# Fish and store anti-theft alarms?



## ksage505 (Sep 19, 2011)

Three of my bettas have came from walmart and with each one while checking out I was told by employees to hold the fish up above the anti-theft alarm when walking out of the store. They said that for whatever reason, taking a fish through the alarms can kill it? Has anyone ever heard of this before? It seemed pretty odd to me.. I've gotten many fish from walmart in the past and they've all gone through the alarms with no issues. :dunno:


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## fishy friend2 (Aug 28, 2011)

I was told this too, it is because of the electrical current might be too much for a betta


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## Luimeril (Dec 29, 2010)

i didn't do that, with either betta i got from walmart. King Steve is VERY active and healthy, and i got him from walmart a few days before Easter.... he went right through the things, and is fine. o.o


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## HatsuneMiku (Jul 29, 2011)

there's metal detectors at petsmart too .. and never once was i told that the metal detectors would be a danger to fish ..

can it be wal-mart uses a different technology for their metal detectors .. and how is there electrical current running through them that's harmful to fish .. ?


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## Pitluvs (Jun 22, 2011)

Walmart used gator tags on their clothing, a bit different than those plastic bars inside boxes. Maybe that's the difference? I know pet stores don't use gator tags. That's the only thing I can think of. I have been told at WalMarts not to bring my fish through the detectors as well.


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## elijahfeathers (Oct 15, 2010)

From what I understand with walmart, there's a plastic strip inside of the price tag one some fish (you'll notice sometimes the thicker price tag sticker). This is one of those security stripes. I guess the presence of water makes it difficult to deactivate them successfully-- so if you go through with a fish like that it triggers the alarm. This is what I can find online.

The other part of me says that some people probably thought that the metal detectors were killing their fish after they swung them around like a sack of potatoes on the way out. Happens enough and is equated to the alarms and viola. Clearly alarms, and not stupidity, kill fish. .___.


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## HatsuneMiku (Jul 29, 2011)

woah thats crazy !! .. it's good to be informed of this for future reference


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## Kytkattin (May 15, 2011)

There is no way it could be the tags. There would be too much liability if they actually could spark electricity. What if a little kid walked through with a tag touching his skin and got sparked/burned?


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## elijahfeathers (Oct 15, 2010)

No what it's supposed to be is not actually killing the fish. Just that it could trigger the alarm. But who wants to bother for an alarm? More people will listen if they tell you it'll kill your fish.


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## LittleBettas (Jul 23, 2011)

15+ fish from walmart.... ALL have been walked through the metal detectors and the only deaths were from SBD or from a poor breeder (breeder my walmart had been using had mltiple bettas with swollen inflamed fins... all of the bettas I got wit those symptons died and the walmart got a differen breeder)

Elijahfeathers is right


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## Littlebittyfish (Jan 5, 2011)

My orange VT I got from walmart lived 3 years...I walked through those metal detectors with him.


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## bettafish15 (Oct 3, 2010)

They say that because if you're fish dies, they can blame it on the detectors, and not their bad care.


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## caitic10 (Apr 30, 2011)

I think bettafish15 is true! Ihave always bought goldfish from walmart and they all lived long, happy and healthy lives.


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## cajunamy (Apr 28, 2011)

have walked through many metal dectors with many fish - no alarms have gone off or fish died.


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## Fenghuang (Dec 28, 2012)

That is...bizarre. I have never been told that by any employee at Walmart, Petsmart, or any other petstores. I walk right through with my fish and they are all fine.


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## NeptunesMom (May 4, 2012)

Never had a problem at Wal-Mart. I bought all my childhood bettas there, and then Marius came from there a year ago. All mine have been fine. 

Pet store alarms are usually different. They have to be designed differently, because if they went off as frequently as Target or Kmart they'd scare the animals all day.


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## TheGoldenBetta (Jul 8, 2013)

The light may get on the betta's eyes it damage them. Just a thought.


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