YES You CAN Buy These Top 10 Fish At PETSMART or PETCO!!

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Check out our brand new website and shop for all of your aquarium supplies and fun merch!
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🛒 Links to popular products we use:
Seachem Tidal Filters: bit.ly/3fjkjXF
Sicce Shark ADV Internal Filter: bit.ly/390JuKn
Fritz Guard: bit.ly/3csfNUR
Fritz Complete: bit.ly/3spgtQi
Fritz Dark Water: bit.ly/3sx49gQ
Fritz Betta Guard: bit.ly/3svhExw
Aquarium Salt: bit.ly/3svcIsz
Algae Remover: bit.ly/3sx8nVR
Plant Fertilizer: bit.ly/31lwGKy
General Cure: bit.ly/2PcjXr1
Paracleanse: bit.ly/2NXlqkm
Maracyn: bit.ly/31n8dVh
Ick Medication: bit.ly/3fkZZoS

[@KGTropicals]

Check out our brand new website and shop for all of your aquarium supplies and fun merch! keepfishkeeping.com

[@tbonesfishies1797]

Betta's are kept in little tanks in Australia they not allowed to be kept in little cups.

[@camthejackdempsey2644]

I bought all my fish except one from petco and petsmart and I have never had any thing wrong with them

[@chickennuggetpaw1017]

I have a question; can you get African dwarf frogs from PetSmart? Because most of the time, for me, they just die within a week. I just got one other like, a month ago, and this is the first one that’s lived for this long.

[@shawncho8476]

whats the song you used in the background?

[@marypaigeflynn4512]

I'm super excited about your website!! You guys did a great job!!!

[@revengeoftheshreks1860]

I went to pet smart recently to get black neon tetras for my 30 gal community tank, and the lady who helped me was so kind and knowledgeable. She told me about quarantine tanks and that an African Dwarf Frog wouldn’t do well in my tank since it’s too tall. Not to mention the fish I got seem very healthy. It all comes down to the individuals who work at your local pet smart or Petco

[@cheyennespohr5482]

Yes definitely! One of the stores by me has great workers, must whom have knowledge with fish. They have quarantine tanks too! The Petco in the next city over however is terrible, half the tanks you can barely see in from the algae being overgrown, and most of the fish are slow moving and genuinely don't look good. (Many fish are already dead and haven't been scooped out) and that one has terrible service as well :(

[@st1922]

Having just set up my first saltwater tank, I’ve been to petcos that either ruined or really helped my aquarium. It really depends on who works there and how much they care.

[@888fluffy]

I think the problem with petco and petsmart is that you're not required to know anything about fish to work there. That doesn't mean there aren't some employees who are also fish enthusiasts by chance, but it's baffling to me that it's not a must, and you're not really taught that much on the job, especially about species requirements. Seems like its because they would rather pay inexperienced people minimum wage that don't mind selling fish to people who can't look after them, rather than paying a little more for someone who is experienced.

[@aquaspec4858]

Hold up where do you live. The exact same thing happened to me! I bought 6 black neons that looked ok and the lady that helped me asked me what tank I was putting them in and I answered a 29 gallon with female bettas and guppy’s. She chose the best ones right in front of me and I don’t know why people don’t like petsmart. Petco on the other hand (at least the one that is by me) is not so good.

[@revengeoftheshreks1860]

Aqua Spec I live somewhere in the Northern Hemisphere

[@chickennuggetpaw1017]

This is nice to see, because if I was so picky I couldn’t shop at PetSmart, I’d have nowhere else to go. Not everyone has access to local “Mom and Pop” shops.

[@marypaigeflynn4512]

Yes!!

[@angelloh3111]

Lol, why would you get black neons

[@rudyzamora5397]

Just make sure to pre-medicate !

[@junohemmingsen6604]

Me too. All we have where I live is petcos and petsmarts

[@cringeken5389]

@Angel Loh wrong comment you replied to buddy.

[@alaiaflowers2154]

10.) Bettas. - 0:35 9.) Guppies - 1:56 8.) Assorted platies - 3:06 7.) Assorted Mollies - 4:39 6.) Sword tails - 5:48 5.) Bristlenose Plecos - 6:35 4.) Goldfish - 8:16 3.) Snails - 9:48 2.) Corydoras - 10:50 1.) White Clouds - 11:58 Good video too!!

[@therealstewyward]

Thank you!

[@lucaswar7989]

Like this do it gets to the top!

[@a.e.1502]

Thanks for this!

[@dnystwn]

Thanks

[@savannahtesch1486]

I work at a PetSmart and do *so much* work up keeping the tank wall. Not every person in Petcare are that big into fish but I love them and have turned into the go to 'fish and reptile' guy because they are what I keep at home. Your videos have been awesome for learning more about fish I don't keep at home and it's been awesome to be able to provide better tank recommendations for beginner fish keepers.

[@DevCoffey]

I’ve worked at big box pet stores as well as locally owned mom and pop pet stores, and I can confirm that they all get their animals from the same distributor.

