Worse then Petco

[Sharkbait420]

I know it is hard to believe but I was at a LFS which will remain unnamed and I was shocked at what I saw. A near 3 foot shark in a 72 gallon tank. The sharl was cut up and the cuts were infected. The shark also had gill flukes or a similar parasite.

I wanted to buy it but the employee told me $250. The employee told me the shark was in perfect health and needed a little melaflex. He did use the work perfect. That shark in perfect health should not be over $150. I wanted to buy it but did not want to support a store taphat abuses fish like this. That shark is destined to die prematurely if he does not get a better home. The condition that shark was in the store should sell it at cost and be happy if someone buys it. It is hard enough selling large sharks. Selling ones in that condition is near impossible.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=pxIFIj1f9Nk
http://youtube.com/watch?v=vFoF6vaFWSQ

 

[Tonyscoots84]

Poor shark

 

[Mom2jayden]

That's sad

 

[reefer4eva]

Don't assume without the facts..there's 3 sides to every story

 

[arthurk0722]

Don't assume without the facts..there's 3 sides to every story

And you already have 2 sides of the story. The shark looking all beat up having cuts on it and in a small tank like that as the first and the customer as being the second. The employees should know better

 

[reefer4eva]

And let's look at it at another way..if someone places an order for a shark that size and falls out on the deal what do you do then?in all honesty what pet store do you know has a tank big enough to house such a thing?so then what do you do?fillet it and have a bbq?in my opinion sharks aren't meant to have as pets they belong in the ocean..I'm not here defending anyone just stating my opinion or scenerio

 

[CleanYourTank11]

Agreed,I've worked at a handful of LFS and have had everything you can think if left by store back door. Someone could have left that shark in a rubberrmaid outside freezing. Though even with the worst possibility happening they should be giving that shark away so that it isn't stuck in a small tank,easier said then done. Someone did say that they wanted top $ for it(stupid om stores part) situation like that you take a loss and get it the hell out asap.

 

[FaviaFreak]

Just to set the facts straight

This shark is a rescue, it was never purchased by us to be sold. The shark has never been for sale. After the shark heals than we will make a decision than to sell it. The reason the shark is in a 72g tank is to medicate and feed him so we can bring the shark to proper health.

If somebody is interested in rehabilitating the shark they must have the proper knowledge and medication as well as the time to do so. This will require any individual to contact me via PM and we can discuss it in further detail.

 

[Cu455]

After getting some stuff at Aquarium Village I went to the store the other day to check out the shark. One of the employees told me that when the shark came in it was put in with a nurse shark. The Nurse shark attacked the bamboo leaving all those cuts. The shark was in good health when it came in.

If you want the shark to heal a less stress full enviorment will help. The shark is crammed in a small tank with leds blasting it in the eyes. You should give the shark a place to hide or at least shut the lights off. That is most likley the reason he hiding in the corner. The shark is ~2x longer then that tank is wide.


The same employee also told me the shark was for sale. If you put the health of your animals first why is your 6+ year nurse shark under 3ft. That shark is severely stunted.

I wasn't going to even get involved in this. The pictures and video speaks for itself. Saying that the shark wasn't ever for sale is a lie, unless your employee was lying to me. Was your employee lying about it coming in good health and the nurse shark attacking it? Or am I lying about what they told me?

You claim the shark was a rescue. It seems like someone needs to rescue the shark from you.

 

[Tonyscoots84]

Guys please keep it civil.

 

[jvu61]

just my two cents. it's there shark they own it. they have a right to do what they please with it, for better or worse. if you find what they are doing is wrong and it up sets you ,then you can make the choice not to go back into there store. this forum is for the exchange of information on how to become better reef keepers. buy and sell our things and to meet new friends. lets remain respectful of each other and try not to judge others.

 

[Koyfam16]

I don't usually chime in on threads like this but I think the issue here is employees of the store are giving out incorrect information. If the shark is a rescue and is just there to be treated after which a suitable home will be found then the employees need to portray that message. Better yet put up a sign on the tank explaining the life and circumstance of the shark - how it was rescued etc. Passing on this information to visitors of the store will help find the shark a better home and you may even find folks willing to contribute to his rescue efforts ( donations etc). People are drawn to sympathetic situations, it's human nature to care.
Just my .02 cents.
This post went into bashing of all sorts which is not helpful in this situation. I would have been happier if the title of the thread said " let's help this shark recover" rather than "worse than petco".
At the end of the day it's the livelihood of the shark at stake and bashing the store is just drawing negative energy.

