Once again concerning fish bowls…First draft?
This is a copy of the first page of my letter to Petsmart.
My reason for writing is this: Why does Petsmart continue to sell fish bowls when it is recognized by many aquarists that they are not suitable habitats for fish?
For the sake of this argument I’ll use betta fish as my first example:
According to Petsmart’s betta fish care guide the minimum tank size is one quart/one liter, while the vast majority of aquarists view the bare minimum as 2.5 gallons. There are multiple problems associated with keeping betta fish in small bowls.
•While the care guide does rightly state that betta fish require an aquarium heater, the smallest heater sold by Petsmart is for 3-5 gallons (The Hydor mini heater). So the temperature of a bowl cannot properly be maintained to suit the betta’s tropical needs of 76F-82F. Customers will often complain about the inactivity of their bettas, and it is easily explained by the simple lack of heat.
•Although bettas are labyrinth fish and are able to breathe air from the surface, they should still have filtration. Again, this is mentioned in the care guide, but bowls cannot be outfitted with a filter. These contradictions should be fixed, by adjusting the minimum tank size to at least 2.5 gallons.
•Lastly I’ll mention the moral issues with housing fish in bowls. Yes, a betta can survive in a bowl, but they will not thrive, and that is what Petsmart should strive towards. Betta fish will live longer lives in filtered, heated tanks. If that is how they live best, than that is how they should be kept.
By removing bowls, and amending the minimum tank size in the betta care guide, wouldn’t Petsmart make money? The total cost of a betta, bowl, marbles, betta pellets, and water conditioner is under . If associates told people to buy proper homes such as the Eclipse System 3 which is 47.99, customers would still need to buy an aquarium heater which would cost about 13.99. That makes the total just above .
As a pet care specialist I take my job seriously, and that job is to help pet parents find the perfect home for their new pets. In a perfect world people would research all this information on their own and come into the store knowing exactly they need, but that is rarely the case. People depend on the pet care specialists to give them correct information.
Any constructive criticism is welcome. I’m sure I’ve left something out, or made a few mistakes. The next page will deal with goldfish.
Rin- While it is true that Petsmart needs to make money like any other business, they also focus a lot on customer service. My store has frequent meetings where we are lectured on taking care of our customers. All stores within an area compete, and believe me, you do not want to be the lowest in the district.
Sweet Luv- I don’t have a lot of room, or money, but all my pets get what they deserve. I’m a firm believer that if you don’t have the room or the money, than you need to wait to buy pets and that is what I tell my customers.
Serena- I have dealt with those types of customers before- The old men that boast about their 8 year old goldfish back in the day. I politely smile and tell them that my goldfish are 13 years old, and have many years ahead of them.
Taylor- Thank you very much. I can’t tell you how on the verge of quiting I was. I am so tired of people not caring about their pets. This hobby is fun but it takes a little work, just like any other pet.
Blowhole- I know Petsmart is far from perfect.
I always politely thank a customer who points out a dead fish, and I do wait until they leave to remove it.
If you were not satisfied, next time please ask to speak with the pet care manager.
Fish Man- Thank you. I knew I was forgetting something. I’m starting with Petsmart because I work there, and can’t stand it anymore. So, no Petsmarts, Petcos, or fire bellied toads?
AliDawn- I am well aware that I may be fired. I have another job lined up.
Blowhole- Please do send that letter. There are a few people I work with who certainly should never have been hired. But pet care associates are supposed to be standing at the podium while customers are looking at fish. Also please do not dicriminate against teens, I’ll be one for another few months.
JohnKinley- I shop for my three dogs, two cats, 1 parrot, 1 tree frog, 1 leopard gecko, fish tanks, and pond. The quality of the products is worth the price. I’ve been working at Petsmart for nearly two years. Who says we "have to take the good with the bad and deal with it as best we can until we can come up with something better"?
"You must be the change you wish to see in the world" ~Gandhi
Tagged with: aquarists • aquarium heater • bare minimum • betta care guide • betta fish care • bettas • care specialist • contradictions • eclipse system • fish bowls • inactivity • labyrinth fish • marbles • moral issues • pellets • pet care • petsmart • suitable habitats • tank size • water conditioner
Filed under: House Water Systems
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I think you should also mention to Petsmart on how to deal with people who disagree with this matter–many (elderly or mid-aged) people insist that goldfish/betas were kept in bowls when they were children and said that they lived "full and long lives"
I’ve seen many customers of Petsmart that will simply reject the reasoning of a sensible and knowledgeable helper (whether they work at Petsmart or not) and will leave if their own logic is not agreed to.
