# Topfin selling "aquatic plants"



## nickcamp12345 (May 2, 2009)

Alright so i went to petsmart today and bought some peacock fern. turns out its not an aquatic plant even though the little tube says so. im so pissed off i didnt research first, but seriously, if its not an aquatic plant, then it shouldn't be sold as one. anyone else do this and what did you do?


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## metageologist (Jan 10, 2008)

i made this mistake when i started my PT's. i called them and there response was really we have never heard that complaint before no offer for a refund and obviously things haven't changed


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## Axelrodi202 (Jul 29, 2008)

They've been doing this for a while now.


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## Centromochlus (May 19, 2008)

I think most of us on the forum started out by buying the "fake" aquatic plants in the tubes at Petsmart. I agree, it's stupid that they fool people into thinking they are true aquatics, but there's no way a beginner would know unless someone previously told them. Petsmart used to carry true aquatic plants, that were actually in water and under some decent lights, but they stopped carrying them in most Petsmart stores and started to sell the ones in the plastic tubes a few years ago, i believe.

If you only bought one, just throw it away.. no biggie. But if you bought a few, i'd go complain to the manager of the Petsmart where you purchased them. I'm sure you could get a refund, you have a legit reason for wanting to return them.

I believe the tubes that contain sword plants are true aquatics though (but not sure.. haven't really ever taken a good look at them). Good luck and i hope you get this resolved!


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## wondabread (Apr 23, 2009)

I have bought these before from petsmart. Mine were marked fully aquatic and terrarium (or something to that effect), I don't remember the exact marking.

I bought several over a year ago and all are still alive. They were definitely marked, although not clearly, in a little circle on the front of the label.


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## nickcamp12345 (May 2, 2009)

AzFishKid said:


> I think most of us on the forum started out by buying the "fake" aquatic plants in the tubes at Petsmart. I agree, it's stupid that they fool people into thinking they are true aquatics, but there's no way a beginner would know unless someone previously told them. Petsmart used to carry true aquatic plants, that were actually in water and under some decent lights, but they stopped carrying them in most Petsmart stores and started to sell the ones in the plastic tubes a few years ago, i believe.
> 
> If you only bought one, just throw it away.. no biggie. But if you bought a few, i'd go complain to the manager of the Petsmart where you purchased them. I'm sure you could get a refund, you have a legit reason for wanting to return them.
> 
> I believe the tubes that contain sword plants are true aquatics though (but not sure.. haven't really ever taken a good look at them). Good luck and i hope you get this resolved!


Theres another petsmart that actually has the live plants in the tanks under a good light, but they don't take care of them well. they are covered in hair algae and dying. I only bought one tube of peacock fern which i didn't know what it was but figured it would be good and i got a tube of anubias and wisteria which i knew were truely aquatic. theres an aquarium adventure by my house too so next time i need plants i'll check it out.


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## Centromochlus (May 19, 2008)

> Theres another petsmart that actually has the live plants in the tanks under a good light, but they don't take care of them well. they are covered in hair algae and dying. I only bought one tube of peacock fern which i didn't know what it was but figured it would be good and i got a tube of anubias and wisteria which i knew were truely aquatic. theres an aquarium adventure by my house too so next time i need plants i'll check it out.


Yeah, theres a few petsmart stores around here that still have the plant tanks, but most don't anymore. Have you checked out the swap n shop? You can get some really nice plants for a VERY good price.


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## nickcamp12345 (May 2, 2009)

AzFishKid said:


> Yeah, theres a few petsmart stores around here that still have the plant tanks, but most don't anymore. Have you checked out the swap n shop? You can get some really nice plants for a VERY good price.


Yeah, I've checked it out a couple times. Unfortunately I don't have a job or a paypal account so theres no way I could get people their money unless I send it in an envelope. Who knows, someone might be nice enough to let me do that. I'll ask around.


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## Dara (Jul 3, 2003)

nickcamp12345 said:


> Yeah, I've checked it out a couple times. Unfortunately I don't have a job or a paypal account so theres no way I could get people their money unless I send it in an envelope. Who knows, someone might be nice enough to let me do that. I'll ask around.



I think you might be able to use a Visa gift card with Paypal. 
http://usa.visa.com/personal/cards/prepaid/visa_gift_card.html


I bought one of the ferns from Topfin and it seems real and could stay alive underwater, but over 4 months and there is no new growth at all. I wonder if its plastic or not. But its real because it has slightly gotten a little more yellowish since I bought it. :frown:


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## mistergreen (Dec 9, 2006)

I don't know.. We might get a good case with the Better Business Bureau about mis-informing and advertising against Petsmart.


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## mistergreen (Dec 9, 2006)

ha.. I just checked the BBB. This is what I got for Petsmart.


