Petco Launches "Caring for Clownfish" Campaign to Educate Families about Proper Clownfish Care

SAN DIEGO, Sept. 5, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- With the release of Disney•Pixar's "Finding Nemo" 3D in theaters Friday, Sept. 14, Petco, a national leader in promoting responsible pet care and ownership, is launching an education campaign to help families and pet parents understand the extra effort and investment required to properly care for saltwater fish like Nemo, compared to freshwater fish. 

(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120905/LA67483-INFO)

Tips for caring for freshwater and saltwater fish, and videos on the proper care of clownfish are among a variety of tools designed to educate new pet owners. The education campaign coincides with the availability of official "Finding Nemo" aquarium kits in more than 800 Petco stores nationwide. The kits are designed for freshwater fish, but have unique decor and plants that mimic Nemo's surroundings from the movie.

When "Finding Nemo" was first released in 2003, interest in clownfish surged – something that is likely to recur when "Finding Nemo" 3D debuts this week. That's why Petco aims to help families understand the needs of clownfish before taking one home. Clownfish are saltwater fish, which require a larger investment of time and money to properly care for them in order to live long and healthy lives. Clownfish typically require at least a 29-gallon saltwater tank and a higher average set-up cost than freshwater fish.

First-time fish hobbyists may not know how to properly care for a fish like Nemo – or any other fish. In fact, according to United Pet Group, one in four, or more than 220,000 first-time fish owners (in the 5- to 55-gallon tank size range) abandon the hobby within the first 12 months.

"The release of 'Finding Nemo' 3D is going to get a lot of kids and families excited about the joys of fish ownership, and as a leader in helping fish lovers care for their aquatic companions, we think this is a great opportunity to educate first-time fish owners about the responsibilities of caring for all kinds of fish," said Rich Williams, VP of Companion Animal Merchandising for Petco. "There are some important differences between how freshwater and saltwater fish are cared for, the type of equipment they need and the time involved in making sure they thrive. We want families to have this vital information before they make decisions about what kind of fish they take home, so they can help any new aquatic pet live a long and healthy life."

Caring for Clownfish
To properly care for clownfish and other saltwater fish, Petco recommends that new fish hobbyists:

• Budget for the set-up costs and regular maintenance costs.
• Be prepared to spend at least 20 minutes per week maintaining your marine aquarium.
• Be mindful whenever you feed – your fish may look hungry, but too much food can harm your new companions.

For more information on how to care for saltwater and freshwater fish, as well as many other companion animals, visit your local Petco store or petco.com/caresheet.

The Nemo experience – with a freshwater kit
To provide families with the experience of owning a clownfish like Nemo, but without all the responsibilities that saltwater fish require, Petco is offering a special "Finding Nemo" kit in 800 of its more than 1,100 stores. The kits are designed specifically for freshwater fish and will be available on petco.com and in stores Sept. 2.

"The 'Finding Nemo' freshwater kits are a great way to extend the fun of the movie to a child's own fish tank," Williams said. "Just like our customers, all of us at Petco are animal lovers, too. That's why we designed this campaign as a fun way to educate a new generation of pet lovers about how to care for saltwater and freshwater fish, and in doing so, foster a healthy respect for marine life and all the joys of pet ownership."

About Petco
Petco is a leading pet specialty retailer that provides the products, services and advice that make it easier for our customers to be great pet parents. Everything we do is guided by our vision for Healthier Pets. Happier People. Better World. We operate more than 1,100 stores nationwide, including more than 50 Unleashed by Petco® locations, a smaller format neighborhood shop, and www.petco.com. The Petco Foundation, an independent nonprofit organization, has raised more than $90 million since it was created in 1999 to help promote and improve the welfare of companion animals. In conjunction with the Foundation, we work with and support approximately 7,500 local animal welfare groups across the country to help find homes for more than 250,000 animals through in-store adoption events every year.

About "Finding Nemo" 3D
Academy Award®-winning film "Finding Nemo" returns to the big screen in thrilling Disney Digital 3D™ for the first time ever. Teeming with memorable comedic characters and heartfelt emotion, this stunning underwater adventure follows the momentous journey of an overprotective clownfish named Marlin (voiced by Albert Brooks) and his young son Nemo (voiced by Alexander Gould)––who become separated in the Great Barrier Reef when Nemo is unexpectedly taken far from his ocean home to a fish tank in a dentist's office. Buoyed by the companionship of Dory (voiced by Ellen DeGeneres), a friendly-but-forgetful blue tang fish, Marlin embarks on a dangerous trek and finds himself the unlikely hero of an epic effort to rescue his son––who hatches a few daring plans of his own to return safely home.

Directed by Oscar® winner Andrew Stanton and produced by Graham Walters, with an Academy Award® for Best Animated Feature Film and an Oscar®-nominated screenplay by Stanton, Bob Peterson and David Reynolds, "Finding Nemo" also features the voices of Willem Dafoe, Brad Garrett, Allison Janney, Austin Pendleton, Stephen Root, Vicki Lewis, Joe Ranft, Barry Humphries, Geoffrey Rush and Elizabeth Perkins. Stanton serves as the unflappable sea turtle, Crush, and Peterson as the musical manta ray teacher, Mr. Ray. "Finding Nemo" will be released in Digital 3D™ for a limited theatrical engagement on Sept. 14, 2012, and will be released for the first time ever in high-definition Blu-ray™ and Blu-ray 3D™ on Dec. 4, 2012.

SOURCE Petco