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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU - Pets at Home Goldfish Fiasco

98 replies

MoronsandNeurons · 27/04/2016 13:27

Went to buy a replacement goldfish (DD's lasted 6 months) and I was refused by the most miserable assistant because I didn't have a filter in the tank. Bought an overpriced filter.
Went back today and they refused because it hadn't been switched on for a minimum of 3 days. Then they asked what size tank I had, I said a starter kit. They said for ONE goldfish I need to have a tank around the 60L mark as they can grow upto 30cm and that the (goldfish!!) starter kits weren't big enough. Confused
AIBU to want to buy my daughter a goldfish without needing a degree in marine biology and a huge aquarium?! Fair enough for tropical fish but a humble goldfish? And does anyone know where I can buy one without a background check? Grin

OP posts:
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KitKatCustard · 27/04/2016 13:29

6 months sounds not too bad for a goldfish! (Well one kept indoors anyway!)
Ours live outside in a wildlife pond and are busting with health. Dig a pond?

VimFuego101 · 27/04/2016 13:30

Not sure about the exact size of tank needed but their advice sounds good to me. Goldfish aren't as easy as people think they are. What size tank do you have?

KoalaDownUnder · 27/04/2016 13:33

What the hell kind of goldfish grows to be a foot long?! Shock

(Disclaimer: have never had a goldfish)

Springdew · 27/04/2016 13:33

I'd say good on them it's nice to hear of a pet shop being responsible. I've heard goldfish aren't as stupid as we used to think (20 second memory etc) and that they grow big if in correct size tank so if they are popped in a little one it's actually quite cruel. 60l isn't massive can you give your starter sized one back (or eBay) and upgrade?

Original poster
MoronsandNeurons · 27/04/2016 13:40

@kitkatCustard would love to, but garden size of postage stamp Grin
@koaladownunder that's what I thought! Haven't seen many of them around, that's for sure Hmm
@VimFuego101 @springdew I wouldn't mind, but they sell the starter kit, and filter and have about 30 fish in a tank the size of a shoebox when you go to buy them. I wouldn't want to be cruel by just sounds a bit OTT to me

OP posts:
ChemistryHunt · 27/04/2016 13:45

I think that when they initially told you you needed to have a filter, they should have been clear regarding how long it should be set up before introducing the fish, so that is bad on them for not doing that.

However I think it is good they are following the recommendations for how goldfish should be kept. It is true that most people underestimate the volume of water that is needed and overlook things such as filters. Not much thought used to go into goldfish welfare, but now it is recognised that need more than a glass bowl to be healthy.

Pets at Home have in the past had pretty big failings when it comes to pet welfare, but I think they are trying to improve, which can only be a good thing.

I was picking up some bits and pieces for our pets last weekend and there were signs all over the fish area detailing how long tanks should be set up prior to the fish being introduced, for the different types of fish. They also now have big signs advising of the filter requirement.

I understand that these signs may not ave been at your store, and that the initial staff member should have been clearer about the requirements, but I think they are absolutely doing the right thing by having them in place.

Tippytappytoes · 27/04/2016 13:47

What type of goldfish are you trying to buy? I have two standard goldfish in a 180 litre aquarium, with a pretty good filter and areator. I'm not happy with this set up and am currently saving to get a bigger aquarium. I test the water every couple of days, do weekly water changes and chemically treat the water to make sure it's suitable for them.

6 months isnt very long at all, I've had mine for 8-9 years and they are rescues. I wouldn't recommend standard goldfish as pets. They require a lot of maintenance and are so so messy. I never recommend them as pets unless you have a pond. Fancy goldfish are probably better, lion heads, fan tails etc. but they still require some care but not as much space.

Sweetpotatoaddict · 27/04/2016 13:48

My grandparents had a goldfish that lived in an old shallow sink in the greenhouse, they thought it was roughly 40 yrs old when it died. It had been fished out a canal when my uncle was a child, lived happily in the sink occasionally being frozen inside a block of ice. I was considering getting another goldfish for the shallow sink, perhaps I shouldn't go to pets at home.......

HoneyDragon · 27/04/2016 13:49

Goldfish are messy and not suited for tanks. They should live for ten years.

You have a small cold water tank you could get cherry shrimp or s couple of minnows if it's big enough.

Keeping fish is hard, way way harder than cats or dogs.

It's heartening to hear of PAH actually acting in an animals welfare for once

DementedUnicorn · 27/04/2016 13:51

I shit you not but that is practically word for word what happened me about 5 years ago in there! That's almost spooked me how similar it is---- Shock

KoalaDownUnder · 27/04/2016 13:52

Goldfish are messy?!Confused

Off to do some googling - been an eye-opener, thus thread!

KoalaDownUnder · 27/04/2016 13:52

'This', you stupid phone.

