BIG BOX FISH STORES: What to BUY & What to AVOID! Save Money Shopping Smart at Petsmart & Petco.
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- Опубликовано: 27 авг 2024
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Thanks friends. Cheers.At dansfish.com/c...
At Dans fish just use discount code "Alex" or "alex" to recieve 5% off on top of any existing deals & to support the channel.
Use the code "FISHTORY15" at AquaticArts.com or "Fishtory10" if you already used the 15% code in the last 90 days.
Then for amazon prime day if you are a prime member, or for that matter just want to buy something off amazon, you can support my channel by opening this link to start shopping...buy whatever you please, and it support the channel with .5% affiliate support, while you still get the same exact price and deals!
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To become a member of the channel: JOIN US AT THE LINK BELOW FOR JUST $1.99!
/ @fishtory
Artwork and Merch!
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To financially show love to the channel. If I've earned it and helped you out, I appreciate any Patreon Donations or Venmo/PayPal gifts,
message me for details or use patreon link below.
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I used to work at a big-box pet store up here in Canada, and all I can say is that during the hiring process we had to sign an NDA about store operations and the behind-the-scenes animal care, which really just speaks for itself in a lot of ways. Buying things used online, and having other friends in the hobby to trade around with has been the most useful! I also got a job at my local aquarium store - the employee discount certainly helps, and coworkers who all trade things around as well. ☺
100%
Most proper companies require you to sign an NDA when they employ you, it is nothing odd or underhand, it is normal.
I worked for petco for 12 years as a store assistant manager and than as g.m, you don't sign an nda you sing a ncc ( non-compete clause) you can't work for petco, quite, and then immediately go and work for petsmart. They don't want you sharing "traid secrets" with competitors and they dont want staff stolen by them, it has nothing to do with the general public. If that was the case you would only be allowed to care for the pets at night or before opening so no guest can see. Maybe you work for a particularly shaiddy big box store, but I promis you, if you signed an NDA I would submit it to human resources because that is NOT part of normal hiring procedures, I know, I hired quite afew people. I ultimately left because they Pay there g.m's trash compared to any other gm position I have seen for department stores.
@@aceofspadez131 All corporate companies have their employees sign NDAs, especialy if they are public companies. It is to prevent their inner workings from becoming public knowledge. That covers anything to do with the job, be it who the company suppliers are, who has contracts with them, who works for them, what their job titles are, who their reports are, how much people are paid, how the garbage is handled, how many people were laid off last week, how many people are being hired next week, whatever. Everything.
An NDA and a non compete clause are NOT the same thing.
@@Tugela60 I know the difference between an Nda and and a non-compete again I hired alot of people and there was no NDA in your hiring packet that needed a signature, infact I have 6 hiring packets right here in my file cabinet that I never used, there's no nda. There's Acknowledgement forms, non complete form, handbook recipe form, activity (gotta walk around and ask questions) on board training paperwork, w4 form, no nda. I see I got an nda as part of my assistant manager promotion (because I kept my recod for shits and giggles) but that's management and it has basically nothing to do with the care of the animals. I never had an hourly employee sign an nda.
I have an 8 year old 1 ft long white goldfish that was a 16¢ “feeder” fish. He is beautiful and perfect.
I had a similar fish. I named him hero as when I restarted a 29 gallon that was unused for a couple years after the fish died of ick he was the canary in the coalmine to make sure it was safe and ready (I didn't know about cycling back then). He had a good life.
When I was workings retail I used to sort the feeder comets. I had a tank full of $.50 comet gold fish. White, actual gold, and "painted"; bi or tri colors.
@@srgreeniii I even love the feeder comets.
I didnt know petsmart was running a deal on aquariums. Just picked up a 40 gallon breeder for 55 bucks out the door with discounts. Thanks Alex!
Right on! Glad to hear it, my friend
Great video. I really hope you are feeling better. We don't have ANY LFS in my area at all. Totally sucks
You should mention that wood for aquariums is actually cheaper in the reptile section at petsmart as opposed to the aquarium section. Same wood different price.
He did, it was super quick lol
He did
There's only one wood section at my PetSmart lol
Thanks for serving this much needed info; straight -up/ NO chaser! THIS NEEDED TO BE ADDRESSED in a way that people won't be turned off (especially NEWBIES) to the hobby. You've also offered alternatives and "better-than" solutions so consumers can be well informed before spending their hard earned monies, only to be led to disappointment and discouragement by being misinformed...THANKS!