[@aquamates9486]

..........,,,

[@BiggRipz]

The ones you* worked at, not all*

[@a.t.9197]

It's less about that and more about how the animals are treated at big name pet stores, however I've been to a few big name pet stores who treat their animals very well! It's just more rare than it should be unfortunately.

[@walterweizenauer3918]

The primary reason to go with Petco and Petsmart is that there is simply no alternative. That said, if you have "mom and pop" shop, doing everything to keep them in business really motivates me. The best thing about Petco and Petsmart that they are a good entry point into the fishkeeping hobby.

[@christhorney]

im not so sure i would call my golden mystery snails slow, i mean for a snail, they can cover some distance lol mine zooms around my 5 ft tank, they can really get some speed when they want to

[@CloverPillbug]

I wish I still had mine

[@abigail001tovey5]

I agree but I love those snails they do a great job but dont take the risk of getting 2😂 I now have to pick egg sacs off my tank

[@christhorney]

@@abigail001tovey5 yeah unfortunatly im currently over run with snails, if you dont have enough air gap between the water and the lid tho you can stop them from laying eggs, they will only lay them if their is a nice moist air gap inside the tank

[@abigail001tovey5]

@@christhorney will that hurt the snail bc shes keeping the eggs inside of her?

[@christhorney]

@@abigail001tovey5 I don't think so, it's what Cory from aquarium co op recommended, but I'm not an expert I just know it helps stop them laying hundreds of eggs

[@chriswillock2177]

Petland in Grande Prairie Alberta used to use cups for Betas. They changed over to what they call a Beta wall. A wall of small square containers all connected and plumbed together. Water flowing and draining gently into each compartment. It's really nice to see and the Betas are much healthier and active.

[@jmantooth]

I have honestly had about the same experience with my local fish stores and Petco/Petsmart fish. Neither have been any healthier out of the gate than the other, customer service is about the same, and with very few exceptions, they seem to consistently carry the same species of fish. All of my local fish stores sell Bettas in cups. While I am all for supporting local fish shops, if I am getting the same experience (fish quality/customer service) as I would in Petco/Petsmart, why would I not elect to pay significantly less at a box store? Not all local shops or big box stores are equal. I think if you find a good store, with helpful and knowledgeable staff, and they have a healthy selection of fish you are looking for, go to that store, period.

[@Kligor2]

Honestly if a fish store just didnt overcrowd the fish till they die and put betas in cups Id genuinely buy just to support em.

[@a.t.9197]

True, I've seen both local and corporate stores who treat their animals the same. It comes down to the workers. Most local stores tend to sell less animals in turn for them having larger enclosures, but I've seen some Petcos/smarts with passionate employees who put in good work to keep the animals healthy.

[@RiverRat1953]

Not all PetSmart stores are equal. The one closer to me has terrible fish tanks with sickly looking fish and dirty water. The Store 60 miles from my home is really nice with beautiful looking fish and clean tanks. I live in a very rural area and to make that long drive is worth it to me to get some healthy looking fish.

[@dawnie15r25]

I'd prefer to support my LFS...They quarantine and I've had much better luck. However, I'm lucky in that I can get to several LFS within 30 min. But if you're not as lucky as I, Petco and PetSmart are good...just always remember to Quarantine new fish before adding to your display tank.

[@vic7089]

My petco nearby has some good fish with nice workers there and it is located like 5 from my house

[@charliebankston636]

Petsmart qts fish too, at least mine does. But a consumer should always qt new fish from any source before adding to their main tank

[@xokni9446]

Soaking Q play Tokyo Falls 3DS real the yeah so that's why I here for she will my mom buy me a shark the shark life shush up sharks and and and I want to see I like world

[@hiflin2372]

I've personally had bad experiences at petco and petsmart. Including issues with employees, of which I mean they have no idea what they're talking about and have even had one employee try to tell me that cichlids are feeder fish. After that ive stopped going to petco and well at petsmart everytime I've gone there I always see several dead fish in numerous of there tanks at the store. Which is why I tend to stick with the stores that I can for sure tell that they care for the animals and actually know what they're talking about.

[@jimmyhintz8850]

When I go to pets smart, there’s always dead fish. That’s why I stopped going there

[@chiquinarco55]

I buy plecos from there, I just call them plecos and get the fancy ones

[@hiflin2372]

@@theanti-hero3983 I'm not big into shrimp but I've started going to country max as a main pet store of mine and they have some really neat looking shrimp species

[@Panda-gu9wz]

Totally agree with you. I think PetSmart is a little bit better since Petco is NOT allowed to treat their fish with medication. Most of fish I bought from Petco died soon.

