When something disappears from Walmart, do you notice? If you’re a loyal Walmart customer, then you’re probably pretty familiar with what this popular megastore carries on their shelves. But did Walmart stop selling fish?
First, let’s make an important distinction…
Walmart still sells fish in their meat and seafood section and does not plan on making any major changes to their offerings.
However, as of 2019, Walmart decided to permanently cease all sales of live fish as pets in their stores. This came after over a decade of scaling back their live pets department due to waning demand.
The first mention of Walmart’s second thoughts around the sale of live fish came in 2007, and by 2019, Walmart’s pet fish business was thrown overboard.
Contents
Where Can You Buy Live Fish Instead?
If you’re in the market for a pet fish, there are still plenty of places that supply freshwater and marine fish.
The two most popular places to purchase live fish are Petco and PetSmart.
You’re also bound to find at least one small, independently-owned pet store in your area that most likely sells a variety of fish.
Can You Buy Fish At Walmart Online?
Oddly enough, despite pulling live fish from their retail locations, Walmart does still sell live fish online at Walmart.com.
When you purchase live fish from Walmart.com, you will receive your fish in the mail.
How To Buy Live Fish At Walmart Online?
Buying live fish from Walmart’s website is as simple as buying anything else online.
Simply visit the live fish page on Walmart.com, select the fish you’d like to purchase, and complete your order.
Once you’ve made your purchase, you can expect to receive your fish in the mail in about 3-5 business days.
Can You Buy Fish Supplies At Walmart?
While Walmart stores no longer sell live fish in person, you can still buy a wide range of fish and other pet supplies from Walmart’s pet department, both in store and online.
Fish care products sold at Walmart include:
- Aquariums & bowls
- Fish food
- Aquarium decor
- Gravel & sand
- Aquarium stands
- Water filtration systems
- Water heaters
- Water treatments
To browse Walmart’s fish supplies, click here.
Does Walmart Sell Other Live Animals?
Along with changes in the sale of live fish, Walmart also put an end to its sale of other live animals. While live fish are still available through third-party sellers on Walmart.com, Walmart does not facilitate the sale of any other live animals.
The only exceptions to this are Walmart’s sale of live bait (such as worms for fishing) and live feed (such as crickets).
FAQs
Does Walmart sell fish tanks?
Yes. Walmart sells a wide variety of fish aquariums and bowls.
Does Walmart sell betta fish?
No. As of October 2022, Walmart does not sell betta fish.
Does Walmart sell aquatic plants?
No. Walmart no longer sells live aquatic plants. However, they sell a wide range of artificial aquatic plants. You can browse those here.
Does Walmart sell lobsters?
No. Walmart stopped their sale of live lobster in 2019.
Conclusion
Walmart stopped selling live fish in their stores primarily due to a lack of demand. At one time, Walmart was said to provide up to 30% of the world’s freshwater and marine fish to the global pet market. However, over the years, the demand for pet fish has waned significantly, and Walmart decided to follow the market’s lead.
Now, Walmart only sells a small selection of live fish online through their website, but these fish are provided by third-party sellers. Walmart also ended their sale of live lobsters and other live animals. Walmart does, however, still sell live fishing bait and animal feed, such as worms and crickets.
