When you go to Walmart, you can expect to find an amazing range of products that will help you take care of your pets.
As well as pet supplies, you might be wondering whether Walmart sells actual pets, too. So, does Walmart sell live fish? I’ve done the research. Check out what I discovered!
Key Takeaways
Does Walmart Sell Live Fish In 2022?
Unfortunately, Walmart does not sell live fish as of 2022. Walmart used to sell live fish in around 1,700 of its US stores but announced it was discontinuing all pet fish sales in 2019. While Walmart does not sell live fish anymore, customers can still purchase a wide range of pet fish supplies at Walmart.
So why exactly did Walmart stop selling live fish? Keep reading to find out everything you need to know about Walmart selling live fish!
Why Did Walmart Stop Selling Live Fish?
Walmart used to account for around 30% of pet fish sales in the US!
However, the retailer announced it would stop selling all pet fish and live aquatic plants for two main reasons.
The first was consumer demand. It would appear that live fish sales were dropping, likely because many of the fish were so unhealthy–looking when displayed in the stores.
This also made them unattractive to potential buyers.
A second related reason had to do with push-back from animal rights activists.
For a decade, the non-profit organization PETA campaigned to bring an end to sales of live fish in stores that could not provide adequate care to the animals.
With so many of Walmart’s fish looking so unhealthy in-store or dying on their way there, the stores were urged to stop selling them.
When Did Walmart Stop Selling Live Fish?
Walmart announced that it would begin scaling back its sales of live fish in March 2019.
However, not all stores began the move quite so early.
In fact, while Walmart had pledged to discontinue the sale of all live fish, the decision over whether to remove tanks from stores was initially given to the stores’ managers.
As a result, the move was not completed until October 2019, seven months after the initial announcement.
What Fish Did Walmart Sell?
Walmart used to sell a wide variety of tropical and freshwater fish, which had to be sourced and transported from different countries.
These included Betta fish which are native to Thailand, and Tetra, Oscar, and Cichlid fish which had to be imported from Africa and South America.
Does Walmart Have Fish Supplies?
Yes, Walmart sells a huge range of fish supplies! You can buy fish supplies in the pet section of your local Walmart store or on their website. The choice of merchandise includes:
- Fishbowls
- Fish tanks
- Fish food
- Filtration systems
- Aquarium gravel, plants, and décor
- Aquarium stands
If you’re not sure exactly what you need to buy for your new fish, there is a comprehensive buying and information guide for first-time fish buyers on Walmart.com.
The guide includes information on what makes a fish a great pet for kids, how to choose the right aquarium, and how to properly maintain an aquarium for freshwater fish.
So, if you’re looking to get yourself set up with a new pet fish, it’s worth checking out Walmart’s guide.
Does Walmart Sell Other Live Animals?
No, Walmart doesn’t sell any live animals such as dogs, cats, rats, mice, or any other pets. Walmart only carries pet supplies now that they have discontinued the sale of live fish.
If you’re looking to purchase a live animal, Walmart is not the place to go. Instead, you need to seek a pet store chain or local pet store to purchase a live animal, such as fish.
Why Doesn’t Walmart Have Live Lobster Tanks Anymore?
It was decided a while ago that having live lobsters for sale in tanks for you to pick from was inhumane.
It’s because of this that you no longer find live lobsters in any grocery store like Walmart.
Again, complaints from concerned customers caused the removal of lobster tanks in all Walmart and other grocery stores.
If you want to purchase a live lobster, you need to find a specialty store that carries them.
Where Can I Buy Live Fish Instead?
Now that Walmart no longer sells live fish, you’ll have to look elsewhere. Not to worry, though, because there are plenty of places to buy pet fish from, including local pet stores.
However, most supermarkets in the US will no longer sell live fish in their stores.
If you want a convenient place to buy healthy fish that are well looked after, then you can try shopping at either Petco or PetSmart.
You can also shop online for pet fish, with expert retailers that have years of experience in packing and shipping live animals. For example:
To learn more, you can see our other guides on whether or not Target sells live pet fish, the Walmart dog policy, and if Walmart sells live bait.
Conclusion
Walmart used to be one of the biggest sellers of pet fish in the United States. However, after a backlash against the mistreatment of the live fish on sale in Walmart’s stores, the retailer stopped selling the animals in 2019.
But, you can still buy supplies for your pet fish in Walmart’s stores and on their website!
And, if you would like to buy a pet fish from a specialist source, there are plenty of pet stores and online fish retailers that you can check out now.