[@chimpkinmcnuggies1515]

I will say my local petsmart employees are nothing but knowledge , responsible , and amazing. All my fish I get there are healthy although I've also seen bad employees there too. They have had been better at upping customer service however I am still picky also. However all fish Die and it's hard to easily see when every fish dies and I've seen that at any pet store overall I agree it may not be perfect but I will say it depends where the petsmart is and who works there for sure

[@vazzaroth]

I really appreciate this channel because you make fairly timeless content on the overall hobby. Too many YT channels make only detailed How tos, Specific tutorials, etc without making pure educational or discussion content. Like, content for people that are just in a hobby and looking for, well, basically the equivalent of friends discussing that hobby. I appreciate those when I'm searching, but 90% of my time on youtube is just entertainment for the 2nd monitor while I'm working. Either at my PC for "real" work or while I'm working in the aquarium. That's how I feel with most of your videos. I'll learn something from someone whos been at this much longer than me, there's some opinion and discussion, and lots of flavor. Always fun to watch, even if the subject matter isn't directly relevant to me at the time!

[@emilia4791]

The petco and petsmart near me actually take better care of animals than local petshops near me

[@laseactive7237]

Same

[@DMprodigy]

Some people might not believe it, but in my case as well, this is true.

[@yoohyeonforever7067]

Same

[@erieschl]

Actually same....

[@katphish30]

A lot of the animal care people at pet stores take their jobs very seriously. When I worked for Petsmart, the fish and bird people were hardcore.

[@chosen2030]

Even if its true that there is crossover in distributors, there is a huge difference in quality of the fish you eventually buy. Several reasons: 1) LFS also buy from local breeders. That means captive bred, not wild caught = less parasites. A lot of the time that means raised in your local water's pH, KH and GH so there is less shock when added to your tank. Also means less stress from being bagged and shipped and plopped into water with different parameters, and sometimes better quality fish if the LFS has a personal relationship with the breeder. 2) LFS quarantine and treat fish before they are offered for sale. Petco/Petsmart often get in a shipment and the fish are for sale as soon as they come out of the bags. 3) Seperate filtration systems. At Petco/Petsmart a whole row or wall of tanks share a filtration system, meaning a disease in any tank may infect any fish that shares the same water in that row/wall. 4) Feeding. LFS are a lot more likely to feed higher quality foods, including frozen and live foods = healthier fish. 5) Variety. You're going to see the same type of fish at Petco/Petsmart time and time again. 6) LFS staff knowledge. If you have questions, almost without exception their staff is more knowledgeable. Petco/Petsmart has really high turnover, which doesn't help. 7) Cleanliness. The tanks at most LFS look algae free and don't have dead fish floating around in them. 8) Aquascaping and aquarium supplies. LFS just have a better selection of everything, though they may have less inventory on hand of some items. I'm not saying don't go to a big box store, but LFS are usually just better all around. Sometimes a little pricey but usually well worth it, especially if you don't want to set up a quarantine tank. The one exception being cost of aquarium supplies, the big stores are more likely to run sales on standard equipment and you can't really beat the Petco Aqueon tank sale.

[@foreverautumn2315]

I'm glad someone has decent big box stores to buy fish from, locally. Every time I've gone into our PetSmart or Petco, the fish all have ich, and you can see tank after tank after tank with numerous dead fish floating at the top... and the bettas aren't much better off, they are all either dead or half-dead... very sad... This kind of a thing is EXTREMELY BAD for new fishkeepers, who don't know ich when they see it, much less be able to identify any other illness these big box fish might be suffering. I believe that's why so many try the hobby and quit, it's from buying fish at PetSmarts and Petcos like mine. That's enough to make anyone quit, after having bought fish after fish and having them all die within a short span of time... :(

[@jackiehuff7736]

Forever Autumn As a former worker for petsmart I can tell you that while petsmart teaches proper care of fish to their employees, they don’t teach much about diseases that fish can get. This is why they try to hire those with pet experience, but that can severely limit knowledge and quality of advice from store to store.

[@ManiacSkateboarding]

The Petco I go to is EXTREMELY helpful and knowledgeable. They always ask questions about what type of fish you have and what size tank you have. I went to a small business to check out some fish and they never said a word to me and just intensely watched me like I was going to steal something. They made me feel so uncomfortable I left. I’ve been to some Petco stores that are terrible tho so it depends on location

[@solarphoenix999]

in my opinion, every source should be considered for quality, care and knowledge - I'm sure people who know what they're doing aren't going to get fish from even a LFS if the fish look sick or the tanks aren't cared for properly. can't say that I've always had good things to say about the big box stores, but it also depends on the employees and their knowledge (which is usually very dependent on their own training and cooperate's expectations too)

[@butkusfan23]

So glad white clouds made the list!! I had a 15 gallon high with a bunch of tall plants and 8 24k gold white clouds, and they quickly became a favorite of mine. They are a gorgeous and active little fish. And as long as you do the most basic of maintenance, they are as bullet-proof as a fish can get, IMO. Put a dark background on the tank, a natural gravel or substrate, and plenty of green plants, and these fish just pop.

