil Walmart Empire generally does not know what they are talking about and make no effort to learn either. I am taking time and learning. As long as someone learns from it, and in this case...I did.
Thanks Kimmer! There are a couple of species you listed that I didn't know about!
salman
07-17-2007, 06:02 PM
I take no offense at all, as you are right. That was the information I got from doing research though. I looked into puffers for a while. I shall refrain from making such "set in stone" statements unless I know they are true. My main point was to let people know that the Evil Walmart Empire generally does not know what they are talking about and make no effort to learn either. I am taking time and learning. As long as someone learns from it, and in this case...I did.
THERE ARE FW PUFFERSS??? :D:D:D:D I love puffers, but what fish can they live with?
The Evil Walmart empire keeps puffers in freshwater and knows nothing about their keeping.
Absolutly not true. There are two Wal Mart locations around here (just as an example) that have brackish tanks and the staff are quite knowledgable in all aspects of aquariums and fish keeping.
Tilmo2180
07-17-2007, 07:19 PM
Rather...
Every store in the Evil Walmart Empire that I have gone to keeps them in freshwater and knows nothing of their keeping. I have had the oppertunity to vist walmarts in AZ, CA, AK, SC, and OR. All of the ones I went to this was the case, if yours is not that way...great! Tell them to educate the rest of the Empire.
Cal Discus
07-17-2007, 07:32 PM
Dont buy your fish from Walmart. If you go somwhere and they constantly have many dead fish laying in the tanks, it is not a good sign.
Rather...
Every store in the Evil Walmart Empire that I have gone to keeps them in freshwater and knows nothing of their keeping. I have had the oppertunity to vist walmarts in AZ, CA, AK, SC, and OR. All of the ones I went to this was the case, if yours is not that way...great! Tell them to educate the rest of the Empire.
Rather...
Every store that I have been to in the "Evil Wal Mart Empire" has clean tanks, healthy fish and staff that knows what they are doing and give sound advice. My Wal Mart shopping experience may be limited to fewer stores than others, but I'm not going to generalize every store because of my experiences.
Dont buy your fish from Walmart. If you go somwhere and they constantly have many dead fish laying in the tanks, it is not a good sign.
I'll buy my fish from the place that has healthy fish, clean tanks, gives me good advice and sells me fish that give me years of enjoyment. If I can get this from Wal Mart (which I have had nothing but positive experiences with) than I will continue to buy fish there, thank-you .... :22:
Cal Discus
07-18-2007, 08:24 AM
Good luck with that.
Good luck with that.
Luck has nothing to do with it. It's being open minded, doing research and knowing what to look for in a fish store and when buying fish.
Wal Mart Malawi's ...
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... they are all now 2 years old, in perfect health and the Venustus and Electric blue are a good 10 inches long and all bought at Wal Mart, in a seperate Malawi tank that is labelled aggrresive with notes on proper tank conditions for the fish. Unfortunatly, I had to give them away because I was unable to buy them a bigger tank as planned but are in the display tank at a friend's pet store.
Tilmo2180
07-18-2007, 03:38 PM
I never said not to buy fish from walmart. Buy your fish where ever you can get them healthy. All I was really getting at is...research your purchases before you go anywhere and make sure they are healthy before you leave the store. I personally do not buy fish from walmart anymore because I have had bad experiences with them. I currently have a walmart fish in my tank, he is healthy and happy and been in there for a long long time. I am fortunate enough to have several very very good LFS' and do not have to go to Walmart.
All I was really getting at is...research your purchases before you go anywhere and make sure they are healthy before you leave the store.
Which is exactly my point. And as I have pointed out, there are Wal Marts (contrary to popular belief) that have healty fish, tanks and knowledegable staff.
Wallyfish
07-23-2007, 08:53 AM
The fish I buy at walmart have to be treated for ich. I would generally not buy less hardy fish at walmart such as puffers. I'm assuming that they were fresh water dwarf puffers at that walmart. They are commonly special ordered kind of fish that often gets mixed in with other fish that they don't get along with. I've also seen walmart carry interesting fish like dragon goby and glofish. They also carry the painted fish "mixed fruit tetra".
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