# Walmart rant/rescue



## Kelly0727 (Jan 8, 2012)

Ok so first the rant. Two weeks ago I just rescued two crown tails because of the water conditions they were in.. I complained to the manager and all. Now I go back tonight to find yet ANOTHER betta in even worse conditions... You couldn't even see the poor guy!

Of course I was saving this space for a little girl.. but I couldn't leave him there. The manager is just lucky I couldn't find him like last time.. 

Heres what he was in: (the dark spot on the right is him!)









Here he is after getting him in some clean water:









I dont know if you are able to tell by the photo but he does have a bit of fin rot, he has been starved, not to mention the ammonia poisoning... Going to see if I can get him to eat a blood worm in a couple hours after he calms down a bit. The family loves him though and have ended up calling him pewe because he is so tiny (not to mention skinny!) 

He has a fighter spirit though! He's going to be beautiful once he feels better


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## megaredize (May 21, 2012)

omg im surprised he survived that and i thought my last betta's cup was dirty, this has to be the worse ive seen so far. you must have got him just in time.


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## Kelly0727 (Jan 8, 2012)

It was horrible, you could smell the water from a mile away! And I know at least one employee saw them because they had fresh flake food in there.

Because his fins are clamped down he is having a little trouble swimming. He actually looks like hes twitching when he tries to swim. But I know he will get better in time.


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## jenniijennii309 (Jul 30, 2012)

Congratz on the rescue i hope he pulls thru i rescued mine too n i have had him 2 months n he is fisty and healthy 






Kelly0727 said:


> Ok so first the rant. Two weeks ago I just rescued two crown tails because of the water conditions they were in.. I complained to the manager and all. Now I go back tonight to find yet ANOTHER betta in even worse conditions... You couldn't even see the poor guy!
> 
> Of course I was saving this space for a little girl.. but I couldn't leave him there. The manager is just lucky I couldn't find him like last time..
> 
> ...


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## Kelly0727 (Jan 8, 2012)

jenniijennii309 said:


> Congratz on the rescue i hope he pulls thru i rescued mine too n i have had him 2 months n he is fisty and healthy


Thanks I hope he does too. I dont start college classes until the 27th so hes going to have my attention 100% and apparently my cats attention too. They seem to like each other.. LOL


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## cataze (Nov 29, 2011)

I have never seen water like that in my life. I'm absolutely appalled! How can the employees not know that water needs to be changed???? Ridiculous and irresponsible!

Sending healthy fishy vibes your way!!! Good on you for help him escape!


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## Shadyr (Mar 27, 2012)

Just...wow. I thought Redfish was in a nasty cup when we brought him home, but that takes the prize. I hope he recovers, poor stress stripey fellow. He looks like he'll be pretty once he perks up.


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## lelei (Apr 30, 2012)

RRRG theese Walmarts, and Petco's and all these places that just let the fish rot away in those cups is such horrible abuse, I am soo glad you got him out of that disgusting water, I would write to Walmart Corp HQ and attach the pic of that cup and the fish, before and after, and do your rant on them, ( in a semi-cool headed manner) but at the same time let them have it..I hope your lil Pewe gets better soon, Best wishes, and Keep us posted with his progress


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## Coppermoon (May 8, 2012)

Do you guys ever call Corporate? I did, got my local wally in trouble. They have vastly improved the quality of the care. I even got the NEW manager into the fish department and showed him the "sharks"/catfish had ICK and they treated the tanks. 2 weeks later I complained to him again and he said they had treated and those had JUST arrived. They now have someone checking the fish BEFORE they are put into the tanks and reject any with ICK. I also saw the "now" person in charge of the Betta cleaning the containers.


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## buddhauser (Aug 6, 2012)

That is sad! Im starting to hate walmart even though they do have deals. I went last night to walmart and I found 4 dead bettas. It looked like no one feed them or changed their water in weeks. I was devasted when I saw this and pulled them out so people could see how they dont take care of their animals and hopefully bring attention to this matter. So sad... this little one is lucky you saved him or else he wouldve ended up like the ones I saw. Good luck with him, keep us updated!