[@Blackberryfae]

I just commented on an older video but I'm a PetSmart groomer, and honestly almost everyone in my store is some sort of animal hobbyist. We really do love our pets. Statistically there's going to be bad stores, but honestly you're more likely to get hired if you already have some experience, especially at a good store.

[@spahzinyt4590]

I actually got really lucky with the LFS near me, they’ve got everything I’d ever need and all the workers have their own fish so they have a pretty good idea of what they’re doing

[@bogdan.c1obanu]

My aquarium cracked, so I turned my bath tub into an indoor pond, so I cant shower at home till i get a new aquarium. A small price to pay for fish.

[@samcharles3363]

As you should😂

[@elementkx]

What substrate did you use?

[@MassachusettsTrainVideos1136]

@@elementkx my guess is bare bottom but idk

[@sunflowermouse307]

I like the idea of shopping at my LFS because it keeps the money local and I hope the employees care more about the fish. I'm pretty new to fishkeeping and I haven't checked out the one aquarium store in my town yet (I'm setting up a new aquarium and will be visiting soon), but PetSmart hasn't done me dirty at all.

[@starfilledstorm]

The betta at the petsmart where I live, look as sad as they would being sold at Walmart. I don’t know how they can still let this happen! My petco, however, seems to carry a healthy and unique variety and although they’re still in cups, the cups are much bigger. I would definitely buy a betta from petco.

[@Kt-cn2rq]

Same Petco look more alive. I feel like if Petco does another $1 gallon and their 5 gallon tanks part of it again I'll buy a few and get some more bettas look super sad try see if I can get them healthy again probably been there since before coronavirus look almost dead.

[@vivikink9286]

@@Kt-cn2rq i wish the 5g were a part of the sale but it's only 10g and up, you could do a divided tank though. the rimless 5g become 50%off too

[@adriennequimby3983]

@Vicik Ink ya know a 10 gallon is a good size, 5 gallons is a bit in the smaller size

[@jeffalbillar7625]

I bought 2 of the most beautiful Betta's I have ever seen at Petco. A Midnight Male and a Galaxie Koi male. The Koi male found it's way out of the aquarium. 😥

[@jeffereyhopkins750]

I had the same experience with Petsmart compared with Petco. I gave an honest review of Petsmart, which I truly believe that they realized they had an issue with their fish. The next time I went in there, they had improved significantly. Petco on the other hand seem to be more aware of their fish and overall health. I bought 5 guppies from Petsmart and I know only have only one alive left. I got 3 more from a private fish store and unfortunately one of the fish from Petsmart transferred a fungus to one of my females and after she gave birth, she passed away 😢

[@MacTechG4]

My two local Petco stores have decent fish departments, the fish are in better shape than the local small independent dealer (who has artificially inflated prices anyway), what impresses me is they use the clear plastic bagging container to actually catch the fish, and since it’s clear, it stresses the fish far less than being netted out… My absolute favorite ‘semi-chain’ store is Pet Supplies Plus, not only do they use the plastic bins to catch fish, they also take time to find out if you have the right aquarium and skill set, and you even sign off on ‘adoption’ papers that list the species, date of purchase, and general care tips

[@UncD420]

You should make a video of what fish from these stores can go together. Great video!!

[@imastatistic8347]

Honestly I didn’t know where to start with my tank as far as stocking goes and the lady who helped me at PetSmart was super knowledgeable even helped me test my water, know what to look for as far as disease and i left with a few ballon mollys for my starter fish. I go to my mom and pop store for mostly everything now but PetSmart was somewhere I could go into knowing basically nothing and not feel embarrassed about asking novice questions

[@koreancardboard]

Had a tank with moillies, platys and swordtails and they had babies non-stop. Great tank to watch and the babies are adorable. Amazing colors too.

[@dragonwithamonocle]

Something really cool is that my local petsmart has baby bichirs. Just... hanging out. They're placed in a tank that's kinda low-down, and with plecos that ALSO require a huge tank, but it's just so crazy to me to see that kind of fish at a store like that. You'd think you'd need to go out of your way to find them, but... Nope! I do have to wonder how good they are in terms of breeding and health, but the people there are always quick to let anyone know who asks about them in passing that they need a TON of room. With the big chain pet stores, it really comes down to the staff. People who don't know what they're doing don't last long with knowledgeable staff, and people who do know correct care are way too frustrated to keep working in a store where nobody knows what they're talking about. So generally, you just have to find out if there's one near you where people know what's what, and in supporting that store, you are sending a message to the company that stores with good care make more money. I'd love to see big box stores, even one name/brand/whatever make a reputation for itself that isn't just "we sell animals here"

[@leehenderson3199]

I get it too. I work for one of those big box stores and I take great care of my fish and small animals. We always take our animals to the vet if they show signs of illness. If we don't feel the animal will go into a suitable environment, we deny adoption. I believe that every store is different and should be treated as such.