YourLeftElbow · 27/04/2016 13:53

They keep shitloads of fish in a tiny tank in Pets at Home.

toboldlygo · 27/04/2016 13:55

An average goldfish should live for 10+ years and will grow over a foot long. They are pond fish, really, there are much more suitable fish available for small set-ups.

Pets at Home are still not doing a great job here (switching the filter on for three days does nothing, for example, I would hope they have a better understanding of the nitrogen cycle than that...) but at least they're inching towards giving the right advice.

Before purchasing any more fish I'd strongly recommend browsing the starter sections over at Practical Fishkeeping or going to a good independent shop (Maidenhead Aquatics etc.) for help on how to correctly cycle a tank and with choosing some more suitable small inhabitants.

Chattymummyhere · 27/04/2016 13:56

I think it's good they are finally asking these questions. I get quizzed on the rare time I buy a p@h fish (not very often as our local one is forever having to shut its tanks due to Infection.) nobody should be able to buy a pet without knowing the requirements, although they really need to stop selling pet starter sets that are not fit for the animal and it's not just fish they sell the wrong sized starter sets for.

Original poster
MoronsandNeurons · 27/04/2016 13:56

ChemistryHunt I agree it's good in theory, just sounds a little extreme to me, especially as they don't seem to abide by their own guidelines. I missed the signs, maybe they were there and i just didn't see them.
TippyTappyToes That sounds an impressive set up. It was a fantail we had last time, I was hoping to just replace it.
SweetPotatoAddict Great story! Hope you're allowed to buy another one! Smile

OP posts:
Chattymummyhere · 27/04/2016 13:57

I second Maidenhead aquatics they have some amazing fish and will give correct advice. Filters need much longer than 3days so glad they don't deal with marine fish.

Original poster
MoronsandNeurons · 27/04/2016 13:59

DementedUnicorn so frustrating isn't it? What did you do in the end?
YourLeftElbow ikr!!
Chattymummyhere I think that's what I find more frustrating - the fact that what they sell isn't suitable. For example their 'gecko' starter kit includes sand, which causes sand impaction and gradual death.

OP posts:
maz210 · 27/04/2016 14:00

Sorry but YABU, only through lack of knowledge though.

Standard single tail goldfish need so much space that most people wouldn't be able to fit a large enough tank in their house. They're really only suited to live in ponds although pet shops continue to sell them as children's pets. They will live 20-30 years with good conditions, your daughter's one only lasted six months because the tank was too small and it's waste will have built up and effectively poisoned it.

Fancy goldfish (twin tailed ones) can be kept in tanks but need a minimum of 100 litres, so about a 3 foot tank. A 60 litre tank is usually about 2 foot by 1 foot so not big at all, you could put one or two fancy goldfish in there with a good filter but it would need upgrading very soon. My tank was about 300 litres and I kept 5 fancy goldfish in there, they all reached six inches within about two years and were still growing.

However, having said all that, most people are willing to just keep buying goldfish every six months and until there's legislation to stop pet shops selling people unsuitable pets this won't ever change.

BarbaraofSeville · 27/04/2016 14:03

So Pets at Home will let you buy a tank that is too small for the fish that you want to buy but don't tell you this and just let you waste time going backwards and forwards trying to set the thing up?

NeedACleverNN · 27/04/2016 14:04

Yes it's good that PAH are finally changing their ethics so that fish are thriving and not just surviving.

I have goldfish. They have been going for 2 years now and are still going strong.

Pump, filter and aeration system. Happy fish.

Yy to goldfish being messy. They cannot stop pooing!

InternalMonologue · 27/04/2016 14:05

Rescue goldfish?! Rescue? Goldfish? Every day is, indeed, a school day.

RattieOfCatan · 27/04/2016 14:09

I'm impressed that P@H are looking out for the creatures welfare! You really should look into why they are saying no and what changes you should make to improve the quality of life of the fish before you get another one.

CrownofStars · 27/04/2016 14:11

Just to address the point made earlier that P@H has lots fish in tiny tanks. You should realise that they have a huge filtration system behind all those tiny tanks and so it really works as though they have a gigantic tank separated into cubicles.

Micah · 27/04/2016 14:11

Well they might be trying but it's still shit advice.

Fish, goldfish included, do need practically a pHD in water chemistry. You do need to cycle the tank- preferably without fish as it's incredibly stressful and often kills them. 3 days running a filter is not cycling a tank- you need to measure levels every day until the balance is right.

Goldfish are massive if kept properly, and live for years. 6 months means it's likely been poisoned by it's own waste.

Elbow- yes they do appear to keep shitloads of fish in tiny tanks, but it's not really a lot of separate tanks- they're all linked up to a massive industrial water system so the water is constantly filtered and replaced. Even so, if you go in early you'll see them removing all the dead fish.