Pet Mountain Review; Parasite Reseller

"Just Say NO to Pet Mountain"

Updated 1/27/12

I will keep this Fish as Pets Aquatic News article short and to the point.
This review based on input from friends in the aquarium business is different from many which are generally based on misinformation and anecdotal aquarium/pond information often found on the Internet.
However in this review I will more point out the ethics of distributors/manufacturers that allegedly sell to parasite Pet/Aquatics resellers; in particular Pet Mountain.

Hopefully this article will "hit home" for those who consider ethics more important than saving .25 or more.

What is a parasite reseller? This is a reseller that jumps in after another business in the aquarium industry (or other business field of endeavor) has spent years and considerable amounts of time and money educating the public about new products or services that many may keeping aquarium keeping more successful. These parasite resellers will then often make unethical deals with manufacturers under cutting the businesses that have done all the work.

Pet Mountain
First, it should be pointed out, unlike ethical businesses, Pet Mountain hides in anonymity with no listing provided to business searches of ownership.
All that is known is that Pet Mountain is based out of Darmstadt Germany, yet they do no business there!!
This is just one evidence of their parasite retailer activities; they suck out US dollars, damaging otherwise honest US companies while sending the monies to Darmstadt Germany.
(Source: http://www.websitevalue.us/www/petmountain.com)

Second,
Pet Mountain is utilizing an unethical relationship with Lee-Mar Aquarium and Pet Supplies of Vista CA.
LeeMar is an authorized pet product distributor that is is sharing its facilities with Pet Mountain in what is likely an incestuous relationship to sell direct to the public (& likely much more, but so much is secretive).
This is no different than your local Chevy Dealership doing all the work only to see GM make a direct sale to the buyer; this is both unethical and illegal in many instances!!

It is also noteworthy that friend in the aquarium industry has has business dealing back in the early 1980s and discontinued business with them for dishonest practices.

Pet Mountain also hides its address from the general public so it takes some looking to find this unethical relationship.

Here are their addresses:

Lee Mar:
2459 Dogwood Way
Vista, CA

Pet Mountain:
2465 Dogwood Way,
Vista California 92081

Further,
In speaking with one of the largest Pet Supply distributors in North America (who would prefer anonymity), I would have to say the Pet Mountain gets the dishonor of being the worst offender by far as to this type of behavior.
Whether it be Marineland, Hagen, Commodity Axis, API, or Weco; Pet Mountain is selling products that others have spent copious amounts of time educating the general public about.

I should also note that this parasite reselling is not done by normal quantity buying discounts that more ethical large resellers such as Petco utilize, rather with many products I am familiar with at prices lower than those selling in originally higher quantities via unethical under the table deals!

In the case of the Weco Wonder Shell, this is an especially glaring example since although this product is not at all new, it was a regional secret that only in 2005 when American Aquarium Products spent copious amounts of time and money correctly educating the aquarium keeping (& pond keeping) public via blog posts, scientific articles, forum sponsorships, etc. as to what these mineral blocks can and cannot perform for one's aquarium. In steps Pet Mountain with a deal (likely through Lee Mar) under selling others for this product, all the while providing incorrect information about this product.
What is sad is Weco (the manufacturer) is dishonest in under selling those who have help build this product.


In conclusion; if you are considering a Rena Filstar Filter, Wonder Shell, Fluval, UV Sterilizer, etc.
Please consider ethics and those businesses whether internet based or local fish/aquarium stores that have helped you with your product knowledge and return the favor of their hard work for as a little as .25 cents extra.
This is not a lot to ask in a world where ethics has generally taken a back seat.

I might add this is especially important when your fish are sick, do you want a parasite retailer with no experience helping you or do you want a professional that has spent their life in hands on experience in Fish Medications Research for products such as Triple Sulfa, Furan 2, or Erythromycin??

Thankfully many of the best manufacturers of quality products such as TMC do NOT sell their products to these types of retailers. I am speaking of TMC UV Sterilizers & AquaRay LED Lights (these before mentioned web sites sell low end LED Lights such as Marineland Double Bright that should NEVER be used for anything other than basic aquatic lighting, not reef or high light planted; see this article: Aquarium LED Light Review).



By Steven W.