Sure thing! Its what i wish i knew when i was starting out
I just bought two 6 gallon cubes at Petco for my pygmy sunfish species shelf that I'm going to do. Their original price is $70, right now they're doing the half off sale, so I got two for $70. I also had $20 in rewards online so I applied those and got the two tanks for $50. That's 65% off! Heck yeah!
I did that last year also! Haha for the same fish too!
I work at one of these pet stores, I came to work there because they needed a dog trainer, i ended up falling in love with the hobby, i realized that everything was over priced as well and i was lucky because I'm active on the internet and found father fish and you and others, now i'm making a good soil mix and buying the inexpensive ingredients all for the same price one bag of soil from this store, its ridiculous.
What a awesome vid! I agree with mostly everything you’re saying. You have to be careful with reptile wood. They sometimes use screws when attaching them. Unfortunately most people who overpay for stuff at big box stores don’t know any better and don’t do any research before spending the money. I also use shop lights you buy at Walmart and other big box stores vs aquarium light and my plants do great. I actually just picked up a 4 ft one for $17 this weekend.
Yeah any flood light LED thats between 6000k and 7000k works great too
I worked in pet stores for over 30 years, several of them at Petco. Petco gets their fish from the same wholesalers that a lot of mom and pop stores get them from. On the east coast, it's Segrest. And a lot of smaller wholesalers get their fish from Segrest. They also get their feeders (bugs and fish) from the same suppliers. North East is Newman's.
Most mom and pop shops are running systems nowadays, like the MARS systems at Petsmart and Petco. I worked in one store for 10 years where each tank had its own filter. I preferred it that way over the systems. The other stores had either homemade or MARS systems.
I recently moved from Long Island to a rural area of Upstate NY and Petsmart is my only choice to buy fish. The Petco in the area doesn't carry animals, except bettas. The closest mom and pop is 30 minutes away and a dump. They're way overpriced ($8.99 for a Neon Terta!) because they are the only game in town for hours to some areas and their fish department is crap. I drive 45 minutes to Petsmart. I'd order online, but I'm not ordering enough to validate the shipping charges.
Yeah thats tough. And yes, many mom and pop shops are terrible... but there are some amazing ones. I highly highly recommend Dan's fish online, he truly loves the fish, quarentines them for weeks usually, ships them individually and yes they are pricey... but i dont even QT his stuff anymore after 4 years of zero issues
@@Fishtoryif Dan qt’s the fish - does that mean I won’t have to? That alone would make it worth it. Do you sell your fish? Thank you!
@@ana-bananainca790I guess it really depends on how well you can trust this “Dan” character. 😂
@@anything399I watch his channel. I trust him. He great. ❤
I have a pair of "feeder" goldfish, they're amazing fish! Some of my most beautiful fish! They're weathered seasons outside, owl attacks, and other calamity that claimed fish. Both goldfish are beautiful orange and white, one tancho, and about 8". Don't disregard these fish, demand that the stores (and humanity) show them the respect they deserve.
This was an awesome video, thank you. I'm very new to the hobby (like, not even two weeks new) but I've spent every waking hour reading forums, subreddits and watching videos. I stopped by my LFS and I didn't like the attitude of the guy at all. His fish were great looking, and if I ever want a betta I'll get one from him, but I didn't feel I could talk to him about fish.
Now, the girl working at the Petco by me? She's an absolute fish freak, and so personable. We spent 40 minutes talking about fish and she was incredibly knowledgeable and willing to share so much info with me (and I could keep up with her and test my knowledge too!). She steered me towards the more hardy fish, pointed out that the breeders all had tumors so don't even think about it (I was just looking at everything, didn't wanna buy em, haha). She knew everything about every fish in there and they had a great selection. I also didn't know they could order specific fish you're looking for! Within reason, of course.
It really is a roll of the dice. The Petsmart down the road was awfully abysmal; lots of dead fish, no plants anywhere, overstocked. The whole section was dusty and dirty and looked barely maintained. If a box store is you're only option I suggest calling ahead of time and talking to someone in the fish department to get a gage for their knowledge base. I definitely lucked out!
Garden / lanscape
shops have great stone.
the aquael brand heaters are absolutely amazing imo, a little pricey but super convenient and reliable. (they dont lose their set desired temp when they lose and regain power if theres an outage)
Oh good to hear! Thank you for your input!
My avoid tip is cheap heaters. They work really well when you first get them but hen they degrade and give you electric shocks when you try to change the water.
Definitely true...sadly even pricey ones sometimes do those things...but later and usually with more warnings of aging or malfunctions
Did you unplugged it when you did the water change?
