Wal-Mart

[Cricket]

Ok here goes. I'm sick and tired of everyone saying how bad Wal-mart is and how they kill all the fish they get. I just got some of the most beautiful Cichlids from them And I'm starting to wonder why everyone is so against Wal-Mart. The only reason I can see is that they are taking people away from the over prised Fish stores. I'm open for any one to tell me I'm wrong just make sure you can tell me why. Thank you and I hope to hear from everyone.

[Jason S]

Wal-Mart, like any of the large pet supply shops, is really at the mercy of those taking care of the fish. Often the employees they have to staff the live fish displays have no knowledge of keeping tropical fish and as a result the fish often suffer in poor conditions. They also purchase their fish from large farms which do not necessarily specialize in cichlids, sometimes resulting in poor quality and hybrid varieties of cichlids. However if a particular store is lucky enough to have somebody willing to properly manage the live fish section one can find very nice, healthy fish there. Understand that by purchasing fish at a good local store they may be bit more expensive but the money supports the local economy, not a large corporation. Often GOOD local shops will have more expertise and a larger variety of cichlids to offer. If you are lucky enough to have a Wal-mart that does a good job caring for fish then I would support it, but supporting a good local shop can be more rewarding as they have may have access to species and expertise a Wal-Mart never would.