[@elenasullivan4522]

I work at Petsmart and I purposefully picked the sickest looking fish I could find (honestly the cups aren’t dirty or anything she was just on her side and seemed like she might have had a fin issue) after I got her home and swimming for two hours she was completely fine! Even if the employees are idiots at your pet store (the ones where I work know so much like they answer all my questions) you can still rescue cute fish :) Also, the color on her has started to come out now that shes in a large tank by herself (I’m getting her “friends” soon, tetras) but she was completely off white and blue has started to come in on the ends of her fins!

[@Digihubtcg]

i was wondering of you might be able to do a video about keeping feeder fish like goldfish and minnows as pets and tips for people that have them

[@briangregory8223]

The fish dept at Petco in Spartanburg, SC is EXCELLENT. The competition across town at Petsmart - not so much. I think the culture in the store itself matters more than the name on the sign.

[@HappyHazelDreams]

I’ve only ever had one really bad experience at a local big box store, and I reported them for dead and dying bettas. For the most part, I’ve always been pretty understanding about how they keep their fish, particularly their bettas. So long as they’re healthy and clean, which I check every time I go in, I’m content to let others enjoy them. Most of the time, Petco and PetSmart have even asked me about tank sizes and other important info. As often as I hover over the bettas, it’s good to know that if they’re asking me, then they’re likely asking almost everyone. I have 10 males (each in separate tanks of course) and over 20 females in a sorority, so I have a soft spot for them 😅 Honestly, some LFS aren’t any better than these big boxes, it all depends on the staff and how much they care. All in all, I love Petco/PetSmart, it’s where most people get into the hobby and so long as the staff are good, then there shouldn’t be this huge stigma on them.

[@squigglesalamode3276]

I have to admit, my local Petco and PetSmart have gorgeous bettas. I have 4 from there currently, including a pink half moon who is absolutely gorgeous. I haven’t seen anything like him in online bidding places either. But it really does depend upon the store, mine have super competent employees who care for their fish and it shows.

[@gammelfleischparty9066]

I remember my very first pair of bristlenose plecos. . They breed often and when i had the first babys when i was like 10 years old, i was so exited and these babys still live in my tank and have babys on their own now. Its been 13 years since then..

[@coolgal13]

My local petco does water changes for betta cups every other day of the week like I believe Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday I could be wrong on those days but I know they do it almost every day and the bettas look great but you know sometimes they do die if i had to guess stress from shipping. But they are great fish to own all have their own personalities 🥰 I have a few myself all in 5 gallons

[@KungFuCooter]

The 29 gallon planted tank in my bedroom has golden white clouds and albino corys in it that I bought from Petco and plants from Petsmart. I love this aquarium so much.

[@dylantan4245]

In my country, no big box stores sell fish so we rely on the mom and pop stores mainly (if there's time and the means to, we go to the farms.). This means we have the whole spectrum of fish stores, baldy kept fish type stores to specialist stores that are famous for a certain type of fish.

[@brittainyellis6670]

I actually just got a spotted goldfish at petsmart yesterday. As well as all the fish at the pet smart had looked amazingly healthy and I would definitely gr another fish from there again.

[@tylervanmarter7303]

The PetSmart I usually use put their Bettas in a larger tank. The employees seem caring and mostly knowledgeable about the fish. Good video!

[@tylervanmarter7303]

ItchyPilauBoto808 yeah I noticed that but the video says PetSmart too. I haven’t been to an area Petco in years so I’m not sure how they are

[@plcc07777]

I've been in the aquarium hobby for years and I have absolute confidence in purchasing fish from my local Petsmart here in Bradenton, FL. I am experienced enough to see the warning signs and I avoid any tanks or fish that appear to be compromised.

[@i1403s]

what are the warning signs?

[@BiggRipz]

Pretty sure their tanks all run off the same system, so would every tank have the same issues?

[@mkat8505]

Bought Corydoras: 1 from Petco (2016), 2 from local store (2020). Both from local store were dead in a year. Petco's is 6 years old now, and I was not an informed fish keeper those first few years Before anyone mentioned how Cory's shouldn't be alone, I'm working on it. Just finished stabilizing a new tank to move my Cory too. Then I'll use his old tank as a quarantine for more Corys so he isn't alone.

[@aquariumtreasures1054]

Love your suggestions for beginners. I still like these fish as an intermediate fish keeper. 😊👍

[@jennsklenerczt6524]

So do I. I can’t have a 100+ gallon tank. I have a 55 with a lot of little fish from this list. Just no goldfish for me.😂

[@zeroaquatics6531]

I bought a bunch of the Blind Cavefish from Petco Friday morning. Super cool and dirt cheap. I was excited to find them.

[@Trains-With-Shane]

Petco and Petsmart are my first stops due to their variety and proximity to my home. And over the years it has always been a good experience shopping there. A fish that I always go over and look at no matter what I am in there purchasing, usually dog stuff, is Oscars.

[@chasememez2329]

Hey John I just got 5 danios! They are HAPPY! Thanks for the info on your danio video!!

