Petco - Santa Clarita

Shop Website: http://www.petco.com
 
Reviewed By: Kevin R. Stringer
Date Of Review: October/2005
Overall: Fair
 
Times Visited: Two to Four Times
Freshwater Selection: Very Good
Saltwater Selection: Fair
Stock Selection: Fair
Staff: Poor
Prices: Very Good
 
Comments:
 
I was very impressed with the selection of fish that the store had upon entering. There were several species that I had not been able to find locally before visiting. However, I was very displeased with the fact that about 70% or more of the tanks had at least one dead fish, usually more. The worst that I saw had over 10 dead fish in various states of decay.
 
When I approached one of the staff about it, he claimed that they had just received new stock the day before and they usually had many die off within 24 hours. While this is understandable, care should be taken to remove the dead ones from the tanks as soon as possible to 1.) Prevent increased risk of disease to the other inhabitants of the tank and 2.) To provide a better display of the store's wares for sale. The prices though were much better than what I've been able to find at other local fish stores but the fact that I would have no faith that the fish purchased from the store would be in good health makes me think it's worth it to pay a little more and buy from a LFS that I can develop a personal relationship with and have confidence that their fish will be healthy upon purchase.
 
Lastly, in my visits to this store, I have asked multiple questions and typically the staff assigned to their aquatics area seem to know very little about the hobby as a whole. While I can't expect much from a large retailer such as Petco, it is sad that so many people will look to them for help and they will either receive no help, or even worse, incorrect information that could hurt them in the long run.