@@davidmiller8030 No need if the heater is below the level to which the water is to be drained. Regardless, it should not be discharging electricity into the water!!!
worked for PetSmart for almost 2 years and just switched jobs. the guppies are fragile. When I first started keeping fish 10 years ago they were super hardy. that is not the case anymore due to inbreeding
THIS
@@Mike-db8ewguppies are known to stay pregnant up to 8 months after sharing a tank with a male. I keep
My males and females separate but there’s always males born and if I don’t get them out right away they get the females pregnant again.
Even though I haven’t put a male in my female guppy tank in over one year - I’d bet 50% are pregnant. 🥺
Lots of good buying tips and general information, I’m always looking for bargains. Just because you are in the hobby doesn’t mean you have to throw money away.
Great video as usual! Very informative !! Appreciate your guidance 😊. My husband bought 3 large angelfish and brought them home. They were beautiful but unfortunately they died during quarantine. Sad that they don't Appreciate the fish enough to care for the fish needs. I'll be changing my substrate from their brand to pool sand. I believe that is OK right?
I love pool sand hth brand is my go to :)
These are all great tips Alex. Your warning on buying fish from the big box stores is spot on. Even a lot of the healthy looking fish are full of disease. I've especially noticed this with the tetras and livebearers.
I think it's more noticeable with shorter lived fish that are stupidly inbreed, hence why tetras and livebearers have the most issues. I think another issue might be that you really don't know the age of the fish you are buying. If they are fully grown in store they could be over a year old already and that might half their lifespan gone and spent in poor conditions.
Good points
Also, big box petstores generally keep their aquarium plants in with their fish, and so they pick up and carry any disease organisms affecting the fish.
Beware any plants kept with FISH!
Another great topic ❤ i have found the cheapest things come from other hobbyists or online. Cant beat that 50% off on just the tank though 😅
Don't really want a used tank, because you never know what was in there.
Bought 2 expensive(atleast here) "plant lights" but didn't last 2 years(I'll admit they definitely benefited the plants), replaced them with 10w LED floodlights at a quarter of the plants lights price, slightly slower growth but the compromise suites my "routine"
Hey whatever works for what you want :)
I've bought plants from the plastic tubing that have done very well. Got Anubias from them back in 2006 I still have cuttings of that original Anubias in a few of my tanks. I got java windelov fern from them as well... that fern doing great and sent off a few seedlings. Also food will go half-price sometimes. So I'll get the staple tetra-min products from them... however do support LFS by getting frozen foods from the LFS
Hehe i actually did mention the reptile and bird section for wood. I assume you didnt see that far yet when commenting. But good advice, regardless
@@Fishtory i might have skipped around haha, no attention span, but great video thank you. plus oh hey i just noticed there are half off sales everywhere for aquariums
Great! I just learned there in nowhere in my town I can buy healthy fish 😢. Chain pet stores make me cry anyway.
Internet? But yes, that is a major bummer. Ive been in similar areas in tje past
Appreciate it makes sense WhT my plants look like crap I bought one and my play look just horrible I’ve been feeding them and everything
Yeah they're converting for sure...but then they may also be stressed from all the changes etc too
That's the kind of content I've missed from you, this is amazing!
Glad you enjoyed it. RUclips hasnt been alerting people of 75% of my videos for 2 months, so you may find the home page of the channel containing more subjects you are interested in. Either way, have a great weekend
Another great topic i have found the cheapest things come from other hobbyists or online. Cant beat that 50% off on just the tank though
When buying rocks and sand, I'd also recommend local landscaping shop (Cory from Aquarium Co-Op said the same). Some rocks like gneiss or slate have been used in aquascaping, even if their shape is more simple than Dragon stone or Seryiu stone. Often they beat even gardening centers with the price.
Pumice beats some of the bio-media. Filter floss is basically stuffing. Things like hoses or plastic hexagons can be bought in garden supplies. Plastic sheets for covers or building hardscape in a hardware store. Big brand doesn't always mean it's better than alternatives, almond leaves from a no-name brand or healthy diet shop should work the same.
I agree with the points in the video, even if we don't have shops like that, we have their smaller cousins: open 9 to 9, 7 days a week. I don't think I ever bought a fish there. Some flakes and a net or something... I'm conscious when buying fish in certain hardware retail chain, even if the staff has previous experience. Sometimes they have plants and fish others don't have at the time, but in the end it's a supermarket.
Great tips, i couldnt agree more
The water at Walmart is not zero tds , the prefilled 5 gallon jugs are about 18 TDS, The refill stations are not filtered at all I know because I have tested it .
Totally depends on the store and brand of water. But thats a good point....to test it first before assuming its all good!
