# Petco or Petsmart?



## Johnificent (Feb 21, 2010)

I am going to go buy more fish supplies tomorrow, and I was wondering which store has the best fish department and lowest prices? would you go for petco or petsmart? thanks


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## wildmagic713 (Sep 6, 2010)

Around me, I trust PetCo more for good products, but Petsmart has a bigger section.

Actually, that's a lie  I rarely shop for fish stuff at either of those, I have a LFS that I LOVE with very reasonable prices and very helpful people, but when I don't shop there, I shop at PetCo. They take better care of their Bettas (at least around me) so I don't feel as bad giving them money.


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## vilmarisv (Apr 17, 2010)

It depends on what are looking for...
In my area Petsmart has a larger selection of small tank Kits and fish medication.
Petco has a larger selection of live plants, bettas, aquarium decor (I like their gravel LOTS more), and hoodless tanks.
They are pretty much equal with tank equipment and food. 
As for prices, it also depends on what you're buying... check the prices online and if there's a sale that doesn't say "online only" of an item you want, print out the page and both stores will honor the price (don't know if they'll match the other store prices)... I've did this a couple of times with the MiniBow 2.5 kit at Petsmart. Got it for $19.99!


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## Johnificent (Feb 21, 2010)

minibow for 19.99? WOW that is the tank that i want to buy! XD i checked petsmart and petco online, but they're both $40.... how did you do that? what store?


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## vilmarisv (Apr 17, 2010)

It was a sale they ran a few months back. 
I don't recomend the MiniBow... it looks great but after just a couple of months the light of one of my tanks came apart... and I didn't even change the bulb!
I have 2 of the 10gallon Walmart kits and they are great! I replaced the bulbs with flourescent ones.


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## Johnificent (Feb 21, 2010)

my walmart doesnt have a big fish department, just like 6 tanks in a shelf and thats it, i dont even think they sell bettas there..... :O well, im off to petsmart tomorrow, yep, i chose petsmart.... well, petco? i dunno, they have the minibow i want, "betta-bow" LOL im not sure, if my cousins come, ill have to go to petsmart because they love all the animals there, because my petco is really small......


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## Emmalea (Jan 23, 2011)

Johnificent said:


> my walmart doesnt have a big fish department, just like 6 tanks in a shelf and thats it, i dont even think they sell bettas there..... :O well, im off to petsmart tomorrow, yep, i chose petsmart.... well, petco? i dunno, they have the minibow i want, "betta-bow" LOL im not sure, if my cousins come, ill have to go to petsmart because they love all the animals there, because my petco is really small......


The Betta-bow is the same tank, it just comes with a useless divider that you can't use because it will make the tank to small and overstocked. Save your money and just buy the normal Mini-bow, or just buy a plain 2.5 gallon, I just got one for 16 bucks from petsmart. I doesn't come with anything but most of the stuff you get from cheap kits isn't great anyway.


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## Johnificent (Feb 21, 2010)

@emmalea oh... i was thinkin of putting two bettas in because i heard that bettas get stimulated and its healthy for them? im not sure, but i heard this before...


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## Slayers (Jan 10, 2011)

If you are going to pet smart look for the 10 gal kit I bought 2 of them there and they were $22 for tank hood and filter it was the best deal I have seen. 

And if you get a 2.5 gal just house 1 betta in there I have 1 for a female and it seems really small for her which is why I bought the 2nd 10 gal when I get somewhere to place it she will get that tank


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## zackrspv (Mar 3, 2011)

By far, i trust PetCo for live plants and bettas. But not live plants to add to my betta tanks, just my garden tanks. They still use snails, like petsmart in their plant tanks, so chances are, when you buy a plant or two, u'll get snails too.

As to taking care of their fish, PetCo rocks. They actively change the water daily, remove diseased, infected, and dead bettas from the shelves, and never let the bettas see each other that much (unless they are veil tails). They love to stack those for some reason.

Equipment wise, petsmart is more like the walmart of fish supplies. PetCo has the high end aqueon setups. PetSmart has the 5G $27.99 tank setups. 

As a previous poster said, medications, tank treatments, etc, are easilly found at petsmart vs petco; but then PetCo has the best frozen foods, and live foods. They even have (depending on your location) live ants.

*As to WalMart: *Say away from these people, except for maybe the tanks. Their decorations are rarely marked safe for anything other than garden kits, and their foods, treaments, etc, are so out of date it's a shame. They also *do not* take care of their bettas. Leaving them in MB Blue bowls, where they can see each other, and the poor things die too quickly.


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## Here Fishy Fishy Fishy (Oct 29, 2010)

The Petco in my area has lost my business... they have tons more bettas but don't take care of them (or other fish well)... I have been observing them for 6 months now. Not impressed.

Taking my business to PetSmart for now... even with their retarded blue betta water. Much better pet store... they hired people who know their stuff and take care of the animals.

The thing is, with the big box pet retailers, you have to evaluate them on a store by store basis. I could adore store X in my area, while store X in your area could be a pit of death! Unfortunately, you've just got to get out there and check them out.


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## Emmalea (Jan 23, 2011)

Johnificent said:


> @emmalea oh... i was thinking of putting two bettas in because i heard that bettas get stimulated and its healthy for them? im not sure, but i heard this before...


It is alright for them to be able to see each other, though it can sometimes cause them stress. 
The main issue about that tank is that it is just too small for more than one betta, when split it half it gives less then 1.5 gallons to each betta.

Also though I have no problem with divided tanks at all I think that only larger tanks should be used, with a tank that small it gives you no room to block the divider with plants or for them to have anything to do besides trying to get through the divider. I think you will find they get super stressed out very quickly.

I would just get one fish, or two tanks.


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## Here Fishy Fishy Fishy (Oct 29, 2010)

Johnificent,

I split a 5 gallon... 2.5 for each betta... that would be a good split... but that would be the smallest tank i'd want to split. Remember, each betta can grow at least 2" long... and I have a female betta who's 3"! 

Plan 1" of (full grown) fish per gallon of water.

The other plus to a 5 gallon is you can cycle it, and your water changes tank maintence will be easier... and you fish will be happier with room to move around.


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## lilbloofish (Feb 28, 2010)

PETCO has a better looking bettas but they are usually more expensive. PETSMART has a better selection of equipment, food, medication, etc. At least from my experience.


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## Here Fishy Fishy Fishy (Oct 29, 2010)

lilbloofish said:


> PETCO has a better looking bettas but they are usually more expensive. PETSMART has a better selection of equipment, food, medication, etc. At least from my experience.


Lilbloofish,

I agree with you, Petco does have a better selection of fish... but the one near where I live is not taking care of them. I went in there on day two weeks ago... pointed out all the ill and dying fish... the kid working the department grabbed them and stacked by the sink. "Good", I thought. "He'll change the water and take care of the sick ones.

The next day I went back. The fish were still stacked by the sink... the very same ones the fish department kid had pulled the day before. I went through their piles of bettas and pulled more sick fish, and put them by the sink as well. Grrr.

Hopefully, your Petco is better than my Petco.


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