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## Jessicatm137 (Mar 22, 2012)

The poor thing! I just don't get why some people just leave the poor Bettas to die. I hope he recovers!


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## Kelly0727 (Jan 8, 2012)

He is doing much better! Swimming normally now thankfully and is eating. No more stress stripes either yay! His coloring is starting to come in, boy is he dark! If he isn't directly under good lighting you'd think he was black! 

Fins are still a bit clamped but that of course is going to take time. I do plan on sending a letter or e-mail about this after he fully recovers so they can actually SEE what a healthy betta looks like. Thankfully this Walmart only has bettas so I don't have to worry about nagging them about other fish as well.. I will try to get a photo of him soon.


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## Koda (Jul 31, 2012)

Oh my! That's just awful! I can't go through the pet section of my walmart anymore. I feel so bad for all those betta and want to take them all home, but I just don't have the room or funds to save them all  Instead I go home and spoil my betta boys extra hard in hopes that it'll somehow make up for the neglect the others get.

I feel the same about my dogs too. I work at a vet/kennel and have seen my share of mistreatment on them too. Once I get home I have to give all my pups a big hug, at least my 4 are in good hands.

Glad your new boy seems to be getting better!


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## CandiceMM (Jul 15, 2012)

Good for you!!!! I have so much respect for people that rescue any animal in need. Im sure your little guy is so happy right now, you are doing a wonderful thing for him and you should feel proud of yourself.


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## Kelly0727 (Jan 8, 2012)

Thanks Candice, you should be proud of your self too! I was following heart breakers thread and wow! He really has made a big recovery. 

Pewe is going to be moved to a bigger tank now that he can swim better. I'm going to try and get pictures when I put him in the new tank since it has some better lighting than what hes in right now.


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## Friendlyfishies (Aug 16, 2012)

I recently went to my local walmart, I havent looked at the fish there in yrs as even when I was little I didnt like how they were kept. I recently got a betta from petco and guppies and they are all in good health. I went to walmart to look at some tanks, see if they had a cheaper deal and I see 3 betta cups, they had barely any water in them and werent the cleanest...the fish were incredibly skinny and had poor finnage. One cup is on the 2nd shelf from the bottom, unless I were a 3 yr old i never wouldve seen it...oh plus it was by the shavings...the 2nd cup was up one level and again not anywhere near the fish department...the 3rd cup was on the top shelf, you could see him and he was by the filters...is it possible that ppl moved these cups around when they were checking out bettas? Ya I suppose so but I couldnt help but think to myself...what if the employees didnt see them moved...would they have ever found them or would they have just sat on those shelves for a long time without food and care? I put them on the top shelf where ppl could see them. I dunno, it was just weird and dissapointing...I personally have no intention of ever going back into that department...made me too sad. I hope they find good homes! and thank you for saving that one!


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## Kelly0727 (Jan 8, 2012)

Most likely someone did move them, but regardless there was suppose to be employees restocking the shelves so one of the employees should have seen them. Even if they were just then moved.. the water situation has no excuse. Walmart just shouldn't be selling bettas.. 

You did a good thing putting them on a shelf where someone would see them though instead of leaving them where they were. Hopefully a customer or maybe.. just maybe an employee that just happens to care about fish will be there and do something to help them. Sometimes I wonder.. maybe it isn't the employees fault.. maybe walmart does not supply the employees with the things they need to change the water.. like water conditioner? Yes they sell it.. but they might say they cant use it because it would be money out of their pocket! 

Just a thought since I've seen it at other places before. Thankfully the Petsmart and Petco near me takes very good care of their bettas. Some do seem in bad shape sometimes but that is because that is how they are arrived to them but they are treated for their fins and get clean water. Petsmart I actually have friends at from when I worked near there I would go every other day. It makes me thankful knowing they take care of the bettas.. because I hear all the time how they are worse in different states. 

Also sorry I havent posted an updated photo.. this morning we had to put my dog down  Old age has gotten to him sadly.. 14 long happy years. So it was a sad morning.