As for the water you can buy, there are smaller stores that will sell you water by the gallon that is mature, used, and has beneficial bacteria from old substrate or old filters. My main local fish store does this, but it’s mostly for the purpose of jumps starting a nitrogen cycle for people who are just getting into it, basically the only reason you’d need to do it.
Yeah i agree... if i ran a store, id sell filter media for 20 bucks or whatever. It would save a lot of fish for impatient folks
This is really helpful as someone with about 6 month fish room experience
Oh good! Thats kind of who i was hoping would save some money and avoid some trouble. Besf wushes, my friend
Also some stuff like a empty 10 gallon fish tank can be cheaper at Walmart than at petco, for fish tank hides and stuff I would check Walmart but make sure the stuff is not sharp for fish but Walmart has safe start products and maybe some of the same branded fish stuff but way cheaper at Walmart but sadly not as much stuff as petsmart or petco
Time to add another tank! 3/4 of my asst sized tanks are from Petco 50% off sales. I tend to buy my tanks new just so I know if they are tested for leaks and don’t pass the test-back to the store they go. I’ve passed up some used tanks for cheap but that’s just how I roll. Thanks for highlighting what to buy/ what not to buy at the big box pet stores. You are looking great, peppy even, these days of late. Keep being you and doing what you’re doing! You are making a difference in so many lives.
❤☮🐠🦐🪴
I've only had one used tank leak, and it was 55 gallons of awful mess!!! I recouped my money selling it as a reptile tank that leaks, and replaced it with a planted 55 gallon, stocked with 23 fish for $80 ($25 more than the leaky one.) It is the only way to buy plants, unless you're looking for tissue culture, and the only reason I got to see a hot tub full of thousands of angelfish fry, lol!!! Have fun!
Thanks! Trying to dial in some new ( expensive lol) lupus meds...but life is going well. Cheers my friend
My best tip is buy fish at a local breeders/hobbyist, in my experience they do a lot better and have allmost no issue’s with them. Unlike the big per stores or at my LFS i allways had a dead fish in a few days. But do you research by asking how long they have the parents(because they most often sell there babies) and how they care for them so at witch temperature ph etc.
Yes. Very good advice 👌
The only thing we normally buy from the big box stores are tissue coultures.
I'm picky about airline tubbing.
Also the fluval plant nano is way overpriced at msrp, but it's easily one of the best lights I've used.
As always, great content Alex!
Yeah i never pay full price at those places hehe. Coupon codes , sales or im gone
Most substrates I would agree with you, but with eco complete and floramax, those are worth the money imo for plants.
That said, if you don’t care about that, Home Depot playpit sand (no construction sand) is $5 or less for 50lbs. How can you beat that besides getting it yourself locally?
Very true... sand has no nutrients though, you need to add something like root tabs or ff mix or EI if you want plants to flourish early...otherwise you must wait for mulm with all the proper nutrients to build
@@Fishtory this is why I love eco and flora. Since it's a small pourus rock, when the mulm builds up, it will settle between the cracks and become natural ferts for the plants over time.
Bread you own feeders. Guppies, platys, mollies, sword tails.
Yes agreed. Breed... then bread and fry them hehe
I don't know about the US, but where I live, people often get tired of their aquariums and just want to get rid of them. That means they sell them extremely cheap! When I bought mine, I got a lot of hardscape, filters and such as well from the seller. When I tired to calculate what everything would cost if I bought it in a store, I came to the conclusion that I had paid about 1/10 of the original price! And everything is in good condition. Then I might not want all the stuff, but if so, I can sell it to someone else :)
Yes this happens here as well. Great tip!
My local classifieds is amazing for for all things aquarium!! I got two massive 8 year old Amazon swords, and a side shoot for $20!!! I have 10 tanks now, (lol!!) with my latest being $80 for a 55 gallon with a mature angelfish, 11 panda corys, a chunky yoyo loach, 9 cherry barbs, 2 dwarf gourami, 2 long fin serpea tetras, and all the equipment: two lids with lights, airpump and stone, HOB, sand and gravel substrate, heater, 8 amazon swords, 3 jave ferns, and the stand!!!
Caveat Emptor, as always!!!!!!
Old and used tanks may or may not leak after the stress of being broken down and reassembled.
I had a two yo tank that I moved across town, and when I set it up, it leaked out the very next day!!😢
Just a tale of caution to anyone buying or inheriting a used tank!
@@kinglyzard Thanks for the warning!!!
@kinglyzard mine is the opposite! It's broken but doesn't leak 😬 I guess it's a bit weaker than originally, but it's just 8 gallons so I guess will be fine...
