The Puffer Forum

Anybody else visit Walmart just because they want to check out the GSPs?

I know I do. I've probably visited (several times) every Walmart around my city to check them out. I get depressed though every time I have to turn around because I know I cannot save them. (At the same time though, I'm happy I saved two GSPs) My puffer fish named Pofka and Pinecone have awesome spoiled lives now.

It's just sad to see the others suffer. It sucks that I cannot save any of them anymore. (They will either end up dying there, being mistreated by its' new owner or (hopefully) somebody responsible takes excellent care of them.)

I hate the fact that they've been taken out of their natural habitat. For most, other than the ones that get adopted by awesome pet owners, life sucks.

AHHH! And I hate how skinny some are! If I worked for Walmart, I'd make sure to atleast feed them!

Anybody else feel this way everytime they pass by GSPs at Walmart or LFS?

Luckily my Wal-Mart's only had them once for sail and I swear they all died within a week.

I now live in England, so I don't get a chance to visit Wal-Mart (we do have a version of it over here, but it doesn't sell puffers).

However, there's a shop that I go to for bloodworm because they have a very good price on it, and I used to buy puffers from him in order to "save them". This guy gets GSP's and doesn't ever bother to put them in brackish water, he's told me that it's just too much trouble, and he doesn't care. He actually said that.

In as much, he's also said that he knows someone will come in and buy them, so it's not a concern. I think that's a crap attitude to have for someone who's made their life's business out of selling fish. He's not just an employee, he owns the shop!! So, before I had so many puffers, when I'd go in there and see the sad state of them, I would buy them. Unfortunately I'm at a point now where I have 5 GSP's and really can't take on any more. I just have to try very hard not to think about it when I go into his shop.

But I do think it sucks, and it would be nice if people who sell fish, whether just an employee, or shop owner, would be more responsible and take better care of their stock.

Someday I will have an orphanage for puffers!!!!

I will not shop at a Walmart that sells fish & I cerntainly wouldn't support them by buying one! All you are doing is telling them they are good sellers, so they will continue to stock them. I prefer to support a store that takes good care of their fish/puffers & buy a nice, fat, healthy one.

Well where I live its either Wal-Mart that's 10 minutes away or a lfs an hour away. I definately wouldn't buy any of my personal fish (puffers, basically) but a couple platies or something once in a while.

I still would like to see all their fish depts closed down & that won't happen as long as folks still buy fish from them.

Hey, its alot better than when mine sold hamsters!!

I never knew Walmart sold Hamsters. LOL!

Even some of the ones in Florida sold Guinea pigs, hamsters and mice. They did sell goldfish, as well as some generic tropical fish (mollies, swordtails, gouramis) -- but thank goodness I never seen any puffers.

Exact same here.

I think my walmarts fish section is going..Tank by tank its emptying..I hope the fish arent getting flushed.

From what I've heard about Wal-Mart, it would not surprise me -- but let's hope that's not the case.

Live?! Ahh, that's cruel! Mine carries normal generic tropical fish and goldfish. Although they do have a "Fish of the Month." Specialty fish like puffers, eels, angelfish, etc. I bet they're called fish of the month because that's how long they can keep them alive.

I needed to get a new digital thermometer for my turtle tank and made the mistake of going into one of the Walmarts that sells fish. I didn't look at the tanks at all because I knew what I would see. Then I overheard another customer pointing out the puffers to their friends. And I had to look. I wanted to cry, throw up and yell at someone all at the same time. It just broke my heart. I wanted to buy bottles of clove oil and send them to the big aquarium in the sky.