In my opinion, I think Petsmart view this as a "loss of a customer" — there may be a 14 day back guarantee with Petsmart, but these betas may usually strive for around a month until they succumb to the cold and small space (to them, this is a profit increase. To the customer, they may think that it was sick in the first place and they were just unlucky enough to choose it).
I think that it would be a great subject to point out to them–that these pets should not be treated as profit–if the customer’s fish can live longer, won’t the customer see your shop as trustworthy and come again?
I also think that because all they ever pay attention to is the profits they make, it would benefit to write about the profits they would gain if they could get a little more education regarding aquatic pets before selling them. By using what they care most about as an argument and showing them the pro’s of doing what we ask, I think that there will be a higher chance that Petsmart will stop selling these bowls.
The aim of petsmart/petco is to make money. If fish die sooner, people will buy more fish. More fish bought equals more money for them.
You should add in there the morals that a fish’s life isn’t any less important than any other creature just because it’s small. (You should read Peter Singer’s "All Animals are Equal" essay. It’s very informative and convincing.)
Add that misleading the public simply because they want to make profit is disceiving and unethical. =]
That’s what I have to say for now. Good luck!
I definitely agree with all the points you stated but I don’t know if this is helpful but I can definitely see some counterarguments coming your way (does NOT mean I don’t agree). For example:
- Bowls are cheaper, many people can’t afford or don’t want to spend $20-$60 for a tank, plus everything else for it, especially in the economic crisis of right now
- It’s easier to sell bowls than tanks. Most beginners who want a betta will just grab a bowl and some simple things for it rather than pick out a bulky tank and all the other stuff. I know I even did that the first time.
- If many people buy cheap bowls, and the pet store earns a few bucks per bowl, then it contributes to their profit
- Some people just don’t have the room (i.e. in small rooms, dorms) so they can only get bowls. One more bowl sold = more money.
- Many people do not want to deal with water testing, cycling…etc. and think that getting a bowl and changing the water 100% a few times a week is easier and requires less time, so that may be why bowls are popular.
***You can make an argument that one a tank is properly set-up, it’s actually less work
- It’s much easier for the employee to give the customers a bowl, some food and some water conditioner then to recommend a tank and having to answer the customer’s likely questions on filters, heaters, water testing, cycling…etc.
- Many people claim (even some breeders) that their betta’s live to or over the expected lifespan of about 3 years while living in a bowl.
But great job overall! Keep it up and I support you in your letters!
Second to last paragraph, second sentence:
In a perfect world people would research all this information on their own and come into the store knowing exactly WHAT they need, but this is rarely the case. (the word THAT in all caps needs to be added)
Great job! You really are my hero, and a hero to fish everywhere! And by the way, all you people answering, she knows pet stores are after the money! Why else do you think she would be writing a letter to them?
I was at PetSmart the other day, and there was a dead fish in one of the tetra tanks. I told the guy working there who was just standing there motionless, and he was just like "ah alright, thanks" and then the guy didn’t do anything.
A week or so before this, I was at PetSmart and I saw ich on the goldfish.
The fact PetSmart has their suggested bowl too small is just one of a loooooong list of problems they have regarding fish care.
You might want to mention this. PetSmart doesn’t make money when dead fish are floating in the tanks and turning off customers, and the employees don’t do anything, nor does an ich outbreak help sales either.
@Elizabeth: Except the guy was just standing there not doing anything, as in, not working. I’ve seen that quite a few times at both PetSmart and Petco. It seems they don’t really have standards for hiring people, so perhaps I will write a letter asking them to improve the quality of the people they hire. It’s mostly just teens who don’t seem to care much about anything at all.
Thats a great letter
I also think you should mention that the labyrinth is not their primary source of oxygen and they also have gills. Another reason why you need a filter.
also they should fix up their betta housing and put them in cummunity tanks when possible
I would love to see the finished letter
BTW i have never acctually seen a pet smart/co
It is an ugly scene i totally agree….