[@skipsnapdoesfish8457]

As someone who works at a PetSmart, Both our lfs and PetSmart get fish from the same place. I picked up a school of 4 galaxy danios for 8 bucks and they are still doing great for about a year, and I even started breeding them. So for those of you who think PetSmart fish are bad, it’s based on the employee and stores husbandry, not the fish.

[@tanfamily4760]

I bought African Cichlids and Peacocks at both Petsmart and Petco. I was able to buy a Juvenile Silver Arowana, Angelfish and Discus in a Petco (magnet stores usually get more exotic fish).

[@lindaoconnor4293]

That calico goldfish with the black moustache and orange eyes was precious. I'll admit when I was a kid just starting at fish keeping, I started with goldfish, and yeah I was that dumb naive kid that didn't think I needed to feed my plecos and that oh they'll just eat the left over food the fish didn't eat, and algae off the tank and be fine.... I learned, and my rubber lip babies have wafers lol. As for the whole PetSmart / Petco thing, I've found a couple people at each I like and seem knowledgeable,(the dog trainer at the PetSmart near my folks were in love with my Beagle Shepherd when she was a puppy) but the fish quality, I found better at Petco. Recently I set up a shark tank (Bala minnows) and got the fish at PetSmart, well, needless to say one had a neurological issue and was twitching day one. Another issue later was one got pregnant (yay baby eggs) was setting up a 10 as a fry tank, and all ready to go.... Needless to say, she laid them in the night while I slept, and killed the pleco for eating them 🤦 . So my daughter now has the remaining ones in a different tank. I then went back to "my babies" as I affectionately call them, and got a pair of Oscars from my local Petco. Got my first at 14, and never looked back. Only other fish I love as much as these guys are Bettas. Needless to say they are in much better shape, and much more active 🥰

[@noelbrucker135]

It all depends on the store and the employees, for sure. I’ve had rare outbreaks from my lovely LFS, and some fish that did beautifully. I have numerous big box stores around, so I know which ones have the best of certain types of fish. One PetSmart near me somehow gets their hands on the biggest, most beautiful Bolivian Rams I’ve ever seen so I always go there. Best bettas from one of my PetCos. Best corys and angels from my LFS etc.

[@ColorGuardEqualsLife]

this is one of my favorite videos... i love this channel- its so educational

[@N0L0B]

In my case where I live I can ONLY go to PetCo or PetSmart, my nearest mom and pop store is over an hour away. The "aquatic specialist" at my local PetCo has 20 years experience in the hobby after he took over there the aquariums look amazing and the fish are always healthy.

[@wnemethvargo284]

I just wish they had more Killifish options and wild type bettas like the imbellis.

[@gaildabroski6734]

How often do ypu feed ypurtropical fish

[@erikm8372]

I def don’t hate them for selling everything we need at a moment’s notice, at reasonable prices (usually, and provided it’s in-stock). I do, however, think it’s wise (with any big box store) to visit as MANY locations as possible within the area, within reason. Sometimes that’s not a possibility. But it’s true that certain locations, within the same company, are drastically better, and more highly-rated and stock better inventory than others. This is important too, with things like fish, bc some places are clueless (with their staffing), but some employ geniuses whose knowledge & experience exceeds their employer’s, lol. Some locations have hardly any fish, and still others have many fish coming in all the time, & that can complicate gauging the fishes’ general health levels. Unless you know which day the delivery arrives, and you check it out, then wait a week or so to come back and see who’s still living, lol.

[@dwayneparsons543]

I went into the local Petco the other day to pickup another tank that was on sale. While I was there I took a look at their fish and was horrified at what I saw. The only tank that didn't have dead fish was one that had a sign on it say that this fish were under observation while that tanks on either side of it was full of dead fish. I mean the whole tank was dead on both sides. When I spoke to an employee letting them know I was told that their fish expert was scheduled off because of restrictions on number of employees that could be on shift at a time. Which I guess meant no one else was going to scoop out the causalities in the tanks. So I will pass on Petco for anything other than for the tanks themselves. At least here PetSmart staffs the fish department with people who kind of know what they are doing and even ask questions to find out what size tank you are going to put your fish in.

[@amandawitherspoon3988]

I normally get everything I need from our local pet store. There have been several times that I had to buy fish from PetSmart. They were half dead and really sick. I had to save them. I have had them to give me almost dead fish for free. So far I have been able to heal them. I have 33 fish right now and they were all rescues.

[@kitkatyas]

I got guppies at petsmart and petco and i have great experience from them! My local petco takes amazing care of them! The only con is that sometimes they mix young males with females and my female guppies ending up having fry before the males can breed.