Pro Tip: check WM craft department for bags of large cholla wood for cheap
Thank you
Neither store ever has employees around to help so I just don’t bother anymore. Or if they’re around they’re too busy chatting to help. After waiting 15 min for the cashier to stop flirting with an employee from another store, I just straight up walked out of the store with my Superworms. Nobody noticed. Last time I ever shopped at one of those places.
Pet Supplies plus just opened at the Commons. I liked them back in Michigan. So far my two visits there have been good.
Edit: As for sand, it’s expensive as heck but bearded dragon substrate has pretty much zero dust, settles almost immediately and has a mix of sizes you just don’t find. It’s one of things I’d actually pay more for lol
Nice tip for the sand! And im with you... ive straight walked out several times, when no one came after asking for help... the best score was 4 bettas i actually rescued.... as in, they lost the money, but the fish survived and were nursed back to health
@@Fishtory yeah, I got two bags for my dragons digging box. Was setting up a tub and needed substrate so I tried the half bag.
Dang cool coloring too. It’s a reddish orange tan.
Bruh! That mopani wood was beautiful ^_____^
I'm starting to press like to thus videos even before I see them
Ill allow it haha
Go to your local pool store they have clear filters sand 50 pounds for 10.00.
Nice. Great advice. Thank you
A lot people don’t kno that please get ur clean sand 50 pounds bag at local pool store
Dang brother 48.5k almost at the 50k mark!! Congrats, it seems like yesterday I was congratulating you on 10k lol
Haha thanks .. that was 3.25 years ago ( 10k ) hehe ... slowly, ever so slowly- building the correct community of people, though!
@@Fishtory amen, quality over quantity 👌
I do unfortunately see a lot of dead fish in some tanks sometimes.
I ripped apart a pillow and used the floss in it in my HOB
As long as it's not for retardant, that's all good
I haven’t left a comment in awhile. I just wanted to say I appreciate you I really enjoy all your content it has been very helpful.
AWW Thank you so very much! Have a wonderful day.
I would go to a landscaping store for rocks instead of the pet store.
My local petsmart never has the 1$ per gallon just 20% off for fish tanks but petco does that deal. Usually petsmart runs out of fish products so once you see something your better buy it then because they don't restock the shelfs.
Bummer
I really enjoy making my own racks and stands for aquarium. Thanks for the video
You bet!
That store has more driftwood than the ones over here. I'm so jealous.
Yeah they got a shipment the day i filmed too...sometimes its a month with nothing
I have had good luck with the Pet Smart plants sold in the tubes . The species of Anubis in peticular.
Thanks for the tip!
I prefer a waterfall filter pump, Pssst you dont need a filter media. Just somethong that circulates the water around and creates a water column. That saying you have dirt and sand in your tank. No need for additives other than some natural leaves from the forest stream. And fill your tank with plants as much as you can and remember 1 inch dirt 2 inch sand
I agree.. lol i didnt want to get into that advice in a video for beginners though... but i think youll dig my filterless, ,no tech tank videos my friend!
@fishstory I'm going out on a limb here, but that feels like the 130th. Street PetSmart on Aurora Ave in North Seattle.🤔🤔🤔 And your constant references to Aquarium Co-op almost tells me you are in Washington State. Used to live ten blocks away on 120th off of first Ave. 🧐😎✌🏿💯 Give The Fish Store and Aquarium Zen some love too!!!
Nailed it
I worked at zen for a year 😘
I buy fish from a pet store but they keep the fish really well despite not being an aquarium specific store. The bettas are all kept in actual tanks for example.
This is in europe though.
The Airline tubing, siphon, sponges, thermometers, heaters, filters etc I get from the European version of a dollar store for a fraction of the price you'd pay in a pet store.
I do envy your tank prices though, it's not that cheap anywhere here. A 10 gallon costs more like €25 - €35 and a 15 gallon was €36 (with a discount, it was meant to be €42).
Yes all you speak of- seems to be similar in most of Europe and tech focused Asian countries
Wow!! The tanks are profoundly cheaper at the PetSmart in US than in comparison to Canada. 3 times more in Canada for tanks.
Yes. Mexico and no import taxes... pretty much slave labor sadly
@@Fishtory that makes total sense now
Definitely these stores have the best deals on Fish Tanks!
Usually don’t buy fish at them but a few months ago I picked up a few Butterfly Loaches that looked healthy and they are alive and well.
Yeah if you know what to look for, sometimes they get rare fish mixed in with super common stuff too!
You saved me from buying more fish there! Thank you! Dang petco got me for the damn kit😭😭😂😂your channel is great I'm checking your description to support!
Thank you so kindly and welcome!