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## rosy delta (Jul 17, 2012)

I guess we are lucky out my way. the petco, and LFS take care of the fish. You sometimes see poop in the bottom but never cloudy water. Walmarts dont bother to hire people who care about animals, just assign someone that department. they should not be allowed to sell live animals!


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## Kelly0727 (Jan 8, 2012)

They really shouldn't. I guess we should be great-full they don't sell other animals as well.. but then at the same time if they did and neglected them too, I wonder if enough people would actually speak up about this! Dose neglected fish not count as animal abuse? :/


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## Kelly0727 (Jan 8, 2012)

Just an update on Pewe now that I finally got him into his new home. This is right after I put him in so he will have stress stripes.. but he has his color back!! You are really able to tell if you compare him to the picture of when he was first brought home.


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## Coppermoon (May 8, 2012)

I have gone as far as cleaning the cups myself and putting water from the tanks in them. Of course that is not much better because THAT water is not ever changed. My wally now has live plants in every tank, gravel in the bottom to help with beneficial bacteria. The fish are looking much better.


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## Sceven (May 22, 2012)

Good on you for rescuing him even though you had your heart set on a girl. He is in good hands. ~Healthy fish vibes~


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## Kelly0727 (Jan 8, 2012)

Thankfully this walmart doesnt have other fish... I know they wouldnt take care of them. Pewe decided to finally come out of his shell and allowed me to take pictures of him. Of course he moves so much now everything turns out blurry. But I finally got a good one! I had to let him see the picture him self using my ipod touch. He LOVES looking at himself, although he never seems to flare, hmmm.

Anyway Pewe says hi!


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## gn3ranger (Jul 7, 2012)

aw he looks so cute lol.


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## Kelly0727 (Jan 8, 2012)

Thank you ^_^ It's amazing how after living in that nasty water.. he still has such a sweet personality.


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## Tikibirds (May 26, 2011)

Poor guy 

Every now and then I go looking for a betta in bad shape to take home...*points to avatar* that poor guy had hardly any fins and his ammonia was so bad it tunrd the API ammonia test water blue (which isn't even ON the chart).

I look forward to seeing pics of him when he is feeling better


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## Kelly0727 (Jan 8, 2012)

Believe me the moment I got him out of the nasty water he was already feeling better! He hasn't made a bubble nest but he is blowing bubbles in the corner of the tank.


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## Kelly0727 (Jan 8, 2012)

Just a small update on pewe, he is doing amazing. He comes out to greet me any time I walk by, suprisingly he likes water changes. I was cleaning his tank today and he was swimming around in circles around the siphon. It was adorable! 

He felt so good in fact when I decided to take a couple pictures he actually flared!


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## lelei (Apr 30, 2012)

Call yur local newsstation..or local news paper!!


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## teeneythebetta (Apr 29, 2012)

Aww poor guy.
About a week ago I changed the betta cups water using dechlorinator, some fish bowls and the drinking fountain. 
I had asked them a million times on many occasions to clean them but its never done. x_x


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## Kelly0727 (Jan 8, 2012)

You know.. thinking about it now I should have made them clean his water right there. But at that time I was to upset/ emotional not only about his water but other personal things and I honestly didn't know if I would be able to control my tongue. Heck I had a temper that day.. even my boyfriend was watching what he said around me so he wouldn't trigger any more anger bursts. 

I haven't been back at that walmart since I got pewe.. But I did go to a different one which actually only had one betta cup that was a bit dirty. Did have one dead betta but completely clean water, so I cant say they were the cause of it. So I have some hope for some walmarts.


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## teeneythebetta (Apr 29, 2012)

Coppermoon said:


> I have gone as far as cleaning the cups myself and putting water from the tanks in them. Of course that is not much better because THAT water is not ever changed. My wally now has live plants in every tank, gravel in the bottom to help with beneficial bacteria. The fish are looking much better.


I would NEVER do that! The water from the tanks could be contaminated with parasites or illness/diseases.


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