Does Anyone Have Any Thoughts About Wal-Mart Fish?

[Otter]

I think you should give all fish a good long quarantine before you put them in your pond, especially if they come from a place like Walmart. If the fish die, well, they were dirt cheap. If the fish turn out to be healthy, they're just fish. If you like them it doesn't matter whether or not they'd be taken seriously at a fish show. But if it turns out Walmart has been raising a persistent parasite along with their fish, and you don't quarantine, then you've got a problem.

 

[pondlady]

Utah store do not ale fish of any kind any more. Why? Have not got a clue.They just up and removed the tanks. Been in several stores around the state and it seems all of them are gone. Never had good luck with there fish always seemed to have ick.

 

[koiguy1969]

The Walmarts in my area dont carry fish at all.I bought all my fish at Meijers, and have had great luck, I bought one koi at a pond supply, and it passed pretty quickly. paid the higher price and lost it all the cheapies are alive and doing great,i asked when they got their fish deliveries,it was thursdays between 10 &12 am, they even told the breeders name....Westlake,out of florida, so i would show up around 11am and get first pick.

 

[Missewell]

Ok. So I am sad to say I contribute to Walmart in purchasing their fish. My sad theory is I am trying to save the poor fish from Walmarts ignorant consumers (Which was me before the internet made so much information available). I purchased puffers which came home with Ich and I treated them with salt and they are as healthy as can be. I purchased multiple Shubunkin which some have died (I think a couple deaths are a result of my 1st outdoor pond learning curve). They have showed no signs of sickness and for th elast six months are healthy in my pond. My two 1st Koi (Black fan tail, and white fan tail) are still alive and low and behold black koi are supposed to bring good luck to the pond. They never showed any signs of infection or parasites. I will continue to buy fish from them as I like the Mutts and I enjoy saving them (So I say to myself).

 

[steve/gridnot]

True that different Walmarts have different suppliers. They are sorted down pretty far by the time they go to Walmart. I love their 90 day fish guarantee. I have gotten some nice ones.
Petsmart generally has better fish, but only a 2 week guarantee. These guys are good if you are in a hurry. Nicer fish and of course bigger prices

The prices and quality are way way better if you buy 20 or more from the on line Koi farms. This time of year I saw a deal for 20 unsorted for $40. Shipping runs about the same but the sort is much higher.

Then you can spend a hundred real easy for one 8" fish from these guys. Better to go there and haggle.

 

[bettasngoldfish]

@steve/gridnot this is a very old thread (not sure if you realized it)

Walmart was one of the first places I saw all the red cap orandas that I fell in love with I think they get a good variety of fish, of course it varies from store to store (same goes for the care the fish receive)

 

[steve/gridnot]

Maria
It was on latest threads; thought it might be good to comment to bring it back for a while.

 

[Litzi1964]

My local Wal-Mart doesn't sell live fish. I stocked my pond with 20 cent comets from Petco and Petsmart, and a few my youngest daughter won at a carnival game. quarantined them for a good long time and treated them with Melafix and Pimafix as a preventive. I like saving the "feeder" goldfish. With some good care, good food and the right environment, these creatures that were deemed "disposable" grew into beautiful fish. The Sarasa girl in the center of my bottom photo is named Dreamsicle and we got her in August 2012.

 

[steve/gridnot]

I just slipped a few Petsmart comet feeders into my mother in law's pond. I built it for her about 20 years ago. She was down to two native black comets about 8 inches long. We are going to stage a discovery at the Labor day visit and see if she will bye a spawn story,

Here's a pic of some old 10 cent feeders with a Koi in the middle

 

[Marlee Clark]

My husband brought home a handful of 19¢ comets from petsmart...four of them are alive and well and very actively procreating when they get the chance with the two shebunkin I got from a garden center for about $8 each. I have a nice selection of what I call shebomets. And some grey ones that I am not too keen on, but, whatever. If it lives, it stays. Last fall I must have had 40 shebomets, but the two koi had themselves a sushi dinner when I brought them in. Only 3 made it through the winter...and one of the koi jumped out of the tank before I got it covered. I have since acquired many more koi, and there have been at least two spawning groups. The tiny fry are still less than an inch long.

 

[steve/gridnot]

I've bought Walmart fish for years because I like their refund policy. In my area I know all their sources. Of course Walmart is their dumping ground, but who can tell what a fingerling is going to look like in four years?
Just save your sales slip and keep the non survivors in the freezer till your sales slip time is up and you only make one trip.
Petsmart refund policy is nowhere near as long as Walmart's

 

[addy1]

I won't buy them, mainly because our walmart, has tiny tanks, I have never been there without seeing dead fish in almost every tank

 

[GoldGuy101]

I got 3 goldfish and a koi from Walmart. They seemed perfectly fine.One of the goldfish was bigger then the others exept for the koi. I was worried the koi would be mean to the little goldfish so I was gonnamove him to another tank but I noticed the bigger goldfish was nipping at the little ones. I was gonna move him but I woke up next morning and he was half eaten and stuck to the filter. Later the goldfish who ate him committed suicide. He jumped out of the tank. But little swimmy and the koi are still alive and healthy

 

[Mucky_Waters]

I got 3 goldfish and a koi from Walmart. They seemed perfectly fine.One of the goldfish was bigger then the others exept for the koi. I was worried the koi would be mean to the little goldfish so I was gonnamove him to another tank but I noticed the bigger goldfish was nipping at the little ones. I was gonna move him but I woke up next morning and he was half eaten and stuck to the filter. Later the goldfish who ate him committed suicide. He jumped out of the tank. But little swimmy and the koi are still alive and healthy

That's quite an entertaining story, a colorful cast of characters, drama, suspense, murder, and finally a happy ending.

 

[morewater]

That's quite an entertaining story, a colorful cast of characters, drama, suspense, murder, and finally a happy ending.

A happy ending? Are you saying that you know something about goldfish massage techniques? Elaboration please. Video would be most entertaining.