Oh yeah, that’s right! The thought came to me on a whim yesterday, as I rounded the aisles of Petco looking for a new goldfish.

You know how they sell all sorts of exotic fish in the back? Well, instead of picking up those fancier ones for $3-$7 a piece, save some from the “feeder tank”! Every store’s a bit different, but if they’re selling fish, they’re selling “feeder fish”.

What are “feeder fish”, exactly? They are usually smaller, not as sell-able fish used to feed the hungry fish-eating fish (think piranhas), and are usually found in a huge long tank w/ literally HUNDREDS of others…all swimming around w/ nothing to do except wait to be eaten…or be saved ;) They’re still fish-fish, just not the crazy exotic type (although sometimes you can get lucky!) that can bring the store real money.

And the best part – they only cost 2 cents – 26 cents each! Now THAT’s the kind of money i like spending. And, as you can see from the picture above, that i did. I picked up two of the biggest & prettiest ones I could find, handed over my 55 cents (52 cents + tax), and filled up my 10 gallon tank!

What about this “FREE” talk? Oh yes, you have two ways of making this happen:

1) When you go in to look for the fish, find a manager and explain that you just wanna try 1 or 2 to start your tank. Then, when you locate the feeders, explain you’d just like two of them to “test it out”. Usually, and esp. if you’re a young lady and he’s a guy, he’ll end up scooping up more than 2 AND hand them over for free! i mean, they’re only a few pennies, right?

2) If this doesn’t work (aka you’re a guy), ring out your purchase as usual, and then check the end of the receipt you get. More often than not, it’ll have a “survey request” attached to the end of it, esp. if you’re a savings card holder. Take the 5 minute over the phone survey, and you’ll be rewarded with a nifty little coupon for $2.00 off your next purchase! Even BETTER than free.

And that’s all there is to it. Of course, you may need a little luck on your side for one of the above to happen smoothly, but I find that a nice smile and plenty of compliments help bring more of this “luck” your way.

Worst case? You’ll walk away w/ a handful a fish for under a $1.00! it’s win-win, especially for your brand new non-eaten pets ;)

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ps: If you’re looking to fill up a larger aquarium with fish, grab a dozen or two of the little babies you’ll usually find in the feeder tank. More often than not, they are assorted breeds of tropical fish, and they will procreate like none other! I kid you not, the last time i did this was a year and a half ago….and my original 14 babies turned into 100+ breeds of all kind!