I co-sign everything you said about equipment to get/avoid. Excellent video for those new to the hobby...or those who tried unsuccessfully to keep fish after getting them at a box store and somehow want to give it another go.
Only exception I take to the suggestions here: Small tetras (cardinal, black, and neon) that I bought from the stores tended to do well when they got in a clean, well-cycled, oxygenated tank.
I agree 👍 thanks 😊
Thank you for making this.
My pleasure!
3:02 I work for a local fish store. I garuntee that our wholesale prices are higher as we don't buy the same quantity as the big box stores. But I also know for a fact that we pay around $1.85 for that Fritz Aqaurium salt. Their $12.99 retail price is just crazy. lol
I use a pair of sponges in my hob and a layer of quilt batting to catch fine debris at the filter outlet. A roll of quilt batting is really cheap and will last you for a long time. I only replace the sponges when they start to fall apart.
Thank you for the tips. I did recently go to Petsmart to buy some items. I thought their fluval stratum was overpriced, but I did buy a filter. I will make sure to check out the driftwood and aquarium selection the next time I visit.
Yeah their coupons and 20% off all items type codes are really handy if you keep an eye out for them
The Aqueon lights are fine. I have no problem growing plants under them.
What species do you grow? Sag, val, anubias, swords, crypts and java ferns, I assume?
Hi Alexander -
I enjoy your content and your relaxed conversational style. You're like a natural aquarium keeping encyclopedia!
I know it takes a ton of work to put videos out so I want you to know it's appreciated. I am subscribed and I hit the like on every video to help get your content out.
I really enjoyed your conversation with Father Fish. It's good to for the hobby to have open, honest conversations.
I just watched your video on the aqua soil substrate. I just put Fluval Stratum in as a layer caped with Delaware river stone. I wish I had seen this before I did my tank.
Thanks again for the hard work putting these videos together. I'm learning do much, thank you!
Also i refuse to go back to anything but silicone airline
before 2021, when they did the half off sale, it really used to be a dollar per gallon sale. Nowadays, their half off sale is almost two dollars per gallon. thanks inflation
Right?!
The 1st tank he mentioned has a more than adequate light source, mine keeps my plants healthy and bought a similar aquarium
It'll grow low light plants...and they are by far most common. But many many planted tank keepers want to get into co2 or medium and high light....as well as just coloring their plants up brightly, so im speaking personally here, and what i tell folks...when i used to say "those lights are fine"...and months later they want to go filterless, or create a carpeting aquascape and they have to scrap their old light. Some truly will only keep plants barely alive, others depend on what the light around the tanks add ( a window with indirect light is even far brighter than most the kit lights if you measure it with a par meter).
I like buying aquarium airline tubing, parts, equipment, filtration devices, heaters, live plants, chemicals, food, aquarium decorations, etc etc at my local Petsmart and have always had great experience. It is just me but
since I do not trust Amazon at all for these especially live plants where they are truly sourced, aquarium medicines and chemicals how they were stored, silicon tubing their quality, aquarium decoration’s chemical leachable, etc. I like buying reputable brands from a reputable store.
Love the haircut.
Well thank you kindly!
I bought all my fish, except one at a local Petsmart last year. And I haven't lost a fish, yet. Because I medicated the fish for 7-14 days after bringing them home from the store (regardless if they appear sick, or not). Call it insurance.😉
Definitely recommend prophylactic treatment of big box fish. A PetSmart fish introduced camallanus worms and it ended up wiping out my tank. I quarantined without meds for a month but those worms can stay hidden for way longer.
Good call
Thanks for sharing. Great tips
You are so welcome!
@@Fishtory 👍
I DO BUY MY FISH ON LINE, OR BREED THEM MYSELF. I BREED ANGELFISH AND GUPPIES, SO MY TANKS ARE FULL. LAST TIME I BOUGHT FROM BIG BOX, I HAD TO TREAT MY FISH FOR ICK. THEY HAD 4 TANKS TIED TOGETHER THAT HAD SICK FISH IN THEM. SO I BUY ON LINE. AND DO SCRAP THE JUNK LIGHT THAT COMES WITH YOUR TANK. BUY A GOOD LIGHT.
Country max murders them on wood prices if you’re in NY $4-8 for giant chunks
Cool thanks for the tip!
Surprised an employee didn't come and kick you out. They usually don't like live reviews.
Most of the employees aren't paying attention 😂
Oh they do usually... but i know the people who work here and they actually care about fish and just ask me to be fair
Also true
I have been afraid to order fish online, and there are so many to choose from I didn't know which ones were good. I will check out your suggestions next time I want more fish! Oh, and I bought about thirty feeder fish (the ruby minnows) to put in my pond. At least 10 of them died within a few days, but the survivors have had babies now. I like them, but I wish there was somewhere else to get them from, where they're not treated as throw away fish. They are actually very fun and interesting to watch.