[@kevinkotze5214]

Always great to watch your vids. Fan from South Africa 🤘

[@createinme5110]

It's so relaxing watching beautiful fish🐠🐟🐠🐟🐠❤💕💛

[@simplyroderick6075]

Thank you for show casing awesome fish for begineers like me , I will share what fish I've got . Again thank you Your channel is awesome

[@jaredmiller5928]

They may buy from the same sources, but I think its the conditions kept in the stores that's issue. I very often see fish in the tanks at Petco or Petsmart swimming around fully covered in ich and others floating around half dead. If i see fish like that at an lfs, the fish are at least no longer for sale. I know it can vary widely depending on store, but just a general trend I noticed

[@sandravaldez995]

Was just at my local Petco 2 days ago. They really cleaned up their act. Clean tanks, happy fish. Good fish tech. Actually asked to help me. This store has beautiful bettas.

[@embracethequantum4956]

Yeah I’m 99 percent sure the company as a whole switched suppliers and I loveee they new bettas we get in

[@sandravaldez995]

Embrace the Quantum this Petco in Orange Calif has the prettiest bettas I’ve seen anywhere. Love to get one but I already have a 50 gal & 30 gal w/ Angels & tetras. Don’t want tanks everywhere.

[@man-yp1gb]

Male betas (fish)are gorgeous . I had a blue one that was eye candy decor in my living room, everybody that came to my place agreed later.

[@normag016]

The Petco near me has a very nice aquarium section. Although they sold me a Common Pleco and my tank isn't very big.

[@zennyfieldster4220]

I got myself 6 peppered Cory catfish for $30 at pet smart a year ago and haven’t been there since because of the virus. 1 year later and I have 10+ Cory catfish fry running around my tank now and it’s awesome. It’s also cool seeing the 5 males gang up on the 1 bigger female who can totally handle them all.

[@matthew2000tx]

I totally agree with #1 White Clouds are great for a year now after getting back into to hobby after about 10 years of not doing it. I have 6 White Clouds in a 10 gallon with a two cherry shrimp a zebra striped narite snail and a black Narite. It is a fun tank and Now I want to get a 20 Long for them.

[@samiable3705]

Ha. Love the comments on the bettas. I call mine my "water puppies". So much personality!

[@empressireneabitfishcrazy]

My bata is adorable... his name is Salty. Everytime I walk in, he swims up for he top of his tank. And I swear he is smiling, also. He does cute little things, like swimming under his log and peeking out the other side before turning and swimming to the under end. Adorable

[@paige2563]

I was quite suprised I had went to my local petsmart and I was looking at snails, there was this one worker that had helped me out and it was actually really cool to see how much they knew about live plants etc. Ps; sorry for late comment.

[@kay8163]

8:40 it is cute as heck and unique IMO

[@JimE-ch7uw]

Fantastic quality production. Good luck with the site.

[@heathernguyen6674]

Thank you again for all the helpful tips! We are new to fish keeping, and I’ve seen a lot about quarantining your fish. Do you recommend that as well? Or just treating them in the tank? Thanks!

[@apotato999]

It really depends. I’ve been to petcos where the fish and tanks were all doing great, and I’ve been to petcos where almost every tank is dirty/has dead or dying fish. I haven’t been to many pet smarts but the ones I have been to looked fine.

[@vaporean_boylove.0w083]

Kinda depends on location and also who they employ at those stores

[@gingertom56]

I have been buying feeder fush fir my outside ponds for mosquitoes control. And they have some of the best colours i have seen.

[@angiericouard792]

My local mom and pop garden center has their betas in community tanks still. Thankfully!

[@mistygal7704]

Love my betta and he was in a cup at Petco and he is pretty goo buy he did eat eat my little nerite snail.But I kinda blame myself cause I put my snails in after about 2weeks after my betta and I guess my betta thinks he’s king of the tank. I have learned my lesson.

[@rconn4501]

I've had Bettas for years and NEVER had one eat a small... not even the tiny "pest" snails. Like humans tho, animals have unique personalities. Still strange...

[@mistygal7704]

R Conn because I didn’t put in the Betta I and The snails at the same time he had gotten territorial anyway that’s what I was told by someone else so to me that made sense.

[@gabrielwatson7537]

Despite the betta cups still being a thing, I appreciate how Petco will still put betta inside their community tanks wherever possible.

[@holybird692]

Mine just keeps them in cups (except that horrific bloodbath attempt at a sorority) but besides that they have nice tanks

[@PLT123]

Also at Petco/Smart they have everything labeled, how big they get, recommended tank size, diet, and agression level. My local fish shop has alot of cool and more rare/exotic selection but nothing labeled, no information and half the time no price. Speaking of price my local shop is really pricey lol

[@TheInkyAbys]

Oh that's so cool! I've never seen an all white betta fish before. Actully I haven't seen a lot of those color schemes that are in your betta fish.

[@michaelwall1721]

Where I’m from petco’s do really well with fish they even have saltwater sections.

