I don't usually go here because their quality and service generally isn't that great but they are 3 minutes away and when I need something quick it is easy.  However after what I saw tonight, I will never even go near this place again EVER!!!!  This poor fish.  I counted 4 other dead fish in just their salt tanks.  Every time the fish would turn yellow would just fly off it its tail, I was horrified.  Pictures aren't the best I was trying to take them with my cell phone quick and get out before I blew up because someone let this happen.  Fish get sick it happens, but this is totally totally uncalled for.  Even if they took it in from someone else, this should not be in the showroom and should not be sharing water with other fish.  There were two other fish in the tank with this poor creature.

I thought Walmart was bad....wow.

That is absolutely terrible. I've had rude and unpleasant encounters with the staff there on multiple occasions and these pictures seal the deal; never to return to Pets Playhouse. Poor creature...

that sucks

Just to make the situation clear this fish was dropped off in even worse condition than that and in the last week has made a huge recovery. The other fish in the tank were dropped off at the same time by the same person. The fish causing this assualt was also dropped off at the same time which is a blue streak damsel which got placed in with a large lion fish where he will live cowering in the live rock. As far as the other dead fish I would like to know which ones. I left there shortly after 5 and everything was looking pretty good other than the damsels that came in last week with a bacterial infection.

And sorry it was in a display tank as i dont have tanks in back to put it in and felt bad for him and couldnt just through him away. The plan is to heal him up and keep him in the frag tank where he can live out the rest of his life

Surprised?.... Just goes to show peoplein the club jump to the wrong conclusions before knowing the whole story. Then the rest jump on the band wagon when convenient.

And another thing....Why go sneaking around like some sorta spy taking pictures to post. Go up and someone about the fish and get the story or is that to hard to do? Don't like confrontation? Then shut up and keep quiet..no need to post it on the forum! I'd agree their service could be better at times....however if you don't feel like you've been taken care of properly .....say something to the owner or don't go back.

I am sure a most anyone would look at this fish not knowing the entire story and be horrified. Seems to me all Lehr wanted to do was get some shots and leave without causing a scene and give his fellow reefers a heads up. In the mean time Nick was able to explain what was going on and why. Thanks to both of you.

Be think its completely disrespectful to take picture and post on this board in this manor. It would be another story if you got bad service yourself, or they sold you that fish. Maybe you should of asked permission to post pics of a tank that isn't yours. What ever happened to supporting your LFS.

I was there the day they were where dropped off. The tang has made a 100% turn around there wasn't even any blue on it at all. Told Nick good luck. One thing about Nick or PetPlayhouse is if you got a question about a fish (fresh/salt)they will tell you if it will work or not in your system.

i commented that sucks and i just ment that the fish looked as it did i think that it is prty cool that they took on the hurt fish/fishs but if it was not for someone posting the info i would of just asumed the worst but thanks for the more info given and the way i look at it yes maybe he could of asked about the fish but i also she why he would want to at least share like mike said thanks to both and glad the truth got scared

Posted By OceansWonders on 11/30/2011 07:23 AM

People are going to make their own assumptions when they see something unless they are told or heard otherwise.


On the stores part you have to realize that putting a extremely sick looking fish in a display tank that everyone sees when they come in the door is going to potentially scare customers away.  One terrible looking fish could end up costing thousands in potential sales.  It should be the stores reasonability to keep it in a quarantine out of site and not in a dysplay tank.

+1 Or just a simple note on the tank to explain the situation.

I have bought a lot of stuff from PP and have always been happy with my purchases and how I have been treated.

Personally, I hate to see things suffer. If it were me I would have done that fish a favor and put it down.

I do applaud PP for trying to save the fish but it probably should have done behind closed doors, out of the view of the public.

I am constantly calling or stopping into PP all the time for stuff that I just cant seem to find with a Google search. They are always helpful. I saw the fish in the tank one day. I had petty for the little guy and almost thought about buying him from Nick so that I could either bring him back to a healthy state or make sure he had a peaceful passing.

Now I've only been in salt water for 14 months and I understand fish get a little territorial over there tank space. Nick and everyone else at PP explains that up front. They even ask a million questions before they even sell you a fish to make sure it'll be 100% compatible in your current tank and make sure it is compatible in your tank with your future improvements. That's why I always buy from them. Or at least get their opinion from them before introducing something new to my tank.

In my opinion, if there is a chance at saving an animal, why not take that chance. If you had the licing snot beat out of you, and you were given the chance to live or die, would YOU want to be "put down"? I sure wouldn't... I agree it's a bad business practice to put something like that in a main display. If what I read here is true, it sounds like the shop is losing potential sales for having a heart, which is pretty sad in and of itself.

I think it is worth noting that they run all their systems seperatly, so that system does not share water with the rest of the systems.

I think a note on the tank saying it is a rescue in progress not for sale would take care of all concerns.

Posted By Bela on 11/30/2011 12:19 PM
  If you had the licing snot beat out of you, and you were given the chance to live or die, would YOU want to be "put down"?

If your asking ME, then yes I would want to euthanized.  That fish has got to be in pain, with no way of treating for pain, I would rather be dead. 

Like I stated in my post that is my opinion. 

Either way, it's still pretty graphic and not something I would want anyone to ever have to witness. 

I like Craigs idea of putting a note up. People will see the note and follow its progress each time the stop in.