has annyone bought koi/goldfish from petco or their local fish store

[Creativeclover]

I stopped into Petco for a few minutes today and was going thru their fish department. They had koi and goldfish. The other pet store that just deals in fish and/snakes/lizards also carries some but a smaller amount. Has anyone in there. If so I would like to here your experience, good or bad.

 

[addy1]

I have, they did fine. But now that I have a nice collection of fish, I would not buy and just toss in the pond. They can have issues.

 

[JBailey]

I have 5 feeder fish that we bought from Petco late last summer for .37/ea and they wintered over in a tiny tub pond and are now healthy and happy in a bigger trough pond. Tough little buggers for sure!

 

[bettasngoldfish]

Most all my fish have come from local fish/pet stores. I recently bought a couple Pompom Oranda and a Celestial eye goldfish from Petco (not for the pond though) I was thrilled to find them locally (much cheaper that way)

The most important thing to remember when buying any fish is to quarantine before adding to your healthy established pond/tank.

 

[Tula]

I bought four of my five koi, from our local fish hatchery. I purchased one koi, from a dealer, because I wanted a certain type of koi.

If I saw a fish I liked at Petco, I'd buy it, but would quarantine it, before adding it to my pond. Unfortunately, our Petco's fish tanks, often have dead or diseased fish in them

 

[peter hillman]

Of course, 10 cent feeders grew into beautiful 6" comets. I had them for six years. But yea, they may have issues, watch what goes in your pond.

 

[Smaug]

When I had my channel cat I got him from walmart. He grew into 2 ft of gorgeous but mysteriously died.

 

[Faebinder]

My two cents experience... fish bought from petsmart and Petco do not grow as much as the size of similar fish bought from breeders.

 

[sissy]

I got all my fish from a koi farm and they were considered ugly or not good quality so cost around a dollar up to 5 dollars

 

[Alan]

I get some koi and goldfish at pets smart always good fish

 

[Dave 54]

Personally if you want the best go to a koi dealership not Petsmart , they are the worst thing that has ever happened in the UK to the pet trade which were normally small buisnesses which sadly are now going out of buisness through them because they cannot compete .
They get thear dogs from Southern Irish Puppy farms many of which die within weeks of being sold .
Their fish tanks always have dead or diseased fish in them and the staff dont have a clue when you ask them questions on fish m sorry but no I wouldnt buy anything from them.

Dave

 

[Lisak1]

Our experience with both Petsmart and Petco is hit or miss, depending on the management of the individual store. Some are clean, we'll run, and the staff us knowledgable. Others... Not so much. I would pay attention to the appearance of the store and the quality of the fish - some people have had good luck buying fish there.

 

[addy1]

Go early and check the tanks, that is when you will find the floaters before they get them cleaned out. The one near us has a lot of floaters every morning.

 

[Creativeclover]

When I am ready I will go with someone who has some that they need to thin out rom their pond or who is a breeder

 

[Richardspond]

Yep got two koi and 3 bumpkins, lol and they are turning into monsters. One koi was given to me because he had no left eye but hes a pretty fish, right now hes black and gold so I don't know what color hes gona be. The other his take mate is solid white and they around 6" long now, about 3 when i bought them this spring. I bought an oranda but he died