The Puffer Forum

Rusty wrote:It probably just depends on your area, but big chain stores do tend to mistreat what they believe to be "merchandise". Aje any place that considers itself hobbyist run and has species it cant take care of isn't really hobbyist, perhaps the store clerk is but whomever is ordering the stock obviously is not, that or the supplier is bad.

It's mainly just the teenagers the guy has hired don't seem to take to good of care watching the fish. They have tons of huge tanks to properly care for them but they seem to favor some over the others. such as when I was sad and told them a puffer died she just shrugged said okay and went back to cleaning.

Well, i guess i may be particular. I have a couple of aquatic specialty shops, one being SW only. That is where i prefer to shop. I've never seen a petco supply any kind of shellfish or shrimp to their predators. It's always been freeze dried krill or frozen cubes. Their has been a niger trigger at this petco in my city for about half a year. I know it's the same one because it's turning translucent from black and has been in the same tank. I wanted to rescue it but thought they would just order another one. Like what kind? I'm more talking about predators and delicate inverts. I'm sure they are fine selling damsels and such but like i said, they just aren't equipped for some SW species as most LFS aren't. Their is a reason why Petsmart made a better decision not to sell SW species.

Ajepalmer wrote:It's mainly just the teenagers the guy had ordered don't seem to take to good of care watching the fish. They have tons of huge tanks to properly care for them but they seem to favor some over the others. such as when I was sad and told them a puffer died she just shrugged said okay and went back to cleaning.

I do hear you there. Not sure if i would ever want to get into the business of this hobby for this reason. You kind of have to detach yourself from it all.

jdak wrote:Well, i guess i may be particular. I have a couple of aquatic specialty shops, one being SW only. That is where i prefer to shop. I've never seen a petco supply any kind of shellfish or shrimp to their predators. It's always been freeze dried krill or frozen cubes. Their has been a niger trigger at this petco in my city for about half a year. I know it's the same one because it's turning translucent from black and has been in the same tank. I wanted to rescue it but thought they would just order another one. Like what kind? I'm more talking about predators and delicate inverts. I'm sure they are fine selling damsels and such but like i said, they just aren't equipped for some SW species as most LFS aren't. Their is a reason why Petsmart made a better decision not to sell SW species.

They do care somewhat for their predators. In the sense that I got upset that one of their puffers beak/teeth were growing long so the guy gave it some sort of shellfish or clipped it himself cause it was definitely shorter the last time I went. They probably see no reason to unnecessarily give them live food. The one here stocks bamboo and like coral branded shrimp. also some starfish. The people there are also very attached to their fish. The lady that helped me started talking about that puffers habits and another one they used to have but sold. I appreciate a place that looks at them as pets and not stock

jdak wrote:Well, i guess i may be particular. I have a couple of aquatic specialty shops, one being SW only. That is where i prefer to shop. I've never seen a petco supply any kind of shellfish or shrimp to their predators. It's always been freeze dried krill or frozen cubes. Their has been a niger trigger at this petco in my city for about half a year. I know it's the same one because it's turning translucent from black and has been in the same tank. I wanted to rescue it but thought they would just order another one. Like what kind? I'm more talking about predators and delicate inverts. I'm sure they are fine selling damsels and such but like i said, they just aren't equipped for some SW species as most LFS aren't. Their is a reason why Petsmart made a better decision not to sell SW species.

I agree with you there. I love to give business to the good local speciality stores and good online or local breeders and fellow hobbyists. Although i do understand that many people dont have any other options. Perhaps stores should be required to get a certification to keep the more difficult species.

Rusty wrote:I agree with you there. I love to give business to the good local speciality stores and good online or local breeders and fellow hobbyists. Although i do understand that many people dont have any other options. Perhaps stores should be required to get a certification to keep the more difficult species.

That has been my thought for a long time. Sometimes i think even the customer should have some kind of certificate of knowledge before they are allowed to buy. That might be a little much tho... lol

jdak wrote:

Rusty wrote:I agree with you there. I love to give business to the good local speciality stores and good online or local breeders and fellow hobbyists. Although i do understand that many people dont have any other options. Perhaps stores should be required to get a certification to keep the more difficult species.

That has been my thought for a long time. Sometimes i think even the customer should have some kind of certificate of knowledge before they are allowed to buy. That might be a little much tho... lol

that is a little to much haha. I wouldn't mind taking a course on fish care, but it should be a CBT certificate at the most

He puffed up last night when I turned the hood light on before going to bed to check on him. I learned now I have to turn on the hall light first as not to startle him. Has anyone else had this happen?

My guy puffs slightly when i walk up on him at night. Although i have never seen him puff fully, i'm actually not sure if it's considered a puff but he increases his size. I'm sure your guy is just getting use to his new surroundings and should get use to it. Turning on a hall light is a good idea. I let mine wake up to a bit of sunlight and then turn on the tank lights.

My SAPs freak out every time I go to the tank. I have never seen hunters being so scared. At least my Koi and Comet no longer shy away.

They still do that?! Jeez, you must be scarier than I remember You don't wear red do you?

J-P wrote:My SAPs freak out every time I go to the tank. I have never seen hunters being so scared. At least my Koi and Comet no longer shy away.

lol he is starting to warm up to me walking to his tank. If I stay there for to long though he goes to his cave and squirts water towards my general direction...

Just give him some time. Food is a great way into a puffers heart.

Rusty wrote:Just give him some time. Food is a great way into a puffers heart.

Yup, lol. He has seem to gotten tired of eating snails. I believe he may have been bored or hungry. He plucked out 2 or 3 then after I fed him left the rest alone and it has been 3 days. He will however eat the ghost shrimp I put in there for him. He finally just got gutsy enough to go to the top of the tank to eat his blood worms instead of waiting for them to sink. also seems to enjoy eating the ones that get stuck to the filter once he cannot find anymore.

Ajepalmer wrote:Yup, lol. He has seem to gotten tired of eating snails. I believe he may have been bored or hungry. He plucked out 2 or 3 then after I fed him left the rest alone and it has been 3 days. He will however eat the ghost shrimp I put in there for him. He finally just got gutsy enough to go to the top of the tank to eat his blood worms instead of waiting for them to sink. also seems to enjoy eating the ones that get stuck to the filter once he cannot find anymore.

Wow, my guy wouldn't touch ghost shrimp or blood worms. Haven't had much luck feeding live besides marine snails.