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Chilliwack Store: Reveiw

8K views 32 replies 13 participants last post by  troutsniffer 
#1 ·
We visited the Chilliwack fish room yesterday on the premise of purchasing a few fish, but we were appalled with the condition of many of the fish. Convict Cichlids with some of the worst ICH, I’ve ever seen on a still living fish, Jack Dempsey’s that looked completely emaciated (wasting, looking like they hadn’t been fed in weeks), Guppies and others, that were shimmying from some sort of stress or disease. Seeing as your store has just recently opened, you are not leaving a very positive impression on first time customers to your store.

The manager did respond quickly, to my email outlining my disappointment, and concerns, with a somewhat generic response, with excuses, but no form of apology was given forthright.
 
#2 ·
you can find several threads about this store on this forum. unfortunately cant recommend it at all and we are all disappointed because it sure would be nice to have a good store in Chilliwack
 
#4 ·
President of Mr. Pet's

We are working to constantly improve our selection and maintenance at all our store locations. We rushed to setup the Chilliwack location in under 21 days. We added 4 more stacks of aquariums to Chilliwack to enlarge the fish department. We just began working with Tropica for our quality potted plants and they will be in the stores in 7 days at a great price point. Just give us a bit of time to get the fish department under way we have made big improvements already.
-Repaired all the leaks in the Mars units.
-Fixed the light ballasts in the Mars units.
-Found quality plant wholesaler.
-Added more lighting to the plant tank.
-Painted the exterior of the plant tank, fish units trim, fish sink and packaging area.
-Added 4 new DAS Commercial fish aquarium stacks including one amazing waterfall unit.
-Working to secure some quality breeders.
-Increased training on fish maintenance.
... the list goes on and on and a lot of things that take hours to do obviously go unnoticed. But I assure you we are there to stay, we have a big investment in the business and are constantly improving. We have a total of 9 locations and have experience running large stores. We have been growing faster than any other BC Based pet store for a reason. We have invested in quality equipment and training to ensure our fish department is well run. As you know dealing with live fish is at times challenging but we continue to work to get quality fish and provide superior conditions for them.

In regards to the 'curse'. I remember back 19 years ago when I wanted to open a pet store in Maple Ridge. I looked all over for a good location for a pet store and finally gave up with the agent. I was walking back to my car with the agent in the Save On Foods parking lot and I looked across the street and saw a big store with a for lease sign on it. I said how about that location. The agent didn't even show me that location because it was 'cursed'. She hesitated and said are you sure you want that location it has been 6 different businesses in less than 15 years. Sure enough I wanted it and sure enough it had instant success and has performed very well. A good operator can reverse any curse.
 
#7 · (Edited)
I, too, was looking for new options on where to buy fish. (See my SHALLOW WATERS review in June.)

Last week I bought one fish from a Mr. Pet's GLOWLIGHT tank . . . which, when I got home, turned out to be a BLACK NEON. That in itself is not a big deal because I like black neons, too. However, within twenty hours, it was dead, It is only a 10-minute drive from the store to my house. And I know how to introduce fish to a new tank. A dozen or so fishes - from PetSmart - have been in this tank since March and are doing well. Not sure what happened with the black neon. Consequently, though, I am reluctant to return to this Mr. Pet's location.
 
#8 ·
I made a post on facebook about this place. I was the one raging about seeing dead fish in the tanks, no contact from the manager about buying my fish, and plants looking like they've seen a third world war. I don't think the manager cares too much about the live pets, some of them are even misnamed.
 
#9 ·
Mr. Pet's

Please email me a price list of your fish to info@mrpets.ca We just started dealing with Tropica for our live plants and we should have stock at this location Thursday and all other locations by the following Thursday. Tropica plants are superior quality to the plants we purchased in the past and the retail will only be 10% more. I assure you the manager and staff are very committed to ensuring all the pets are healthy plus we have a healthy budget for staffing and maintenance of the pet and fish units. We are in the process of looking for alternate fish suppliers still and we just ordered a new commercial showcase to better enhance the viewing of the ferrets that we will be offering.
 
#10 ·
I was in a week ago told manager that the fish don't look good and the sump was screaming she didn't seem to concerned said I'll tell the fish girl I was there for another 10 mins or more no one came to the fish section
I'm mostly disappointed about the lack of fish and more tanks like to see lots of choice not this small bread and butter fish
Also older clerk was not very pleasant to deal with. Unfortunitily I have to keep going to Langley for a real selection of fish.
 
#17 ·
Jim I was in there today and wow you are right. Very high prices for what you get. $20 each for mediocre german blue rams! I was going to order some online last summer for $5 each. All the cichlids are tiny in fact, some look strange like they're stunted.

Just a heads up in case anyone plans on going to this store in chilliwack, they have a tank of black neons that are covered in ick. I'm not sure if all their tanks are filtered through 1 sump per row, but I wouldn't buy any fish yet from there and ask the staff if they've been treated. I ended up buying a few things but not anything alive.
 
#18 · (Edited)
I have bought supplies at Mr. Pets . . . but have stayed away from the tanks since the one fish I bought died within 24 hours - and, yes, I do know how to introduce a new fish to a new home.

Also, the one plant I bought brought snails into my tank which I did not have before. Fortunately, only a couple of dozen hatched over a two-week period. I was able to fish them out of the tank as each one appeared; then, ahem, found them a new place far away from the tank.
 
#21 ·
Perhaps this thread trashing a sponsor should be closed and deleted from a public forum?

Some of the complaints above seem to be more trolling than constructive.

If you have a problem take it to the management.

Every store will have ick at some point, every store that sells non tissue cultured plants has a risk of sending you home with snails.
 
#23 ·
Good point, poiuy704.

I, respectfully disagree, fireweed. This thread is NOT about trashing the store. BCA, from what I understand, is a community to help inform fellow fish hobbyists about services and products which are available - whether good, bad or indifferent. Folks' honest experiences are valuable resources for others. IMHO.
 
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