Koi-Lo wrote:

Here, in the WMs where I live, I see the GF no hardier than the other fish
they carry. There are as many ick infested and dead fuzzy GF as there are
other fish. After the last sad experience with those lionheads, I have no
intention of buying any fish from WM no matter how tempting they may be.
--

While at an IL Meijer a few days ago I noticed (and told the clueless
employee in charge of the fish) the large comet and common Goldie tank
was suffering from Septicemia.
It was such a sad situation. While I was waiting for somebody to come
to the dept. he pulls up with 2 shopping carts full of fish. 2 large
bags of more large Goldies for that tank too!
I explained what would happen if he added the new arrivals to that same
tank and I can only hope he didn't.
He said he would look around for medication.
They also had Fin Rot , which probably is why they got septicemia.
I told him if he doesn't treat them right away, they'll all die, and so
will the new ones if he put them in there too.

At WalMart yesterday picking up a replacement fluorescent light bulb
that goes into an incandescent light fixture (they're less than $5
here, and $10 everywhere else), and sure enough, their Goldies had it
too. They also had 2 decaying corpses that were obviously long, long
dead. I too told the guy there.
He acted like he had no idea there were any dead fish in the tanks.
This was a Walmart I don't go to. I did this once because it was on the
way to my sister's. It's a filthy store and it didn't surprise me at
the condition of their tanks and fish.
They also had male Bettas that were obviously put together to fight.