I love those fish too! I just believe in paying a little more , for sourcing fish from companies that pay foreign fish collectors or farmers a fair rate ( neon tetras are 300 to 400 fish per $1 USD from the native south american tribes... and the guys who pay them that small amount, they profit around $400 or 500 per 1 dollar of fish they buy ( if they lived...but they dont care due tl how cheaply they buy them and they let 1,000s die in shipments and dont even bother feeding them many times.
So paying an extra dollar or two per fish and that meaning the native collectors can survive year round off fishing vs begging or government food aid and picking through landfills.... that seems worth it...plus the fish look better, breed easier and live much longer.
I highly recommend both aquatic arts and dans fish... discounts in the description too. Have a greay weekend!
@@Fishtory Thank you, hope you have a great weekend, too!
Anubias does just fine with cheap lights.
Yes
Fantastic video, just on time. I am planning to set a new tanks for red craw crab and ai am looking for sand and light. I am planning to convert it to brackish so plants may not be an option but your video is very useful.
Thanks again
Sounds great! Also, look into mangroves and or macro algae for brackish waters :)
There are some stunning brackish macroalgae. I've been researching them because I want to set up a brackish hospital tank for my freshwater fish. I'm pretty sure Alex has a video at Aquarium of the Pacific that highlights some gorgeous red ones.
@@Fishtory i have been researching the mangrove, i love them my only problems is that red claw crab likes to scape from the tank....(i found mine visiting my office this morning) so a mangrove need to have a open tank.
But i will try to find info about macroalgae.
thanks for your comment!!!
Very informative, thank you very much. I wish this was around when I started. Would have saved me tones of time money and heartache.
Glad it was helpful! My hope was to try and save folks a few hundred getting started
I think you nailed it. Well done@@Fishtory
I definitely agree on fish at Petsmart and Petco .
great stuff :)
Those lights might be expensive but i bought a 24" topfin for my 30 gallon tank and it's been going for years.
I wish i had bought a nicer light but i can't be upset cause it's lasted at least 6 years now.
Truth
Positive feedback
Rock on wonton!
Thanks for another great video...I get glass lids and plants from my local Petco...on occasion I'll get fish but the store I go to has a great crew that actually do their job so all the fish I've got from them are still doing great
Thats always nice to hear
@@Fishtory yes I really enjoy it...but I get all my livestock now from local breeders
The thing with PetSmart is that they stock their shelves accordingly. Some PS stores have phenomenal supplies of almost everything you need while other PS stores don't as much as carry a simple Fluval hose.
This is dictated by the Supply & demand not just the
Years ago, thete once upon a time existed a pet store called Pets Unlimited. Both PS & PU were and are owned by Ralph H. The biggest mistake ol' Ralphy Boy made was to get rid of Pets unlimited and open a crappy alternative. Pets Unlimited was 1000x thr store PS was and probably ever will be.
I understand the economy is going to hell on a handbasket faster than Cheese melts but when you have a thing that works, why oh why would you get rid of it? I think PS has an AWFUL reputation they need to uphold vs. Pets Unlimited.
Thanks for the history and context!
5:46 I want to mention that I experimented with playground sand from home depot in my aquarium- they don’t have pool filter sand in stock in my area. It was way cheap- $5 for 50 lbs- but I spent two days rinsing it and once in my aquarium it changes colors .. from light gray to black brown murky dirty looking. I will have to pass it up because it’s ugly. I might use as a filler and cap with nicer sand (I have to use up the 6 bags I purchased 😜). I’m going to order pool filter sand and try that out. I also purchased pea gravel and small lava rock for future sump project $4 50 lbs!
I used play sand in my 20gal, can confirm it's dusty. However, it didn't take 2 days to wash, nor did it change color. Pretty sure it was in my dad's shed for years before I used it. Might have come from a different source. It certainly doesn't have the "pristine" look many aquascapers like, though I liked the varied grain size/color. Didn't hurt that it was in a cichlid tank, so messiness was a given.
Youll like the pool filter sand more...its like almost sugar sand
I purchased the same sand from same store I rinsed it and used it as a cap on my dirted tank. I have not had any issues. I went to every pool supply store in Orlando and could only find sand mixed with chemicals no just plain sand. My tank is doing well and my plants are thriving after 3 months now. You must have gotten a bad batch.
@@FishtoryQuikcrete pool sand is amazing. 50lbs for $11, truly dust free and a beautiful color.