> BBB Rating
> Based on BBB files, this business has a BBB Rating of C minus.
> 
> Reasons for this C minus rating include, 130 complaints filed against business, Length of time business has taken to resolve complaint(s).


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## 691175002 (Apr 28, 2009)

My petsmart has a tank for plants, but the plants look so dead and dying that tubes would likely be better.


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## Centromochlus (May 19, 2008)

mistergreen said:


> ha.. I just checked the BBB. This is what I got for Petsmart.
> 
> BBB Rating
> Based on BBB files, this business has a BBB Rating of C minus.
> ...



LOL. That's fail. :eek5:


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## james0816 (Jun 26, 2008)

I got nailed on that Peacock Fern too. Very nice looking plant..but alas...not aquatic.

I heard mention that someone had some of these bogs plants in their aquarium and would occassionally pull them out to get some air and such and then would re-plant. Not sure how well it did as I never followed up with it. Just not worth the effort for me.

I'll get lucky every now and then at our PetSmart here. Just recently found a cardinal plant. Other than that..pretty much the same as others have said. They even put some of the ribbon plants in the tank. Guess it is just another way of getting them to sell.


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## Strick (Apr 6, 2009)

I found a _WalMart_ near me that has plants in their fish section. Nice and healthy, too. I got a crypt, a temple plant and two pots of hairgrass last time I went - for under $4 each.

The only truly aquatic plant my PetSmart sells is anacharis...


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## nickcamp12345 (May 2, 2009)

691175002 said:


> My petsmart has a tank for plants, but the plants look so dead and dying that tubes would likely be better.


exactly why i went to the tubes everything was either dying or covered in algae. at least the peacock fern looks nice while its still alive:icon_conf.


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## just5398 (Nov 12, 2013)

I know this thread is super old but with the help of a really nice guy at Petsmart, he told me which ones really were aquatic, I went ahead and bought some for a new shrimp only tank. Only thing that has me puzzled is that now my shrimp are dying. I get one or two each day since I've added these plants.
I took gravel, water and such from a cycled 20 gallon to get things rolling (thats where the shrimp were originally) and now that I've moved them I'm getting these mysterious deaths. The parameters are all the same. The shrimp I have are fire reds and orange sakura; yes I know they shouldn't be residing together now.
The first ones to die out were the orange, I only have 1 left, and today I had my largest red female die. The only thing that is different is these plants that I can think of. I'm down to 4 shrimp now.
Has anyone else experienced mysterious deaths after adding these plants????


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## Sake (Mar 30, 2012)

Shouldn't be the plants or anything with them, the gel I believe is agar and harmless. You should really post your parameters and perhaps make a new thread on it so it gets more attention. The only thing I can think of without seeing your parameters is the tank isn't cycled properly.


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## PlantedRich (Jul 21, 2010)

We are trained to trust but I often find that is just part of the scam. I went shopping at my two favorite thrift shops where I've been able to find real bargains on 12VDC power supplies. I got the same line at both stores and asking about it, I found that both Salvation Army and Goodwill in this area are now both run by the same contract company! 
Instead of having a lot of unskilled to sort the small stuff, they just ditch it in the recycle! 
A used 6 foot extention cord is priced $3.95. Don't they sell for like a quarter at garage sales? 
I see no reason to ever trust donations to them again.


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## just5398 (Nov 12, 2013)

Sake said:


> Shouldn't be the plants or anything with them, the gel I believe is agar and harmless. You should really post your parameters and perhaps make a new thread on it so it gets more attention. The only thing I can think of without seeing your parameters is the tank isn't cycled properly.


Ok, will do tomorrow. Thanks!


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## Subtletanks91 (May 29, 2013)

Seems this is an issue that comes up a lot. Yes they do sell true and non aquatic plants. But knowing the scientific names what the plant looks like and common names along with reading the tubes could really help someone. When I have customers come in looking for plants I point them in the right direction because I know what it feels like, as well as you guys, to be jipped of your money. 

I had someone pick up a peacock fern today and was going to put it in his aquarium, so I told him he couldn't unless he wanted it to die and pointed him to something else. 

Also the mondo grass with the anacharis is the same thing as the Kyoto grass. Scientific names on the tag and tube match, how's that for a scam.


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## Drowned My Cactus (Sep 25, 2013)

The tubed plants at the Petsmart near me are clearly labeled as either aquatic or terrarium plants, though the two kinds of labels are otherwise styled identically. You have to read the white lettering on the blue band below the transparent part of the plastic tube to see the difference. The two types of plants are segregated on the display rack but that also might not be obvious to somebody who didn't realize some were for aquaria and others for terraria. I haven't bought any of them so I have no experience with them. They look pretty good on the day they arrive at the store.


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## adavisus (Oct 14, 2007)

If paypal is not an option, a usps money order is better. If anything, a money order is preferable to a paypal transaction, which, along with ebay, have a reputation which is tanking.

Regards, andy


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