 

[jvu61]

i don't usually chime in on threads like this but i think the issue here is employees of the store are giving out incorrect information. If the shark is a rescue and is just there to be treated after which a suitable home will be found then the employees need to portray that message. Better yet put up a sign on the tank explaining the life and circumstance of the shark - how it was rescued etc. Passing on this information to visitors of the store will help find the shark a better home and you may even find folks willing to contribute to his rescue efforts ( donations etc). People are drawn to sympathetic situations, it's human nature to care.
Just my .02 cents.
This post went into bashing of all sorts which is not helpful in this situation. I would have been happier if the title of the thread said " let's help this shark recover" rather than "worse than petco".
At the end of the day it's the livelihood of the shark at stake and bashing the store is just drawing negative energy.

+1

 

[Cu455]

They have the right to treat the animal the way they want to a degree. People have the right to bring the poor condition the shark is kept in to others attention. I am sure the owner, manager and employees are smart enough to realize that a tank 4ftx1.5ft isn't suitable for a 3ft shark. If the shark is a rescue asking $250 for a shark that is normally $150 is grimly.

In addition I am not sure who the employee/owner that responded here is but him saying the shark wasn't for sale was a load of crap. I went there to check on the shark and a female employee told me it was for sale but she didn't have the price and I will have to come back the next day to speak with the manager. I came back the next day and the guy was more then willing to sell me the shark. He also gave me the line it is a little cut and will heal on its own.

I believe that the shark was attacked by the nurse shark and that is why they moved it. This is what the first employee told me. Which is a legit and understandable decision. But coming here saying that people are lying about the shark being for sale is scummy.

This is not an isolated incident. I already brought it to the attention of several employees that their tank is a little small for the nurse shark and the shark should be over 6ft by now but it is extremely stunted.

While they are free to keep a nurse shark in a 3ft wide tank and a 3ft bamboo in an 1.5ft tank they shouldn't come on here and claim the animals well being is their main priority. Which is not, it is a business. They also shouldn't imply that people are lying when they are not.

They have the old stingray tank sitting in the store empty. That tank is more than adequate and more humane to hold the shark then a 72 gallon tank. If they cared that much they could of easily set the stingray tank up.

The store is right by Toys R Us and other stores that sell kiddy pools. If they are serious about the animals well being being their #1 priority they could of went out and got one. If they want I will donate and drop off one of my pup growout pools for them to use. 5ft in diameter and 18in high. I am sure one of their employees will see this. Send me a PM if you want it and I will drop it off.

 

[Kworker]

A good thought is a public aquarium out east with commercial sized tanks might show some interest in adopting a group of sharks such as these.. Nurse and blacktip.

 

[duke62]

Here is what I know and what I just saw. Someone dropped this shark off because his sharks were beating this guy up. Pets was not ready to house the shark so they housed it in the small tank till the copiague store could set up something to house it. I just saw the shark at copiague in a nice big holding tank and saw it eat and it's scars look like real old scars probably from the first guys sharks beating it up. It was medicated in the 72 and it looks very healthy. People who responded here very negatively which one guy works at country critters who at every turn tries to bad mouth pets warehouse. For anyone that has a bad taste over Petswarehouse go over to the copiague store and you can see it's perfectly healthy. If someone couldn't take care of a animal and dropped it off at your house and you weren't ready for it but you didn't want the animal to die you would do what you could to make sure it doesn't die and that's what they did. As far as the person who said the shark was on sale I can guarantee they asked one of the stock boys who is not qualified to give a price or should he give a price. As far as I know this shark was never for sale and Petswarehouse has contacted many people to adopt it who are qualified to house the shark. As far as I'm concerned this thread should be closed it's just a bunch of bashing without any facts just he said she said. And also for the record the shark is not 3 ft long it closer to 20"

 

[marrone]

At this point the thread has run its course. I think there some true things in this thread but also a lot of BS too.


By the way, everyone keeps bring up the price, well if you think it's too much, then don't buy it. Then again it's not even for sale anyway.