I've had great luck with pet smart angel fish
Thats a good Point! I have also, actually... oscars as well
I'm a fiend for the generic extremely low cost plants I can identify off eye sight.
My local petco doesn't even sort them by species, just size. "Small" amazon swords for four bucks are hard to beat, especially when they blow up with good substrate and light. Same deal for annubius. Occasionally rare plants will come in and be unidentified too, but this isn't reliable.
Regarding wood: I only know Pacific northwest wood, but knowing who is dangerous and who isn't is really beneficial. Red Alder cones are famous for the tannins of course, but the actual wood is packed with tannins. The real struggle is getting it sufficiently glued to the glass so it will stay down.
I get a five gallon jug filled with RO water for under 5 dollars at any of my local grocery stores than i add the minerals back in using Shrimp GH KH from Flip Aquatics. I only need to do water changes every 3 to 6 months depending on which of my 3 tanks it is.
Right on
Nice, helpful video. Rooting for you in NC. :}
Thanks so much!
Would love the links to the online stores you use, I'm in washington in a Rural area so delivery sounds so cost effective
Theyre in every video description usually. But dansfish.com discount code alex... and aquaticarts.com discount code fishtory15 is usually the two i use for most fish..cheers! Shipping is spendy but worth it if you do a sizable order of a few species at once... or plants and food + hardscape etc.
I USE HANG OFF BACK FILTERS ON MY 55 75 AND 150 GALLON TANKS.I FILLED WITH CERAMIC SPHERES AND BIO BALLS, NO FILTER MEDIA. AND THERE NO WORK FILTERS. MY TANKS ARE ALL PLANTED. SO NO GRAVEL CLEANING, AND FAST WATER CHANGES.
A simple t5 hood and ballast from home depot (the 48" ones) are not expensive. Not to mention the same length at many tanks over 50 gallons. I buy those either the double or quadrouple, and purchase daylight led bulbs. Another $10. You get soooo much light for around $60 compared to other "tank lights". Im cheap and have a "grow light" from harbor freight lighting my entire 29 gallon on c02. Does well for a $20 light.
Always check the on line price first
I really enjoyed that..
In Ireland the price of everything is so crazy...rip off..
Good tips ..
Thanks 🙏
Cheers mate
Petsmart in my area price match their online prices. A bulk of what i know came from two of their employees that are fellow hobiest and just love talking shop lol unfortunately the mom and pop LFS in my opinion are run by a couple of pompus arrogant jerks and i likely wont go back. I kind of shop around to the different box stores and drive an hour away to other LFS to get better prices.
Yeah its rough if you arent near a good indy shop or in a big city. Thats why i have the discount codes in the description to the few online sellers (other than solo breeders) that i think are ethically sourcing fish...caring for fish, not over medicating, and care for their employees with living wages
I bought all 4 of my tanks used
And my 5,10 & 20 gallon tanks h bought at value village for cheep and they came with heaters , filters & lights 🤷 ✅
Score!
do you have a video on pros and cons sand aquarium and bare bottom aquarium
I could make one!
Big box stores are usually graded into tiers based on sales for their animal selection. Thats why some stores regularly have rarer/more unique fish than others' boring selection.
Yes. Especially petcos .... they can have really great selections of unusual species if theyre top tier...and shrimp. But the low ones dont even have plants around here, often
I got a 55 gallon starter kit and so far I’ve had decent success with plants especially being hornwort which I barley count since it’s so easy to grow anyways.. it costed over 500 and came with a good amount of supplies actually! Also this video is useful thanks
The Amazon 55 gallon starter kit
Good to hear. If the kit was 500, it may be different from the cheaper ones i showed
Thank you for the info. Is buying live fish/shrimp online a good thing tho? Seems rather cruel? That's why i buy locally at these big box stores...
Yes, if they are good companies they all ship overnight and dansfish/aquatic arts have less than a 2% death rate all together...the industry norms can be as high as 30% just shipping to the store first. I work with those 2 companies in promoting them, because they supply us bred fish, support us breeders, pay their employees living wages, and dont over medicate or place the fish in small tanks, both keep fish for observation and administer meds only when needed because they watch them and feed them frozen and live foods too... but it's why they cost more...some online shops are just as bad as the box stores, some local stores too... but ive known those 2 for 5+ years each and its why im so big on promoting them and giving viewers the discount codes in the video description...oh and customer service is top notch.
I work at petsmart. 0:06 into this and yeah, it’s messed up. Camalanus worms been a problem lately
Yeah those are a pain in the... cloaca?
such an excellent and highly informative video.
Glad you liked it!