I think these companies are trying to predict and mold the buying parameters of a totally ignorant customer.
making them feel good about a buying decision they know absolutely nothing about.
make it look simple…….bowl-food-fish…nothing complex or intricate.
a bowl is perceived as less work than a "tank"
nothing complex could possible happen in something as mundane as a bowl filled with water. But a tank…look out…
Kid wants a fish..parents go…ah crap….
parents know fish will most likely die (or have it in there head its a big possibility as they know nothing about fish) so how much money will i part with to appease my kid and not get the feeling of a bad money decision.
there trying to sell simplicity…..at the cost of a fish that can’t defend itself.
The best thing you can do is spread rumours to the ignorant of people getting sick and kids dieing because of there pet bettas tiny bowls get contaminated..lol
if it costs petsmart any money to repair the reputation of bettas they would drop this fish in a second.
A guy can dream…
Bettas have been falsely and cruelly marketed as entry level fish and even the more reputable pet stores exercise this cruelity aswell and why?
they will say "suckers shop here too"
good luck with your letter
It’s nice that you’re trying to improve the lives of the animals, but I doubt they will do anything about it. I worked at a pet store for almost five years (will not mention which one) and thought I could change the level of care the animals were receiving, and thereby improve the level of customer service and education. Well, I was told flat out that animal care is not a top priority, customer service is, and getting the customers to buy products (which they will do more of if they are spending less, as in fish bowls), also getting those customers to come back (whether it’s because their fish died, or whatever). My manager even told me that to an extent, pet stores operated unethically. Pet stores are wholly unethical places, and I’m sure there are some privately-owned ones out there who are not and who always do what’s best for the animals, but you’re definitely not going to find that level of ethics in a pet store chain. That being said, it never hurts to voice an opinion, but I would be careful, as this type of thing could cost you your job. Yes, that was also a threat I received at the pet store I worked at. I was told that my voice doesn’t count,my opinion doesn’t matter, and in fact could get me fired. The only thing I did, and the only thing you can do really, is to make sure that YOU are giving the customers the information they really need to know, and hope that they will make the right decision. If you do send this letter, I would send it to the corporate level, and keep it anonymous.
I am in no way trying to discourage you from doing what you feel is right, I just want you to be aware of how pet store chains operate and be very careful so that you don’t lose your job over it. I eventually was fired from that pet store, all because I couldn’t go along with all the unethical ways in which they were running the place (as it was growing steadily worse all the time).
TO BAD WE DO NOT LIVE IN A " PERFECT WORLD " WHERE EVERYTHING WOULD ALWAYS BE AS IT SHOULD. AS FOR FISH ( AND ANY PET ) THERE WILL ALWAYS BE THE " RULE OF THUMB " AND THE EXECPTION TO THE RULE. I PERSONALLY DO NOT BELIEVE THAT ANY FISH ( OF ANY TYPE ) SHOULD BE KEPT IN A SMALL BOWL YET FOR PEOPLE WHO " GO THE EXTRA MILE " AS FAR AS EDUCATING THEMSELVES AND MAINTENANCE IT SEEMS TO WORK, AND FOR THOSE WHO DON’T DO THE RESEARCH AND KNOW WHAT THEIR GETTING INTO IT DOESN’T. THE ONLY PLACE ANYWHERE WITHIN 60 MILES OF ME ( BESIDES A WALMART..PPPFFFT ) IS A PETSMART, WHICH I SHOP AT FOR FOOD FOR MY FISH, HERMIT CRABS, AND THREE TYPES OF FROGS ABOUT TWICE A WEEK SEEMS TO BE VERY WELL STOCKED WITH THE ITEMS I NEED, AND THE EMPLOYEE’S SEEM TO BE FAIRLY WELL EDUCATED IN THE AREAS THAT THEY WORK.THE ONLY PROBLEM I HAVE EVER HAD WITH THE PETSMART I SHOP AT IS THE PRICE, BUT QUITE OFTEN THAT LITTLE BIT IS OFFSET BY THE COST OF SHIPPING FROM OTHER OUTLETS. I GUESS WE ALL HAVE TO JUST TAKE THE GOOD WITH THE BAD AND DEAL WITH IT AS BEST WE CAN UNTILL WE CAN COME UP WITH SOMETHING BETTER
That is beautiful =]
I never had the courage to tell them. But once i did tell a worker. They agreed with me but the Manager is CRAP. Just your like a fish leader to me. Good Luck with the strike!