[@beanieboocrew7658]

I have a five gallon tank and I just starting fish keeping about a year and a half ago! I have an African Dwarf Frog, two bottom skimmers (catfish things) and a sunburst platty and a black molly! I have a channel and only have one video but you are super helpful! Also, my friend has a channel which is, Auggies Aquarium

[@beanieboocrew7658]

Also, they are all from PetSmart

[@beanieboocrew7658]

The ones I said were catfish I watched more of the video and are actually Cory’s

[@beanieboocrew7658]

I have 2 Cory’s and one is albino and the other one is a pepper one

[@shawnscallan941]

one of the petsmarts near me actually keeps their bettas in the real tanks with filters and not in cups :). some of the big box stores do better than others

[@abigail001tovey5]

Hey what do u think about mixing guppies,platties, neon tetras, and harlequins in a 55 gal? Would it eventually get too overcrowded I'm really scared of overcrowding my tank since the guppies and platties r live bearers

[@razzmatazzirishwrist]

Saw a beautiful koi betta at petco the other day when I was picking up water conditioner.. unfortunately, I don’t have the space for him. I was surprised to see such beautiful this though!

[@jeffalbillar7625]

I bought a Midnight Male Betta and a Galaxie Koi male Betta from Petco. They are {were} absolutely beautiful. The Koi male found it's way out of the aquarium.

[@monsterfishgal]

Great Video Love The Ten Things Videos Very informative

[@love4yeojin838]

thanks for this list! i only have access to petsmart and petco: there are no local fish stores in my area

[@BackyardObservatory]

The Bettas in the Petsmart near me are in a pretty sad state. I'd say about 30-40% look healthy, with the rest in various stages of obvious illness. Also not uncommon to find multiple dead ones, and dirty water in the cups. Meanwhile, the local mom & pop store Bettas are healthy, active, and the glass cups are clean and filled with pristine water.

[@chriszuke6012]

Thanks for the input

[@jacksonwittwer8842]

For real I've worked many pet stores and now run a petco. We sell discus, obscure tetras and oddball fish that are hard to find and put a lot of bettas in our main systems. Like you said, we're all using the same vendors 🤣

[@socomarylandaqua2549]

I am blessed to have a great local store in Dover Delaware called Super cichlids, but I have bought fish from both and have had luck as long as I treat them with meds.

[@sharonpaterson1281]

I adore my corys ♥️ I lost an old one the other day and I was in bits absolutely heartbroken 💔

[@francotapia8728]

I’m sorry 😞

[@mikef3300]

My King Betta came from Petco. He is a plakat which isn’t as flashy as the other types of betta but are my favorite. His Betta bowl is a heavily planted 20 gallon long. Looking into getting him a couple of tank mates if I can find a species that would be safe for both

[@xaviergarcia8774]

I know white clouds thrive in cooler waters, but would I be able to put them in a tank with some otocinclus at around 75°F? From my previous research, 75°F sounded like a good idea.

[@alexkarasoulos]

Yesterday I saw archer fish at my local petco.

[@christophercasanas386]

Yep, sometimes they get random fish in. It's kinda cool.

[@joey111941]

I love it when pet stores get random or strange varieties of fish.

[@charlescalthrop2535]

I got my barramundi from Petbarn (I guess an Australian version of Petco).

[@allenes6111]

I got my Galaxy Koi betta from local PetCo,and also I have other 9 betta from PetCo or PetSmart,some are come from healthy, and I rescued some from the pet stores, they are all doing good, I don’t really mind they are male or female, I just love betta fish! ❤️they are my babies, oh, I be a grandma right now😄

[@jessicashelswell44]

im in Australia and ive never seen a betta in a cup, we only have the systems like the ones at aquarium co-op here even at chain pet stores.

[@hailyxia2477]

I have 2 comets from the feeder fish tanks. They are so interactive and make great pets too. Feeder goldies need love too 🤣

[@forlornhauntedghost]

I just bought 2 feeder Goldies the other day and they are super cute :) I love goldfish

[@silverbuyer]

I have 3 Petco's and 3 PetSmart's within 20 minutes. The aquatic department manager at the nearest Petco is a fish nerd and orders in lots of great fish and plants you won't see at other Petco's or Petsmart stores around here and some of the prices can't be beat. I've been to them all and the nearest Petco has had Discus, juvenile flowerhorns ($12.99), Mature flowerhorns ($39.99), Pygmy Corydoras ($1.49), Chili rasboras ($4.99, CPD/Galaxy rasboras ($5.99), figure 8 puffers, pea puffers, Orange von Rio tetras ($1.99), Golden dwarf barbs ($3.49), Scarlet Badis ($5.99), rams, bichirs, and so much more. She's always asking what I'd like to to see and has offered to special order. When I say she's a fish nerd I mean she knows ALL of the scientific names of the fish and plants!!! The other 2 Petco's and petsmarts just have your staples and 5% of the live plants available as my nearest Petco. Petsmarts seem to pretty much just carry the starter fish/staples but seem to have a good selection of cichlids most the time and if you're a fan of dwarf gouramis like me petsmart has them $4.49-$4.99 & Petco and the LFS they're $7.99+. I've also seen petsmart have African leaf fish and Bichir.